Why are local car dealerships so hard to buy from

9,251 Views | 74 Replies | Last: 3 days ago by dubi
runnrboy
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8:38a, 10/14/24
AG
I purchased a new Outback recently from Sterling. I had been putting off buying new because of all bs the dealers make you go through around here. And I didn't have the time or patience to drive to Houston or Austin or elsewhere.

I walked into Sterling Subaru one day on a whim one day and it was actually very easy. They were upfront with me and the only add-on was nitrogen in the tires, which was listed up front. I think that's a joke but it wasn't a hidden fee and I ended up paying it because it wasn't enough $$ to gripe about. The car was already marked down and we discussed price for my trade. After they offered I came back and said I would like this amount for my trade plus a trailer hitch installed. They came back with a higher price on my trade, not what I asked for, but a fair price and the hitch with installation. I was in and out in about 1.5 hours or less (including test drive). Even dealing with financing was a breeze. This was probably the easiest time I've had buying a new vehicle.

When I took the car back for them to install the hitch, they gave me a loaner to drive for the day. Now your mileage may vary, but I would buy from them again.
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halibut sinclair
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In reply to TyHolden • 9:07a, 10/14/24
TyHolden said:
go see Simba at Ford. He'll give you a deal. Tell him Ty sent you.


We've bought 2 cars from Simba at CS Ford. He doesn't play the games like others do and has the sales awards to prove it.
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maroon barchetta
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In reply to runnrboy • 9:19a, 10/14/24
When we bought a Kia two years ago it was from Sterling. We looked around the state (online and a drive to Tomball) but there was not much stock then.

It was a very easy process and they didn't pull any of the stuff the dealer in Tomball tried.
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ElephantRider
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In reply to halibut sinclair • 1:29p, 10/14/24
AG
halibut sinclair said:
TyHolden said:
go see Simba at Ford. He'll give you a deal. Tell him Ty sent you.


We've bought 2 cars from Simba at CS Ford. He doesn't play the games like others do and has the sales awards to prove it.
He's able to get rid of the add-ons? Went in a few years ago and was told those were "required" for all new purchases.
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MyNameIsJeff
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In reply to ElephantRider • 1:47p, 10/14/24
AG
We bought a new Expedition from CS Ford last year and had them remove all the add ons. I told them as soon as we started the whole negotiation dog and pony show that I wouldn't pay for any. Still paid MSRP... but I think that was reasonable for that vehicle in that market.

We've since gone to online deals only. My last two trucks were all negotiated without setting foot in a dealership. One I went and picked up in Houston, one I had delivered to my house from a dealer in Austin. The home delivery is the way to do it.
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halibut sinclair
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In reply to ElephantRider • 2:12p, 10/14/24
ElephantRider said:
halibut sinclair said:
TyHolden said:
go see Simba at Ford. He'll give you a deal. Tell him Ty sent you.


We've bought 2 cars from Simba at CS Ford. He doesn't play the games like others do and has the sales awards to prove it.
He's able to get rid of the add-ons? Went in a few years ago and was told those were "required" for all new purchases.


Only add on was the Apex and we wanted that, oddly enough.
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MyNameIsJeff
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In reply to Hornbeck • 3:08p, 10/14/24
AG
Hornbeck said:
Goose83 said:
I always liked the old "Come up with another couple hundred bucks and I'll run it past my manager, but I think I can make it work" schtick.

Of course they already know what they can and can't take, but a lot of buyers don't know that and fall into that trap.


I'm in sales. I don't appreciate it. I don't appreciate you wasting hours of my time so you think you can squeeze a couple thousand out of my frustration.

I do multimillion dollar deals. I don't play games like that with my customers. Therefore, I don't do stuff like that going back and forth on a $50k car deal. I expect to negotiate everything up front via phone / email.

If a car guy says "just come on down and we'll work it out.." Do not under any circumstances just come on down, unless you want to waste your day, walking away with no car.
"Your presence is your power". That was the absolutely most horse**** line I have ever gotten from a salesman. That was our one and only Aggieland Chevrolet. Saved like $8k on a much nicer truck in Houston the next week.
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FunnyFarm14
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In reply to halibut sinclair • 6:02a, 10/15/24
AG
Bill Fick in Huntsville is my go-to
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A Net Full of Jello
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8:44a, 10/15/24
AG
We need to get Ray and his Clobber Line back in business...
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dubi
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In reply to halibut sinclair • 8:56a, 10/15/24
AG
Quote:
Only add on was the Apex and we wanted that, oddly enough.
Oddly you seem to be the first person to want that!
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halibut sinclair
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In reply to dubi • 9:31a, 10/15/24
dubi said:
Quote:
Only add on was the Apex and we wanted that, oddly enough.
Oddly you seem to be the first person to want that!


