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View Full Version : Buying from a dealer?Check this out!



UncleLar
01-17-2003, 05:50 PM
Lots of good stuff here on buying a car from a dealer and dealer scams. It really helped out when my son and I each bought new cars last November.
www.carbuyingtips.com

tomd
01-18-2003, 08:31 AM
My son went out looking for a car without me and it cost him easily 2,000 to 3,000 bucks! He's 19 never bought a car on his own and was only trying to find a Chevy Cavalier LS yellow & with a 4 speed. Make a long story short, my son signed what he thought was the ok to do a credit check what he did sign was a contract! Then he was told they would need $500, just to make sure he really wanted the car and if his credit was good it could be his! I went back with him the next night to wheel and deal the price down only to find out that it was a done deal and he was paying FULL price for a 2002 car in September! Moral of the story is tell your kids NOT to sign anything! I hate car salesman. :po:
:flamer:

cyclone03
01-18-2003, 10:12 AM
You don't have any "cooling off"period in IL?
I would have told them to shove it and walked.
Could your son qualify for the loan without you?If not then without you no deal.
I hated all car sales people until I bought my Marauder BEST experience ever!
Next 2 day's came the worst,buying my wifes Sporttrack.

tomd
01-18-2003, 12:10 PM
The big thing was my son REALLY wanted the car, I was ready to tell them to keep the $500 and walk-out the door. He wanted the car so I said ok. I will NEVER go to that dealer again, and I make sure I tell everbody I know what they did. I meet a lot of new people every week so I tell them about this great dealership. :D

My son did have good enough credit to get the car on his own, (-: , not sure if we have a 24 hour cool off in Illinois, don't think so.

2003_MM_FYRE49
01-18-2003, 12:43 PM
Tom, you have three days to call off a deal in Illinois, that is the law.

SergntMac
01-18-2003, 03:43 PM
Yes, you do, Tom, but at this point, it may be better for you to talk to GM, not the dealer. Call them, give them some negative feedback on the dealer. You may not see a refund, but you may pick up other goodies, like red carpet treatment at another dealership. Worth a try? Besides, the kid has just learned an important lesson too, and sometimes that education is best learned the hard way.

metroplex
01-18-2003, 03:48 PM
I factory ordered a Ford E-250 in late November and laid down a $500 deposit.

What can I do to not pay for the window etching and dealer prep?

I know they're both BS charges, but its $179 for the Window Etching and $100 for the dealer prep.

RCSignals
01-18-2003, 04:45 PM
window etching?

Dealer prep depends on the dealer and how good of a customer you are usually. The common price for dealer prep is $100.00. if you have to pay it, just make sure they have actually done it, and not missed anything

metroplex
01-18-2003, 06:46 PM
Window Etching = ID etching. One of the 10 things that's covered in the link posted in the first post of this thread.

They want $179, I refused it for the Vic when I ordered it - but found they had already applied it. I just didn't get the insurance deductible.

For $180+extra I could get a Reinhart chip for the E-250 instead of a useless window etching.

RCSignals
01-18-2003, 10:37 PM
Simply refuse it. I've never heard of a dealer demanding any such garbage as that.

metroplex
01-19-2003, 06:34 AM
Well the window etching is optional, but i was wondering if I could refuse dealer prep and still come out with the vehicle.

I need to find a legit excuse - such as "Dealer Prep" is already paid for in destination and delivery (about $715+ for NJ). If this is indeed true, I have legal leverage in refusing to pay for dealer prep AND still walk out with my vehicle.

dok
01-19-2003, 07:53 AM
Charlie

Check this out:

http://www.carbuyingtips.com/scams.htm#Scam5

RCSignals
01-19-2003, 10:27 PM
take a look at the order guides, dealer prep is listed toward the end. The cost would seem to be up to the dealer

metroplex
01-20-2003, 06:11 AM
You know, I think even tho my local stealership is a rip off, their prices aren't as bad as some of the ones I've seen.

I.e. $599 for dealer prep, $400 for window etching, etc...
I remember it was something like $105 for dealer prep, $179 for window etching, and $275 for undercoating.

The undercoating on my T-bird has helped prevent it from just rusting out. So i know the stuff works.

tomd
01-20-2003, 12:19 PM
Originally posted by SergntMac
Yes, you do, Tom, but at this point, it may be better for you to talk to GM, not the dealer. Call them, give them some negative feedback on the dealer. You may not see a refund, but you may pick up other goodies, like red carpet treatment at another dealership. Worth a try? Besides, the kid has just learned an important lesson too, and sometimes that education is best learned the hard way.

