Vehicle Shopping Blues

[Midnightmoon]

There is nothing that I enjoy more than shopping for a new vehicle. And I've experienced a thing or two in my couple of years on this Earth.......Root Canal, Colonoscopy, and a visit or two to the Proctologist.

Saturday morning, the wife finds a truck online that she is interested in. It's the correct model, engine, equipment and color. So, she calls the dealership. Yep, it's in stock. So, there's a little bit of snow but we drive 1/2 hour out there and guess what....it's sold. But, don't worry, "we can get another one in for you just like it".

Yesterday, I'm online searching another dealer's site. Here we go, another truck, all the correct equipment, right options except for one, but a different color. I ask my wife, would you be interested in this one? She says sure, check in to it. So, I fill out the online contact form. Simple question, "Is it in stock and available". I also noted that I prefer email contact over phone but stupidly add my phone # to the contact form. Low and behold, my phone rings right after lunch today.

Me "Is the truck in stock and available?".

Salesman "Yes, when would you like to come out and take a look"?

Me "How's late afternoon?"

Salesman "Sounds great. What is your purchase time frame?"

Me "Immediate if the price is right. Please email me over a price quote including a complete breakdown of all incentives available"

Salesman "Well....it isn't our policy to do a price quote until we run a credit check. I'll email you a link to our credit app and we can go from there."

Me "Excuse me, I don't want a credit app, just give me the price"

Salesman "I'm sorry, that isn't our policy"

Me "I just want your best price"

Salesman "I'm sorry, I would have to get that information from my manager"

Me "That's fine. I'll shop somewhere else"

The dealership has now rang my phone 3 more times this evening. Seriously, where do they find these people? I assume that all of these dealerships have their salespeople follow a sales model, but why does it have to be so blasted hard to do something so simple?

[Bookemdanno]

1st thing I do when car shopping is ask for the sales manager. Every salesman has always told me that that have to go thru him/her...so I just cut the salesman (or woman) out of the equation and go to the person that actually makes the decisions! I tell the sales manager they have one shot at gaining my business and he/she can give the commission to anyone of their choosing. I've walked out on many a dealership...

Good luck is all I can tell you!

[TCNashville]

All I do on the internet is locate the vehicle I'm interested in which lists the price and available discounts and whether it is in stock or not. I don't do the "chat or text" with the dealership nor do I call about the vehicle. I just purchased a new '17 F-250 and made the deal at the dealership which I was pleased with. If you're a motivated buyer go to the dealership and make the deal in person bypassing the annoyance over the phone.

[Midnightmoon]

I guess that I am just frustrated since this is the polar opposite of the experience that I had buying my van in 2015. I did 100% of my contact for that vehicle online from the beginning of the deal to the end. The only time that I spoke with a salesperson on that purchase was when I showed up at the dealership to look the vehicle over and go for a test drive. The entire process took less than an hour from the time I arrived at the dealership. I thought just about every other manufacturer had started taking that approach.

[nwminnesota]

When I was shopping for a car, I took my family to the dealer where the car was and had called ahead to let them know I was coming to take a look. Salesman meet me and showed me the car. The wife and I grabbed the car seats out of my truck and strapped them in the back seat. Asked if I could take it for a test drive. Sales guy sad not without a credit app. I said I don't need to fill out a credit app. Being I would be paying cash. He said he couldn't let me drive it without filling one out. I said I will so you my bank account that I have the funds can log in on my phone. Still turned me down and also said they were tring to keep the miles low on the car. What a joke it had 30k miles on it I don't think 5miles would make a difference. I just got up and left and told him thanks for wasting my time and I would never be back.

I wouldn't fill out a credit app. Before they give you their final price.

Also I have found that some dealers will deal on their cars and others will hold firm but a month later they eventually drop their price. Also watch out some of them will have lot hanger price tags that will be a couple grand higer then their Internet price. Have your smart phone handy and check their internet price. They always claim that they just lowerd the price and haven't and time to change the tag.

Good luck. Remember you are the one in the driver seat. Also if you have a great price negotiated and want to sleep on it, the good dealers will say go ahead sleep on it and come back in a day or two and if we still have it we will honor that price.

Also if it's been on their lot for 120 days they will give it away, because usually they will then just action it off.

(To lazy to proof read my reply hopefully it makes sense)

[TCNashville]

I have never had to fill out a credit app before taking a test drive. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact I drive my trade in to the dealership=equity.

[GarlicDude]

We drove 2 hours in a driving rain to look at a truck. Took a test drive and started to negotiate. I told the salesman that we had bought several vehicles and weren't going to do the 2-3 hours of back and forth. We had a truck to trade in and we wanted the middle of the blue book trade in value, $6500. The sales manager came back with $4500, we did a bit more negotiating without going anywhere, the salesman finally said, "Can't you give me $50?" $50 0n a $25,000 purchase, we walked. Next day I saw a local dealer with a truck that had everything we wanted. The internet link had a price and a link to click for the "Internet price" , the price dropped $1000. Wife and I went and looked, told the sales guy that we wanted $6500 for the trade in and didn't want to do the song and dance nonsense. He checked with the sales manager on our trade in, and came back in about a minute, yes on the trade in and we drove away with our "new" truck, 2012 Dbl. cab Tacoma, 2012 model, towing package and only 18,000 miles on the odometer. Next day the song and dance guy phones and has a deal for us, sorry we already bought.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by TCNashville

I have never had to fill out a credit app before taking a test drive. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact I drive my trade in to the dealership=equity.

I think it is more of a hook tactic. If they can get you to run a credit check, they have leverage over you, unless of course the person doesn't mind getting their credit pulled over and over again shopping at several dealers.

[retiredtech]

Even if you're paying with cash or a certified check dealers push for a credit check, which infuriates me. It's a big hassle now that my wife and I have put security freezes on with Transunion, Equifax, etc. Never had our cards stolen or lost but twice now medical clinics have had their records (with all our personal info) stolen. Sorry - better log off before I really get on my soapbox!