Car dealerships sure changed

[Lame Duck]

Wife and I are in no urgency to get a new car but we will need one in few months.  We called Hendrick Toyota and asked how long it would take to get a 2024 vehicle.  Sales person told us 4-6 months at minimum so the time frame works out perfectly for us.  We went in and made a down deposit.  Three days later, salesman calls us that our car is coming in 1 week.  We told them that it’s not what was communicated to us so Hendrick told us to either buy a car available or get our money back and gtfo.  We were like… wow.  We asked for our deposit back and will never buying anything from Hendricks Automotive again.  I guess business is good.

Edited September 21, 2023 by Lame Duck

[CamWhoaaCam]

Wait you're angry because your car came sooner than expected?

 

 

[Cullenator]

27 minutes ago, CamWhoaaCam said:

Wait you're angry because your car came sooner than expected?

 

 

People plan and budget.  Dealer said it would be there in 4 weeks (err: months), they made a deal, Dealer should have at least sat the car on their lot for three weeks (err: months) before calling and saying "Come and get it or else"

Edited September 22, 2023 by Cullenator

[Lame Duck]

14 minutes ago, CamWhoaaCam said:

Wait you're angry because your car came sooner than expected?

 

 

It wasn’t my car.  Someone else walked away and they are trying to make me buy it.  Also, I don’t need a car just yet.  I need a car in January as per our agreement.  They are threatening me to buy someone else’s vehicle or gtfo.  I told them I’m taking my money and going to another dealership.  They are refusing to refund my down deposit after threatening me and now not returning my calls.  Basically they tried to hustle me but screwed up.  I made a down deposit with a credit card so I’m getting it back with one phone call.

[Lame Duck]

1 minute ago, Cullenator said:

People plan and budget.  Dealer said it would be there in 4 weeks, they made a deal, Dealer should have at least sat the car on their lot for three weeks before calling and saying "Come and get it or else"

Exactly!  They told me minimum of 4-6 months and they called me 3 days later to come get it!  They also want ~40% cash down.  I don’t print money.

[CamWhoaaCam]

55 minutes ago, Lame Duck said:

It wasn’t my car.  Someone else walked away and they are trying to make me buy it.  Also, I don’t need a car just yet.  I need a car in January as per our agreement.  They are threatening me to buy someone else’s vehicle or gtfo.  I told them I’m taking my money and going to another dealership.  They are refusing to refund my down deposit after threatening me and now not returning my calls.  Basically they tried to hustle me but screwed up.  I made a down deposit with a credit card so I’m getting it back with one phone call.

Oh I apologize. I didn't realize it was someone else's vehicle.

 

That sucks the way they treated you. Have you tried contacting corporate?

 

 

[CamWhoaaCam]

54 minutes ago, Lame Duck said:

Exactly!  They told me minimum of 4-6 months and they called me 3 days later to come get it!  They also want ~40% cash down.  I don’t print money.

Bro they are screwing with you. I would contact corporate. That's some shady business!

 

 

[Paa Langfart]

Definitely a sellers market these days for lots of things.

[Lame Duck]

32 minutes ago, CamWhoaaCam said:

Bro they are screwing with you. I would contact corporate. That's some shady business!

 

 

Oh 100% they are screwing with me.  Trying to hustle me but now they realized they screwed up.  I will likely send a pretty email to corporate and will take my business elsewhere.  

[CamWhoaaCam]

31 minutes ago, Lame Duck said:

Oh 100% they are screwing with me.  Trying to hustle me but now they realized they screwed up.  I will likely send a pretty email to corporate and will take my business elsewhere.  

Sadly this happens to most car buyers. It's always best if you have an experienced car buyer to go with you. Dealerships will always try and hustle the unexperienced.

 

 

[ladypanther]

1 hour ago, CamWhoaaCam said:

Bro they are screwing with you. I would contact corporate. That's some shady business!

 

 

 

36 minutes ago, Lame Duck said:

Oh 100% they are screwing with me.  Trying to hustle me but now they realized they screwed up.  I will likely send a pretty email to corporate and will take my business elsewhere.  

I would contact the BBB.  Also, there is this:

 

If you think a car dealer is breaking the rules, tell the Federal Trade Commission online or by phone: 1-877-FTC-HELP. You also can tell your state attorney general's office or local consumer protection office.

If you are having trouble getting your money back...most local TV stations have a reporter that looks into these kinds of things...gets the dealer some bad publicity.

[LinvilleGorge]

They're holding 40% of the cost of a new car of your cash and refusing to give it back? They would've already called the law on my ass because I've been in there straight up acting a fool.

I'd being the parking lot with a bullhorn announcing to all who will listen that these motherfugers are crooks.

[Lame Duck]

2 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

They're holding 40% of the cost of a new car of your cash and refusing to give it back? They would've already called the law on my ass because I've been in there straight up acting a fool.

I'd being the parking lot with a bullhorn announcing to all who will listen that these motherfugers are crooks.

Corporate said it was “miscommunication” and returned all funds.  Said per policy if car becomes available, I have to either get the car or lose the reservation payment.  Sounds like their sales people using bait and switch and lying during the process so be careful out there.  We were told it will take at least 4-6 months and we can give reservation payment and they would call us in January when car arrives.  The salespeople knew the car was available well before January so they tried to either take our money or force us to buy a car.

[Anybodyhome]

Seems to me if you're ordering the car, you should also be specifying the color, interior color and options? Last time I ordered a car because I couldn't find one with the options and color combination was in the late 80's, and it took a couple months, but it was everything I wanted.