is this a common sight ALWAYS, or only since the economy crash?

@taking_this_easy: always

@dako81:

Ditto on that. Have personally seen it happen at dealerships, some of them are really, really sneaky. It is a shame, though, because there are some honest people out there, but they get overshadowed by the bad ones.

I hate to be pedantic but isn't that supposed to read 'Chevy' instead of 'Chevvy'?

Chevy ,Ford and Chrysler are lying to you. Dealers are lying to you. The National Automobile Dealers Association are all lying to you. Two days straight now,we have seen an eager,willing buyer treated like its 1999 on dealer lots when attempting to purchase a new car.
How can this be ? Detroits "Big" "3" claim that this is the worst economy since...Since ever. How fucking absurd is it that they are demanding billions of dollars with no strings attached to "save jobs" when we read this shit every day ?

When we start getting stories about eager,cheerful car dealers moving mountains to make a sale,I will believe that there is a real crisis among manufacturers.

"You didn't order the metallic pea?"
"Metallic pea? No! Antarctic blue!"

I spent a decent portion of 2007 and 2008 looking at several different Chevy models that I was interested in, and tried 3 different Houston dealerships (one of which was the infamous Bill Heard). Every time I really liked the car, but the process seemed similar to dealing with Nigerian scammers on craigslist - they were completely concerned about the deal, and the car itself was an afterthought! Every time I went into the dealership, I ended up leaving disgusted after being blatantly lied to. I ended up buying a used Saturn from an independent dealership.

I'm not so sure about this. Sneaky sales tactics, sure, but is he sure that wasn't just an auto generated message or phone call from Geico regarding the car he had put on his insurance earlier? It could have sent that out or at least generated the call request before he called Geico to cancel it. In fact, from my experience, they won't even touch the insurance policy unless the policy holder calls.

Isn't Vincent the same guy who famously got an AOL rep fired?

I can't read the story here at work (yes, I'm on lunch, not company time), is there any way we could see it reprinted on Consumerist?

@Snarkysnake: This is what happens when car salespeople believe they can sell more cars for higher prices with deception and intimidation than they can with good customer service. I'm not sure whether this belief is a fallacy or not...

@taking_this_easy: Always, have had Identical experiences at Chevy and Ford dealerships. Have had such a bad experience at a Ford dealer I had to Call the police to get my trade in back when they gave us a bate and switch on a ford F150.

Wow, check out this guy's "about me:"

I'm a 33-year old Bronx livin' sarcastic bastard. If you cross me, I'll shred you. I have no problems sharing my opinion whether you want to hear it or not, so get used to it. I also shoot video, take pictures, and I'm the Executive Editor of Apple Thoughts, a web site devoted to Apple and its products.

..............dotdotdotdotdotwtf

@Applekid: Is there a car company whose dealerships have a good reputation?

@Applekid: They hide behind the "our dealers are independent businesses, therefore we can't control all of their activities" logic. I think there's some kind of antitrust issue (IANAL) involved, otherwise you'd be able to buy a car directly from the manufacturer.

I agree with your premise, the Big Three (especially) would be getting a lot more sympathy for their troubles if the average person's interaction with them wasn't through the stealership idiots.

I've never had a problem buying a new car, as long as I know exactly what I want and exactly what I'm willing to pay. If I'm patient, polite, and persistent, I can get it with minimal drama. Maybe I've just been lucky, though.

@Snarkysnake:

I think you nailed it. For full blown red-seeing rage, please remember that the gov't bailed out not only these crooks, but the lending ones on wall street too who got us into this mess.

Run on sentence.

@tc4b: None that come to mind. Too bad I don't have the financial scratch to really capitalize on such a huge hole in the market (which equals opportunity).

From the comments they actually did sell him the car. The paperwork had the VIN number on it. This dealer is clearly mismanaged big time.

"it's amazing they're still trying to pull the same sneaky tricks instead of bending over backwards to please customers and move cars off their lots."

Once a scum sucking dog, always a scum sucking dog. What makes us think there should be any reason to reform selling tactics for the sake of the customer? They're just money flesh bags after all...

@Princess Leela: That AOL thing was the best I have ever heard. Too bad this Vincent didn't record his conversation.

@Applekid: I thought Saturn was supposed to be "the good dealership experience," largely due to the no-haggle policy. Never having bought a new car, I have no personal experience to share. I think it's like trying to find a good mechanic, though -- most people have virtually no experience doing these things (like you buy a car once every several years while the dealership sells a dozen before breakfast each day) so it's easy to be taken advantage of.

Still, I think the internet has gone a long way toward promoting word-of-mouth on individual dealer business practices, via Citysearch, Yelp, etc. Not perfect but it's something.

@ugadawg:

Hmmm.. yes.. shallow and pedantic.

