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motojavaphil

motojavaphil

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 22, 2006
Posts
673
Location
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Went to American RV/Camping World in Albuquerque to look at rigs.  We found an 05, used, Leprechaun Class C and asked the salesman what was the asking.  He gave a price that was near MSRP which we backed away from.  We ended up in the office and a deal was presented which was a very nice deal.  Wife and I decided to move on it and agreed to the terms.  We needed to bring in our trade the next day which was fine.  I normally would sell my rig privately but the deal was sweet enough to go with the trade.  Prior to leaving the next day to drive 40 miles in traffic I called the saleman and advised him we were coming.  I also asked him to verify the terms of the deal and he again confirmed the numbers.  Upon arriving we were greeted by this man and we were advised we had to pay another 10-20K to own the class C.  Needless to say we got up and walked.  Is this a ploy dealers commonly use?  I really do not like being "Jacked Around" by this type of behavior.  Was this salesman incompetent or did he know exactly what he was doing?   
 
fastphil said:
....a deal was presented which was a very nice deal.  Wife and I decided to move on it and agreed to the terms.
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Was this agreed in writing by both parties? If not, I doubt you had a deal and you were wise to walk away. It is was agreed in writing, they can't ask for more money.
 
HAving been a salesmanager for Auto/RV dealership years ago,  this is the old Hull-Dobbs system used in the Memphis and south for years and years.  I got out of the business cause I refused to work under the conditions.  Same method as bait and switch.  They just want to write up any deal and them start jacking you up until you give in and pay their price.  You did write and if anyone offers a deal so good you can't refuse----Run like hades, cause it probably is too good to be good and won't be.  Good dealer to be from  AS FOR FROM AS POSSIBLE.  Good luck on finding what you want.  Their are always some nice units for sale on this forum.  Perhaps you can find one here.  Let us know what you are looking for maybe someone here has it.  Most will always sell their unit and get another. 
 
fastphil said:
We ended up in the office and a deal was presented which was a very nice deal.? Wife and I decided to move on it and agreed to the terms.? We needed to bring in our trade the next day which was fine.? I normally would sell my rig privately but the deal was sweet enough to go with the trade.
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Did he say he would sell it to you with trade at a certain price, or did he ask you if you would buy for that price? That's the con I have gotten most often during my lifetime of used vehicle purchase.  :mad: 

I recently bought a used 34' Adventurer from a Texas dealer. We worked pricing out on the phone and via email. I accepted the fact that if I traded, I would only get wholesale -- so we both agreed from NADA what that should be. Then we agreed on the fair market price of his vehicle from NADA -- which then gave us an agreed upon amount I would pay plus my trade.

The only remaining task was for him to check out the trade and for me to check out and drive the Adventurer. I was in QZ when this began -- and drove to Round Rock, TX to finalize the deal. After each of us checked out each others vehicle, I paid exactly what we had agreed upon on the phone.

Good deal and dealers "do" exist. From what you have described, the fellow you dealt with was not one of them. The concensus here is that you did the right thing in walking away. Actually, I almost always walk away. However, before I go, I give them my phone number and tell them I "am" prepared to buy at that price. Nine time out of ten, it becomes their final decison vs. mine and they do call.

BTW, did you know that there really is "round rock" in Round Rock, TX  -- and that "was" the source of the town naming?  :)

Good luck . . .
 
Bob  I totally agree with you in you leaving and giving them a chance to meet your price.  I go just a bit further and lower my price after they've turned me down and give them my card.  I can always come back up if I want or need to.  That's what I did when I bought this 98 Pace Arrow.  Surprisingly then called me back and took the lower figure.  They thought they would test me, and they did. I agreed and been happy ever since. But then now I'm about ready to sell and it's only got 31K on it.  Don't know what I'll get but wanting an American Dream in the 2000 to 2002 vintage.
 
Did he say he would sell it to you with trade at a certain price, or did he ask you if you would buy for that price? That's the con I have gotten most often during my lifetime of used vehicle purchase.
Click to expand...

That con even has a name:? The Would-ya-take.? ?"If I could get it for you for $xxxxxx would ya take it?"? ?It is a way of training you to say yes.? ?A slimey trick, and one of the reasons I buy cars thru brokers nowadays.? ?A person can tough it out and bust thru the system, but I hate the aggravation and the dealing with slimeballs that use it.? ?:mad:
 
What nobody has said so far is this:

RV, are vehicles and thus the dealing in RV's is regulated by your state's Department of Motor Vehicles

All the "Bait and Switch" scams like this one, are illegal, very illegal, ESPICALLY if you had a written contract at the time you left to get your trade-in.

Notify the regulatory authority, also the local media

Also, if it was a NEW unit, notify the manafacturer (Or if they are authorized dealers for any company or companies, notify them too, in the latter case state you understand the manafacturer can't help you with used sales, but you think they should know what their dealer is pulling, or rather trying to pull)
 
>> All the "Bait and Switch" scams like this one, are illegal, very illegal, ESPICALLY if you had a written contract at the time you left to get your trade-in. <<

Unfortunately, as they work, they are not.  A wouldyatake is merely a question about the acceptability of a price.  As long as the thing is oral, it is not really enforcable anyway -- it is a 'you- said it', 'no-I-didn't'  affair.

What is enforceable is an executed purchase order.  However, just try and get that from a system shop without you signing acceptance.

Lord, I hate buying a vehicle.

 
They are SUPPOSED to give you a copy of the purchase order at the time of signing.

However even if they do not actually cross over to the illegal side, you can still report them both to the regulative agency and to the media. Bad publicity is costly to retailers, and enough letters of complaint builds up on capitol hill,,, that gets costly too
 
Thank all of you for giving me a sanity check and I must thank the salesman for the education inspite of the pain in the rear it caused me.  Everything happens for a purpose I believe.  Carl you are right about having it in writing.  We had a handshake and the man's word.  We may hold on to what we have for a bit longer and purchase something as we near retirement in a year or so.  The gas prices may impact the RV market in a favorable way for buyers in the future.  I'd suggest steering clear of American RV if this is indeed what they were doing.  I counsel kids in a High School and try to teach them honesty and being an upright person.  I guess when something like this happens I need to work harder to make life better for them and others.  Pursuing a legal recourse would not be productive as far as we went and it reinforces the "buyer beware" saying we all have heard before.
 
I think if that happened to me I would be inclined to send the dealership a bill for my time and costs involved to take the rig to the dealer making sure the amount is not more than what can be taken to small claims court.  Then if not paid proceed with small claims court.  Just a thought.
 
Fastphil--- As Ron, myself and others have expressed our opinions, it all boild down to one thing.  A man is only as good as his word.  I believe he said it all with his handshake.
 
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