The funny thing is if they had honored the original phone price they gave me it would be a done deal...

Are you an ass? Not just no but heck no!

Sorry but dealing with a car saleman is like wrassling a pig.

Car dealership didn't show integrity to you, you did the right thing... It's a car sale at a dealership, not a betrothal...

Fcuk them, this is a CAR DEALER we're talking about.

They are all one (small) step above pond scum. There is no deal until you've signed on the dotted line, in triplicate.

Gee, I don't know if I can sell you that car at such a low price. Give me a few minutes and I'll check with my manager.

Salesman leaves couple sitting in his little 'office', goes to another office and listens in on his bugged office.

Gee, Honey, do you think he'll come down that low? Well he damn well better, Sweetie! But, I really like the car. It's so cute and the only robin's egg blue one we've found, Honey. Well, Sweetie, I won't pay a dime more than (somewhere between what the salesman wants and what I offered).

Salesman, returns and makes them a 'terrific offer' only slightly higher than what Honey told Sweetie he'd pay and closes the deal.

Don't know if some still bug the sales offices and use this tactic, but they used to.

As far as a handshake goes, I'm not big on handshaking in general. Show me the contract and I'll sign it or they can rewrite it. I don't think you were an ass. Besides, you were roped in - would your case qualify as 'bait and switch'?

I'm here as well. The $400 wasn't an issue when you shook. If it was, perhaps you shouldn't have.

You squirreled the deal when the second dealer called...

I once had a guy look up what I paid for my house.

One of my friends struck a deal on a car. Someone dropped him off at the dealer as he was expecting to pay and leave. He brought a check from his bank. Once the dealer saw the check and realized he would not be financing thru them the car went up in price by nearly $1k. My friend told them to F off and took a cab home.

+1000
Can you trust them that the car wasn't damaged in transit?

And then we wonder why car salespeople ac the way they do?: Sadly this is what I saw in 10 years of car sales but based on what Lubey and BlueSky said, its no wonder.
+1
Wow I even agree with RWebb.
What is your self-respect worth?

Legally no consideration = no deal.

Ethically I understand your predicament and that you don't want to be dragged down to the sleazy scumbaggery that permeates the car business and want to take the high road. I wish there were more people like that - it would render sleazy sales tactics unnecessary.

However the reality is it's all about the money. These dealers don't give two farts in the wind about you, your satisfaction or your repeat business. They only care about squeezing every last possible dollar out of every sale and there is considerable training and research that goes into prepping sales guys to do just that. Knowing this, and that the "rules of the game" THEY wish to play by are only about dollars, I probably wouldn't feel any remorse about ditching Dealer #1 - especially since they flat-out lied to you (deliberately manipulated you and wasted your time). I'd have literally turned on my heel and walked right out the door personally, but to each their own...

This is why I recommend "no haggle" dealerships that have a straight-up asking price and no B.S. It avoids these kinds of head games. If I wanted drama and runarounds and head games I'd find an 18 year old to date.

Long story short I admire your moral integrity for questioning yourself but I think any real guilt or remorse is misplaced here in this case.

Dealer A tricked you to get you in the door, then raised the price above everyone else and you would still deal with them? I would have walked out the first time the raised the price.

I would've immediately walked out after the "get me in here" comment, but you didn't. I, you, and probably everyone on this board have pi$$ed away much larger amounts than $400 without batting an eye, but my "word" isn't for sale at any price. You're certainly not an a$$ Rick but you didn't do what you said you'd do. Sometimes you just have to "eat it", move on, but sleep well at night...

ps: I'm sure I'm in the minority, but that's just the way I was brought up...

I guess I see this as a gray zone. If I had accepted delivery or they had ordered the car I would have kept the deal. This call was literally an hour after I walked out of their dealership. So, in that case, my "integrity" isn't worth $400...

Yeah, but with the 18 year old, you'd get kissed before being effed....

Guess I am in the minority too, and because you asked the question Rick sounds like you do know what is really right and wrong. You can take everything I own, but only I can give my word.

And you know the story going into the deal...

Thanks for all the input. I really think this is a non issue, they pulled a bait and switch to start the deal so I'm not sure how much I am worried about their perception of my integrity.

Next time I will walk out without a handshake and think on it.

I'll still sleep fine tonight.

What would jesus do?

Nope. Break your word as much as you want with dealer scum. They do it all the time, why shouldn't you?

Jesus wouldn't need a car, he would just teleport from place to place...

Would it make a difference if it was 2 hours? 4hours?

What would your "integrity" be worth in this case? I find this a curious post. I suppose it falls in "the end justifies the means" or perhaps "they did it first."

So I'd do some role reversal and think of what you'd say to your son if he came to you with this question.