That's why I said oddly.
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Hornbeck
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In reply to A Net Full of Jello • 10:38a, 10/15/24
AG
A Net Full of Jello said:
We need to get Ray and his Clobber Line back in business...


Tell that to the folks that got stuck paying two car notes with only one car after all that went down.
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maroon barchetta
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In reply to Hornbeck • 11:12a, 10/15/24
Hornbeck said:
A Net Full of Jello said:
We need to get Ray and his Clobber Line back in business...


Tell that to the folks that got stuck paying two car note with only one car after all that went down.


Yeah.

Or the employees.
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legalbird
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1:25p, 10/15/24
Is the story posted somewhere on the Clobber Line? I never knew the story but knew something happened.
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Hornbeck
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In reply to legalbird • 1:47p, 10/15/24
AG
legalbird said:
Is the story posted somewhere on the Clobber Line? I never knew the story but knew something happened.


https://abc13.com/archive/6641577/

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Charpie
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2:26p, 10/15/24
AG
Why do we have this thread pop up every 6 weeks? Staff should just sticky it to the top of the forum.
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nwspmp
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9:19a, 10/16/24
I've bought local and out of town, and I chase the best deal regardless. Last truck I bought was actually here in town, as CS Ford matched the out-of-town discount that Tomball Ford was offering and it was super easy to get done. No add-ons, no GAP (technically didn't even qualify for it due to the LTV ratio with the discounts; I'd have gone private for that anyway if I wanted it), no fuss. Was in and out for a total of about an hour; Did a test drive one day and then went home, researched the finance plans, rebates, etc., and came back a few days later as I was sick in between. Took about 20 minutes from sitting down to signed and then I emptied my old truck into the new one. Now, trying to deal with Allen Honda and BCS Toyota in early 2023 on a Minivan; oof. We ended up going out of town to Sterling McCall and got what we wanted. Local dealer tried to call after the fact and say we couldn't have gotten the deal we did, because he'd have called and gotten it from them. I happily drove it up there and picked up the check for the deposit return as I'd put one down to temporarily hold a reservation with them.

In my purchasing history, I've found you just have to be upfront and tell them what you're looking for, can they do that, and that "No" is a perfectly acceptable answer from them.
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trouble
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9:24a, 10/16/24
AG
Y'all, it's been this way since AT LEAST 1999 when I tried to buy a brand new Olds Alero at Sterling or whatever it was called back then. I drove to Bluebonnet in Navasota instead and they brought in the exact car I wanted within a thousand dollars of what I wanted to pay. The same car that the local dealership told me they "couldn't deal on" because it was a brand new model.
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Golf1
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8:00a, 10/17/24
AG
The ford here pulled out the 4 square method of "your trade in is this. Your vehicle price is this. Your down payment is this. Your monthly payment is this." Monthly payment was so far off that I wasn't even going to negotiate. I had to ask for my keys multiple times because they were holding them for a possible trade in.

Drove down to tomball ford guy handed me the keys for a test drive and said "go have fun" me and the wife took it for a drive which I thought was odd he didn't join. He never tried to sell me the truck which I loved. Kinda took it more as a friend approach vs getting money. When he handed me the papers it was a breakdown of everything. Immediately said this list is all things I can work on. I said great take them all off. He did no problem and still worked the overall price down some more. It was a much better experience than the ford here.

I get it: the salesman need to make money too but I've heard so many horror stories on here and from others about the ford here being awful about the prices.
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trouble
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In reply to Golf1 • 9:30a, 10/17/24
AG
I will get up and walk out if they start that 4 square bull*****
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Hornbeck
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In reply to trouble • 1:06p, 10/17/24
AG
trouble said:
I will get up and walk out if they start that 4 square bull*****


They think they can take your mind off the total price with a payment. Diversionary tactic. I'm with you! A couple thousand hidden in there for their pockets amortizes out low.
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ElephantRider
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In reply to Golf1 • 3:52p, 10/17/24
AG
Golf1 said:
The ford here pulled out the 4 square method of "your trade in is this. Your vehicle price is this. Your down payment is this. Your monthly payment is this." Monthly payment was so far off that I wasn't even going to negotiate. I had to ask for my keys multiple times because they were holding them for a possible trade in.

