Hi Rahul,
Thanks but we've come to a conclusion that there's no car in the inventory that fitted what I was looking for. I was quite surprised that the sales team (not only Robert) has asked me to put down a deposit for a sale commitment without actually having the car in the lot or available elsewhere. I’m coming into the dealership this Saturday to have my deposit returned and I don’t anticipate there will be any issues of CH returning what I’ve originally put down as a lock on the vehicle.
I’ve tried to make this as easy as it can to complete the transaction but unfortunately, the hassle that I’ve been through has simply exceeded my patience. Before coming to the dealership, I’ve looked up the invoice report on the web (funny enough that you’ve contacted me as you were listed as the certified dealer on the report I’ve gathered.), factored in the commission as well as the package costs, added the tax and Freight/fees etc and walked in on Saturday to commit to buy knowing that CH has a deal going on. I was thinking – Great, free gas or winter tires, I can take advantage of this.
To give you an idea what has happened that day: Got into the dealership and walked around the grey Prius Plus that CH has at the front of the dealership for a good 10-15min, I believed there was an asian salesman beside me but never approached us, I’m not sure the rationale behind that was since he was free, but I’ve then decided to go to the reception and ask for a salesman. I would like to let you know the guy in front of me (lining up to the reception) is also looking for a salesman to help him out. I’m sure CH is busy, but honestly I’m not sure exactly how busy it would be to have more than one customer waiting for a salesman. Robert has walked in while I was waiting to talk to the reception and he has offered help. I appreciated that. He then asked me what I was looking for and showed me the White 2012 Prius w/ Solar Panel package upstairs at the dealership. I told him that I don’t need a test drive and is committed to buy when the price is right. We've then sat down and I’ve given him the number that I had in mind and told him that I’m open in colour options. I told him that I’m willing to take White/Grey/Blue/Red. Everything has been smooth up to there and back and forth negotiation was exchanged (fair enough as I know how sales work) and then we’ve finally shook on a Out-The-Door price on a 2013 White Prius w/ Solarpanel Package. He has then brought me into the finance manager’s office (I believed his name is Faird but cannot confirm since I was not given a business card). Anyway, he asked me to fill out some forms, complete a credit check and put down a deposit. Now stop for a moment and think about this. If you/finance manager/CH asked me to put down a deposit, that means 2 things to me: 1) Buyer (me) and Seller (CH) has agreed on the said price I shook on w/ Robert (Our the door price, no hidden fees, no BS) and 2) the car is available (either in the lot or you are able to find one for me). I’m sure that's what a deposit is meant – to lock down so that both parties are protected and for buyer to show commitment that they are not wasting time. After the finance manager took my deposit, he said that I’m good to go and mentioned that I should be able to know if I’m approved latest by Monday. Up to this point I was quite happy because 1) I think I had a decent deal 2) time it took was short so that both of the parties are happy 3) I like what I’ve been seeing so far as I was promised that I will have a car by the week after the coming one (Oct 7th’s week).
Monday – no calls but I did receive an email from Robert saying “Hope you had a great experience” and I wrote back to confirm with him the out the door price and my situation of the delivery
Tuesday – no calls, and I’ve resent the email to Robert’s own email address as the first email was from a general sales mailbox. Later in the afternoon, Robert emailed me and advised that there’s three “new” Prius with 390km, 800km and over a 1000km on them and which one I’d like to take. I was puzzled when I saw that email because 1) I don’t think we are on the same page of what “new” means 2) I wonder if my deal would have gone thru and 3) It was never mentioned what I’ve requested in my original email – confirmation from finance manager my Out the Door price that . With that in mind I told Robert to call me to discuss further
Wednesday – Robert called and I told him that new doesn’t mean as it has 390km on it and I’ve given him the option to keep looking or find me one with different colour as I wasn’t picky on the colour. He told me that he cannot get access to other dealership’s inventory and that he couldn’t confirm the credit nor the out the door price for me as the manager is off. I told him that CH has TWO managers and I’m sure he can assist him to do so. If not, I think the online inventory via various dealership website should be able to give him an idea. With that in mind, I told him to look again. Later the day he called again and asked if I’d consider a 2012 and try to sell to me that it’s essentially the same vehicle. Let’s take another time-out. If I take a 2012 vehicle to the dealership and trade in, how much would you offer it to me? Now let’s look at the same car but with year 2013 on it, what would you have offered me? Again, this is basic supply/demand and depreciation concept and I’m sure you get what I’m trying to say. On the ground, I’ve told Robert to find me a 2013 vehicle and to hold up with whatever it was promised before and what we had agreed and shook upon. One final call from Robert in the afternoon and he said that he cannot find a 2013 vehicle and that if I would consider a 2014. Time-out number three. Firstly – I appreciate that 2014 is newer however, under general – again supply/demand concept – the 2014 will probably NOT have the incentive that 2013 offers (0% financing at 48months). At least not at the beginning of the year when they try to sell it. But most importantly, my question still holds since day one – what happened to my deposit? Did it lock down a vehicle for me? Does it go to the salesman/finance manager? Does it represent that I’ve committed to buy and CH is committed to find me that vehicle in the price we agreed on? If it doesn’t hold a vehicle for me, then what does a deposit do? I then told Robert that I’m not interested in a 2014 and he needs to call me back to have this sorted out when the manager is back.
Thursday (Today) – I called Robert and left VM and he called me back today and told me that there’s only 3 (the mentioned 390km/800km/1000km) Prius w/ the package I want. Fair enough, I told him that I’ll come by and pick up the deposit this Saturday and I’ll do the search of the Prius I want on my own.
I tried to make this an easy task for the both of us. I did my research, factored in a commission so that I'm not low-balling you/your team/CH. I denied a test drive to save time and went straight to talk numbers; we shook on a deal in less than 3 hours... Isn’t that easy money for the dealership? I thought that a few hundred dollar in commission in less than 3 hours is pretty good since he can then go on and find other opportunities in the dealership. In my job field, time and opportunities are always the most valuable thing in a sale. However, in the end, the car that I shook on and promised was never there, I’ve wasted 3 hours of my time, given up my information for a credit check (which by the way will decrease my ratings since a finance institute has pulled the report). From a win-win situation to a lose-lose. Now...I don’t have a new car next week and I have to go to a dealership to negotiate again and for you - CH is without a few hundred dollars (may not be a big loss on your end) but let me say this: my family has been a loyal Toyota fan and will continue to be one – We’ve owned Previa/4runner and ready to own a Prius. Where my next purchase of the Prius will be - well, it was supposed to be CH, but now I'm just doubtful on this.
So – to answer your email with one line – are you able to find me a 2013 White Prius w/ Solarpanel package on the OUT-THE-DOOR price that I’ve negotiated (My deal also included a free lifetime oil change at 3 locations (CH/South Pointe/Mayfield in Edm), 2 sets of mats and CAD 1000 gas card (I believe Robert said it’s from PetroCan).
Let me know,
Mike
Reviews of Toyota Dealerships
I've did my research online and found the invoice price and had a number in mind to go in and buy. We didn't need a test drive as we had the opportunity to drive this before on a trip so that should save some time on both sides.
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Originally Posted by JRSC00LUDE
