Why I dislike going to car dealers

Rule3

Rule3

Member
Silver Supporter
Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
22,488
Reaction score
16,142
Location
Florida
No not to buy a car, that is it's own issue.

I had to bring my 2006 Honda in for a recall for a powder window switch (It may short and burn up the car):rolleyes: Well it lasted this long. OK so why not. Lets be safe.

Made an appointment, whisked in. Had Mrs Rule pick me up, said it would be about 2 hours, So far so good. We went to the store.

Get a call said car is almost done and they will even wash it. Great!

THEN

The technician recommends the following. Brake fluid is contaminated needs a change, transmission fluid needs replacement and of course the ever popular Fuel injector cleaning. Comes to around $500 or more!

I said no thanks I will be there to pick up the car.

I let them know that about a thousand miles ago I had a complete break job, rotors, calipers and oh ya, fluid flush and replacement! Told him that's why I never bring my vehicle to you for service!:mad:
 
Register to hide this ad
I would rather have a good country whooping than to dawn the doors of a car dealership for any reason. Went with Lady last week to "help" her buy a new car. After 7 hrs. we went to finance. She got mad before I did. They got the Manager to come in. I asked for the keys to her trade in. Then I asked the Manager "Do you believe in miracles?" "Yep," he replied. To which I replied "If you ever see us back in here you will have seen a miracle." With that we made good our "escape". What a bunch of jerks.
 
I have played the buying game to many times. I tell them up front I have my Consumers report and Edmunds print out of dealer cost, with hold backs, rebates incentives etc.

Don't play any games, how much will you sell the car for.? I expect them to make something, I know thet are not giving them away.
If I like the price it I will buy not second chance price, if not I leave, No "Gotta talk to my Manager" and all that garbage.
 
We "bought" a car onetime. After 2 weeks, they called us back in because the credit didn't go through. I pointed out that, due to a misplaced decimal on their contract, we would owe the .0097 cents a day. Refused to compensate us for the alarm we had installed. Wanted an extra $2000 to complete the deal. Then they wouldn't give us our trade-in back. The wife went to the lady's room and came back all teary-eyed. They finally let us go. As we were leaving, the wife turned to me and said "Take me to a restaurant, so I can wash this d--- soap outta my eyes!". OK, but first I'm gonna turn on the alarm we installed (we had kept the remotes).
 
I've said before that I am about ready for a new car. 169K on my 2007 Pathfinder. I drive a lot and want something I can completely rely on to jump in and take off for a few hundred or thousand miles with mucho bucks worth of ammo and trap guns in it.

Two problems-first, I hate dealing with car salesmen. I can handle them, but I hate the dealing with them.

Secondly, I can't find an SUV I like. The new Pathfinders are cars, they are reportedly underpowered, the Xterra has rear headrests that have to be removed to lower the seats and there is no place to stow those rests (in the garage, maybe), and I really like, that's LIKE, my Nissan dealership.

They treat me great, give me a rental on their dime every time I leave my Pathfinder there, the costs for oil, etc., are less than most of the drive-thru oil change places, and the service guys always show me what's recommended, then tell me what I really ought to have done and what I ought to skip. Tires and batteries have always ended up cheaper there than the big stores and there are fewer and fewer neighborhood car guys who know what they are doing in my area.

I would go with a Toyota, 4Runner, Highlander, maybe the new RAV4, but that dealership tries to sell you lots of extras when you go in for service.

My Nissan guys say they can service any vehicle, like the Toyota, but I am hesitant to do that for anything other than routine stuff.

I will buy something in the fall, just not sure what.
 
straightshooter1 said:
I've said before that I am about ready for a new car. 169K on my 2007 Pathfinder. I drive a lot and want something I can completely rely on to jump in and take off for a few hundred or thousand miles with mucho bucks worth of ammo and trap guns in it.

Two problems-first, I hate dealing with car salesmen. I can handle them, but I hate the dealing with them.

Secondly, I can't find an SUV I like. The new Pathfinders are cars, they are reportedly underpowered, the Xterra has rear headrests that have to be removed to lower the seats and there is no place to stow those rests (in the garage, maybe), and I really like, that's LIKE, my Nissan dealership.

They treat me great, give me a rental on their dime every time I leave my Pathfinder there, the costs for oil, etc., are less than most of the drive-thru oil change places, and the service guys always show me what's recommended, then tell me what I really ought to have done and what I ought to skip. Tires and batteries have always ended up cheaper there than the big stores and there are fewer and fewer neighborhood car guys who know what they are doing in my area.

I would go with a Toyota, 4Runner, Highlander, maybe the new RAV4, but that dealership tries to sell you lots of extras when you go in for service.

My Nissan guys say they can service any vehicle, like the Toyota, but I am hesitant to do that for anything other than routine stuff.

I will buy something in the fall, just not sure what.
Click to expand...

The 2014 Toyota 4 Runner is getting a facelift/redesign. One of the few left that is still on a truck chassis. Of course there are many drive train options.
 
I've worked at several auto dealerships over the years, & yes, a few of them had that piranha or shark feeding mentality. One incident really stands out in my memory. I was walking back to the parts department from the showroom & came across a gaggle of salesmen laughing & giving each other the high five. When I asked what was going on I was told "Billy Bob here just ripped a ladies head off in financing! Front end, middle, & on the back end too!" The lady they were talking about? Billy Bob's own sister! Most of the dealerships I worked at weren't like that, but I have heard a few stories.:(
 
Fuel injector cleaning??? :eek:

I pity anyone who falls for these scams. I would think that with Consumer Reports and special TV programs always warning people about the scams that most auto repair places would give up on scamming customers.....

I took my Honda in for a replacement power steering hose they kept hounding me about. Seems some Honda caught on fire or something so they want to replace all the PS hoses.

