Buying car question

[Noporscheform]

With the advent of the Internet it is not always possible to buy a car face to face or get a handshake. Today I purchased a three year old Volvo wagon from a Volvo dealer. It is over 250 miles away. I made an offer, including all taxes and fees, of $25,000. The sales rep and I discussed that it was a low offer, since it included taxes and doc fees etc. he checked with management and came back at $25,500 all in and I countered at $25,250. Split the difference.

He called back and we had a deal. I provided my information and per our earlier discussions, i provided my credit card Info. This was to be used for a down payment of $1,000 on the car.

About 30 minutes latter a business closer (read F&I salesman - in pursuit of more profit by trying to sell useless **** to unsuspecting dumb asses) called me to back out of the deal. The price was to low and there must have been some miscommunication between the sales rep and others. They were refusing to stand behind the agreement.

I told him that I expected them to stand behind the deal - to no avail so far. In my mind There was no confusion about how the offer was presented to their rep, who had called me initially following an Internet inquiry.

Should they stand behind a deal? Without a deposit does it matter? Did I make a deposit.

Note- The price I offered was low, representative of a private party type number, but this a vehicle that has been on the lot for over 40 days, and the price has been dropped twice in the past 10 days. I do not know what price is profitable for them -

[Noah930]

I would expect them to honor the offer. I certainly would were the roles reversed. A deal's a deal. Particularly if a deposit's been placed.

But hey, if they back out of the deal, that's their business. Unless you have signed proof of the accepted offer (or at least an email trail), you might be SOL. However, I certainly would never do business with them again and I wouldn't be shy about posting about their business ethics (or lackthereof) via appropriate channels.

[masraum]

Sounds to me like they're was a verbal agreement and contact, but the hard part is proving that

[Steve Carlton]

In CA, nothing the salesman says is legally binding. You're probably SOL until you both sign a purchase contract. Sorry. Doesn't mean you can't run it up the flagpole to the GM or owner. They don't want to deal with complaints filed with Volvo or a negative review on Yelp.

[Noah930]

Out of curiosity, did they ever charge your cc that $1000 deposit?

[tevake]

^^ I was wondering about that also. Even if they didn't, there by creating the paper trail. I would still follow Steve Carlton's good suggestion.

I was hard done by Suntrup West Country BMW in St Louis, when I sent a car there for PPI on a 530 that I bought in the area. And still feel That I should have made more effort to make their lack of ethics known.

Cheers Richard

[plumb4u2]

when I have a customer sign a contract for plumbing work legally they have 3 days to back out even contract is signed, I doubt legally you have any ground to stand on

[Noah930]

Understood, Justin. And in the end you may be right about not having any legal leg on which to stand. However:

1) Different states have different laws re: buyer's remorse.

2) Plumbing is not the same as used car sales.

3) Even if there is legal right for the dealership to rescind their offer, there is an issue of ethics involved. What ever happened to being good for your word? Now, if there was an honest mistake made by the original salesman, shouldn't that salesman have been the one who called the OP back to admit the problem, and not some other dealership finance guy? Doesn't that come off as a bit of bait-and-switch?

[Noporscheform]

I have emailed the general manager and sales manager. The biggest problem is you create the open "put" when you deal over the Internet or phone.

Until you have signed paperwork I am not sure you have a "legal" claim - you are counting on the ethical actions of the counter party. Once they have your firm commitment they can shop the car to other interested buyers with nothing but upside, if they are being unethical.

My sense is that the Business Rep had another buyer, if it is sold for what the used car manager and I agreed upon. I will not be surprised to see it gone by tomorrow.

[Noporscheform]

I should add - the dealer had a price on the car of $27,995 and a tab to contact them to get your "special eprice", which I did. The sales rep called me and offered the car at the posted price, and I asked about the "special " eprice. - which he indicated was the posted price, and they could not do any better. I moved on to another car.

Four days later they lowered the posted price by $1,100. Then four days later they lowered the posted price by $1,000. In the space of ten days the price they could do no better than was lowered by $2,100. This is when I recontacted them to purchase the car. The price was getting close to what I would pay. The sale rep and I discussed this when I called him, we talked a lot about how the car was not attractive to many buyers due to its color and style ( bright red wagons are not in high demand). He indicated that they were ready to move the car off the lot. Thus I made a fair but low retail offer, which I thought we agreed upon.

[widgeon13]

Originally Posted by Noporscheform

I should add - the dealer had a price on the car of $27,995 and a tab to contact them to get your "special eprice", which I did. The sales rep called me and offered the car at the posted price, and I asked about the "special " eprice. - which he indicated was the posted price, and they could not do any better. I moved on to another car.

Four days later they lowered the posted price by $1,100. Then four days later they lowered the posted price by $1,000. In the space of ten days the price they could do no better than was lowered by $2,100. This is when I recontacted them to purchase the car. The price was getting close to what I would pay. The sale rep and I discussed this when I called him, we talked a lot about how the car was not attractive to many buyers due to its color and style ( bright red wagons are not in high demand). He indicated that they were ready to move the car off the lot. Thus I made a fair but low retail offer, which I thought we agreed upon.

I've had the same experience with the eprice BS. They lie and if they lie about getting the car sold they are most likely lying about the condition of the car as well. I don't trust these folks as far as I can spit.

I also bought (or thought I bought) a new truck one time and when i called to arrange a delivery was told the truck was sold. They would do nothing to find me an equivalent replacement at the previously agreed price and I made a deposit as well.

These guys are all *********s. They play the game to screw you no matter what you do.

[Steve Carlton]

What would the selling price have been to get you to $25,250 OTD? What's the year, model, and last 6 of the VIN?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Nearly all of them are lying sacks of crap. They probably either had a higher offer or the salesman got his hand slapped for not obtaining proper approval. They are being unethical by not honoring a verbal contract, but they most likely do not give a rat's ass about being ethical. Really your only recourse is to call (not email) the manager or owner of the dealership and threaten to file a complaint with Volvo. Some makers are vigilant about the way in which their dealers represent them (Lexus), and come down hard on unscrupulous dealerships.

You may be better off, most likely the guy was also misrepresenting the car anyway. They nearly always over-represent the car over the phone, with the hope that after driving a long distance you will buy it anyway. One of many reasons why I only shop private party sales, at least only some of them are liars.

[rusnak]

I would call the Volvo HQ, then the dealership GM and tell them that you're going to report them as fraudulent, but thought you'd let them know first so they can stand behind the agreement.

It's worth a shot before walking.

On the other hand...a Volvo?

[Noporscheform]

Yeah - a Volvo - certainly not a high volume manufacturer. This is for road trip, which two of my sons and i will be taking in a few weeks. We will be going about 5,000 miles.

I bought a 2006 v70 R last year and loved driving it, but another son liked it so much, that he talked me out of it. The right combination of performance, safety and comfort.

[mikesride]

I would out them to everybody you know.....

That's a real Dick move.

[onewhippedpuppy]

V70R is a damn nice car, and not very easy to find.

[Noporscheform]

Especially with the six speed manual, i purchased it in Nashville based on photos, and the fact that it was one owner with a good maintaince history.

[rusnak]

Well sleep on it, but would paying $250 more to get the car bother you, since it sounds like you want it?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Well sleep on it, but would paying $250 more to get the car bother you, since it sounds like you want it?

Would you like to buy a car from a dealership that already blatantly lied to you? I sure as hell wouldn't. What else are they lying about?