Contradiction wrote:
I was pleasantly surprised to actually get a formal quote on a "too good to be true" price from a dealer, and get another one to honor it when I bought my new Mazda6 this past spring. It appeared as if the online advertized price included EVERY applicable promo rebate (Mazda Loyalty, College Grad, Military Service, etc) and dropped it $2,000 less then the average MSRP listed elsewhere.
I was determined to try and cast a wide net and email as many regional dealers as I could before I ever set foot in any of them, and I asked them to confirm their price. I even specifically asked if this was a price including all applicable rebates and he said it was not, straight price. I ultimately used that number to try and negotiate down 14 other dealers and in the end I got one closer to me to match that price and so I bought from them.
The great thing was doing this all through email. I never set foot in the door any place aside from test driving all of the perspective cars initially. No risk or hassle in driving all over the place and being told that the particular car I wanted didn't exist. I suppose going brand new made a big difference too. I wasn't chasing something used and very specific. If one place didn't give me what I wanted, I just found another with inventory that had what I was looking for.
I don't buy brand new cars very often, but I've done this exact thing the past several times that I have bought new. It's worked like a charm. I cast my net very wide once I decide what car I'm buying. I get terms of the offer in writing via e-mail and get dealers tripping over each other to make the sale. I never have to leave my computer until I go to pick up the car. It takes a good amount of computer work and some phone calls, but the results are great.
When I was looking a few years ago, I noticed something dealers in Toronto were doing. They would have ads for cars that were somewhat specialty (Neon ACR is one I remember), or well priced but when you called, they didn't actually have the car. It usually just sold. I would see the same ads in the same places for months and months. The cars never existed for sale.
Brett_Murphy wrote:
Joe Gearin wrote:
If we find an advertiser is treating our readers unethically, we'll drop their advertising.
Joe, is this why you tested the EFS Combust product two times?
There has been a lot of buzz about EFS Combust and if the tests actually were valid. It does seem too good to be true, but results are results. I wasn't involved in the testing procedure, but if you have further questions, please contact our offices, and we'll answer your questions the best we can. Tom may be able to help further--- feel free to email him directly.
Tom@Grassrootsmotorsports.com
If you have dealt with them directly, and they have treated you poorly, or in an unethical way--- please let us know.
EFS Combust doesn't surprise me, it's an octane booster that lets an EFI'd engine automatically run more ignition advance which gives more power, simple.
ScreaminE wrote:
z31maniac wrote:
I've always taken it to mean they advertise something they don't have, not that they are going to try to upsell you.
This is exactly what we are talking about. Dealer advertising cars that were either long sold or never for sale in attempt to sell you another, more expensive car.
Bait and switch.
And if you read the original post, the dealer said they still had the car but were deciding whether to keep it or not.
That doesn't equal bait and switch to me. Not to mention if OP was serious about the car he would have just driven down there.
z31maniac wrote:
ScreaminE wrote:
z31maniac wrote:
I've always taken it to mean they advertise something they don't have, not that they are going to try to upsell you.
This is exactly what we are talking about. Dealer advertising cars that were either long sold or never for sale in attempt to sell you another, more expensive car.
Bait and switch.
And if you read the original post, the dealer said they still had the car but were deciding whether to keep it or not.
That doesn't equal bait and switch to me. Not to mention if OP was serious about the car he would have just driven down there.
Ahhh. You sir, are right.
I got caught up in my own thread jack.
HiTempGuy said:
I've actually had a couple good deals from used lots at dealerships. If its a car they don't know or don't understand, they usually want it gone asap.
This^ I always check on AutoTrader at the beginning of the month just to see what random cars may pop up at dealerships as a result of the flurry of month-end quota/sales goals are met. Seems like some dealerships try and list things they don't know about for a few days just to see what happens before the auction/wholesale them. It is never a great listing (only a couple pictures, little to no description) but if you know what to look for it can really work in your favor.
I only call if it would be out of my way to check the car out, otherwise I will show up and try and find it before I get "greeted" by a salesperson.
After talking a few sales people, a couple of things became clear:
- They do have the car.
- I found one guy who is willing to sell it (and several who are not).
- So not a bait-n-switch. Just had to be persistent to get answers.
They tried it with my dad at a GM dealer in the L.A area on a truck. Super deal, this one only, brand new, here's the VIN. Calls up, yup, right here, come on down. Drives across L.A. and "sorry, just sold. Now, how about this one (which costs 30% more)?" Next week in the L.A. Times is the exact same ad, same VIN. Dad, being a profuse letter writer, sends off a letter to the state of CA. Next week, he gets a call from the dealer: Oh, yeah, we have that truck right here and will be happy to sell it to you for that price. Come on over. So dad bought it at a screaming deal.
Not sure if this qualifies as a bait/switch but it sure felt like it:
When I bought my 06 Miata it was at the Lexus dealer next door to the Rover store I worked at. It was VERY special: the regional Mazda rep threw the entire Mazdaspeed catalog at it (along with a 3, an MS6, and an RX-8) to tour MATG, NOPI, etc. Car was bought at Mazda in December (Xmas present) and traded for the Lexus convertible in February. They priced it like a regular 1 year old Miata! I walked over on lunch one day and saw the sticker was something north of $21k. The online price was $19k. I went to my credit union, arranged my own financing (always do this!) and walked over to buy my car. Test drive was great, I say I'll take it, and negotiate @ $2500 off sticker. Guy comes back from GM's office with a sell sheet stating price of @ $19k. "But wait" I say, "you said $2500 off, and the price is $19,000!"...and I whip out my laptop hooked to the wifi next door (no smart phone yet)and show him HIS website with the price. "Oh but that is the INTERNET PRICE" he says. So basically he was tacking on $2500 for anyone who didn't look things up online first. In 2007. I made a bit of a stink and ended up at $19k or so out the door. It had 1900 miles on it and a buddy at the Mazda store pulled up the original sticker with all the add-ons: $27,000. I still miss that car.
