You would assume that dealers selling high-end cars would be less inclined to try to take advantage of folks on that level because they understand it’s bad for business. This bonkers lease, though, goes to show that even wealthy buyers have to run the math.
When I asked you yesterday why turnover in car sales was so high, I wasn’t quite prepared for the response. Hundreds of you weighed in with stories that were by turns thoughtful and, occasionally, very bleak. There’s a LOT of booze in car sales, it turns out, and enough pressure to make Glengarry Glen Ross look like a…
A few months ago, we reported about Honda dealers applying insane price mark-ups, or, as they like to call them, “market adjustments,” to the cost of the limited-run 2018 Civic Type R. In a shocking revelation, it turns out that car dealerships seem to enjoy the act of getting “money” (which they can later exchange…
Buying a used car can be a little trickier than purchasing a new one. When it comes to used cars there are numerous pitfalls to watch out for—persistent mechanical issues, weird smells, questionable choices on the radio’s presets—but where you buy the car shouldn’t be one of them. If you are looking for a pre-owned…
The internet has changed the way dealers price their used cars online. Most dealers will list their cars according to market values, while others will post a cheap price to hook you in only to make up for it with bogus fees when you ask for the total cost. Here’s an especially egregious example.
As we recently found out, the 840 HP Dodge Demon lives up to all the hype. Despite Dodge’s best efforts to encourage dealers to sell at MSRP, some dealers are turning to auctions to get top dollar without sacrificing their order timing.
We all know some Honda dealers are taking full advantage of the Civic Type R mania and charging insane markups for the hot hatch. Now it seems some stores are under the impression that Honda fans are willing to pay over sticker for the 205 hp Civic Si.
A Texas woman says she got an unwanted surprise after putting a deposit down for a new Honda Civic Type R, as the dealership allegedly regrets that they charged her no markup on the hot new car. Now she says the dealership wants to use it as a show car for three months before she can take delivery. [Update: The…
Getting hosed at the dealership is no fun, especially if you don’t catch it until after you’ve made the purchase. It’s a crappy feeling to realize you paid more than you should have, and while there isn’t often much you can do legally, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try something.
You may remember last week’s saga about a woman named Natalie, her BRZ, and the Vancouver-area dealership that briefly held her car for ransom because they found Facebook photos of her car at a track. I’m happy to report that things seem to be working out, but less happy to report that dealership employees have been…
You would think an owner like Natalie is exactly the sort of person Subaru would want for the BRZ. She clearly adores the car, and hers is modified, personalized and prominent on her social media accounts. Plus, it’s actually used in the way it was designed to be used. So why did her dealer attempt to hold her 2015…
Hazing is generally something stupid kids do to initiate members into a group. Generally, if you’re hazing someone at an actual place of work, or if the hazing includes things like setting people on fire, that’s not an initiation but psychopathic cruelty. It’s also what employees at an Audi repair center in Berkshire,…
I always stress that car buyers read the contract carefully before they sign, but what happens when you leave the dealership feeling good about your purchase and the dealer calls and says they made a mistake? Are you obligated to go back and resign a new contract?
Technology has made car buying much easier, but also much more perilous. You can get price quotes and even apply for a loan with just a few clicks. But some unscrupulous dealers are using electronic loan contracts to take advantage of buyers and even sell them cars they didn’t even know they bought.
Word on the street is that the new Dodge Challenger SRT Demon will be priced “well below the $100,000 mark.” We all know what really happens when the dealers set the pricing, but Dodge is hoping their personalized order system will prevent the crazy markups.
Chevy is already a few months into its gradual roll out of its new Chevy Bolt electric car, and the local dealerships are excited to get people scuttling about in them with an onslaught of ads—even if they don’t all quite understand exactly how an electric car works.
I’ve mentioned before that dealers sometimes will use mailers that may offer a scratch-off, a key or maybe a chance at a free cruise! All you have to do is visit the dealership, and go for a test drive...and submit a credit application...and maybe have them evaluate your trade in that you weren’t planning on selling…
When I help people buy cars, they often ask: “How much money can I expect to save here?” It’s an excellent question, but it’s the wrong way to look at whether or not you are getting a good deal.
In the age of internet car shopping, most smart buyers solicit quotes via phone or email and avoid negotiating at the dealership. However, even with electronic communication, some dealers will tell you one price but then change it once you arrive. Here is how to deal with that.
The former sales manager of a Dallas-area Toyota dealership is facing criminal charges after allegedly sending a nude photo of a female customer he found on a phone to a swingers’ website, according to news reports. And, unsurprisingly, the couple who came into buy a car is also suing both the dealership and Toyota.
