So tired of the dealership buying experience

[Cold_Taco]

I don't know if this is the right place but is anyone else sick of the games and tactics some dealerships still play when all you want to do is buy a new vehicle at a fair price? I bought my SR5 from a Toyota dealership stuck in a 70s or 80s time warp. I came in with a price for the exact same truck that I had seen online from a different dealership that just advertises their bottom price. It was exactly 6% off MSRP so I figured that was a fair deal and would save haggling. The first thing my salesman said was we paid more than that for the truck. I told him I saw that price on a competitor's website and felt it was a fair price. This began about 6 trips back and forth from his desk to the sales manager's office. Each time pleading with me to meet them a little higher then trying to confuse matters by including fees in the negotiation. He finally came back with a number $100 higher than mine. I actually said "Really?" out loud. He said can we get this done? So I countered with $50 more just to be a dick so he had to go back to the manager's office one more time. Then from the door of the office he shouts "Are you getting financing?" and I stupidly admitted yeah for half. So he comes back with a purchase and sales agreement. I look at the bottom number for which I am getting financing for and realize it is $500 higher than I expected. So I look at the numbers and it shows we agreed on a sales price $500 higher than we had agreed on. I called it out and he shows me that is because of the $500 Toyota financing rebate. They basically took that rebate i was expecting and added it to the purchase price and hoped I wouldn't notice. At this point I was livid and raising my voice saying we negotiated a price without any talk about financing. He tried to diffuse it by saying we both just had a different understanding of what the price negotiation included. But that was total BS. They were trying to basically rob me of $500. He went back to the sales manager's office and came back with the correct numbers. But while he was gone I thought about just leaving. I should have. But in the end I got my truck for $50 more than I intended. Still had to fight off more add ons from the finance guy. He actually tried to convince me that Toyotas have gone down in quality to sell me an extended warranty. I just had to laugh by that point. Im glad to be in my truck but I left there feeling like I had been in a brawl. It kind of soured the whole experience for what should have been a happy occasion. I think I am done with old school haggling dealerships. The funny thing is that sales guy gets glowing reviews online because he has been there 30+ years.

What was your buying experience like?

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[zekesview]

That sucks @Cold_Taco
I had the complete opposite experience once I found the right dealership.

I bought my truck completely remote. I did all my research prior and knew what I wanted. Using Toyota.com to look at inventory and found the exact truck (TRD Pro - MudBath) in Lancaster, Ca. I live up in northern California so I knew I'd have to fly to get it.

Once I found the truck, I submitted a request to confirm availability and the internet manager called me within 3 minutes. He confirmed it was on the lot and I requested the vspec sheet and confirmed cost -- which was right at MSRP. It had a few extra add-ons that I actually wanted so it was win win. He also texted me about 20 photos of the truck and a video.

I called him back and said I'd take it. He worked up the paperwork, he did a conference call with me, his manager and the finance manager so we could confirm numbers. I had to send a few photos of documents and then I got the contract via email for e-sig. Once I signed, I got instructions for my down payment which I wired. All in all - it was 3 calls, a few emails and I did it all from my house. They over nighted 1 document that the DMV requires a real signature on and they included a return slip to overnight it back.

They then told me that I do have the option to have it shipped. They recommend a transport company that they've used and they came highly recommended. I reached out to them and they quoted me $600. When I was looking at flights + gas and my time to come home, this number made sense. I organized the pickup. which is today (9/26) and it will be here tomorrow.

They got the car detailed for me and sent me a fresh set of photos and a video.

All in all - its by far the best buying experience I've ever had. If I can mirror this process the next time I need to buy a car, I 100% will.

Sucks again about how things went for you @Cold_Taco

 

[evlfred]

NEVER buy a new Tesla, it will ruin you.... It took 5 hours to get the paper work done on my Taco (and I'm a former Finance Manager at a dealership for 17 years) My wife and I drove a new Model Y Juniper for her, and when we were done with test drive, she decided on the spot to get one. Picked up my phone and had it ordered in 2 minutes, did the loan paper work on the phone in less than 5. Picked it up two weeks later, signed one piece of paper and done.

 

[Cold_Taco]

That sucks @Cold_Taco
I had the complete opposite experience once I found the right dealership.

I bought my truck completely remote. I did all my research prior and knew what I wanted. Using Toyota.com to look at inventory and found the exact truck (TRD Pro - MudBath) in Lancaster, Ca. I live up in northern California so I knew I'd have to fly to get it.

Once I found the truck, I submitted a request to confirm availability and the internet manager called me within 3 minutes. He confirmed it was on the lot and I requested the vspec sheet and confirmed cost -- which was right at MSRP. It had a few extra add-ons that I actually wanted so it was win win. He also texted me about 20 photos of the truck and a video.

I called him back and said I'd take it. He worked up the paperwork, he did a conference call with me, his manager and the finance manager so we could confirm numbers. I had to send a few photos of documents and then I got the contract via email for e-sig. Once I signed, I got instructions for my down payment which I wired. All in all - it was 3 calls, a few emails and I did it all from my house. They over nighted 1 document that the DMV requires a real signature on and they included a return slip to overnight it back.

They then told me that I do have the option to have it shipped. They recommend a transport company that they've used and they came highly recommended. I reached out to them and they quoted me $600. When I was looking at flights + gas and my time to come home, this number made sense. I organized the pickup. which is today (9/26) and it will be here tomorrow.

They got the car detailed for me and sent me a fresh set of photos and a video.

All in all - its by far the best buying experience I've ever had. If I can mirror this process the next time I need to buy a car, I 100% will.

Sucks again about how things went for you @Cold_Taco

Man that sounds great. Maybe I am stuck in my own old school mindset trying to support the local dealers. I mean some of them are boosters and sponsors for locsl youth teams and events. But man I never want to go through that again.

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