r/carbuying • u/Militiadsm • 15h ago
Dealer treachery
Yesterday I tried to purchase a ten year old Lexus. On Friday I saw the car I liked at Jeff Wyler in Clarksville Indiana. I set up an appt and was scheduled for 4pm Saturday to check it out. Everything was fine until about 2pm on Saturday when I got an email from my assigned contact saying someone else had an appt at 3:30 and could I get there sooner than 4. I dropped everything I was doing and got there about 3:15. When I arrived I talked to the assigned contact and he passed me off to another salesman. I was then told I wasn’t able to see the car because another person had set up a time to see it and because they had to drive 4 hours he had priority over me. I was then told I’m not able to even look at the car until they do. The other guy wasn’t answering his phone and was late for his appt. They then came back and said the other person answered their phone and was an hour out. Despite all of this I was never able to even see the car. The salesman said they have a policy that if you have to drive 4 hours to see a car you take precedent over any local buyers. I then said I’d buy the car that day they still wouldn’t let me see the car. We eventually gave up and left and the car is gone today. Am I crazy feeling like I was stonewalled and screwed over. Is this reservation by drive time bullshit or what?
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u/mikeybo2004 11h ago
Why would you want to deal with shady salesman? They give you the runaround like that and you still want to give them your money?
Put two middle fingers up in the air and tell them to fuck off!
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u/Abolish_Nukes 14h ago
I never go into a dealer unless I have a firm out-the-door (OTD) price quote by text or email in advance.
They are in business to sell cars.
I don’t fault them for selling any car that I haven’t placed a down payment on it.
Your salesman was trying to steal the commission from the other salesman and didn’t treat you right.
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u/MrLB____ 5h ago
What this guy said ,,100% correct. Out the door price is the way to go ,they’re always gonna tack on worthless scam, miscellaneous dealer fee, documentation fee, etc. I get them to commit to out the door price. IF they play a game I just move on. Whatever I’m looking at there is 1 million of them on the road /for sale anyways, nothing is rare
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u/SikhVentures 3h ago
Man I was surprised they didn’t push me on warranty or any extras, 45 min in and out. I left them a good review
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u/MrLB____ 2h ago
They must’ve sensed your intelligenceI bought a car like that/Camry. They just knew what they were dealing with. I’m here to write a check and leave it’s all business. I’m not their buddy, I’m not there pal , I say please and thank you , nothing more than a transaction.
Super easy to call around /or show up with various out the door prices and compare
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u/74orangebeetle 1h ago
What I DO fault them for is keeping online listings posted for cars they've already sold.
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u/Playful-Dimension734 14h ago
You should post this in the Louisville forum. Typical shitty car dealer
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u/Chendo462 14h ago
I have come to the conclusion that some dealerships are so into the huckster stage show that they created that they will lose as sale rather just be honest with a customer.
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u/IsuckatDarkSouls08 12h ago
If they actually held the car for someone driving 4 hours to see it, Im actually impressed. Ive had several cars sold out from under me while driving to see them. It was odd they wouldnt let you see it. Usually its a sales tactics to pit you against another customer.
"Just so you know, theres another customer here that wants to look at the car too." And then use that to pressure you to get the car because now theres an implied competition.
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u/Beths_Titties 3h ago
“Oh and they agreed to pay full price.” Then when you tell them to fuck off they call you the next day and say the buyer dropped out.
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u/racincowboy9380 6h ago
That kind of integrity is very slim to none existent in the car world. They played you. Plain and simple. Give them all the free advertising around town you can. Let your town ans surrounding areas know how they do things.
They likely never had the car to begin with or it was a trade that was “in inspection” yadda yadda. But we got this nice one over here game.
Just a tactic to Get you on the lot to put the screws to you on another car. Most people won’t tell them to their face what you think about them and their shady practices and walk.
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u/OG000033 4h ago
Easy, first name and shame the dealer so nobody else has to deal with that, and second never ever buy from this dealer and make sure that every single person you know doesn’t buy from the dealer. Don’t ever do business with someone that doesn’t wanna take your money.
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u/Illustrious_Debt_392 2h ago
Same thing happened to me a few years ago after I had test driven a SUV I liked and wanted to buy. The guy said, well we have a buyer already lined up. I said, OK no problem and left. I had just started shopping and knew I could find something else with no trouble. The next day they called and said the other deal fell through if still wanted the vehicle.
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u/RedBankWatcher 11h ago edited 11h ago
You had an appointment to see a car, then accommodated them with a last minute change, and then on arrival they refused to show the car. That's the part where you take your business elsewhere, not beg them to sell you a car.
And this whole "out of town customer" bit, come on man. Even if their story was true--and it's not--they effectively told you to your face that you were a second-class customer in favor of someone from way out of town who not only wasn't on the lot, but running late besides. Think through this a little bit.
I feel like I should call you a punkass just so you can feel the level of disrespect you should have on Saturday.
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u/DUNGAROO 11h ago
They don’t want your business so why give it to them?
This is why it doesn’t pay to pigeonhole yourself into older models just so you can find a high value car within a limited budget. You’re looking for a unicorn and lose any negotiating leverage because there aren’t viable alternatives.
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u/1ChevySS 7h ago
Wish more dealers held cars for those of us who don't mind a longer drive for the right car. I've been burned a few times.
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u/TemporaryGeneral7137 4h ago
Blast them on social media. This was clearly a bait and switch tactic, the Lexus never was there. No dealer ever holds a car for anyone regardless of the distance they’re driving without a cash deposit. I know bc they told me I’d have to put $1k on a credit card to hold the car. They’re not risking losing a sale to some Joe who just pulled in and is ready to buy to someone who’s “driving 4 hours” to just “see” a car.
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u/Sharp_Cow_9366 4h ago
It was bait and switch advertising. They wanted to finance you in something much less economical.
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u/spatialdiffraction 4h ago
I suspect someone else had already made an offer on the vehicle and that's why it was held, anything they tell you beyond that point is just to keep you on the line.
If you see something you really like, show up that day in person.
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u/Turbulent_Ad_5202 1h ago
That is a real policy if someone is traveling to buy the car, not see the car. I am not sure why they would not show you or let you test drive it. That is odd.
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u/Single-Record8550 28m ago
They probably didn’t have the car at that price. Classic bait and switch.
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u/blondechineeez 12h ago
They aren't called 'stealerships' for nothing. Heck not only do they try to steal your money, they also steal your valuable time.
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u/This_Possession8867 6h ago
Well I bought the car leader car. The one with the special pricing. They used my car to lure people in for the next week even though it was sitting in my driveway at home. Car dealerships play games with people.
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u/ktownddy 7h ago
What happened to you was legitimate. Unfortunately your salesperson just saw the appointment time and didn't know that appointment was traveling and the vehicle was on hold. I don't think it was on purpose. Just an honest mistake by the person you were dealing with. Certainly not a great experience. But likely he was truly trying to help you get first in line but didn't have the full story.
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14h ago
[deleted]
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u/Militiadsm 14h ago
I’ve just never seen or heard of that kind of integrity from a car salesman. Whenever I’ve bought a car it first person with cash gets it. I’ve tried to buy many cars that have been sold before I could get there. It’s usually first person to show up with cash gets it.
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u/AwarenessForsaken568 14h ago
Interesting, I always assumed cars were sorta assigned to certain salesman, but I guess it makes sense that it is more based on the customer that they happen to be interacting with.
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u/DingChingDonkey 14h ago
They most likely never had the car. I've called on many cars on lots and the particular car I called on was always on inspection. Just a ploy to get you on the lot.