You know what really grinds my gears?

"DasWauto" (DasWauto) 09/21/2013 at 14:02 • Filed to: cotomersevis

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Dealerships that won't list prices online and kindly invite you to "please call". You know what? Kindly go fuck yourself. Calling isn't going to make me any more interested in buying a vehicle and you are certainly not going to manage to sell me on the attributes of the car, or the dealership for that matter, over the phone.

I just want to know if the price of the car(s) I'm interested in is even remotely in the ballpark of what I'm interested in paying and not listing the price and forcing me to call just serves to start off the relationship with the dealer on a bad foot.

*Begrudgingly calls dealer*

dieselwagon > DasWauto 09/21/2013 at 14:13

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I generally assume "Please call" means starting above market value, certainly not going to be a good deal, or they'll pick the price based on how much of a pushover you sound... If it was a good deal, they'd be shouting about it, because they're not it means its high pressure sales time.

duurtlang > DasWauto 09/21/2013 at 14:23

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I experienced an even worse dealer. He not only listed the price as "please call", after I showed up (looking like a very respectable 29 year old) he said his policy was to not allow test drives. "You can test drive the car after you've bought it", he said. This was a €4000 car. I was allowed to sit in the car and start the engine though. To be fair, the car was in an overcrowded show room and a test drive would've required the removal of several other cars from his building first.

I walked away, obviously. The car was still for sale half a year later.

webmonkees > DasWauto 09/21/2013 at 14:26

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Yes.. And you, the private seller :

No, I don't want to play 'make an offer but don't offend me' price game. Put a price on the ad. OBO, Firm. A price lets us know how informed or delusional you are about the value of the vehicle. Trade is not a price, either.

dieselwagon > DasWauto 09/21/2013 at 14:31

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Some car dealers seem to object to the idea that some buyers know what they want, and don't need a salesman to convince them on which car to buy and for how much...

I've been noticing a trend lately of advertised online prices being £500-£1000 lower than what the window sticker says. Especially when you can see the window sticker in the online ad... It's not small change when they're doing this with sub £7k vehicles. I would feel royally ripped off if I managed to get a few hundred off, then found they're advertising it online at an even lower price than what you spent an hour bartering to get.

PS9 > DasWauto 09/21/2013 at 14:35

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Reason #1572 why I will NEVER buy a car from any dealer.

Ever.

exizeo - still loving fourza > DasWauto 09/21/2013 at 14:56

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Another thing: markups.

No, Rallye BMW of Long Island, you're full of shit and a used E92 M3 is not worth 80k. It could be a future classic, but FOR FUCK'S SAKE IT'S BEEN TWO MONTHS SINCE THE CAR WENT OUT OF PRODUCTION.

Meanwhile there's a equally priced (fairly) Dakar (Pussy Magnet) Yellow new E92 M3 somewhere in Arizona.

Tom McParland > DasWauto 09/21/2013 at 14:58

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Because I shop cars for people all the time I encounter the two dealership extremes the first like you mentioned who won't give you the info you want. 90% of the time these places are not to be trusted and are very likely to pad up the back end with bullshit charges. Then there is the other extreme who will post their bottom dollar price up front knowing that folks shopping on the web are going to call the cheapest place first. Anyway if you need any help dealing with these jokers you know where to find me. :) Or drop me a line at Automatchconsulting @ gmail.com

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > dieselwagon 09/21/2013 at 15:23

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Yeah, I usually think anything approaching 'POA' means 'waiting for someone who's after that exact car and is willing to pay the price whatever it is'. In other words, not me.

Unless it's just someone who hasn't got the foggiest idea what they have.

Kugelblitz > DasWauto 09/21/2013 at 17:16

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Was new car shopping three weeks back. Emailed dealer about car, received an "internet price" email. Checked out car. I am 53, was told I could not test drive car because I would damage it, potentially. Left.

Called back the next day and was told that the price I was given was only for one day. went to another dealer, drove car, got price, paid cash.

Still pretty honked off at Russel Subaru in Ellicott City, Md.

DasWauto > Kugelblitz 09/21/2013 at 19:59

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It's like they don't want to sell the car at all. Not a smart business practice if you ask me.

Kugelblitz > DasWauto 09/21/2013 at 21:26

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I was baffled, in their defense, I was offered the sales manager's WRX to drive. They salesman was courteous but they would not honor a written price THEY sent ME. I must admit to a slight amount of satisfaction later when they called me to see if I still wanted the car. By then I had a new WRX sedan.

Boo! I wanted their car and their salesguy's game was weak.