Buying a New Car Stories

[May Day 10]

I have been in the process of buying a tesla.  It has been the easiest, most straight forward process I have experienced.  Even my trade in value seems fair.

[Orlando Buffalo]

I am one of the few people who "won" the negotiation in 2019. I just wanted the base level model and did not care about any special gadgets since my commute is about 2 miles a day and I am not a car person. I told them what my goal cost was and I was assured they could get under that amount. The salesman immediately shows a mid level vehicle, which I did like, and he starts doing paperwork on that car. After 45 minutes he pulls the idea that since I want the better vehicle I have to pay for the $3k in upgrades. I decide to walk but before I do the manager comes in and tells the sales rep he should sell me the cheaper one. I simply said I don't want the cheaper one, I want the one he showed me when he knew what I required. Manager said ok, and I got my car for baseline MSRP for one with some upgrades. Current model is going 50% more than I paid for it 

[CookieG]

On 8/12/2025 at 12:34 PM, DrDawkinstein said:

I'm sure it's been mentioned, but most car dealerships are just financing banks disguised as car dealerships nowadays. Make most of their money in financing deals, and will jerk you around through all sorts of shenanigans to get you into one of their loans. Buyer beware.

 

Once they ask you "What do you want your monthly payment to be?", or they break out a piece of paper and draw out the 4 quadrants... just get up and walk away. Theyre about to ***** you over.

I have a friend who was buying a new Blazer two years ago.  He was going to pay cash for it.  the salesman wouldn't let him and told him that.  He insisted that the car be financed.  They went around for 20 minutes.  He didn't buy from him and went to another dealership.  the salesman lost him when he said, "look, you aren't leaving today without a financing agreement".  "Yes, I am.  Goodbye".

 

My oldest son's first car purchase was my favorite.  He bought it off of FB marketplace and talked to the lady online before he bought it.  He asked me to take him so he could finalize the deal and pick it up.  I had to drive him 40 miles to this little town and meet the seller in front of a Dollar General.   I knew he was paying cash.

 

I said, "You know, this is how Craigslist horror stories begin"

"yeah, I know, that's why I'm bringing you"

"Gee thanks"

 

I made sure to park as close to the front door of the DG as possible.

 

The car had an out of state title, owned by this lady's boyfriend, signed in blank.  

 

Not a good feeling.  

 

On the good side, out of state cars need to be inspected at a Highway Patrol office and there was one down the road.  The trooper I talked to assured me that hot sheets are checked in both Kansas and the state where the vehicle comes from.  It took a while, but the mutual distrust between me and the lady dissolved after a bit.  It all turned out fine.   

 

 

 

" 

[gomper]

I'll come at this from the opposite direction. Years ago, I was really up against it. My work company went bankrupt and I needed a job fast.  The market was awful and the wolf was on his way up the driveway.  So, I took a job selling cars. Worst job I've ever had. The job I had at 15 washing dishes in a 100 degree kitchen was paradise compared to it.

 

I worked at two places. I won't name the dealerships because I don't if it will anger the mods, so I'll play it semi-safe.

 

The first one was a huge one just north of the city. Total pressure cooker with an owner that would run over his own grandmother for a nickel. Super shady bait and switch approach. Not questionable ethics, but no ethics. I felt like I needed a shower every time I got home.

 

After a few months I went to one on Transit because the hours were better and it was closer to home. It was no better. The finance guy was a blatant racist who would "pack the payments" meaning he would add on XM (this is 2005) and other extras without the customer knowing, which is totally illegal, and if discovered, could have shut the place down. This is just one examples of the shady S they'd pull.

 

The last straw was the "Florida car." It was a 02 Trailblazer, and the selling point was it had never seen a winter and was priced about 800 less than the other comparable models.  Seemed like a great deal right? Wrong. The transmission had about 300 miles left in it. Sales manager stated whomever sold it would get a 250 bonus. It was a lemon and they were prepared to make any deal just to get rid of it.

 

So, one day, I was up to take the next customer in the lot, and here strolls in a family of 3. 4 year old in tow. I was thinking to myself, please don't look at the TB. Well, you guessed it, that's what they were checking out. My sales manager was glowing and called over the GM to watch. I approached the couple and learned that their car just died and needed a new one ASAP. These people were my age and the little girl was my son's age. I couldn't do it. I pulled the Dad aside and told him this car would be nothing but a black hole that would suck in every $ he had. Meanwhile, my SM and GM were beside themselves with glee that someone was on the car.

