CG205

Ordered an '05 Screaming Yellow vert on 1-31-05, and it just came in. I ordered it at invoice from King Ford in Murphy, North Carolina from the same salesman I'd ordered my '01 Escape from, and also my '03 vert. My son has also ordered 3 new vehicles from them, and we've never had a bit of a problem with any of the five deals.

The car was perfect and gorgeous, exactly as I'd ordered it. When my salesman came in with the paperwork, I knew there was a problem from the look on his face. The dealer told him he would not allow the car to be sold at invoice, the price we had agreed on at time of order. I had also bought my '03 at invoice. He demanded over $2500 more if I wanted my car.

Greed, pure and simple, figures a quick additional profit is better than possible future purchases by me.

Too late to order another '05 from a different dealer (another dealer had offered me the same deal, but I stuck with King Ford since they had done right be me and my son so many times in the past), so it looks like I may have to wait for an '06.

Meanwhile, I'll like to make some waves from above for this dealership. Any suggestions as to a name or number I could contact to get that ball rolling?

outdoorstom

What kind of paperwork did you have when making the deal? Did you have a signed purchase agreement?

BillP

Do you have any paperwork indicating a deal?

In many states, an email or any other non-official agreement is still binding.

I had the same thing happen (my salesman was on my side, but the sales manager tried to stick me for $6000 extra).

I simply told him that his salesman is the company agent, and we had a deal. I hinted that I'd take it to small claims court.

In CA you can take someone to small claims court for claims up to $5K. Do you think that they'd go to court and fight $5000 in a claim (you could ask for the difference between your contract and the typical cost of the same car at the marked up price).

Anyhow, be forceful but respectful. Tell them that it's their responsibility to handle this mistake internally and NOT to take it out on their customer. Remind him that you will be a future customer if they live up to their deal. And if that doesn't work, remind them of the small claims limits in their state.

BillP

In many states you just need some indication of an agreement in price, with something to indicate that it was finalized. An email and a deposit would suffice.

I paid $500 over invoice, they wanted their marked up price of $4K over sticker ($6k difference). By being courteous but forceful, I didn't have to even show them my email thread (no signed agreement!) and my deposit receipt in hand. They know that the agreements of their salesmen are binding, and in most states it doesn't take a full written contract to be legal.

I CA we can hand-write a bill of sale for a used car. No legalese required.

CG205

No paperwork with this deal or any of the other 5 deals we've had with this dealership over the years. All of the purchases have been at invoice or X-plan, with no hitches on any of them.

I seriously doubt the salesman would testify for me since it would mean his job. He has health benefits which he needs badly. Besides, the car is already gone, and I wouldn't have wanted it anyway since it had been driven by who knows whom after I left.

Not worth going to court over with no evidence or witnesses other than the salesman, but I sure would like to give them something to remember me by in the form of flack from Ford about their business practices.




In many states you just need some indication of an agreement in price, with something to indicate that it was finalized. An email and a deposit would suffice.

I paid $500 over invoice, they wanted their marked up price of $4K over sticker ($6k difference). By being courteous but forceful, I didn't have to even show them my email thread (no signed agreement!) and my deposit receipt in hand. They know that the agreements of their salesmen are binding, and in most states it doesn't take a full written contract to be legal.

I CA we can hand-write a bill of sale for a used car. No legalese required.
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mustangspeeder

Contact a News station in your area that does those "On your side" type of stories for the public. The prospect of negative publicity from a TV station in your area can work wonders.

On the other hand, you could always get some friends together and stage a protest on a busy Saturday. You could even invite the TV station.

KansasCityTim

Problem with going to anyone (Ford, news, BBB, etc.) is that it is a he said/she said. Anything you tell someone, the dealer will just tell them you are confused or mistaken. I guess all you can really take away from this is to ALWAYS get deals in writing. Doesn't matter if it is your mother. If it is important to you, get it in writing.

