Abt12

TLDR: Dealer wants to charge me $1400 for "Stargard" which is a GPS tracker system on a CPO 981 GTS, threatening to kill the sale if I decline.

I have a 981 GTS I'm trying to purchase from a dealer in CA, I'm in MA, so I'm already paying an arm and a leg for shipping it to me. Have a down payment on it already. CPO car from a Porsche dealer (who shall remain unnamed... for now). I have a slight discount (very slight) under advertised price on their website, but this puts it back over it. I'm being told it's not an option (despite it being listed under "options" on the sales contract), and they've threatened to walk away from the sale if I don't agree to it - direct quote :

My reading of CA law, as well as applicable case law says this behavior is straight illegal (see this for a direct analogue: https://news.sccgov.org/sites/g/file...Autonation.pdf ). However, I don't really have any recompense except walking away from the sale.

The car is a great spec for what I want and the price, as negotiated before this wrinkle, is reasonable (although I'm sure they're tacking on an extra $500-1000 on the transport and getting a kickback). Given it's a GTS they're still pretty hard to find. This is a cash sale, so there's no lease implications or anything else of that nature. Benefit of doing this via email is that I have written documentation as well as copies off all the internet ads, so it's not hearsay.

So - what would you do? Give in and buy the car? Tell them to pound sand? Call Porsche America and see if they can't pressure the dealer to not be shady? Buy the car and see if the local DA wants to get some rich folks their money back in a civil action?

smilin

it’s easy: you want it or you don’t at the negotiated out the door price.

TEF

While this might appear to be acient history, I recall an instance in 1980 when I purchased a Toyota Corolla in Northern Virginia where the dealer (actually all dealers in the region) required a surcharge for special wax coating on all new cars sold. Given that the car cost about $4000 and there was an additional $200 surcharge, this seemed excessive at the time. Nevertheless, about two years later I recieved a $200 check as part of a class action settlement against Toyota or its regional dealers. Considering the i$1400 charge is contrary to CA consumer law, you might threaten to contact the CA Attorney General should the dealer make the purchase conditional to the sale of the car. Another route might be a letter to the dealer's local Better Business Bureau.

Abt12

I negotiated a price. Then they added this on, without permission or notification until the sales contract was sent. It's bait and switch.

smilin

it’s a real pisser, no doubt. ignore their bs and ask yourself if you want the car at the out the door price (incl bs gps and shipping). buy it, continue to negotiate, or walk (assuming you can easily get your deposit back).

now that you’ve made that decision, now you can decide if you want to light them up on social media, with bbb, or with pcna, or some legal pursuit. i don’t have time in my life for that crap…i’d just tell them to f off.

Randy_B

I immediately thought of this:

Diamond Dave

Will they split the 1400 with you ? Everything is negotiable, I would try that 1st. GL

Thacker

Can you buy the car and then turn around and sell the StarGuard online somewhere to recoup the price?

.....And then get the CA government after them?

Chrismalberts

They want to sell the car and the market is softening rapidly. I think you should hold your ground, let them know that your understanding of CA law is that this is not a requirement they can impose legally and if it all falls through, there WILL be another GTS that comes along especially if you're willing to pay for shipping and buy remotely. I was looking at the 981 GTS 6 speed for a while (to replace my 981 base) and they are definitely out there if you're patient.

I say don't let them make you buy something you don't want.

smilin

if you wish to continue to negotiate…is there any record of the 4 year service (plugs) having been completed? and the 8 year service is right around the corner. the service records listed stop in 2018

Abt12

They claim to have done the major service as part of the CPO prep. I'll confirm and ask for receipts if I decide to move forward, as my trust has obviously eroded with this dealer quite a bit.

TMc993

There won't be any "receipts." When you purchase a CPO car from a Porsche dealership, you get a multi-page document that lists all of the systems in the car and what, if anything, was done to the car to certify it as a CPO car. That's all the service documentation you'll get. There'll be a window sticker and the owners manual, etc. of course, You'll also get a pretty little boxed package of "literature" that comes as part of the package, but it is just window dressing.

Depending on how badly you want the car, you might want to have a discussion with the supervisor of person at the dealership with whom you've been communicating. Then, depending on how that goes, you may want to talk to the PCNA rep for the region in which the dealership operates. Beyond that, just keep going up the supervisory chain until you get a definitive resolution or decide to give up.

thecajunboy

This bites the big one. Google search for Stargard. Looks shady to me. I wouldn't want it if it was half that price. The website reminds me of a horrible experience with an Alzheimer's patient tracking watch I tried out for a family member a few years ago. Obvious question, but are you speaking with the dealer manager (HMFIC)? If it's the easy to find one on Porsche CPO search, I'd have a hard time worrying about the extra cost, but I'd continue to press the issue as long as it doesn't jeopardize the sale. Ask for the CPO inspection report if you haven't already done so. Ask for the date codes on the tires. Back to Stargard. Google search their location and street view as well. I'm still a bit leery. You can also take a look at THIS THREAD at the 718Forum. Actual tracking device looks like cheap shyte from across the ocean somewhere.

Best of luck. Hope it doesn't ruin the deal for you.

Abt12

I definitely don't trust their data privacy standards, which is why I'll be ripping it out even if I can't get them to.

Good to know, thank you! I'm already up to sales manager who is the one who threatened to pull the deal. My sales guy (also stereotypical car salesman) is OOO this week.

Pointbye

If you’re willing to kill the deal over it, then just do it.