I didn't see a blanket statement here that all car dealers are scum. Did someone really say that?
I personally would take the wrong car back and get the one with the right VIN number and go on with my life. I don't think it will be easy to get the $ back already paid for the better car just because of the necessary paperwork involved in cutting a check.
I hope it works out for you, DM.
I'm a very pro-business guy, but along with that I feel that businesses also have to take the responsibility.
Sure, we all make mistakes, but this is their job, they do it every day. A customer buys a car occasionally. I feel that puts the burden on the business to make it right. I really think they should eat it, figure out how the mistake happened, put in corrective action, apologize to the customer, and move on.
But, the reality is that splitting the difference is still a good deal for the OP (assuming the $30,000 was not a hard limit for him), and it seems like the least painful route. I'd still take it, but I'm not him. But I'd probably push pretty hard for getting it for $30,000 - it is their mistake.
-ERD50
The "correct" car is the car they showed him (he is driving it). And the "correct" price is the price they offered it to him at. They may have misunderstood what they were doing but there seems to be no dispute that they told him he could have the car he was driving for $30K. The dealer is an idiot to F this guy over for an extra $1K.I would tell the dealer to give me the correct car, at the correct price, and be done with it.life is too short..........
The "correct" car is the car they showed him (he is driving it). And the "correct" price is the price they offered it to him at. They may have misunderstood what they were doing but there seems to be no dispute that they told him he could have the car he was driving for $30K. The dealer is an idiot to F this guy over for an extra $1K.
My bet is the dealer will cave - that would be the "correct" outcome. Wait for it.
Look over the many posts about carbuying on here. There is an overiding bias against the entire process involving dealerships. Pretty much everyone thinks that dealers rip everyone off and you should expect that.
Look over the many posts about carbuying on here. There is an overiding bias against the entire process involving dealerships. Pretty much everyone thinks that dealers rip everyone off and you should expect that. Having worked in a dealership many years ago, and having been in a position to deal with issues like dm faces, it is my opinion that the dealer is trying to be fair. Of course, dm could play hardball and do whatever he wants, but he is driving the car. A mistake was made, and I suppose dm and most here feel the dealer should eat the mistake. However, what if the mistake was $5000, or $10,000? Is the buyer ALWAYS right if a mistake is made? Something to think about..........
Right now, the dealer can't sell the car he still owns because the VIN is attached to another car. So, the dealer is screwed on that inventory, and dm didn't get the right car. I would tell the dealer to give me the correct car, at the correct price, and be done with it.life is too short..........
One of my good friends is a car dealer actually.
I didn't see a blanket statement here that all car dealers are scum. Did someone really say that?
I personally would take the wrong car back and get the one with the right VIN number and go on with my life. I don't think it will be easy to get the $ back already paid for the better car just because of the necessary paperwork involved in cutting a check.
I hope it works out for you, DM.
No... I don't think that the dealership has to honor the price... they have the right to undo the deal... so if it is $10K, they can say 'please bring back the car'... or, as they have done, make a counter and say 'pay us and extra $5K and it is yours'.... but they don't seem to be doing that... they seem to want the deal, but only at the extra money. That deal has been refused... so what is left is eat the cost and send the proper paperwork or get the car back and the deal is off..
OHHH, had to edit... the problem with taking the 'other' car is that you might not have wanted to pay the $30K for THAT car... if you had known, you might have only paid $29K... and a deal would not have been done...
I will say... the one exception is when I had a deal... and went to pick up the car and the CU guy was packing his office... seems that the GM nixed the deal that was done because someone had come in and liked the car and was willing to pay 'sticker'... so my deal was not honored (who cares about what was signed etc... it was all done over the phone and with faxes... so not 'check').... funny thing is the guys credit fell through and the GM came running to me as I was leaving to try and get the deal back... sorry, no thanks...
I just got back from the dealer. I signed new application for title and got a new receipt showing the correct vin. I did not pay any more.
Ive got a tee time so I have to run. But hopefully I'm done with this.
Did you put a deposit on the car over the phone by credit card? If so, they should not have sold it. If not, you really didn't have anything but a handshake deal. One guy I know has been selling cars for 25 years. He said if he had a dollar for everytime a guy said over the phone "I'll take it", but never followed through, he would be retired a long time ago........
I just got back from the dealer. I signed new application for title and got a new receipt showing the correct vin. I did not pay any more. Ive got a tee time so I have to run. But hopefully I'm done with this.
We used to kick guys like you out of our dealership........
All's well that ends well. Too bad you had to have so many days of stress. And no lifetime oil changs for your pain and suffering!I just got back from the dealer. I signed new application for title and got a new receipt showing the correct vin. I did not pay any more.
Ive got a tee time so I have to run. But hopefully I'm done with this.
I just got back from the dealer. I signed new application for title and got a new receipt showing the correct vin. I did not pay any more.
Ive got a tee time so I have to run. But hopefully I'm done with this.
ERD... but your TV analogy does not work... if they have the price at $200 IN THE STORE then they have to sell it for $200... they can quickly go back and tear up that sign, or reprice them, but they can not say you owe $225... that is 'bait and switch'...
However, what if the mistake was $5000, or $10,000? Is the buyer ALWAYS right if a mistake is made? Something to think about..........
The salesman is probably going to be fired.