Wreck Me Otter

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edb

I thought I had a 1994 RSA from private seller but learned this evening I was outbid. My second choice is a 1997 993 Cab offered by Don Rosen Imports in Pa. Has anyone dealt with them, and if so were the results satisfactory? I have not been overly impressed with the sales representative. I did a search and came up with 3 hits, but none addressed the credibility/capabilities/competency of the dealership.

edb

S.B.,

Thanks! I appreciate your help. You did find the right company.

Robert.

Do not under any circumstances buy a used car from Don Rosen Imports sight unseen. I bought a certified 993 from them earlier this year and it was the most unpleasant experience I've ever had regarding an automobile.

The car was not as represented. Drop me an email and I'll amplify on this post.

Regards,

RM
FLP4425@aol.com

Richard C2S

I bought my Porsche from Rosen and have had it and my A4 serviced there. Been dealing with them since '96. The Porsche service writer is very knowledgeable, the three Porsche technicians are excellent. The salesman I deal with (Eric) is also extremely knowledgeable and not at all high pressure.

As well as I know these guys (as a customer - no other relationship) I still wouldn't buy any used car, even certified, without having it checked out by someone else.

Rosen supposedly sells more used Porsches than any other dealer in the country.

Robert, what problem did you have?

Richard Kessler

edb

Richard and Robert,

Thanks for your postings. I admit to being a little confused by your replies, i.e., one for and one against ;-).

I have sent Robert an email and look forward to his reply.

Robert.

Well, I really hadn't planned on airing this out in the open but here it goes.

I was looking for a 993 tip and found two in the Pittsburg area. One at an Infinity dealership, the other at Don Rosen. The Infinity 993 had numerous options which appealed to me but I was skeptical about buying it from a non-Porsche dealer sight unseen. The car at Rosen had few options, the mileage was about the same on the cars as was the asking price.

I told the salesman at Rosen about the Infinity car and he offered to go over and look at it for me. He came back and hemmed and hawed about the car and said it looked as though there might be some body damage. I called the Inifinity dealer and told them I'd pass, they were very polite.

I negotiated a price with Rosen and specifically asked the salesman about any dings, scratches, etc... He emailed me numerous pictures and said there were a few minor scratches and the requisite rock chips on the bumper. This was acceptable to me as it was a 95 car and I was not looking for a garage queen. The fact that the car was certified and came with a one year warranty was re-assuring to me. I wired them the money.

Couple of days later the car hauler calls me on his way down and asks if I am aware of the scratches on this car? I said I was aware of a few and the rock chips on the bumper, etc... He said there are significant scratches on the car and there is a ding in the rear bumper. Five minutes later, the salesman at Rosen calls shucking and jiving and admits oh yeah, there may be some scratches I omitted telling you about, get the car detailed and send us the bill. My antennae are raised now for sure.

Car gets here on Mothers day and is unloaded. First thing you notice on climbing in is a single sheet metal screw in each visor clip wedged in to keep the visor from falling out. The bottom of the rear bumper had a 12-16" crease in it, the fog light on the front was laying lose in the bump, held in only by the wiring.

There is absolutely no way in hell that a salesman could have missed any of these items. They were glaring flaws. I took the car to a body shop and got an estimate for repairs of $2,700.00, this included some paint work.

I spoke to Bob Dwyer, the used car sales manager and he was most helpful. Basically, they agreed to do everything I asked and were it not for Dwyer interceding I'd have sent the car back. I was ready to go to the mat on this as I have never, ever, been lied to like their salesman did. Porsche had already been notified and I was willing to fly in a rep at my expense if necessary.

Sad part is US Airways had a round trip flight from Ft. Walton Beach to Pittsburgh for $175.00 that week. I simply didn't want to take the two days away from my office to look at the car. I'll never make that mistake again.

(2). Shoulda sent the car back, I am well aware of the diminished value and need my but kicked for even taking delivery.

I turned down a car in Seattle after I hired an independent body shop to look at it and they told me half the car had been painted. This Seattle car PASSED a Porsche dealer PPI.

I should have had a body shop look at the Rosen car, it would have saved me a lot of grief and money.

Regards,


Robert

edb

Robert,

You can ignore my email ;-). Thanks for the explanation. I had a bad feeling when I went to Pa. to see the car; my instincts rarely let me down.

All the salesman kept saying were things like, "So, what's it going to take to get you in this one-of-a-kind beauty." When I asked to review the CarFax, he was unable to decipher how many owners the car had had.

