Police are seeking criminal charges against two car salesmen who sold a 67-year-old wheelchair-bound man with dementia a new truck. He died later that day after suffering a heart attack, following a high-speed chase with police in his new vehicle. [More]
dealerships
Buy A Truck, Get A Free AK-47
By 11.15.10
A used truck dealer in Florida, birthplace of dreams, is offering an interesting promotion. Buy a truck and get an assault rifle thrown in the back for free. [More]
Used SUVs & Trucks Costing More Than New Ones
By 11.10.10
In a counter-intuitive turn of events, the way the market is now, a used SUV can end up costing more than a new one. [More]
Shady Car Dealers Price Loans More Than What Bank Will Take So You Love Them When It's Reduced
By 6.25.10
A former manager of a car dealership knows exactly how sneaky those sons of guns can be. One of their favorite tricks involved knowingly pricing out the monthly payments at $100 above what the bank computers would let buyer afford, and then acting like they’re your best friend for getting it lowered $100. [More]
Auto Dealers Win Exemption From Financial Protection Bureau Oversight
By 6.25.10
Some shady auto dealers are known to fake financial docs to get customers approved for loans they can’t afford. They refer to senior citizens as “people with oxygen tanks” and even straight up steal money from their ATM account. So, good thing that they can afford good lobbyists, because in the final hours they succeeded in making it so the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau doesn’t apply to them. [More]
Outsource Used Car Haggling To Pros At Carsala
By 5.7.10
For those without the temperament or time to engage in the scrum that is negotiating with a used car dealer, Carsala will do it for you. The site boasts a team of professional negotiators who will contact an average of twenty dealers and work to get you the best price possible. No more getting befuddled by the Four-Square or “Oh, I’m sorry, I really want to make this work but my manager in the back will only agree to…” The pros at Carsala charge a commission of 20% of the difference between Blue Book value and the final price. And, unlike some other car shopping sites, they don’t take kickbacks. Handy! Or you can just use their free tools to check out how a price you’re quoted compares to others in the area, and whether the car you want really fits your budget. [More]
Tips For Buying A Used Car This Year
By 5.4.10
The sorry state of the economy the past couple of years has actually led to higher prices for used cars, writes Kiplinger. That’s because more people started buying used cars, which tightened the supply while also reducing the number of fresh trade-ins. It may be a couple of years before prices drop again, but Kiplinger has some suggestions for saving money if you plan on buying a used car this year. [More]
Disgruntled Former Dealership Employee Disables More Than 100 Cars Remotely, Honks Horns
By 3.18.10
Some car dealerships and lenders have equipped cars with devices that disable the ignition or make the horn honk nonstop when payments are late. We wrote about this last year, but didn’t realize that the interface has fantastic potential for pranks. And that’s how a laid-off car dealership employee was allegedly able to disable the ignitions of more than 100 cars purchased from the dealership. Or set off their horns in the middle of the night. [More]
Beat The "Four Square" Dealership Ripoff
By 3.12.10
Former used car salesman Alan Slone grew a little Jimminy Cricket in his ear and decided to spill his guts on a classic dealership technique used to addle your mind and empty your wallet. It’s called “The Four Square” and the object of the game is to make you lose. Here’s how it works, and how to beat it. [More]
Dealership Ad Fail
By 2.4.10
Bill found negotiating with the dealership to be a little one-sided. [Craigslist via Failblog] [More]
Buy A New Car Without Getting Ripped Off
By 12.18.09
There is a rare breed of individual who enjoys shopping for a new car. Likening it to one of our last remaining instances of socially acceptable bare-knuckle-boxing, Rob Gruhl is one such person. He shares his tips for not getting screwed at the dealership in this fun and lively and short presentation. [More]
Need A New Car? Consider A Saturn
By 10.13.09
The Washington Post notes that although Saturn dealerships have until this time next year to close, many will be saying goodbye sooner due to low inventory, and that’s partly why now is a good time to buy a Saturn. That is, if you don’t plan on reselling it in a couple of years.
New Jersey Dealership Goes Under, Leaves Customers Without Titles To Their Cars
By 9.21.09
When Patrick Dunn’s auto dealership in New Jersey went out of business a few months ago, something weird happened to “40 or 50” customers who had bought cars from him, writes Bob Braun at NJ.com. The company Dunn had taken out business loans with, Automotive Finance Corporation (AFC), went to Arkansas and asked for reposession of the cars in New Jersey. The Arkansas department of motor vehicles assumed AFC meant for unsold cars on the lot, so they granted the request—and now AFC says it owns titles to cars that people are already driving and paying for.
Was Your Cash For Clunkers Deal Rejected After Being Approved?
By 9.8.09
Edmunds.com, the car info website, is asking people who participated in the short-lived Cash for Clunkers program to contact them if something went wrong. Although they can’t fix any problems, they’re trying to collect data on consumers who are being asked to pay back the government rebate after already being approved, which was forbidden under the rules of the program, so they can present the data to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Buy A Car, Get A Free AK-47
By 7.17.09
The logo at Mark Muller’s dealership is… an old west caricature pointing two pistols at those who pass by. He said it’s a nod to what he calls “big city” ways. “We really are different than the big city dealers.”
By 6.2.09
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Know your financial obligations: Though you let your car get voluntarily repossessed, you’re still responsible for the unpaid balance on the loan, plus any storage and transportation fees, plus interest charges. [Bankrate]
Customer Drops Off Car At Dealership For Repairs, Gets Tires And Wheels Stolen Instead
By 5.27.09
Before you drop off your car at your local dealership for any sort of repairs, make sure you’re clear on the chain of liability should anything happen to it—especially right now, when dealerships can barely afford those flappy air things, much less tires. A woman in Charlotte, NC was left with around $1,000 in damages when the tires and wheels were stolen from the 2005 Audi she’d left with the dealership over the weekend.
Chrysler/GM Car Glut: Savings Opp Or Nightmare?
By 5.21.09
To add insult to injury, Chrysler and GM will NOT be buying back vehicle inventory from dealerships that recently received closing notices. Maybe we have two new candidates for Worst Company in America next year! On the other hand, maybe this is good news for consumers. Large inventories + need for quick cash = SALE!
