Dealer Negotiation Tactics

[Wangta]

So I mentioned in another thread that I just bought a 2007 335i for $29K. I'm happy with the deal, but wanted to ask you guys for your opinion. First off, I went to the dealer to test the car and found that someone else was there ready to buy the car, so I left. They called me 10 minutes later saying the deal fell through and to come back - which I did and took me 45 minutes. When I got back, we agreed on price: $27,999 and I decided to go through with it. Right before I signed all the papers (the one with 8 signatures), they told me "a mistake has been made - the price is actually 28,999".

Was this a shady or honest mistake? It was listed at 28,999 on their website which I was aware of, but from my experience with other dealers, that is not in anyway a sticky price. I was pretty pissed off, but decided to buy the car anyway at 28,999 - figure it still is a good deal even at that price?

Has anybody else had this happen to them? I can't help bu thtink they screwed me over a little bit - I mean we were talking about $28K for the care for over an hour. You think they'd realize they were charging the wrong price earlier in the process?

[mryakan]

You should have walked IMO. They don't do "honest" mistakes, they've been doing this for a long time. Congrats anyway, it is too late to lament.

[Wangta]

You should have walked IMO. They don't do "honest" mistakes, they've been doing this for a long time.

That's how I initially reacted - when they told me (I had the pen in my hand), I absolutely blew up - "WTF, are you kidding me? We've been talking about this price for over an hour - you guys had me drive back for this $hit - you're goingto do this now???! Right before I sign!?"

After cooling off, I decided to go through with it anyway at the higher price. It was as close to a "perfect" car as I have found (in terms of options), and to be honest, I was exhausted of car shopping, and I figured that even at $29, it was a good deal.

Funny though - amidst all the turmoil, they forgot to actually take my down payment. My Retail Installment Sale Contract says I owe the price less the down payment...and yes I have the car in my possession....I could be a pain in the ass if I wanted?

[AQUALAN]

It sounds like an honest mistake to me. As a salesmanager at a dealership, inventory gets messed up all the time. Especially new inventory on the ore-owned side. There could have been an open Ro on the car that didn't show in the computer because it was still open, and the salesmanager working the deal didn't know about it. If your happy with the car, be happy..Also, you have a little leverage in the future(short future) if you have any issues with the car.

[ceb]

It sounds like an honest mistake to me. As a salesmanager at a dealership, inventory gets messed up all the time. Especially new inventory on the ore-owned side. There could have been an open Ro on the car that didn't show in the computer because it was still open, and the salesmanager working the deal didn't know about it. If your happy with the car, be happy..Also, you have a little leverage in the future(short future) if you have any issues with the car.

...if there were "negotiations" then the "error" should have been caught immediately. Not only that, but the "we made a mistake" is one of the oldest tricks in the book and you know it, I know it, and most posters aside from the OP know it.

Now - to the OP. If you got screwed or not is immaterial at this point - if you're happy with the car then you should be happy about the price too - life is too short to worry about $1k.

I would, however, post the name of the dealership so that other customers can be aware of their shady practices...

[Beer Goggles]

That's how I initially reacted - when they told me (I had the pen in my hand), I absolutely blew up - "WTF, are you kidding me? We've been talking about this price for over an hour - you guys had me drive back for this $hit - you're goingto do this now???! Right before I sign!?"

After cooling off, I decided to go through with it anyway at the higher price. It was as close to a "perfect" car as I have found (in terms of options), and to be honest, I was exhausted of car shopping, and I figured that even at $29, it was a good deal.

Funny though - amidst all the turmoil, they forgot to actually take my down payment. My Retail Installment Sale Contract says I owe the price less the down payment...and yes I have the car in my possession....I could be a pain in the ass if I wanted?
Well wait until they ask for it, but I'm sure somebody will catch it eventually.

[Wangta]

Well wait until they ask for it, but I'm sure somebody will catch it eventually.

Hah, yes - they called first thing this morning. Guess they realized they were a little light in the wallet.

I seroiusly thought about saying something like "$6,000? I meant to say $2,000 down. My bad".

[mryakan]

Hah, yes - they called first thing this morning. Guess they realized they were a little light in the wallet.

I seroiusly thought about saying something like "$6,000? I meant to say $2,000 down. My bad".
I would have done it and called it an honest mistake and looked them in the face to see the reaction. Would have given me quite a laugh. :devillook

[AQUALAN]

...if there were "negotiations" then the "error" should have been caught immediately. Not only that, but the "we made a mistake" is one of the oldest tricks in the book and you know it, I know it, and most posters aside from the OP know it.