Wish I would of know that back in September, but now I do! Thanks Guys

Oh so true SergntMac!
"And sometimes that education is best learned the hard way"

LincMercLover
01-20-2003, 10:42 PM
I can say my dealer was THE BEST I've ever dealt with! EVER! For a guy to come back outside after we've discussed everything about the car (well, it was more me talking than him...), and say, "Alright, I can't stand seeing you drool from teh window, let's go for a test drive." when they have a no test drive policy on high performance cars. Most dealers shy away from those buying A-plan too, since there's nothing really in it for them. Only thing I have a problem with is my service department...

As far as the window etching and dealer prep... you had to pay for that? They never even mentioned it to me... It was expected, at least the dealer prep anyway. Never heard of the etching, although, now that I think about it, I thought I saw an ID of some sort on a window... Maybe my dealer does it to all the car before?

metroplex
01-21-2003, 06:11 AM
Every dealer should allow you to test drive the Marauder.
A viper or a Z06 I can understand them not letting you drive.. :)

but yeah, the ID is etched on all cars apparently, then they charge you for it. It costs $29 to do it yourself.

I'm wondering if I should just refuse dealer prep. I know the etching is optional but they gave me a hard time with it for the Vic. This time I know more about the ID etching so I can refuse that.

Just wondering if dealer prep is mandatory. I was told NOT to pay anything for that. Sounds like a plan.

mdmarauder
01-21-2003, 07:17 AM
I have to say that my whole experience of buying my Marauder at A-Plan was horrible. My local dealer, 5 min from the house wouldn't even consider A-Plan. Had to go an hour and a half to another stealership. Took delivery of the car. (Which was a replacement from Ford of my 02 Lemon Explorer) Dealership hit the roof when they found out they were getting nothing out of the deal except $200.00 which I tried to tell them all along. They tried to force me to buy the ESP Warranty, Rustproofing, and other misc. crap, which I declined. I wish we had a decent Mercury Dealer in the area.

On the topic of window etching, dealers usually do it when they get the car. Then they beat you over the head to buy it. Great eh?

Logan
01-21-2003, 07:59 AM
Yes, you can absolutely request the car be un-prepped. I didn't even let them take the plastic of my car and they left all the transport film on it too... I wouldn't take it any other way.

LincMercLover
01-21-2003, 10:40 AM
When I first saw my car to be (which was like 2 months before purchase) she still had all her plastic. Low and behold, ALL their MM's had been unwrapped when I came to buy. I was kind of disappointed, because I wanted to keep all that stuff... Crazy to find these early 70's cars that still have the plastic on the back seats!

On the topic of A-Plan, the first dealership I went to tried the same thing. "Oh, well, we'd have to look into letting them go A-Plan, since they're a rare car..." You HAVE to be firm. You TELL them it's not their choice, it's Detroits. This is NOT an SVT vehicle, therefore it qualifies for A-Plan discount, regaurdless of what the dealer wants. Just a heads up.

As for preping, if the car's paint isn't in bad shape, then don't let them touch it. However, if it was like mine, dirty as all hell, and swirled by the towel boys who "wash" (more like run dirty wet rags over all the cars) the cars, then have them prep it, and re-prep it yourself, as I did. A good place to add some extra detail is the interior. Get soem Armor-All interior wipes. Adds a nice, but subtle glaze to the interior PLASTIC and VINAL. Really makes it pop and get away from the grand-pa car look!

Logan
01-21-2003, 11:24 AM
LML... I use Baby Oil instead of Armor oil. It's not silicone based, it lasts longer and a side bonus, it's cheaper. Pro Car show guy trick.

metroplex
01-21-2003, 11:28 AM
rofl

I use 303 Aerospace Protectant. It's not silicone based, its biodegradable, non-toxic, protects vinyl, rubber, and plastic surfaces from UV rays. Its an actual protectant - not a detailer thing that you use to make it SUPER shiny.

LincMercLover
01-21-2003, 03:04 PM
Hmm... doesn't the baby oil leave a powdery smell? The Armor-all isn't extreamly glossy, that's what I like about. I do that every so often and dust/vacuum the interior every time I wash the car.

metroplex
01-21-2003, 03:19 PM
Yea but the silicone will destroy the vinyl.

Use 303 Aerospace Protectant. I use it on vinyl seats, dash, tires, vinyl rooftops, tonneau covers, lexan headlight lenses, etc...