TheLegend

That is awful. However its all a scam. I have a friend that works at a dealer and this is what they do. They order a car for the price they quoted you. During the waiting period they try to sale your car. The reason they do that is in the event that you back out or cant get financed. So when they call you when the car comes in they have about 4-5 buyers they they also call right after you and they tell them that the car is in. If you dont buy it its theirs after 24 hrs. What also happens is that most of the time they will find someone desperate that offers more money that they quoted you. So depending on the amount of profit that the dealer has had that month they will try to change the price on you. Legally and ethically they cant but they hope thet you might fall for it or be the quite type and just walk off the dealer so they can get the extra profit from another buyer.

At first I didnt believe this friend of mine but now I feel that I have proof. 2 weeks after I ordered my car I received a call from a different dealer stating that he had a GT just like the one I wanted but it was black rather than satin silver. When I get there the car was infront of the dealer and several salesman were out there except the one that called me. I got to talking to them about the car and said I just received a call about this car from one the salesman here. So one guy is like so you just came to look at it? I told him well I dont know I might even buy it. His reply was " this car is sold". I asked him, how did it sale so fast I just got a call 20 minutes ago. He said the car was ordered for a guy. At that point the salesman that called me comes running out and he asked what I thought about the car. I said well why didnt you tell me its sold. He said that the guy that ordered it has not returned the dealers calls as of 9AM. At that time it was around 12 noon. So I asked well when is his deadline. He said the guy has 24 hours to call back. So I asked him what are you guys asking for it? He said $35,000. I told him.... wow...i didnt notice that it was a vert. He siad it was not a vert. By, the way this was back in early November. The verts were not even in production of course. This car had the red interior, mycolor, and the 500 shaker. Nothing else extra. I was in shock. I asked him what the MSRP was and he said 26,000. I said ok, now, can you please justify the $10,000 mark up for me. I said if you give me a good answer I will sign the papers right now or order one from you with the $10,000 mark up. By the way I had already decided that I was sticking with the silver. His answer was, you cant find this car on any lot in the world right now. I said well, you are right....paused a little and said well you are right but I dont need it "right now" and walked off. The moral of the story is that I bet I could have bought this car that if I was dumb enough to pay the mark up.

The funny thing is that the same salesman called me after 1 week and said he had a silver V6 in. I asked him what ever happened to the black GT and he said the the guy that had ordered it came in later that same evening I was there and drove it off. I bet he didnt pay $35,000!!

P.S. Call the manager and owner and tell them that you plan on calling a Ford Rep. the local newspaper, etc. Dont just let it go. I would say forget them but I know you dont want to wait another 2-3 months to get your car from another dealer.

05fordgt

Hey Dave, I work at a dealership, and we don't do anything like what you described above. I know some do, but we don't at all. I just hope you aren't implying that all dealers are out to screw people over. We have had 6 GT's come in, and all went out smoothly. I sold 4 of them, all at MSRP, NO MORE. We are the only dealer in our area NOT marking them up. If anyone here sells a Mustang, or any other factory ordered vehicle, a buyers order is always used.

My last GT that came in was a Premium 'Vert, with a good story. It was to a previous customer who I sold 2 cars to. He ordered it September 9th, well before the prices were out for the coupes. I told him in advance, that this was going to be the "hot car" for the summer, and I promised him I would take off $500 from the MSRP, which he was thrilled with (bosses okayed it with him being a previous customers.). Fast forward a few weeks, when Ford released the prices for the coupes, their computers priced all coupe orders in the order bank, INCLUDING my customer's order for a convertible. I know Ford wasn't expecting this order to be in there so soon, but it was, and we got a DORA back from Ford with the price . The price of his car, a Premium GT, 17" brights, IUP, Side Airbags, boot, Active Anti-Theft, Redfire, Tan Leather, Tan top. The first MSRP was $33,100, with his price being $32,600.

Now going ahead a month or so, just playing around on the computer, I priced out a 'vert, and the prices were GONE. Ahead to Febuary, when his car is getting pulled, a new DORA from Ford uping the price to $33,655. WTH!!!

