Dealer/pricing rant
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,024
Likes: 65
From: Austin, TX
Did you get a printout of the car with the lower price point on porsche.com/USA? My p-dealer made a $10K error on porsche.com/USA last year on my '08 C2S. After much wrangling they agreed to honor the price. You may want to discuss this with management at the dealership. They may not be aware of the pricing error caused by a staff member. Ask management whom you should raise your issues/concerns with at Porsche. May be worth a try especially as you are walking away from this car anyway = no lost if they still say no. They should at least compensate you somehow for the switch n bait... if not then Porsche should be aware of this. It may be an honest mistake but then again it may be a repeat offense which Porsche may want to address as more customer report the offense. Hint: google the dealership name and management, executives, etc... I would just bypass the sales guy.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Westchester, NY
Did you get a printout of the car with the lower price point on porsche.com/USA? My p-dealer made a $10K error on porsche.com/USA last year on my '08 C2S. After much wrangling they agreed to honor the price. You may want to discuss this with management at the dealership. They may not be aware of the pricing error caused by a staff member. Ask management whom you should raise your issues/concerns with at Porsche. May be worth a try especially as you are walking away from this car anyway = no lost if they still say no. They should at least compensate you somehow for the switch n bait... if not then Porsche should be aware of this. It may be an honest mistake but then again it may be a repeat offense which Porsche may want to address as more customer report the offense. Hint: google the dealership name and management, executives, etc... I would just bypass the sales guy.
Stef
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,024
Likes: 65
From: Austin, TX
Make them an offer in writing via email (preferably for the full $55K) and link to the page with that price. Also include a soft copy of your printout. Make it official. Continue to print everything out. You may have to work with one of their internet sales reps if they don't post anyone's email address on their website. The internet sales guys normally do respond via email or will respond to a query sent to their website. Email trail is a great way to document... GL.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Westchester, NY
Make them an offer in writing via email (preferably for the full $55K) and link to the page with that price. Also include a soft copy of your printout. Make it official. Continue to print everything out. You may have to work with one of their internet sales reps if they don't post anyone's email address on their website. The internet sales guys normally do respond via email or will respond to a query sent to their website. Email trail is a great way to document... GL.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 19,031
Likes: 268
From: Bentonville, AR
I need to vent... 
I've been looking for a bunch of months for the right car, lost a couple do to different reasons, etc. Thought I found the one on Sun. P Towson. '06S cab, yellow, brown, heated, 9k miles, CPO - $55k. I like the color and options, mileage is nice, but not critical, price is good. For ONCE a dealer who wants to move a car rather than sit on it for months. I call, talk to the guy, decide let's do it, offer $54k, deposit right now. He shuffles some paper and says oh sorry, we meant $65k.
I told him he can forget 60s for an 06 and hung up.
WTF. Car's on cars.com, autotrader, his site, porsche.com all for $55k. Anyway, **** happens, life goes on and all that, just ticked off.
-Stef
I've been looking for a bunch of months for the right car, lost a couple do to different reasons, etc. Thought I found the one on Sun. P Towson. '06S cab, yellow, brown, heated, 9k miles, CPO - $55k. I like the color and options, mileage is nice, but not critical, price is good. For ONCE a dealer who wants to move a car rather than sit on it for months. I call, talk to the guy, decide let's do it, offer $54k, deposit right now. He shuffles some paper and says oh sorry, we meant $65k.
I told him he can forget 60s for an 06 and hung up.WTF. Car's on cars.com, autotrader, his site, porsche.com all for $55k. Anyway, **** happens, life goes on and all that, just ticked off.
-Stef
Remember, price is not a fact only an opinion and you treated his 'price' like it was fact.
It was just an opening gambit and you were unprepared.
Instead of reacting like you did you should have asked the other person to hold with the excuse you have to work the numbers and then low enough so he can't make out what your're saying repeat your address or something for a minute like your talking to someone then come back on the phone clearly and say the best you can do is $54.2K.
Personally I like to visit the car and negotiate in person, so when I get the counter offer which is always high I can excuse myself walk outside and out of ear shot and yet within sight of the sales people call someone and chat for 10 minutes about the weather, all the while waving my arms about like I'm having an animated conversation with my 'banker', even puling out my calculator, pad and pen scribble something, flip through my notes and then come back up my offer, by $200 or $250.