Maybe I'm being over-critical, but if ALL you do is sell Porsches, then I would think you would know how to read a CarFax report, and I would think you would take a more consultative approach to selling a $65,000 car!

I'll keep looking and would prefer to work with a private seller.

I appreciate your insight.

Sam N

Same experience as Robert, except luckily I drove up to see the car. Badly misrepresented by the saleman. 993 that was not taken care of and it showed. I would take the time to see the car in person. I personally would avoid them if possible. There are other dealers within 2 hours of Balto., Md that offer cleaner vehicles. Good luck.

Sam

MadMax

elb,
Also, if you are willing to travel to purchase a clean Porsche of any type, I have to recommend Brumos Porsche in Jacksonville, FL. They are incredible. Great service and if they say the car has been certified they mean it. I have no complaints and only the highest praise for their sales and maintenance facilities. They just will not sell a car with any known mechanical defect. If the car doesn't meet a certain quality standard they will wholesale it but they won't put it on their lot.

Good luck in your search.

Regards,
Max

Richard C2S

Hey, Guys,

I gotta tell you, I'm amazed at how naive some of you guys are, especially considering the fact that you are in a position to spend 50 large on a car. How can you agree to buy a car sight unseen without a completely independent examination? You can't get there yourself? Get someone from the Porsche Club who is in the area where the dealer is to eyeball the car for you. Spend a couple bucks and hire an independent, even someone from another dealer, to go over the car. Just because a used car is certified doesn't make it perfect or even near perfect. The car is run through the shop for certification and things like the brakes, the electrical system, fluids, and mechanicals are checked. The things that Robert has complained about are the things that typically would provide room for negotiation before closing the deal. I don't see any driveability complaints. Robert doesn't even know where the dealership is. He keeps talking about Pittsburgh, which is about 400 miles away.

I've been hanging around dealerships and independent shops that service exotic cars for more than thirty five years. Rosen has some very good people and some who aren't. I don't like what the salesman allegedly did in failing to disclose all of the nicks and dents and other cosmetic problems. That is wrong and is one of the things that makes the car buying public dislike and distrust car dealers and salesmen.
Other than being a customer who has also visited and bought cars from other dealers, I have no connection to the Rosen Dealerships. Believe me, I've had my beefs with dealers over the years. There are plenty around who pull things everyday. I just don't think it is right to "blackball" any dealer or other business entity under these circumstances. It appears that maybe one particular employee did something wrong and the dealership (namely, Dwyer) stepped up to the plate and made good.

Just my two cents.

Richard

Robert.

Rak:

Obviously I knew I had the option of having an independent shop look at the car. Read the bottom of my post and you'll see that I turned a car down based on an independent body shop inspection of a car in Seattle.

I took a calculated risk that the car would be as described, it wasn't. At the time I felt it was more valuable to be at my office than on the road. Fortunately, the diminishment of value doesn't even show up as a blip on my financial screen. Yes, Bob Dwyer stepped up to the plate and for that I am thankful.

As far as "blackballing" Don Rosen, I am far from trying to do that. Note that I still have not named the salesman. This all occurred about five months ago and I haven't even mentioned it to anyone except for Viken with whom I have been exchanging email for a number of years now. Even he didn't know the details until I posted them publicly.

The only reason I chose to post publicly was due to a specific request about Don Rosen. Even then I was skeptical about posting publicly as I initially told the requester to email me privately.

In regard to Rosen's location, it could be closer to Philly, I have no idea at this point, though I did at the time as I had conversation with the salesman about picking me up at the airport.

This was the second 993 I've bought sight unseen, the first purchase went through without a hitch.

Robert

edb

Richard,

I guess since I started this, I should chime in again.

I had no intention of buying the car sight-unseen. I met (in person) the salesman and saw the car 2 weeks before I posted when I was at the dealership in Conshohocken on business.

What made me uncomfortable was his quick attempt (within <5 minutes) to "close" me; this has always made me uncomfortable. I would prefer that before dropping $60K that the sales "professional" spend just a bit of time asking me intelligent questions and accurately answering mine--he did neither.

When I buy a 911 it will be my first time. I'd prefer the entire transaction be a pleasant one. It didn't feel that way at Don Rosen.

Could be a great car; could be a great dealership; I'm not suggesting "black balling" anyone. I think I just got tagged with the wrong sales guy.

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas.