Just have to rant a bit...mods if this is inappropriate, please move or close.

I called a local dealer back after he left me a voice message. Something I rarely do at this point in the car buying experience as I handle everything via e-mail until I'm set on price. I just bought on 07 Chevy Tahoe from this same dealership through this same process in October. So, I thought MAYBE we could deal on a Vette.

I'm eligible for GM Supplier pricing and I know what the price is for a new 07 Corvette. The Internet Manager offers an otherwise "fair" price but not the Supplier price...a couple of hundred dollars difference, but not much.

I was very courteous and professional when I said sorry but that was not the Supplier price and since I was eligible, that's what I expected to pay ONLY IF they honored it which I fully understood some dealerships do not (for whatever reason).

So, first he insults me by saying if a customer is going to worry over a few hundred bucks and not buy locally (b/c I had said earlier another dealer in the upstate had already agreed to order me one at Supplier price), then he doesn't want them as a customer!

When I calmly tried to tell him the Supplier price was still a thousand or so over invoice, he vehemently told me his offer was UNDER invoice and began to seriously mis-quote the invoice price on the car.

I know MOST car buyers don't do their homework before they shop and the dealerships know that. But, it shouldn't take a rocket scientist to tell an educated buyer from an uneducated one.

The appropriate response should have been "No Sir, we can not honor the GM Supplier price. Wish we could. Have a nice day "

Instead, you get an insult and a bald face lie. Guess I should feel glad they only got my money once (I did get a good deal on the Tahoe though )

Sorry for the rant...Carry on!

 

Man that is one messed up dealership. Just keep contacting dealerships. One will work with you. Or contact a website supporting dealer.

 

I would order the car from the upstate dealer, then write the General Manager at the dealership were you did not order the car a letter telling him why, then cc GM customer service.

 

we're all familiar with the well-deserved reputation that car salespeople have ... so this should come as no surprise to anyone.

 

Or. contact the sales manager at the Dealership, and fill him in on your conversation with the salesman...

 

Dealerships do this kind of stuff everyday. It's unfortunate but how many people that don't know anything about buying a car jump on the first price the dealer gives them? It's rediculous how much money the dealer actually pockets even when selling the car at dealer invoice! If they tell you anything different they are sincerely lying out their collective butts. They get huge spiffs on the model they sell, how many of each model they well in a month, quarter, year, how many cars in total they sell in a month, quarter, year.....the list in endless! The dealers could sell all of their cars at invoice (only about 2% are even sold close to invoice) and still make outrageous profits from manufacturer incentives, contests, and quotas!

They even get kickbacks from loan companies when they have you sign on the dotted line! They will take every chance to get you to pay more whether you know it or not.....When is the last time YOU arranged financing on a car? The finance manager always gets the rates back and tells you what you "qualified" for, but if you'll accept the deal with the higher interest rate and payment why would he even tell you about the three other lenders will to give you a lesser rate?

Sorry I was nearly burned the first time I was buying my 06 Vette. But being a Finance major in college and knowing about pricing, interest and lending I brought to the dealerships attention the fact that their deal made no sense financial wise and when asked to prove where they are getting their numbers they flat told me they couldn't! At that moment I walked out the door and bought a brand new Vette at the Chevy dealer across town and then drove in onto the first dealers lot and made sure everyone of those crooks saw where it was from!

You can't screw with an educated buyer! Know what you're getting into before you go out looking for a deal.

 

Thanks guys, for listening.

I was just reading the posts over at http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1563882 and I just have to laugh at the whole thing.

I forgot to mention the fact this guy said they would actually look in their system when a car comes in for service to see whether or not that particular car was bought at the dealership. He went so far as to say they would give preference over a car bought locally over one that was not. I'll be finding somewhere else to service the Tahoe!

Why is it that salesman/dealers get so defensive (and then offensive) when we b**** about price? I mean honestly, in today's day and age with the internet, online banking and what have you, is it not feasible to think that car manufacturers could cut dealerships out of the loop by having regional "drop shipment" locations where you order the car you want online, they build it, you factor in the standard union destination charge and then sign and drive for a nominal fee (to pay the minimum wage "gatekeeper")?

I mean CarMax, Saturn dealerships and the like are out there with the "no haggle" experience...which for the most part are still a little higher price than the best deals out there.