But I have to believe my original offer is realistic.
Sincerely,
Macster.
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From: Westchester, NY
Macster, I am simply not a good enough negotiator to come up with that on the fly. I don't like the in person thing because they're pros and I suck. I have however gleaned much negotiating insight from this board.
Stef
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,024
Likes: 65
From: Austin, TX
Funny Car Buying Story
My mother was the most effective negotiator I've ever known. The 1st time we purchased a used car in the mid 70's - a Pontiac Bonneville Brougham with all the options. She worked the Pontiac dealership for 7 hrs... starting price was $11,999 and by the end of the day they were begging her to take the car for $7,600. She had a knack for turning the game on them. Can you image as a sales rep being stuck with one customer the entire day. Every time you came back to the customer with a counter that was not to her liking she would insist that you test drive another car with her. The salesman went back and forth to his management that day and we test drove 5 cars that day, she negotiated all 5, had sales reps and their management preoccupied and at their mind's wits. I was only 10 yrs old at the time but I remember actually feeling sorry for the poor salesman, his manager, and their GM... she had them all involved. She enjoyed the game and took it to heart that she was going to wear them down the entire day and regardless of what price they offered her. I'm certain that was the one car sales in which sales person was honest when he stated... "please lady this is really my cost, we've been at this all day, I can't go any lower cause there's nothing left to bleed out here, just take the deal... please." I can't say that I've ever applied that methodology exactly... I just don't have the stomach for it. But we laugh about it now and again.
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Rennlist Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,234
Likes: 10
From: Costa Mesa, CA
My mother was the most effective negotiator I've ever known. The 1st time we purchased a used car in the mid 70's - a Pontiac Bonneville Brougham with all the options. She worked the Pontiac dealership for 7 hrs... starting price was $11,999 and by the end of the day they were begging her to take the car for $7,600. She had a knack for turning the game on them. Can you image as a sales rep being stuck with one customer the entire day. Every time you came back to the customer with a counter that was not to her liking she would insist that you test drive another car with her. The salesman went back and forth to his management that day and we test drove 5 cars that day, she negotiated all 5, had sales reps and their management preoccupied and at their mind's wits. I was only 10 yrs old at the time but I remember actually feeling sorry for the poor salesman, his manager, and their GM... she had them all involved. She enjoyed the game and took it to heart that she was going to wear them down the entire day and regardless of what price they offered her. I'm certain that was the one car sales in which sales person was honest when he stated... "please lady this is really my cost, we've been at this all day, I can't go any lower cause there's nothing left to bleed out here, just take the deal... please." I can't say that I've ever applied that methodology exactly... I just don't have the stomach for it. But we laugh about it now and again.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 17,585
Likes: 197
From: Livermore, CA
My wife is a negotiator for large contracts. So she did this to an Acura dealer. I was there for an hour of the negotiations, and had to leave, because I actually felt sorry for her. As they were presenting her the paperwork to sign for the car, she said, "I really want that wood finish on the doors and console, like it is on the dash." The sales guy said that they would add it if she came in the next week for a thousand bucks. She said, I will drive out of the showroom with it installed for free in an hour, or I will walk out now.
She got it. I don't negotiate for our family anymore. And god forbid you are ever a real estate agent for us...
She got it. I don't negotiate for our family anymore. And god forbid you are ever a real estate agent for us...
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,234
Likes: 10
From: Costa Mesa, CA
^ Good thing I am not a real estate agent.
I do not have a problem negotiating, I just do not like it on their terms. If you are in the dealer's showroom negotiating, they have the edge.
The last two cars I purchased at a dealer were done over fax and email. I made them an offer and they countered/stalled etc... all w/o wasting my time. I had met with the salesman in person to test drive the car, so they knew me and I think realized I was a serious buyer.
I do not have a problem negotiating, I just do not like it on their terms. If you are in the dealer's showroom negotiating, they have the edge.