 

The Dad thanked me. I told him that I was basically in the same boat life-wise. I told him to wait in the lot while I went inside to make a call. The SM wanted an update and I said I needed to make a call on their behalf. Which was true. I called a guy that was cool from the previous dealership. I explained the situation and the price range the couple was looking for. Due to the great stock at that dealership, he found exactly what they were looking for and said to send them over.

 

I walked back out, contact info in hand, and told him about car. He thanked profusely and shook my hand. I could see my GM through the window and smiling giving the thumbs up. That look turned to shock when the family pilled in their rental, and drove out.

 

As I walked back in they were on me in seconds, asking wtf happened.  I shrugged and said "they don't like the state of Florida I guess." The SM flew into a stuttering rage, screaming at me like a 3 year old having a temper tantrum. I just started laughing and went to my desk, grabbed my keys, and walked out. I told them that they were despicable human beings and my last check better be accurate. 

 

I hated that profession with every fiber of my being. As you know, no matter the pitch, they are out to squeeze every last $ out of you. Do your research before you buy, if you can go at the end of the month (they'll bend to reach monthly bonus territory), and never hesitate to walk out the second you don't like how it's going. 

[Albany,n.y.]

2011 Mercedes C300: I haven't bought a car since 2010.  Back then I went to the auto show in November in Albany & bought it in December from the same salesman I talked with at the show. Pretty easy, only model I wanted, only dealer in the area.  Had all paperwork calculations from the internet before I went to the dealer & everything went pretty smooth. The car was in Long Island & the previous car I bought had been driven up from NJ.  When I mentioned driving it up from LI, they said they don't drive them up, they transport it & don't add any miles.  Took a hit on the trade-in, but I didn't want to be bothered trying to sell it myself, I did that back in 1986 & it was a chore. 

 

2001 Audi A4: Bought in 2000, went through the internet with one of those best deal sites & had no problems.  They drove the car up from NJ to meet the things I wanted on my car.  I kept my old car for another 6 months as a winter/beater car then donated it.  

 

1988 VW Golf: Bought in 1988 a few months after I moved to Albany.  I hated my Mazda & traded it in.  I got beaten up pretty good on the trade-in but needed to trade it in in order to roll what I owed after the trade-in value into my loan.  I drove the VW Golf into the ground until 2001.

 

1986 Mazda 323: Bought in 1986, disaster.  1st I had a prior deal for a new VW Golf in December of 1985, but they never delivered the car because car prices rose and they wouldn't deliver the car unless I paid more than the agreed to price.  After 5 months I got my deposit back & bought a Mazda 323. (A few years later those practices caught up with that VW dealer & they went out of business).  I sold my 1979 VW Rabbit privately.  I hated the Mazda because I was used to driving German cars which handled much better than the Mazdas in the 1980s did.  About a year & a half in it got stolen and they wrecked the clutch & I had to replace the steering wheel lock they broke.  The dealer gave me a low quote on the repairs & I told my insurance that I wouldn't be filing a claim, then when I got the bill, it was higher & if I had known, I'd have filed a claim.  I wrote Mazda to complain & the dealer wrote me back offering a free oil change.  Since I was already planning to move, I ignored their offer & never went back.   

 

1979 VW Rabbit: Bought in August 1978 when the new models, made in the USA, came out.  I was living in Connecticut but bought the car in Long Island near my parents' house. I had kept my legal address at my parents' house & wasn't going to register a car in Connecticut where there was a property tax on cars.  I wanted to leave my old car at my parents' house & they refused. My father told the dealer if he didn't accept the trade, the deal was off because he was co-signing my loan.  I got the car & brought it back to Connecticut, where I only lived until December & then went back to NYS. 

 

1971 VW Beetle: My 1st new car after driving a used 1967 Plymouth Fury II from February-August. Privately sold the Plymouth-never bought another used car after that.  My father negotiated the VW while I was already in Fredonia.  I flew back to LI a couple of weeks after I left for college & picked up the car, never having driven a stick shift.  I brought it back to Fredonia, stalling out at every toll booth & stop.  I eventually got the hang of driving a stick & drove them for the next 40 years.  

 

 

 

 

Edited August 26 by Albany,n.y.