Why is buying a car so complicated? GGRRR

[COMINATCHA]

I mentioned a while ago that I was looking to buy a new-ish car.

Well I almost have one - I think.

I went to the car yard about a month ago, and found a car that I liked and was in my budget. I was just looking at the details they had written about it, when the salesman swooped on me. It was really intimidating, I didn't know what I was doing. I wanted to have a guy friend come with me but everyone was busy so I went on my own.

I took the car for a test drive, and I liked it. It was a really good car, it was only 12 months old and in excellent condition. So I thought, "Yea, i'll buy that one," and said I just had to get a bank check and could come back on Monday (this was on a saturday).

So anyhoo, I was all excited, and when I went back there, THE GUY HAD SOLD IT TO SOMEONE ELSE! I was so pissed off. It was MINE, I'd gotten my little hopes up so high over the bloody thing :cry:

The guy wasn't very apologetic, he didn't even say why he sold it to someone else. But he did look up the list of what cars would be coming in, and one of them was just like that one I wanted, but it was 2 years old.
He said if I traded in my old car, he would take $2000 off the price, and because he had 'accidently' sold that car I wanted to someone else, he would tint the windows, put some kind of glaze thing on the paint, and put in dashboard cover things and some other thing I dont know what it is.

I don't know if i'm being ripped off, but I agreed to that deal. So he says he will give me a call when the car comes in. I wait a week, I hear nothing. So I decide to call him and see whats going on. He then goes on to tell me that the car HAS come in, but he can't find it. I say to him "What do you mean you can't find it?? It's a CAR, not a needle in a haystack!" He seemed a bit embarassed, and said he would keep looking and get back to me.

Another few days go by and I hear nothing. I think 'How frikin long does it take to find a bright red car in a car yard?' so I call him back.
He says that he did find it, but it was a white one that came in, not a red one.
How can you make a mistake like that??

By this stage, i'm all like - GGGRRRRRRRR!

So he says he will call me when ANOTHER one comes in.

I got a call yesterday that he has one for me, and that I can come and look at it. So I go in there this morning, take this one for a test drive, and decide to buy it. He whacked a 'SOLD' sticker on it, and said he would organise for all the tinting e.t.c to be done on monday, and it should be done by wednesday. I haven't technically BOUGHT it yet, I need to go get a bank cheque.

It's so scary, is there anything I should do before handing over the big bucks??

[Mr. Rager!]

Typically, they have you sign some paperwork and all that fun stuff. Have you signed any paper on it, or did I miss it? I don't think you're obligated until you have gone through the paper needed to actually buy the car.

This guy is being hella pushy though, maybe consider getting away from him and going with another salesperson or dealership all together. Car salespeople are going to be pushy because they have quotas they must meet. Try and be firm with them and don't show too much anticipation for one vehicle. If it helps, don't go back until you bring a guy friend. However, I think even if you're a girl, you should be able to handle this on your own.

[Kiwi]

Id find another car dealer Commie, this guy is way to pushy. Dont let him scare you into buying a car.

Ring him up and say that youve changed your mind (you didnt sign anything I hope) back out now. This guy is your sterotypical secondhand car dealer.

Go to another dealership, shop around you dont have to buy the first car you see, and if your serious about the car, ask if you can take it for a pre-purchase inspection at an INDEPENDANT mechanic, dont go with one they recommend. AA is good or ask people you know whos a honest mechanic

$50 for a pre-purchase inspection can save you $1000 down the road.

Good luck with the cars :)

[ditchdj]

Yeah I hear that sometimes they'll do little sleazy things like put sawdust in the engine to help it run smoothy long enough to get it off the lot. This clown sounds like one that would. He obviously doesnt care about his customers. He just wants to make a quick buck and that's it.

[TNT]

Honestly, you might want to think about walking away from this one. It may be an okay deal, but it sounds like you might be getting 'steered.' That is, no matter what car you want, the salesman is finding a way to steer you over to the car he wants to sell you. And the car he steers you to probably isn't the best one to buy.

I could be wrong...

[Mighty Girl]

Run. Run fast and don't look back. I worked at a car dealership for seven (long, hopeless, despair-filled) years and I can tell you, that 99.9% of used car salesman are SLIME. They will do anything, and I do mean anything, for their commission. Most of them get a very small draw (basically, an advance of a paycheck), then anything else they make is commission.

That being said, there are SO MANY alarms going off from reading your post, there's no way in hell I'd give that guy coins from my couch let alone a bank check. There HAS GOT TO BE somewhere else you can buy a car. There simply must be.

Now, if you must buy a used car, try very hard to get one that still has a couple years of the factory warranty on it. That way, even if they weren't completely honest with you (and they won't be) you'll have some recourse to get things repaired without paying out of pocket. Have a completely unrelated third party look at it- any salesman worth his suit will not have a problem with you seeking a mechanic's or even a friend's opinion of the car. Do you know anyone who is good with cars? Wait until you're serious about a car, then have them look at it so you're not dragging them to see a bunch of cars all the time. And it is very reasonable to request service records- how are the brakes and when will they need replaced, has the transmission been serviced properly- when was it last flushed, how many miles are on the tires approximately, make sure the emergency brake works ( a lot of people don't use it, so it freezes up and doesn't work anymore after a while), and they should offer to give you manuals for it. If they don't have any in stock, they can order them from the factory.

