I accompanied DD while she was shopping for a new car. She was focused on the Kia Telluride. The local dealer kept pushing financing, by offering a supposed discount. When asked what the interest rate was, he replied "whatever the current rate is. It doesn't matter since you intend to pay it off in 3 months anyway." Both the finance manager and sales manager repeated this obfuscation. We walked.
When the salesman made a follow-up call, DD told him the process felt sleazy and said she just wanted cash-only price. He had to call back, then gave her a higher number unless she agreed to financing, and STILL would not reveal interest rate.
A second Kia dealer, by phone, was a similar experience. There was a happy ending, she got the car from a 3rd dealer without that financing B.S. But this financing requirement is a new wrinkle for me. Does anyone know if this was a fluke, perhaps only with Kia, or is this the latest flim-flam for many new car dealers?
ETA: DD's FICO score is 820 or so.
When the salesman made a follow-up call, DD told him the process felt sleazy and said she just wanted cash-only price. He had to call back, then gave her a higher number unless she agreed to financing, and STILL would not reveal interest rate.
A second Kia dealer, by phone, was a similar experience. There was a happy ending, she got the car from a 3rd dealer without that financing B.S. But this financing requirement is a new wrinkle for me. Does anyone know if this was a fluke, perhaps only with Kia, or is this the latest flim-flam for many new car dealers?
ETA: DD's FICO score is 820 or so.