How about the car dealers bending over "forward" to please the customers for a change? In fact every large corporation should be adopting the policies of small business to please the customer because once your company has been recognized as the "town whore" because they've screwed everyone, no one wants to touch you anymore.

GM dealerships are independently owned businesses. While GM has some influence over how dealers act, it only goes so far. This is why you see such a wild range of customer service experiences.

There is no antitrust issue. Only American manufacturers have third-party dealerships, for historical reasons. They wish they didn't and if they could dump their dealer network and direct sell, they would do it.

Wow, I think we have the reason why auto sales are down so much. People don't want to go into the dealership because they know what kind of an experience they are in for. Buying a car is a rather unpleasant experience, perhaps if it was made pleasurable like shopping in other stores, we would have more car sales. Especially in this economy, no one wants to be taken, and when you walk into a dealership you pretty much know that you are going to have some sleazy tactic pulled on you while you are there.

This is why I'm still driving a 97 Volkswagen and my husband drives a 95 Mazda. It's not that we don't have the money to buy a new car. It's that I just don't want to take 2 days (because it always seems to take at least that long to buy a new car) and the headache involved in dealing with dealerships. The thought of the haggling and deal making is right now making my stomach ill.

@Homerjay (insert star here): There ain't much a man can't do with 8 headlights.

Who would be in their state of mind to buy a car with a color that was born in the 70's and died at the start of the 80s?

Chargeback, don't screw with them on this, jack'em and file FRAUD claims with your CC and bank. It sounds like they truly deserve what is coming to them.

As for GEICO, they had better shut down that coverage or the AG will be all over them for allowing the dealership to override the person's orders.

Before this is all over with, I suspect that more than a few folks will either be in "retraining" or outright dismissal, with prejudice.

I don't want to sound mean, but I'm glad this guy's wife at least has a set of balls. I mean, c'mon, it was pretty clear that the dealership was trying an upsell technique and trying very hard to sell him what *they* wanted to sell him, not what *he* wanted.

I seriously doubt Geico is going to insure a car he doesn't own. He should be mad at the fact that if he was willing to commit to a car that day, he should have been able to drive away with the car that day. Instead he was forced to play a game of footsie with a bunch of typical dirtbag car salespeople who were hell bent on manipulating him.

The part that really bothers me is "We finally, after ten minutes of nagging, got her to just let us go." Excuse me? Why do people insist on surrendering their autonomy to these people? Don't like the deal? Leave. Don't like how you are treated? Leave. You can leave at any point before you actually own the car. And even then, you might get a buyer's remorse clause.

It's not the car they were promised. There is no part of the prior deal that is binding at that point. If they can't provide suitable replacement...leave.

@Snarkysnake: "Two days straight now,we have seen an eager,willing buyer treated like its 1999 on dealer lots when attempting to purchase a new car."

Problem is that the dealers are SO desperate to rid themselves of cars that they are sharking anyone with what ever they (the dealer) can get away with...

Honda also sold me a car they didn't have when I got my Fit. I was supposed to get it the same day, I even added the car to my insurance, but before I was to pick it up that night they called me to say that they sold me a car they didn't have.

I was mad but they said they'll get another one in 2 days, so it wasn't so bad. But half an hour later they called again and said they have a shipment that night and it included a car that matched what they sold me. In short, I got a big headache and waited a few extra hours, but in the end got my car on the same day.

So I'm not surprised at all that this guy was sold a car the dealer didn't have. Maybe they sold it but didn't update it on their database yet, that's what happened to me. The other stuff that happened to this guy is just bad business. I wouldn't go there for a car now that I've heard this.

Who in their right mind adds a sales rep at a car dealership as an authorized agent to change their insurance policy? Seriously, adding a new car to your insurance isn't rocket science, and some schmuck from the car dealer certainly shouldn't be handling it for you.

I had a similar experience with a GM dealer. I had done my research, got my own loan that I knew was better than what they could offer, and a set price for a GM sierra. We had discussed with the dealer what we wanted, what we were paying, and that was that. The deal went great, up until time to sign and pick it up. Lo and behold, the truck was gone! They had seen on the paperwork we were approved for about $7000 more than we offered for the truck. They acted like it was no big deal, but hey! we have this one over here...for about $6000 more than what I was willing to pay. We went straight to the competing Chevrolet dealership, told them what happened, what we were willing to do, and in 3 hours walked away with a Silverado.
Then I got called for an "opinion survey" on the bad dealership. Needless to say it wasn't nice. Especially when you let a huge truck deal walk away from you in these types of times, because you were an idiot.

@nataku83: Wow, you survived a Bill Heard dealership.

You sound about right since most dealers are no longer making money on the cars, they focus on the "deal" to make money. Kind of like multi-level marketers who no longer focus on the end product but the sales process and anciliary support materials to make money for them...

@Outrun1986: They need to take a lesson from Harley Davidson in the sales respect and enjoyable dealerships.

(Of course, HD makes most of its money from logoed crap versus the actual motorcycles...)

@darthsodomizer:
Did they do the ol' "Let's throw the keys to the trade up on the roof" bit?

@beboptheflop: You should be fine as long as you don't have to sink a lot of money into the repairs. This isn't video games at Gamestop or haggling at a yard sale, a car is a significant purchase. My family and I do not purchase cars unless its very very clear that the car we are driving is ready for the junk yard, and we have been running pretty much every car we have ever owned into the ground, and this has been going on long before the recession started.

The problem with the industry today is that they're run by a bunch of MBA's who have only known great economies with a few good years thrown in just to scare them a little. These guys have never built there own companies from scratch or even worked in the industry they're running. I think this is why at least Ford is still in fair shape...it's run by a Mr. Ford. The rest of them (GM and Chrysler) are run by guys who had to make pretend businesses selling widgets at Harvard for their class projects.

Having owned a Chevrolet I can say with absolute certainty that I will never buy another car from any of their dealerships ever again. Dealerships have always been anxious to sell cars, usually doing anything and everything to keep you there until you walk out with something. The salesmen are the most amoral people I have ever come across, and they justify it with "I only get paid this much per car I sell, if I sell a car." Yo buddy it's your fault for taking the jod.

@tc4b: As long as you're white and well-dressed, I'd say Lexus has a great reputation.

@econobiker:

Good observation. But they better ditch that shuck and jive or they will drive lots of buyers into the arms of eager private sellers.

If any of you dealers can read,you better take to heart what is posted above...

@econobiker: There will be a car purchase made in my household probably within the next year or 2 (or maybe longer if we can hold out, I hope we can hold out!) and I have read similar reviews of the local Dodge dealership which is now under different management than it was when I purchased my car. They pulled the scam where they take your keys (its been on the consumerist a few times). Needless to say we will not be back.

The fact that HD can sell logoed crap is a testament, people are actually proud enough that they own a HD that they feel the need to buy logoed stuff to show off that they own one. You don't see people running out to buy GM logoed stuff unless they work there.

@Homerjay (insert star here):
You think you hate it now, wait 'til you drive it!

Chevy sprayed a hot stream of "gold mist" all over this guy...

Car dealerships don't want to bend over backwards for us. They want *us* to bend forward and clasp our ankles.

OMG! why dead dog are automobile makers still selling gold colored cars!

I hate that color on cars, as burnt orange that was the rage a few years back.

I guess they are trying to sell cars to pimps.

My thought exactly! I have Geico and when you buy a new car, you have something like 10 days of coverage before you have to officially add it to your policy.

Another thing I don't understand why the salesman showed them the car then "grabbed the keys from a similar car " for them to test drive. Why wouldn't you test drive the exact car you want to buy?

Overall this customer sounds a little naive and with red flags popping up all over, the deal got way farther than it should have in the first place. That line about hte trade in is classic...what a crock!

You know its not just Chevy or Dodge...
We have a dealer in Colonial Heights VA called 'Priority Toyota'... not only do they NOT do the complete job when servicing a vehicle they make car buying almost as painful as a dental visit. Lets see how my mom's visit went:
She asked me to go to help her get a corolla she liked. We researched the car on the net and talked to some friends that had the car. Then we went over to talk to a friend that worked there. He wasnt there that day so some girl decided it was her mission to sell us a car immediately. She kept asking for my moms drivers license and was very pushy to get personal info. We wouldnt give any but she got our names. That lost my friend the sale as she was now the 'first contact'.

Now remember we knew the pricing for the car and I had a friend's co-workers delivery price on the same car. When I quoted the price for the model that we wanted to buy the girl got very nasty and wanted to know the man's name. I told her it was none of her business but the car was sold out the door for that price. She would do nothing. (there were some follow up calls later that week that pissed my mom off as she absolutely refused to by a car from a girl that scammed a sale from a friend of ours)

I went to a different dealer that the quoted price had come from. They were farther but had the deal. I had to get my mom. What makes this a fun story is that while I was waiting my mom was on the phone with the dealerships president (priority) reaming him out. She told him it was sad we had to drive 45 minutes to get a car when they were so close. He apologized and asked what price she was getting the car for.

**He sold her the car for what she wanted** It was a slightly better car and we had to deal with the 'options girl' but mom got the deal she wanted. The little sales girl never helped with the sale and ate ice cream in the show room while our friend cleaned and prepped the car alone. She got half the sale for doing NOTHING.

Also the 'engine for life, oil changes and free inspections for life' are a rip. The engine warranty costs you more in unneeded maintanance costs than replacing the engine over the life of the car.