Any tips on dealing with a car salesman?

[sze5003]

About 1 year ago I had a 2009 RX8 GT. Awesome car, always wanted it, got it for 22k. Well seeing as I had gotten a new job my commute became 25-30 miles each way and the Rx was getting like 20mpg plus you needed to put premium fuel in it each time and 1 qt of oil for every 3 fill ups of gas due to the rotary engine. It had 7k miles on it.

I loved the car but knew I would spend way too much on gas with my commute, insurance would be a lot more in the new area too. I went to various dealerships looking for a 4 door mpg car. Still wanted the sports look too. Most places as soon as I said I want to trade in, low balled me. One guy offered 16k, I owed 19k on the loan still.

VW tried to sell me a jetta and offered 17k. I also said no to that. The mitsubishi guys without even asking what they would trade me, said its worth 19k to them with all that the Rx8 had in it. So I decided to go with the Lancer GTS 2011 model. Got it in April 2011 and it lowered my payments too as well as only needing to fill up once a week.

The first visit I just looked then when they tried bringing me inside I said no and walked away. They kept calling and calling saying they could make it work. Well went in a second time with some friends and I gave them the deal about the salesman saying he would even put a sunroof on the lancer model and get me a stickshift too, plus the trade price I wanted. They talked it over and over and 2 hours later I decided to walk away.

The next week they told me they had the car I wanted and agreed to everything we talked about and basically it would be just like swapping cars, and it was with a lower monthly payment too.

What I do miss is the Rx8 features such as heated seats, auto wiper sensors, auto LED beams, leather. Oh and not needing to shift at 3-4k rpms. I could do about 40-50mph in 2nd gear and the the highest rpm went was 5-6k. You could red line a little past 9k. Miss that car truly but I got stuck on a highway with little snow and was not able to move one night. Had to call my friend to dig me out and slowly make it home 1hr later because it was rear wheel drive. That thing was sliding sideways on 95 lol.

Go in and leave as many times as you want. Did you tell them about the accident? Don't through them an prices until they give you theirs first. Haggle options and never go by "well we can get your payment down to this" approach. Always talk out the door price for your trade too. If they really need the sale they will let you have it.

 

[sixone]

Go in and leave as many times as you want. Did you tell them about the accident? Don't through them an prices until they give you theirs first. Haggle options and never go by "well we can get your payment down to this" approach. Always talk out the door price for your trade too. If they really need the sale they will let you have it.

I'll have to tell them about the accident, they'll find it in a VIN search, if they can't tell that the hood's been repainted.

I'll definitely walk out, if the price isn't right. I know what trade-in value should be, and I'll be checking their website to have a car picked out and researched before I ever walk in. They can play the payment game, because I'll know what it should be, based on the other two factors.

 

[LTC8K6]

Sorta' sounds like pad knock back or a caliper/piston getting stuck.

 

[sixone]

Sorta' sounds like pad knock back or a caliper/piston getting stuck.

Shouldn't they have caught that when I took it in to be checked out?

 

[sze5003]

Shouldn't they have caught that when I took it in to be checked out?

They rarely ever catch eoverything that is wrong. I have 33k miles on the Lancer now. They charged me 350 for the 30k service and tried to get me to flush the steering fluid. Then they conclude I will need all 4 new tires in a month or two. Oh joy.

 

[LTC8K6]

Shouldn't they have caught that when I took it in to be checked out?

Well, it's just a guess. It may not be that at all. It's just that hitting a bump seems to make it happen.

The other thing that can happen when you hit a bump is a triggering of the traction control system as a wheel is briefly airborne and spinning.

If you have brake based T/C, that could be the link between the bump and the brakes.

Intermittent problems are often difficult to catch.

 

[Ferzerp]

You keep rationalizing dealing with the guy, but you already got suckered in.

You had no interest in a new car, and now you do. He won. You lost. The way to deal with them when you have no interest in buying a new car is to completely ignore them.

Called it!

 

[sixone]

Well, it's just a guess. It may not be that at all. It's just that hitting a bump seems to make it happen.

The other thing that can happen when you hit a bump is a triggering of the traction control system as a wheel is briefly airborne and spinning.

If you have brake based T/C, that could be the link between the bump and the brakes.

Intermittent problems are often difficult to catch.

While I realize that an intermittent problem is much more difficult to diagnose when it's not happening, I can't risk injury to myself or someone else by continuing to drive this car. One of these times, I'm not going to be able to make a quick lane change to avoid the vehicle in front of me.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

While I realize that an intermittent problem is much more difficult to diagnose when it's not happening, I can't risk injury to myself or someone else by continuing to drive this car. One of these times, I'm not going to be able to make a quick lane change to avoid the vehicle in front of me.

So your best bet not to injure someone is to unload it on an unsuspecting buyer and let them injure someone?

 

[sze5003]

So your best bet not to injure someone is to unload it on an unsuspecting buyer and let them injure someone?

They will probably find out about that issue once its traded in. Most dealers that can't sell the car will take it to an auction. Driving it there I think they would know if it happened to be a lengthy drive. I'm sure it will pop up.