Now fast forward to when his car arrives. When he ordered it, here were no prices, so I couldn't write a price on a buyer's order. I kept my word, and I told him the original price stands, even if Ford wouldn't honor it, since the prices were taken away for convertible orders late 2004. I kept the price at where I promised him, $32,600. I even told him, another local dealer had a V6 'vert, with a list of $27,830, AND a markup of $4,995, for a total of $32,825. This was MORE than his loaded GT 'Vert.

The moral to this story, and I may get flamed here, and that's fine, is that not all dealers are bad, some are, as we have read horror stories here, but I am in this job to make friends, and make people happy, and this guy was very happy He even got me a Mustang hat to wear at work, and this was after I gave him that new book on the 2005 Mustang. I have been doing this job for 8 years now, started at age 20, when I first entered this business. My dealership has been around for 84 years. I want people to be happy and excited when they get their new car. This is why I love my job. The cars are a BIG part too .

NuPony05

I don't think the original intent was to imply that all dealers are lousy. If your dealership conducts business the way you say it does, then I would think the TMS members in yourarea would all consider purchasing their cars from you. But there is always that one (dealer) that gives the rest a bad reputation, and those are the dealerships that should be advertised as lousy to as wide an audience as possible.

TheLegend

[quote=05fordgt,May 12, 2005, 6:12 PM]
Hey Dave, I work at a dealership, and we don't do anything like what you described above. I know some do, but we don't at all. I just hope you aren't implying that all dealers are out to screw people over.

Hey Jeff,

I am not implying that all dealerships do that and I should have said so. Please accept my apology in advance. There are dealerships and sales people out there with good standards, professionalism and are 100% ethical. Unfortunately, and maybe just for my luck, I have mostly dealt with the bad ones. However, I must say that recently I have been dealing with a new dealership on some warranty wotk such as the popping noise, fuel tank, and CD player along with some body repairs and they have been awesome. I have never bought a car from them as of yet but I do plan to in the future. The name of the dealership for those interested is Marshal Mize Frd in Chattanooga, TN.

05fordgt

Good reply my friend . I'm in full agreement with you Steve. I just wish that these bad dealers would care about the customer FIRST, and not LAST, you know what I mean. If caring for the customer came first, buying a car wouldn't be, in alot of peoples minds, a dreaded experience.

ISELLFORD

The problem is that there are 10 good dealerships for every questionable one but like anything else, who gets all the press and he said , she said. The good dealers or whatever other type of consumer driven business just keep going on. I have been doing this for almost 24 years, this year is our dealerships 75th anniv in the same family, and I am proud to be a FORD retail/commercial/fleet salesperson/manager.

Galaxie

When a dealership conducts business in bad faith like that, I would be sure to get my pound of flesh.

I'd go to home depot, buy a sheet of plywood and a can of paint and basically write "crooks" on it and put the sign right near the dealership

Its a shame that dealers will not honor a price to a repeat customer.

I think we need to have a sticky in each regional forum listing the best/worst Ford dealers in each area.

doulos4JC

I'll 2nd that

mr-mstng

One of the reasons Ford and GM are in the hole there are in now, is because of games like this. They're losing market share slowly, and they need to make sure every customer walks away happy.

Galaxie

I agree,

I have seen people refuse to ever buy a certain car product just for being mistreated by a salesman/service manager, etc.

The domestics have to beat the competition in product and customer service if they ever want to regain market share

Colvindesign

do a complete write up, tell them how many vehicles you have bought form them before, and send it to Ford, tell them this is why you will now be looking at other products (even if it is a lie). Inform them that you are 100% able to file a suite, since a verbal contract is a contract, and that you'd rather not deal with all that and will now just take your business and your suggestions to all your friends and family elswhere. This hurts them, and they will do something about it.

Then do the news thing and local newspapers as well.

Breaking a verbal contract is Illegal.

Colvindesign

my father had several salesmen fired (but he also worked for GM and bought all GM)

92lx5.0

CG205,

I think you're being very greedy. We all like a deal but darn, every car you buy you want for invoice? I dont like car dealers, but they diserve to make atleast 50 cents off your cheap hiney. Youre next car, why dont you try to get it 8,000 off invoice. I'm sure you diserve a free car and for the dealer to lose money.

Love Mike