Drove down to tomball ford guy handed me the keys for a test drive and said "go have fun" me and the wife took it for a drive which I thought was odd he didn't join. He never tried to sell me the truck which I loved. Kinda took it more as a friend approach vs getting money. When he handed me the papers it was a breakdown of everything. Immediately said this list is all things I can work on. I said great take them all off. He did no problem and still worked the overall price down some more. It was a much better experience than the ford here.

I get it: the sells men need to make money too but I've heard so many horror stories on here and from others about the ford here being awful about the prices.

They don't realize that being fair and reasonable builds a reputation that brings in more business
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Cartographer
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5:24p, 10/17/24
Add me to the list. I'm trying to find a reasonable commuter car as I work out of town.

Spent a few hours at a car lot, took a test drive.

Price on the internet was 20% less than their "selling" price by the time they added fees.

I asked them to nix the fees, they flat out refused and told me that it was already discounted too heavily to the price on the internet. Out the door was 30% higher than the posted price.

They would have had a sale and a financing customer (most likely) if they had honored the price on their site.

College Station Hyundai for those wondering. The best part is their lot literally has no place to park because they have too much inventory.

Oh well.
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Hornbeck
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In reply to Cartographer • 6:31p, 10/17/24
AG
I heard a horror story from Aggieland Chevrolet this week, but since it did not happen to me, I won't share.
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El_duderino
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In reply to Golf1 • 8:52p, 10/17/24
Interesting because tomball is a ****ty Keating auto group owned dealer just like college station ford.
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dubi
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In reply to Cartographer • 8:56p, 10/17/24
AG
Talk to the GM; they will negotiate and they will remove the apex too.
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Cartographer
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8:59p, 10/17/24
Thanks, I will try that tomorrow... do you by chance know their name?
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ElephantRider
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In reply to Cartographer • 9:00p, 10/17/24
AG
Cartographer said:
Add me to the list. I'm trying to find a reasonable commuter car as I work out of town.

Spent a few hours at a car lot, took a test drive.

Price on the internet was 20% less than their "selling" price by the time they added fees.

I asked them to nix the fees, they flat out refused and told me that it was already discounted too heavily to the price on the internet. Out the door was 30% higher than the posted price.

They would have had a sale and a financing customer (most likely) if they had honored the price on their site.

College Station Hyundai for those wondering. The best part is their lot literally has no place to park because they have too much inventory.

Oh well.


Flatout showing up to defend their bull**** in 3…2…1…
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dubi
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In reply to Cartographer • 9:01p, 10/17/24
AG
Cartographer said:
Thanks, I will try that tomorrow... do you by chance know their name?
Andy Wheeler
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Sweet Kitten Feet
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In reply to dubi • 7:11a, 10/18/24
S
dubi said:
Talk to the GM; they will negotiate and they will remove the apex too.


They wouldn't for us. Smarmy feel from them too.
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Cartographer
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7:34a, 10/18/24
Thanks for the feedback.

It's probably not worth my time to go back or even call but, if you haven't looked through the new FTC rules, it's eye opening.

As of 2024 all of those fees and add-ons appear illegal.

Proposed 463.4(a) would require a motor vehicle dealer to disclose the true "Offering Price" of a vehicle in advertisements that reference specific vehicles or price or financing terms. Under the proposed rule, the "Offering Price" of a vehicle means "the full cash price for which a dealer will sell or finance the motor vehicle to any consumer," excluding only required government charges." [107]

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/07/13/2022-14214/motor-vehicle-dealers-trade-regulation-rule

You can just keep this in your back pocket if you need to deal with people again. Price on their site should = price you pay other than TTL.
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aggiepaintrain
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8:09a, 10/18/24
AG
"Proposed"

I would not go back, they had their chance.

Just email a couple dealers in Houston and ask for their best price and if they have any forced packages that are not included in the price, if they do, eliminate that dealer and move to next one. Also try Dallas, many will deliver.

Internet shopping is back, sales are slow, dealers are getting nervous
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ratfacemcdougal
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8:18a, 10/18/24
Will be shopping soon....what is apex ?
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Cartographer
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In reply to ratfacemcdougal • 8:20a, 10/18/24
GPS similar to Lojack.

Completely unnecessary.
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ElephantRider
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In reply to dubi • 8:44a, 10/18/24
AG
dubi said:
Talk to the GM; they will negotiate and they will remove the apex too.
They told us directly that they would not remove it and that we had to pay for it when we were looking at a Palisade a few years ago. Was not up for discussion.
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