My dealership doesn't even ask if I want brake pads replaced or fluids checked. I do ALL my own service from simple stuff to replacing the timing belt and adjusting lifters.

I'm not a good mechanic, I'm just cheap and want it done right. ;)
 
Dealerships want whats in your wallet. The clown running his mouth usually has no idea about the car he is rambling about and will tell you anything so you will drive off the lot with it.

My girl friend took her car in to get a minor crack in the bumper fixed. She picked it up and there was a awful noise when she pulled out of the lot. They told her it was probably "cradle pop" and would fix it self. Turns out they managed to break the sway bar.... and would not fess up to it. Then actually informed us that its been that way for awhile and the other mechanic just missed it......... if you want something fixed go to a mechanic. If you want to get ripped off go to a car dealer.
 
Yep, I absolutely hate going there. I took my landcruiser in because I got this "special" oil change coupon in the mail. Well of course they run all the diagnostics on it and the recommended repairs came to $1,800. I just laughed at the guy.

I lost one of my keys and it was $250 to replace, yep that's right $250. And that's not even the key with the clicker. I think he quoted me $350 on that one.

What a freaking racket!
 
I had a surprisingly good experience at a Toyota Dealership. We had a recall on our 2008 Tacoma 4wd truck. The spiral cable on some of the trucks in our vin range were failing and causing the horn and drivers side airbag to fail.
This was our "local" dealership and out here that means a 100 mile round trip. Our appointment was at 3PM and we got there about 15 minutes early. We were out of there at 3:02, no upsale, no hassles, no nothing.
Maybe my snubby was printing?
 
I will never buy a new car if they will not furnish extra ignition keys. They have a racket on them and no one else can make them. No extra keys "no sale"
 
Some car salesman are so "Crooked" that when they die you have to screw them into the ground!!!!!

I worked arm Security at a auto auction house for three years. Now that is a real bunch of bandits. We would catch them pulling the spark plug wires off so when the car came through the line they would hope to get it cheaper because it had a miss in the engine. Usually it only took 30 seconds to sell a car and most of the time we would have three lines going.

I have been looking at a RAV 4 and the dealer said they had two and I should keep checking via internet or come in and see what was there. Gave me his card and off I went. Week latter drove back in the dealership guy comes up to me and I explain that I am checking the stock for Rav 4's. He ask me if I have been talking to any salesmen I tell him one gave me his card a week ago. Oh what was his name he asks.

I said what difference does it make I'M there to buy a car and who owns the cars the salesmen or the dealer.

Tell them I got thirty minutes so give me there best deal and then I am leaving.

You ever notice how they want to know if you are going to finance the first thing and how much.

I tell them when I know what the price of the car is then we talk money.

What a terrible way to have to make a living.

I remember a Saturn dealer who had the price on the widow and that was it.
 
I have a different 'dealer' story.

I took a big nail near the wall of a rear tire of my one year old Acura MDX with about 12,000 miles.

Went to a tire store and was told it couldn't be repaired since it was really in the tire wall. I knew that. However, here's the catch.

He measures the tread depth on my three other tires... and tells me there would be too much difference compared to the new replacement tire (same tire brand and model). Non of my tires had much wear at all.

If he were to replace on an "all wheel drive" vehicle, it would probably ruin my transmission and differential. Only solution: buy four new tires and replace them all.

With the car is under warranty, I went to my dealer's service department. They sold me the one new tire which was only $15 more than the good deal I'd get from the tire dealer. He said there was no problem replacing a single tire and my warranty would cover me anyway.

Just shows that you need to bring your BS meter to any service conversation that you have these days.
 
Last edited:
I get my oil changed at my local ford dealership. they give me the printout of all the things that need serviced. i thank them and take the list to my mechanic who tells me what i really need and does the work for less than half fords price. i move around a lot and hate leaving a mechanic that i trust.
 
If you ever get to come to Goldsboro, NC check out Frema Motors, VW and Mazda dealer. I'm on my 3rd VW diesel since 1999 and have never had a problem with the purchase or with service. Of course with a diesel the service interval is 10,000 miles. They never try to sell me anything extra and always wash the car and rotate the tires at each service. Also, never had need for a repair.
 
2 things, I used Costcoauto.com to buy 2 new cars. You tell them what kinda car you want, where you live and they give you the address of the dealer in that area that works with the Costco group. 1 really good price, no dickering on it.

As far as problems with a used car, its either Justask.com or ask.com. I had a 2001 MBZ E320, the ac would go on and off on its own. I was getting a quote from the local Benz dealer, they said, "oh the AC blah, blah, blah is bad, approx $1100.00 parts and labor.

I went online to Justask.com found a Mercedes expert who told me what part to buy, where it was in the car, and the 12 screws to remove to get to it. For $200 I had the part overnighted to me, took all of 15 minutes to remove a panel on the passenger side under dash, then a cover, then the screws that held the part in the AC system, unplugged the part, plugged in the new one, and voila! paid the website expert like $30.00 for the info. Saved atleast $900.

Needless to say I have a special wave for the Mercedes dealers when I drive by.

Chuck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

bigride
Where am I going?
Replies
8
Views
520
NYlakesider
NYlakesider
C
Anyone going to Louisville this week?
Replies
6
Views
423
kimporter
kimporter
dben002
  • Locked
Are you going to purchase at 25% price hike
11 12 13
Replies
258
Views
5K
Tom S.
Tom S.
lihpster
Why do you want to take your truck?
2
Replies
29
Views
1K
kamloops67
kamloops67
Rule3
Car radio Touch screen VENT!!!
2
Replies
31
Views
896
oldbrownhat
oldbrownhat

Latest posts

Back
Top