The dealership I worked at was awful. They would get these cars from auction, and make them look freaking pristine. They'd clean everything, even under the hood. When you test drive a car- drive it on the highway as well as a few poorly paved roads. Look around for any spots where carpeting may have been replaced- the car could leak when it rains. And above all, do a little research on the company. Check to see if they have any outstanding complaints- here in the US we have the Better Business Bureau- if you have anything like that down there, check to see if the company has a poor rating or if they resolve complaints without incident. And, remember you can always do a title search, and I strongly recommend it. A lot of unscrupulous dealers will doctor up a car that actually has a salvage title, and they're having a lot of problems with that here in the US- the hurrican katrina cars are starting to show up at used car lots. These cars spent weeks underwater and- GUARANTEED- will not last a few months before all the "band aids" fall off.

DO NOT LET THIS GUY PRESSURE YOU. He should be trying to make you happy, you are his meal ticket, he doesn't get paid unless you buy something.

As I said- if it were me, I'd walk away. This guy has warning signs all over the place.

If I had to buy a used car, I'd go to a certified dealership. Nissan and Honda do a complete service overhaul on all their used cars before they're sold, and they're guaranteed. I would never go to some generic no-name car lot.

[Der Cute]

DO NOT FOLLOW THRU WITH THIS THING.

When buying a car:
Talk to MATURE older friends who have owned multiple cars.
Find out what brands are safe & last well, even when roughed.
Research online safety and milage issues per brand and per year
Research online gas milage, cost to own and safety per model
Research with local mechanics what is COMMON in a car you would like to own.

RESEARCH.

Then, after narrowing it down to about 3 or 4 brand/models, and price, go shop.

When purchasing, get a PRE QUALIFIED note from bank saying "She is qual to borrow 12K @ 5% interest" so the sales people dont push their credit on you.
Caveat: if the interest @ sales is 2.5, GO FOR IT.

When shopping, take car for ride. Tell friends to STFU. Listen to road noise, enginesounds, feel, brakes, acceleration etc.

AFTER FINDING 1 CAR Take to mechanical friend and PAY FOR A 3RD PARTY INSPECTION.

Have them WRITE OUT what all is wrong, needs to be fixed in next 6 mos and what is ok w/ car.

Take that back...if car is kosher, and has some dinky small things wrong w/ it, NEGOTIATE PRICE DROPS W/ DEALER.

If car is totally farked but looks nice, FUGETABOUTIT.

Cominatcha:
I've just bought my 2nd car now. it's a certified used toyota. The sucker is zippy, roomy and fun.

Take friends w/ you and IGNORE THE MONEY IN YOUR POCKET. Listen to gut.

Cute

[crabbycabbie]

I agree with the others...have the car you are buying inspected(usually costs about $100 and is the best $100 you'll ever spend)

Make sure all the goodies he SAYS he's giving you is on the written contract(he can tell you anything but if it's not in the contract it means NOTHING)

If you have a particular type of car you really want...look online for others in your area and compare prices

Plug in the dealership's name into Google and see if they've had a lot of complaints about them BEFORE you commit yourself(you can say bye bye at anytime until you sign on the dotted line)

Get the VIN and check the car's history...it will tell you if the car has been in any accidents(or submerged in a flood for instance)

All that sounds like a lot of work but this is probably the biggest purchase you will ever make(until you buy a house)...the people complaining about rip-off used car dealers are those who did NOT follow these simple steps

[Monica]

My advice is go to a small dealership. I went to one where there is only one salesman/owner. I found that they are more willing to work with you and don't pressure you as much.

[COMINATCHA]

The car dealership I went to is the biggest in my city, and has an excellent reputation. There isn't really any other big car yard other than the small dodgy ones i'd rather avoid. They don't sell cars that are more than a couple of years old, so I think that's a good thing, they would be less likely to deal with a 'lemon.' I still think the car ive chosen (which I decided on after looking on the internet as well as in person), is a really good buy. The dealer i've been talking to looks really young, probably no older than myself. I don't know if that's at all relevant as to why he is not all that great at his job, cause he's not as experienced?

Anyway, no I havent technically bought the car or signed any papers as yet. He is going to call me tomorow to tell me what is going on with it, and I will then give my mechanic a call and ask what he thinks.
My mum and I have a mechanic come to our house to service our cars, and he has never done anything wrong by us.

So I will tell him about the situation, then give you guys an update on what happens!

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I wouldn't deal with this guy at all, after all the BS he's shoveling. If you insist on buying from that dealer, at least insist on getting another salesman. This guy sucks.