It just seems to me that a sale is a sale and a profit, ANY profit, is food on the table for the dealership. You have a customer that comes in, is educated about his purchase and makes an offer without pointing a gun, and you still got to try and squeeze the last few pennies out of him. If I walked up to any of you and said here, take my money, please, whether it's ten bucks or a hundred, you would take it. At the end of the day, it's still more money in your pocket than what you woke up with.

The only twist to that scenario is I would have got to drive home in my spankin' new Corvette!

 

I HATEEEEE CHEVYYYYY DEALERSHIPSSSSS PERIOD!!!!!!

 

Would solve it for me, next dealership please!

 

I'd vote with my feet and may wallet and take my business elsewhere.

 

I wouldn't bother telling the sales manager about their 'lost' sale....inform the owner of the dealership they not only lost a sale but they lost a customer and word of mouth as to why travels fast.

As far as saying they will give preference depending upon where the car was purchased....again inform the owner of the dealership and also file a written complaint with General Motors. Just maybe they would find that of interest.

Dealerships hate Internet sales. Where you would think a sale is a sale and food on their table, they still have the mindset...when it gets down to it....they don't need you. If they don't sell it to you for a small profit...they will sell it to someone else for a larger profit (sadly that is generally true).

You were their worst kind of customer....an informed and knowledgeable one.

 

I agree with what is said above. Aditionally it has been my expierence that returning to a dealership that I got a good deal once isn't always a good thing. For some reason just about every time I have done that they tried to screw me the second time around.

 

I contacted every chevy dealer in the greater Houston metro area and made them 'earn' my business. They are all selling the same product, so naturally, I went with the one that offered the best deal. The joys of capitalism. I wouldn't waste time on a dealer that is not interested in earning your business. There is always one out there that wants to make a sale.

Always remember, you are the one holding the purse strings

BTW, I bought mine using the supplier program with great success. I had several dealers give me the same run around and even told me that NO ONE would do it on corvettes. Nice to see they can speak for other dealers now. I found 4 different dealers in Houston that were more than happy to do the supplier price.

 

Many car salesmen need to feel that they are controlling the customer. When they can't, some get abusive. Others just stop responding to your calls or emails.

 

Fine, done.
Go to the upstate dealer, tell 'em this dealer sent'cha.

Why argue with the guy?
Go to the upstate dealer, get the car you want at the price you're willing to pay & be done with it.

It's about profit at any dealership and as long as we're [still] a capitalist based economy, why not.
For every "educated" buyer there're 50 "uneducated" ones.
Since more mony's always made off the UNs you're correct when you said the *process* isn't "rocket science".
The guy was telling you -- albeit in "Dealership tongue" -- if you weren't willing to pay the extra dough, he wasn't interested in brokering a car for you.
Upstate you go!

25 (or so) years ago when "Customer Service" was practiced, yes, it would've been the polite thing to do but today I'd say this guy was being as polite as he knew how.
An appropriate response was yours to make by simply telling him, "Thanks but no thanks." & move-on upstate.

Yup.

Most people learn about dealer idiots after the sale when it's too late to vote with the ol' pocketbook.
You have to be thrilled to have had the last word.

 

GM has a customer Service desk and I would make a point of advising this dealer that you intend to follow this route.

Pierre

 

I don't necessarily agree. I've bought three Corvettes, never once getting the "best" deal. But in each case my sales guys were very straight forward. First Joel Kim and most recently Bill Kojak at Courtesy in San Jose, CA. They answered all of my questions, told me what they could or could not do on my trade, and gave me $3,500 off or MSRP on my Z51, MN6, LT3, the first weekend of October. They brought me back in for my "due bill" and fed me breakfast while I waited.

Maybe we're trying to squeeze these dealerships a bit too much??

In most things I do, I find if I let everyone make a little extra profit, I get much better service than the next guy..... and at the end of the day, the energy I would have used to save the last $1,000, I can put to MAKING the next $1,000 so we all win.

 

Every dealer has their own ways. Find one that will work with you.

 

What an A****hole! Go with the dealer upstate. It seems to me, he doesn't need your business...so F^%%^Q!^*@ him!

 

Especially when your only talking about a couple of hundred dollars as the original poster said - on a $50,0000 purchase! Frankly, my time is worth more than that. Granted, he could have said it in a more PC way.