The last two cars I purchased at a dealer were done over fax and email. I made them an offer and they countered/stalled etc... all w/o wasting my time. I had met with the salesman in person to test drive the car, so they knew me and I think realized I was a serious buyer.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,024
Likes: 65
From: Austin, TX
^ Good thing I am not a real estate agent.
I do not have a problem negotiating, I just do not like it on their terms. If you are in the dealer's showroom negotiating, they have the edge.
The last two cars I purchased at a dealer were done over fax and email. I made them an offer and they countered/stalled etc... all w/o wasting my time. I had met with the salesman in person to test drive the car, so they knew me and I think realized I was a serious buyer.
I do not have a problem negotiating, I just do not like it on their terms. If you are in the dealer's showroom negotiating, they have the edge.
The last two cars I purchased at a dealer were done over fax and email. I made them an offer and they countered/stalled etc... all w/o wasting my time. I had met with the salesman in person to test drive the car, so they knew me and I think realized I was a serious buyer.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 666
Likes: 100
From: Pasadena
I need to vent...
I've been looking for a bunch of months for the right car, lost a couple do to different reasons, etc. Thought I found the one on Sun. P Towson. '06S cab, yellow, brown, heated, 9k miles, CPO - $55k. I like the color and options, mileage is nice, but not critical, price is good. For ONCE a dealer who wants to move a car rather than sit on it for months. I call, talk to the guy, decide let's do it, offer $54k, deposit right now. He shuffles some paper and says oh sorry, we meant $65k. I told him he can forget 60s for an 06 and hung up.
WTF. Car's on cars.com, autotrader, his site, porsche.com all for $55k. Anyway, **** happens, life goes on and all that, just ticked off.
-Stef
I've been looking for a bunch of months for the right car, lost a couple do to different reasons, etc. Thought I found the one on Sun. P Towson. '06S cab, yellow, brown, heated, 9k miles, CPO - $55k. I like the color and options, mileage is nice, but not critical, price is good. For ONCE a dealer who wants to move a car rather than sit on it for months. I call, talk to the guy, decide let's do it, offer $54k, deposit right now. He shuffles some paper and says oh sorry, we meant $65k.
I told him he can forget 60s for an 06 and hung up.WTF. Car's on cars.com, autotrader, his site, porsche.com all for $55k. Anyway, **** happens, life goes on and all that, just ticked off.
-Stef
People say the search is half the fun. I disagree, it's no fun at all. It's much more fun driving. When I was searching I never got my hopes up. Chances are if a price is low there's a reason. I'd find cars that looked great with great prices only to call the dealer and find out it was in an accident or it was tip.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver
You guys are all far TOO OBSESSED with money. Find what you want in life and go and get it. I don't care if it's cars, women or art. Who the hell cares whether you blow your brains out for $65k or $55k on some ridiculous piece of drivng (or other) pleasure?
Everything over the price of a 2006 Hyundai Elantra is all sunk money anyway- figure it out. Buying a Porsche is implicitly about not getting a deal, no matter how good of a deal you get.
Make a decision to either chase a passion or pack your bags and go home...
Everything over the price of a 2006 Hyundai Elantra is all sunk money anyway- figure it out. Buying a Porsche is implicitly about not getting a deal, no matter how good of a deal you get.
Make a decision to either chase a passion or pack your bags and go home...
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,467
Likes: 164
From: Albuquerque, NM
You guys are all far TOO OBSESSED with money. Find what you want in life and go and get it. I don't care if it's cars, women or art. Who the hell cares whether you blow your brains out for $65k or $55k on some ridiculous piece of drivng (or other) pleasure?
Everything over the price of a 2006 Hyundai Elantra is all sunk money anyway- figure it out. Buying a Porsche is implicitly about not getting a deal, no matter how good of a deal you get.
Make a decision to either chase a passion or pack your bags and go home...
Everything over the price of a 2006 Hyundai Elantra is all sunk money anyway- figure it out. Buying a Porsche is implicitly about not getting a deal, no matter how good of a deal you get.
Make a decision to either chase a passion or pack your bags and go home...
On the other hand, when I think about what I have to do to earn 10 grand in take-home pay, I sure as hell don't want to give it away to some slimy car dealer. It takes some of the fun out of the car, house, whatever, if I know I was taken advantage of in obtaining it.