I think I bought a new car, maybe not

[dmcummins]

I have been looking for a new car for my wife for a week or so. She had decieded that she wanted a Ford Fuzion Hybrid. We looked at a few, but none of the ford dealer's wanted to deal on the hybrid's. So I figured I'd just wait awhile. Then we dropped in at the Mercury dealer and they wanted to sell a car. They didn't have a hybrid on the lot so they had one driven from one of their other lots about 30 miles away. It was loaded and listed for $34,325. We told the salesman that we didn't have to have anything today, but he said he would make us a good deal. Came back and said he would sell it at invoice, $29,800, I said fine. I did notice though that the list price on his paperwork for the car was around $32,000 something,

I didn't think much about the difference in the sticker price on the car and the price on the paperwork at the time. I figured they just bumped it up some.

I got home and was looking everything over and realized that the vin number on my receit does not match the car. I think that the other lot sent the wrong paperwork over and I was quoted for a different car. Also when they were going over the car with us, they called for the key code number to open the door and it wouldn't work. They had to pull the number from the computer and it was different from what they sent. I didn't think much about it at the time, but it goes with them mixing the cars up.

So now I have to get this worked out on Monday. They said this is the only hybrid they had left so I wonder if someone else ended up with the title to this car.

I can't imagine them not honoring the deal, but I won't pay another nickle just on principle.

[Hugh R]

They sold you a car, you agreed to the price, it's your car. Did they put the correct VIN on the DMV paperwork, which they probably won't send in. Good luck.

[Heel n Toe]

Something seems extremely fishy. I would undo the whole deal if I were you.

AFAIK, in most states you have 72 hours to do this... with no penalty to you whatsoever.

I would not do bidness with this dealer... and... this ain't the only car on the planet that your wife could be happy with.

[dmcummins]

I won't get any of the DMV paperwork till next week. I checked their website and the other lot that they own has the car with the vin # that is on my receipt, but $2,000 less list price. I can't imagine that a large dealership would not honor the deal. The car is sitting in my garage after all. Its not my fault that they sent over the wrong paperwork. Its just something else that I have to get taken care of.

[dmcummins]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Something seems extremely fishy. I would undo the whole deal if I were you.

AFAIK, in most states you have 72 hours to do this... with no penalty to you whatsoever.

I would not do bidness with this dealer... and... this ain't the only car on the planet that your wife could be happy with.

At this point I really think that it was just a honest mistake in paperwork. I stopped by to look at a car that they didn't have. They had one sent over from one of their other dealerships. Then they emailed the invoice. I think they just sent the wrong invoice, both cars were white hybrids, just one had more options.

I'll just have to see what they have to say on Monday. If they take care of it, fine. I can't see how this would be good for them. We cant be talking about much more than 1500 to 2000 bucks. They can always have the car back. The wife is good with this.

[kaisen]

Sounds like an honest mistake.

If it's honest, why would you make them honor the couple grand difference?

If you made the mistake, would you expect the dealer to take advantage of it?

[speeder]

Good point. The problem is that so many dealers have historically hosed consumers using deception that people feel that all is fair in dealing with them.

Still, that does not make it right. Every dealing, (and every dealer), should be given the benefit of being a unique situation. Having worked in the retail new car business, that's a huge and stupid mistake on the part of the dealer. The minute that VIN numbers don't match, you have the wrong car. A dealer might have a dozen red Civics or Accords, VINs are always physically checked when doing transaction paperwork.

[Rick Lee]

I got a call a few weeks ago from my insurance company that AZ MVD had a non-matching VIN for my 993. Man, you don't want to let this go on for a while. Turns out the guy who physically inspected my 993's VIN when I first moved here and titled the car in AZ, well, he wrote down one digit incorrectly. Now I have a title with a VIN that's wrong and my insurance co. and MVD are fighting it out. I was able to renew my regist. two weeks ago, but have to carry around a note from MVD that says one digit is off and they're aware of the situation and trying to fix it. Unreal.

[dmcummins]

Originally Posted by kaisen

Sounds like an honest mistake.

If it's honest, why would you make them honor the couple grand difference?

If you made the mistake, would you expect the dealer to take advantage of it?

I plan on getting in touch with them monday morning. I have not driven the car since I brought it home Saturday. If they want the car back they can have it.

I would not go back on a deal myself. I have made a few mistake's myself in the past that cost way more than a few grand. But that just me.

I will not pay more for a car that I feel that I already made a deal on. I will pay more someplace else if I have to. If they have any integrity, they will honor the deal that they made.

But I won't hold them to it if it's just a honest mistake.

But I won't be buying any cars from them now or in the future, If they don't honor the deal. If they make it right, they will be the first ones I look at and recommend to my friends.

[speeder]

Sounds fair enough to me.

[bell]

Sounds like a mistake, just get all the ducks in a row.....also double check the paperwork that all the loan percentages match if they screwed it up that far with the paperwork and you have to re-sign something......and make sure the old paperwork is destroyed in front of you (followed up by checking with the bank that there are not 2 loans in your name).....
I've dealt with honest dealers and very shady dealers......both looked identicle on the surface....

[kaisen]

Is it possible that the other dealer sent them the wrong car? Maybe that dealer had more than one and while they faxed them the invoice for the $32K car, they sent down the $34K car. All the paperwork your dealer had was for the $32K car, so that's how they wrote it up, absent the car itself. They quoted you invoice, $29,800, on a car that was $32K. That was your agreement.

So if the car is actually $34K, they got the wrong car. Let them go get the $32K car with the correct VIN, and your deal should be square. That's the one you agreed to. If they can produce the right car, give them the wrong car back, no need to do paperwork, everything is as-agreed.

[dmcummins]

Originally Posted by kaisen

Is it possible that the other dealer sent them the wrong car? Maybe that dealer had more than one and while they faxed them the invoice for the $32K car, they sent down the $34K car. All the paperwork your dealer had was for the $32K car, so that's how they wrote it up, absent the car itself. They quoted you invoice, $29,800, on a car that was $32K. That was your agreement.

So if the car is actually $34K, they got the wrong car. Let them go get the $32K car with the correct VIN, and your deal should be square. That's the one you agreed to. If they can produce the right car, give them the wrong car back, no need to do paperwork, everything is as-agreed.

But we like the options that are on the car we drove and were presented. A big selling point that the salesman pushed was the navigation system and screen. We agreed to the car that we have, not a car we have not seen.

Our agreement was with the car we drove home.

[vash]

great story...think there is a car salesman crying into his latte? please update us.

since you already have the car in your possession, if there was a mistake, it could get complicated.

[dmcummins]

Originally Posted by vash

great story...think there is a car salesman crying into his latte? please update us.

since you already have the car in your possession, if there was a mistake, it could get complicated.

The problem is I need the correct paperwork for title. It's a problem for me also.

[vash]

Originally Posted by dmcummins

The problem is I need the correct paperwork for title. It's a problem for me also.

oh man..just re-read that part!

how is that car anyways? $30k ish..is that more than a prius?

[dmcummins]

Originally Posted by vash

oh man..just re-read that part!

how is that car anyways? $30k ish..is that more than a prius?

More than a Prius, it's more like the Camry Hybrid. It should get around 40 mpg, about 10 less than a prius. But its a bigger car.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by dmcummins

But we like the options that are on the car we drove and were presented. A big selling point that the salesman pushed was the navigation system and screen. We agreed to the car that we have, not a car we have not seen.

Our agreement was with the car we drove home.

Of course you like the additional options. Who wouldn't? This is where it gets fuzzy, for me anyways. Did they list the equipment that you were getting for $29k and it's on the car that's in your garage? And nothing additional is on the car you have in your garage? If there is in fact another car the same color w/ the VIN# that is on your paperwork and it actually has the equipment that was discussed when making the deal, then that is your new car. Not the one that you took home by accident. (Their accident).

It does not matter whether an unsuspecting salesman demonstrated the neato Navigation feature to you after the mistake was made, (but before anyone realised it). If you have the wrong car in your garage but just want to keep it because it's nicer, that makes you in the wrong, IMO.

When you say that you agreed to the car that you drove home, is that because it is exactly what you agreed to pay $29k for? Or does it have extra, *bonus features* on it?

Mistakes happen at dealers all the time. At least they used to when I worked at them. If they *rolled* you in the wrong car by accident, you'll have to bring it back. I guarantee it. If you play tough, you won't have to worry about not giving them your business again. They won't ever let you on their property.

EDIT: Just re-read the original post. (Never a bad idea). The way that the car was presented to you tilts it back in your favor, big-time.

[dmcummins]

Another tidbit is we were told that this was the only hybrid they had, so of coarse if we wanted one, this was it.

I'm tempted to call the other dealership monday first just to see if they have any. We didn't buy the car for that reason, but I know its a ploy to get people to buy.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by dmcummins

Another tidbit is we were told that this was the only hybrid they had, so of coarse if we wanted one, this was it.

I'm tempted to call the other dealership monday first just to see if they have any. We didn't buy the car for that reason, but I know its a ploy to get people to buy.

I understand what you're saying but there is a big difference IMO between little white lies that salesmen tell, ("this is the last one)", and material misrepresentations.