Now - to the OP. If you got screwed or not is immaterial at this point - if you're happy with the car then you should be happy about the price too - life is too short to worry about $1k.

I would, however, post the name of the dealership so that other customers can be aware of their shady practices...

I guess becasue it's the car business, we're not allowed to make mistakes like the rest of the business world out there.

In reality, when a car comes on the lot, it runs through the service dept, the dent people, the paint people, and make-ready. 4 different departments that can open a ticket on the car. Lets say it goes through service, and needs tires (400-600$), then the paint guy does some touch up(50-175$), needs and oil change (50-75$)ect...ect...(sevice guys love to wear us sales guys out) So lets say some of that happens. It generates a ticket(RO or repair order), it does not show in the dealers cost, until that ticket is closed. for example, I just bought a 2006 325i from one of my stores in dallas. The orig cost is 15,280. I sent a driver to get it for me, and that was 165.00, I put 4 new tires, and that's 400.00, I'm getting some minor scratches touched up, that's 50.00. I also had it deatailed, and that was 50.00. I have been driving this car for over a week, and if someone was to look up the cost, it would say 15280.00, because all the Ro's are still open. If the other salesmanager didn't know I was doing all this, he would think it was in stock for 15280.00. So tell me, what about that scenario is shady?? Now He had a choice to walk or buy at the higher price, they didn't hold a gun to his head, but it still could have been a mistake, not shady practices.

[Wangta]

I would have done it and called it an honest mistake and looked them in the face to see the reaction. Would have given me quite a laugh.

What could they do if I sent in $1,000 less than the down payment we originally agreed upon, thus making the car total $28K like we ORIGINALLY agreed to. Would they come and get the car? Or beat me up?

[AQUALAN]

It would void your contract for 1 if you financed it. 2, they would hold the registration hostage or just get you to bring it back. If you didn't bring it back, they would likely pick it up, unless the deal was profitable enough to just eat the 1000, and move on. If they are smart though, the would get you to resign, as the contract would still be invalid even if they eat the 1k.

[Beer Goggles]

What could they do if I sent in $1,000 less than the down payment we originally agreed upon, thus making the car total $28K like we ORIGINALLY agreed to. Would they come and get the car? Or beat me up?


What does the contract say?

[Wangta]

What does the contract say?

Not sure - how do I tell how much I actually owe them?

The itemization of amount financed shows $6,000 paid in cash - final line"Amount Financed" is total cost (car price + taxes, etc) less then $6,000 down payment.

FYI - this is a retail installatoin sale contract, which covers the dealership if my financing did not go through (I have 10 days to get my bank financing check to them).

[Joeb427]

So I mentioned in another thread that I just bought a 2007 335i for $29K. I'm happy with the deal, but wanted to ask you guys for your opinion. First off, I went to the dealer to test the car and found that someone else was there ready to buy the car, so I left. They called me 10 minutes later saying the deal fell through and to come back - which I did and took me 45 minutes. When I got back, we agreed on price: $27,999 and I decided to go through with it. Right before I signed all the papers (the one with 8 signatures), they told me "a mistake has been made - the price is actually 28,999".

Was this a shady or honest mistake? It was listed at 28,999 on their website which I was aware of, but from my experience with other dealers, that is not in anyway a sticky price. I was pretty pissed off, but decided to buy the car anyway at 28,999 - figure it still is a good deal even at that price?

Has anybody else had this happen to them? I can't help bu thtink they screwed me over a little bit - I mean we were talking about $28K for the care for over an hour. You think they'd realize they were charging the wrong price earlier in the process?

That's BS.
I would have walked out immediately.
They must have seen you were hot on the car.

I now read you bought the car for $29K.
You were a patsy and got screwed.

[Wangta]

That's BS.
I would have walked out immediately.
They must have seen you were hot on the car.

Maybe, but there was a family right before me that tried to buy it but couldn't (their financing fell through), so more than likley, they had alot of interest for the car. They told me after eveything was done that alot of people calleda bout it, but couldn't get there in time.

[Joeb427]

Maybe, but there was a family right before me that tried to buy it but couldn't (their financing fell through), so more than likley, they had alot of interest for the car. They told me after eveything was done that alot of people calleda bout it, but couldn't get there in time.

What does that family have to do with your getting screwed for an extra $1K?
The deal fell through and now the dealer is more desperate to sell that car.
You had a price and they upped it $1K and you accepted the increase.
You should have walked out.They would have stopped you or called you and you would have saved $1K + tax.
It's a buyers market and you fell for one of the oldest sales tricks in the book.
Was this a BMW dealer?Is the car a CPO sale?

[mryakan]

What could they do if I sent in $1,000 less than the down payment we originally agreed upon, thus making the car total $28K like we ORIGINALLY agreed to. Would they come and get the car? Or beat me up?
Well u probably signed something to state that you owe them a certain amount of money down. Unless they forgive that then you are legally and morally obligated to pay them that amount. They could send collectors after you.

[Wangta]

What does that family have to do with your getting screwed for an extra $1K?
The deal fell through and now the dealer is more desperate to sell that car.
You had a price and they upped it $1K and you accepted the increase.
You should have walked out.They would have stopped you or called you and you would have saved $1K + tax.
It's a buyers market and you fell for one of the oldest sales tricks in the book.

I forgot to mention, I did walk out. I returned 15 minutes later after thinking about it - I had driven nearly 100 miles to get there and didn't want to deal with anymore car shopping (searchin, calling, dealing with salesmen, etc.). Honestly, there was alot of interest for the car - I don't think they would of called me back.

[Joeb427]

I forgot to mention, I did walk out. I returned 15 minutes later after thinking about it - I had driven nearly 100 miles to get there and didn't want to deal with anymore car shopping (searchin, calling, dealing with salesmen, etc.). Honestly, there was alot of interest for the car - I don't think they would of called me back.

Just by your posts here,I can see how the dealership knew that had you.:)
I would bet they would have called you.
Look,it's over,enjoy the car and learn from this experience.

[mryakan]

The odd thing is that the mistakes always seem to their advantage and seem to happen at a higher rate than in any other profession. Both times I leased they seemed to make mistakes or forget and I had to be on top of that. If I made so many mistakes I'd be out of a job. But let's give salespeople the benefit of the doubt!

[Beer Goggles]

$6,000 cash? I'd say you gave it to them :)

[Wangta]

$6,000 cash? I'd say you gave it to them

I thought about that....it does say I paid in CASH...haha. They would probably send hitmen after me.

PS. Why do the forum not allow me to post anything with an emoticon? Even when I respond to one with an emoticon, it won't let me post.

[Beer Goggles]

I thought about that....it does say I paid in CASH...haha. They would probably send hitmen after me.

PS. Why do the forum not allow me to post anything with an emoticon? Even when I respond to one with an emoticon, it won't let me post.

They have strange limits on post count and what you can post...really dumb.

[Joeb427]

.

PS. Why do the forum not allow me to post anything with an emoticon? Even when I respond to one with an emoticon, it won't let me post.


Silly rule.
I think you have to have 15 posts for some reason.

With you,they'll probably up it to 20.:stickoutt :D

[Wangta]

Silly rule.
I think you have to have 15 posts for some reason.

With you,they'll probably up it to 20.

Cheap shot dood, cheaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap shot. Smiley face.

[monacoblue335xi]

It might be true. He's been held at 15 posts for a while. I guess they're rewriting the program right now.

I would like to know who the dealer was. I'm in the tri-state area and want to be sure to steer clear of them.

Personally speaking, I think it was an honest mistake if they let you walk out of the dealership. But, as previous posters have stated it's too late to worry about it now. Just enjoy your car and over a lifetime the $1K isn't worth thinking about if it's going to upset you every time you think of your car. Now that you have a BMW you'll probably not have to buy as many drinks for women. Think about the $1K that way. You'll actually be getting a better return on your money.

[Daedalus34r]

Sounds like you got played, str8 out of the car salesman textbook. Dealership got desperate, whether they could read your desire or not.

However, as long as your finances are sound and $1k isnt a big deal for you... then you made the right decision about the car. Its not worth fighting over small amounts and if you are, you should be looking at a cheaper car. It's good you got the car you wanted now go out and enjoy it and forget about the negotiation/hassle.

[Wangta]

Sounds like you got played, str8 out of the car salesman textbook. Dealership got desperate, whether they could read your desire or not.

However, as long as your finances are sound and $1k isnt a big deal for you... then you made the right decision about the car. Its not worth fighting over small amounts and if you are, you should be looking at a cheaper car. It's good you got the car you wanted now go out and enjoy it and forget about the negotiation/hassle.

Yah yah yah - live and learn. Next time around, I won't be in such a rush. But I feel like I still got a good deal, and can afford the $1K hit - mark it down as rookie mistake (first car purchase eve!)

[mryakan]

Yah yah yah - live and learn. Next time around, I won't be in such a rush. But I feel like I still got a good deal, and can afford the $1K hit - mark it down as rookie mistake (first car purchase eve!)

Sounds good. Now forget this and go enjoy the car already :). If I were you I wouldn't have started this discussion to begin with, it's done and dusted.