Can the Car Dealership Really Do That?
 

Thats when I would stand up and show myself the door.

This is nothing new.
After WWII my Dad ordered a new no frills Chevy pickup, it would have been a 1946 model. Two years later, in 1948 the dealer contacts him to say his new truck has arrived. Goes to pick it up, it's a Deluxe 5 window cab with chrome bumper and grille, at extra cost. Take it or I will sell to the next in line, so he paid up. - Bill W

This happened a couple of months ago (in Ontario Canada).

My Mom would like a smaller car than the one she has. She has decided on a 4-5 year old Nissan Versa in red. Luckily the local dealership (to me) had two to choose from. I contacted the dealer and told them I was interested in one of the cars, it would be for my mother, and I would be buying it outright. I was told that buying it outright was NOT an option, I would need to finance it and only after a set number of months making payments would I be allowed to pay it off ... ???

I walked.

Dealerships have always been brazen, but with the current shortage of cars, they have gotten worse. I'm really glad/lucky I bought my 2016 CR-V a year ago, before all this crap came down. Actually bought it at wholesale for paying cash.

Been checking into ordering a 2022 Hellcat. Got a great price quote - 6% under invoice but you have to finance with Chrysler Financial or lose $1000 of that discount. (losing the $1000 would make it a 4.7% under invoice sale.)

So I asked him if I paid 99% of the sale price outright and financed the remaining 1%, is that OK? He didn't see a problem with me doing that.

He did say I had to make at least three payments before paying it off though. :dunno:

3 months of interest at 1% of cost can't be as much of a loss as the $1,000. What color ???

Car Dealers...
 

Contrary to what they tell you...forcing you to finance the car is illegal. As for the rust, dust and glue extras...the answer is simple...walk out the door and don't look back.

I have been working with auto dealers for 40 years...I remember the import craze of the early 80's...the dealers loaded the cars with all kinds of extras. A lot of people went for it...because Detroit had little to offer for reliability or gas mileage.

The dealers who are currently gouging their customers with added markups will pay the price down the road for their greed.

The current supply chain problem will pass...and then reality will hit the dealers. Best bet is to do your homework and only deal with reputable dealerships...they may be harder to find, but they are out there.

2021 was a record year for dealer profits, despite the lack of new car inventory.

https://www.kbb.com/car-news/dealers...-car-shortage/


Their actions are shameful...no other way to describe it.

-wilma :scholar:

Update: this morning the new Dodge incentives popped up. 0% financing or $1000 rebate. I asked my dealer contact if the new 0% counts toward the financing requirement and he said unfortunately no, it would have to be a Chrysler Financial rate above that, but he did say that the $1000 rebate would offset the missing $1k from not financing at a non-incentive rate. So I still get my 6% under invoice deal which is a locked in price anyway which is almost $9000 below MSRP.

Svelte-body Redeye Octane Red (the dark raspberry color) with Demonic Red interior with no options other than the silver wheels and stereo. Lightest car they make with the 797 hp engine. It's the Demon engine and drivetrain but rated at 100 rpm lower on the power curve. :-) (which actually dynos at 812 hp according to Dodge's SAE report).

Unfortunately you cannot get a widebody Redeye with any interior other than plain black and no rim/tire options - they did this to steer people to the new more expensive Jailbreak model which allows you to order any combination of any colors/options...but they only gave certain dealers two allocations for them and most dealers are trying to charge above MSRP for it. Pretty crazy since it is only a color/trim package and not a different engine package. Dodge really shot themselves in the foot with that move.

Local Seattle dealer added 27K to a widebody Redeye recently. 127K out the door.