Update: This is what the dealer said:

"VincentMalamute-Kim" (VincentMalamute-Kim)
08/07/2014 at 18:57 • Filed to: None

Original post here:

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Basically: the sales guy told my friend his MDX came in. Before he could arrange a day to sign the contract and pick the car up, the dealer says that Acura sent a truck and took the MDX back.

Thank you to everyone who posted with good information. I learned a lot. I just heard from my friend:

"Spoke with the salesman at Acura of Brookfield. He swears on a stack of Bibles that he did not sell the car out from under me. He said that the dealership received the ownership invoice from Acura and the next day a "negative invoice" was received rescinding ownership of the MDX and the car was to be immediately returned to Acura for inspection. This was ordered by the regional manager without any more detailed explanation. Salesman was not sure if the vehicle was going to an inspection center in Chicago or back to the Alabama factory for the inspection. They are trying to get an explanation of what is going on from the district manager."

And then an hour later:

"Just got off the phone with my salesman. Mdx was trucked to Chicago for inspection by factory representative. Somehow or another the concern was raised by factory quality control that the injection molded sound deadening material at the front of the dashboard might not have been installed or installed improperly. Apparently the car passed reinspection in Chicago with no changes needed and is being shipped back for delivery to me!! Bizarre!! Why couldn't the dealer have done the inspection? Car salesman "I have no clue""

Oppo, is this more salesman bullshit? Or do you think he's actually telling the truth?

Do "negative invoices" exist that can rescind ownership of the MDX away from the dealer back to Acura? (I kinda like the idea of a negative invoice that can return the stuff you sold some schmoe back to you - it's like The Force!)

Would you buy the car from this salesman after all that?

DISCUSSION (13)

All Motor Is Best Motor > VincentMalamute-Kim
08/07/2014 at 19:01

I have a hard time believing an Acura dealership would sell someone else a car already ordered by another customer. I really don't see why any dealership would do that. What does that accomplish? If a car is already on order by a customer and he's ready to pick it up when it comes in no money is going to be gained by selling said car to someone else when you've already made the sale.

Vi517, JDX Racing > VincentMalamute-Kim
08/07/2014 at 19:05

Sounds like the dealer is telling the truth. My thought is that since your friend didn't buy the car right away, Acura thought that something might be wrong with the car and had it inspected again. Acura could be thinking that since the dealer didn't report any damage or problems with the car and your friend didn't buy it right away, the dealer could be lying and thought in the best interest of the customer. I'd say it would be okay to buy from this salesman. It just sounds like Acura panicked.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > VincentMalamute-Kim
08/07/2014 at 19:09

You have violated Brian's rule of changing a username and a photo at the same time. May God have mercy on your soul.

VincentMalamute-Kim > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic
08/07/2014 at 19:12

??? Really not sure what you're talking about ??? Although you're doing a good job of creeping me out. Vincent Malamute-Kim is my name on Facebook and gawker. It's the original name and photo since I created the gawker account, I can't remember, a year ago? Two years ago? And the photo is of Vincent the Malamute, RIP.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > VincentMalamute-Kim
08/07/2014 at 19:17

LOL Your the only other Vince here besides me.

trynthink > VincentMalamute-Kim
08/07/2014 at 19:19

That is truly bizarre, but I can see a manufacturer demanding a vehicle be returned to them if they think there is a defect. They are on the hook for any problems with a vehicle, not the dealer. If the manufacturer can issue a stop-sale blocking dealers from selling cars the dealer legally owns, I would imagine they can force a dealer to return a car to them for reinspection. If your friend matches the VIN on the paperwork with the car and the car looks the same, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

VincentMalamute-Kim > trynthink
08/07/2014 at 19:26

I could see the factory definitely wanting the car back if tie rods or ball joints or brakes got torqued wrong or anything resulting in customer death if they didn't fix it (well, everyone else except for the GM factory). But the salesman said Acura thought "injection molded sound deadening material at the front of the dashboard might not have been installed or installed improperly". Really?! Would most people even notice if this wasn't installed? Plus, wouldn't they have to spend 18 or so book hours to remove the dash first to even inspect this area? I bet my friend buys the car. We'll have to make sure about the VIN.

Tom McParland > VincentMalamute-Kim
08/07/2014 at 20:16

It could be legit...now the main question is when can the dealer get an MDX spec'd how your friend wants it?

trynthink > VincentMalamute-Kim
08/07/2014 at 20:29

If it isn't bullshit but Acura legitimately pulling a car because of a suspected defect, it might just be that they want to make sure the product is right, regardless of the way in which it isn't quite perfect. I'd be reassured to know that Acura will go to great (and costly) lengths to correct what some might consider minor mistakes. It sounds like what a former employer called "doing the right thing right."

VincentMalamute-Kim > Tom McParland
08/08/2014 at 12:43

That's not an issue. They say the same MDX he ordered is being returned to the dealership to be bought by my friend. Just a weird sequence of events all around. I just heard of one of my colleagues uses an agent to do all the negotiating for him when he buys cars since he hates dealing with dealerships. I'm sure you know it already but you're in a growing industry apparently. It's just all new to me.

VincentMalamute-Kim > All Motor Is Best Motor
08/08/2014 at 12:48

If that's what happened, my thought was that it was because my friend hadn't yet signed the purchase contract. Someone offered the salesman a few extra thousand to buy the car right then and there. Since my friend seemed to be in no hurry to buy the car, the salesman would have had one definite sale to someone else and a few thousand extra dollars. And then he could have talked my friend into another MDX that he maybe could have traded another dealer for. Acura really doesn't have many factory options other than FWD/AWD and trim levels and a tech package. Compared to American and German makes, there's not much difference between Acuras of a given trim level. The options my friend did want would have been installed by the dealer no matter which car they eventually found for him.

VincentMalamute-Kim > trynthink
08/08/2014 at 12:50

I might be more cynical about dealers/the people you pay to perform a service than might be warranted. Salesman's mention of a "negative invoice" seems suspect though, like something he made up.

Tom McParland > VincentMalamute-Kim
08/08/2014 at 13:34

It is weird, but hopefully your friend gets his Acura in a timely manner. Yeah services like mine are growing, even with all the online tools out there it is still a pain to work the dealerships.