 

[sixone]

So your best bet not to injure someone is to unload it on an unsuspecting buyer and let them injure someone?

It's already on record with the dealer, in their service department.

 

[Ferzerp]

It's already on record with the dealer, in their service department.

They want to sell you a new car.

You paid them for a repair.

Issue is not resolved.


Are these three statements correct?

 

[sixone]

They want to sell you a new car.

You paid them for a repair.

Issue is not resolved.


Are these three statements correct?

No. I did not pay them for a repair, I paid them to look for a problem. They couldn't find it, didn't fix it, didn't charge me to fix it.

I could keep taking it to different shops until someone figures out what the real problem is, and how to fix it, but that carries its own set of risks. Are they really fixing the problem, or just charging me for a false sense of security?

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

It's really not rocket science. There are a handful of things that control your brakes and one of them or several are malfunctioning. You can either have it fixed by a competent shop or you can pay through the nose for a new car while they roll your current auto debt into your new loan putting you further into payment treadmill hell.

 

[sixone]

It's really not rocket science. There are a handful of things that control your brakes and one of them or several are malfunctioning. You can either have it fixed by a competent shop or you can pay through the nose for a new car while they roll your current auto debt into your new loan putting you further into payment treadmill hell.

Won't happen. I will not take a loss on the current car, under any circumstances.

Unless, of course, I rear-end someone because the brakes went out again. Then I'm pretty well screwed.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Won't happen. I will not take a loss on the current car, under any circumstances.

Unless, of course, I rear-end someone because the brakes went out again. Then I'm pretty well screwed.

If you trade it in at the dealership then you will be taking a loss. If you take the time to detail it, get all the problems fixed, and then sell it yourself then you will get full market value.

 

[sixone]

If you trade it in at the dealership then you will be taking a loss. If you take the time to detail it, get all the problems fixed, and then sell it yourself then you will get full market value.

How can I get it fixed, when no one can tell me what's causing the problem?

I guess I could go out and make it happen again, then try to get to the shop without getting into a wreck. Sounds pretty risky.

 

[LTC8K6]

How can I get it fixed, when no one can tell me what's causing the problem?

I guess I could go out and make it happen again, then try to get to the shop without getting into a wreck. Sounds pretty risky.

You need to prove that it's happening.

When it happens, carefully drive straight to the dealer?

Video camera?

Mechanic ride along on a bumpy road?

 

[Schfifty Five]

How can I get it fixed, when no one can tell me what's causing the problem?

I guess I could go out and make it happen again, then try to get to the shop without getting into a wreck. Sounds pretty risky.

Do you think there might be a way for you to have a mechanic ride with you in the car while you try to recreate the brake problem? I know it sounds like a hassle and there's a possibility you won't be able to recreate on the spot, but perhaps it's the only way to maybe get the mechanic to see what the issue is.

 

[sze5003]

Go to a well known mechanic. Ask friends or family if they know of one. They should let you take them with you on a test drive. I had this issue bringing my car to the dealer for the check engine light. Had to bring it over 3 times! They kept saying nothing was wrong and the third time they just reset the pc a bunch of cycles and told me if it happened again I would probably need a new timing chain...at 16k miles. Never went back to that dealership.

 

[sixone]

Do you think there might be a way for you to have a mechanic ride with you in the car while you try to recreate the brake problem? I know it sounds like a hassle and there's a possibility you won't be able to recreate on the spot, but perhaps it's the only way to maybe get the mechanic to see what the issue is.

Would YOU get into a car, knowing that you might be at risk? Would any responsible shop let their employee do that?

 

[SearchMaster]

No. I did not pay them for a repair, I paid them to look for a problem. They couldn't find it, didn't fix it, didn't charge me to fix it.

I could keep taking it to different shops until someone figures out what the real problem is, and how to fix it, but that carries its own set of risks. Are they really fixing the problem, or just charging me for a false sense of security?

Also, PLEASE consider this...if you don't disclose the problem to the buyer (or if it's traded in), some mom with her 2 kids is going to end up with the car and be COMPLETELY freaked out when she hits a bump and the brakes go dead and she'll end up being the one rear-ended another innocent party.

I don't blame you for wanting to get rid of the car but passing a death trap to someone else is immoral IMHO.

 

[sixone]

Also, PLEASE consider this...if you don't disclose the problem to the buyer (or if it's traded in), some mom with her 2 kids is going to end up with the car and be COMPLETELY freaked out when she hits a bump and the brakes go dead and she'll end up being the one rear-ended another innocent party.

I don't blame you for wanting to get rid of the car but passing a death trap to someone else is immoral IMHO.

It will be disclosed, don't worry about that.

 

[sze5003]

I'm guessing you don't drive it now? I would have it towed, and if there is such an empty road where you and the mechanic can try to figure it out, do that. Otherwise, they would need to check your rotors, pads, abs lines and sensors. Basically spend a lot of time taking apart parts without knowing which one is the culprit if the issue is not recreated.