I am the pushiest, most uncooperative customer in the world when I am buying a car. The reason is because I will not let them lead me with their script and push me into anything. I keep control of the situation and I end up getting exactly what I want for exactly what I want to spend. Buy a car. Don't get sold a car. There's a big difference.

But whatever you do, lose the saleman. He's a jerk, and he's pushing you around because you've taught him he can. Time to change the script.

[protege]

I wouldn't deal with this guy at all, after all the BS he's shoveling. If you insist on buying from that dealer, at least insist on getting another salesman. This guy sucks.

Shoveling? Nah. I think the guy's using a backhoe instead :D Seriously. Get another salesman, or go somewhere else.

BTW, you might want to look at this: http://www.goingfaster.com/spo/advert.html

I should warn you that the first part is supposed to be funny. Further down, (right after the "contract") are some things to consider. These are things that dealerships will try to slip by you.

The whole point of that link, is that you don't screw over the customer. There are far too many dealers out there who will be happy to have your business.

[Tanasi]

Since the oldest returned from Army basic she's been out shopping for another car (her brother did her a favor and got the other car totaled.) I figured she would want to buy the first car she looked at but so far she's just looked around. I've suggested a Ford Escape or Nissan Murano but I guess since I made those suggestions she's determined not to even look at one. I found a great deal on a 2005 Murano 19K miles, new tires and factory warrenty, I'm thinking I might buy it for myself.

Commie I don't know what's available to you down-under but I'd make use of a VIN search if available. Something else don't go with red, the insurance vultures here charge more for red cars than they do with other colors. You might also consider a blue-hair mobile, they're usually nicer and lots less expensive to insure.

[Barefootgirl]

You might also consider a blue-hair mobile, they're usually nicer and lots less expensive to insure.

A what? I am sure this is probably slang for something, but no idea what.

*thinks*

Ah ha. Do you mean a granny car? Like my little Mercedes breadvan (A-Class)?

[El Barto]

A what? I am sure this is probably slang for something, but no idea what.

*thinks*

Ah ha. Do you mean a granny car? Like my little Mercedes breadvan (A-Class)?

Not little, BIG. Older people seem to be attracted to large cars here in the states (I'm assumming you dont live in the US since the benz A class isnt sold here), they drive big cars like Lincoln Town Cars, Mercury Grand Marquis, Buick Centurys, etc. They're very comfortable to ride in. They also have bad resale value. You can find 2 or 3 year old Lincolns and Mercurys here that are in very good condition and dirt cheap.

[Tanasi]

A what? I am sure this is probably slang for something, but no idea what.

*thinks*

Ah ha. Do you mean a granny car? Like my little Mercedes breadvan (A-Class)?

Not sure about the Mercedes classifications but around here the blue-hairs (the little old ladies that pick a particular shade of gray hair-color that is neary blue) drive Caddies, Crown Vics, large 4 door cars. My Mom drives a 92 Chevy Caprice. It's huge or better known as a lead-sled. While Mom's car looks like a blue-hair car but in reality it was a special order police-chief's car, it has the handling package, posi-rearend, big motor and the modern equal of a Hurst-shift kit. This car will fly, I've had it to 140 on the interstate and it still had peddle left. Mom's been talking about trading it for a PT Cruiser but I've been trying to stear her to the Chevy equivilent (Don't remembe what it's called). I'm not a mopar fan at least anything since and including the K-cars.

[COMINATCHA]

I got my car this morning! I had my mechanic check it all out for me, and he said it is in almost perfect condition. He is a very reliable mechanic we've known for years, he wouldn't lie to me :)

I traded in my old car, which took $2000 off the price. I wasn't allowed to drive it home though (my mum did), because i'd been out all night and hadn't had any sleep (seriously, I got home at 8am! lol). So I wasn't in the right state of mind to be driving, but yay, how exciting!

It's sitting in the carport looking all pretty.
I'm soooo guna have to take photos of it tomorow for you guys :D

[Mixed Bag]

Just saw your mention of cars in the other thread, then here. Then, and now, the song my computer was playing was "Cars."

Just a few hours ago I posted another such amazing coincidence--hope when I get a portable MP3 player it's just as psychic. :muya:

[COMINATCHA]

Just saw your mention of cars in the other thread, then here. Then, and now, the song my computer was playing was "Cars."

That reminds me of something completely unrelated to this topic, but recently when me and my friends were in a car on our road trip, I was busting to go to the toilet, but I had to wait til we found a stop.
My friend was playing some stupid kiddie cd she used to listen to when she was a kid, and just as I said "I can't take it anymore, I need to pee NOW!" a song came on about water. It was going "I'm a little raindrop, falling from the sky," and it just kept talking about water, and flowing rivers and everything water related. It was making my pee situation so much WORSE, and I couldn't stop laughing as well, which made it even MORE worse!

[LostMyMind]

:lol: that why us southern boys have the old hunters pee jar (they make one for the ladies too) for road trips ;)