VW--------- Almost got screwed.

[thesamba]

Before you buy a new car, educate yourselves about dealer tricks and scams. Thanks to carbuyingtips.com's Top 10 Scams of the Year I avoided being screwed over when I went in to buy a new car.

Alright, I walk onto a lot a VW lot in Pennsylvania (by the way, it's HALTERMANN's VW in Eagle Valley).
I walk in and a friendly salesman named Will greets me and we sit down. I am suspicious about him from all the things I read about these people. So, knowing all the prices from Edmunds.com I know what to bargain for. He gives me a price for a '02 GTI VR6... about 19 and change. Good price, almost invoice. I get excited. By the way, your excitement is their biggest weapon. You lose your mind over a new car, they have you. In any case I SPECIFICALLY ask him if all options such as sunroof and stereo are included in the price. He says "yes". I remember that.

I agree to give a $500 deposit on the car. He has to locate it at another lot. Here is where I digress. The website gave advice. Don't let them locate a car for you from another place. If it isn't on the lot, leave. Well, I fail here. The deposit is non-refundable. That means, if he locates and brings a car to his lot and I don't want it, he keeps $500. How do I know that he'll bring me the car with all the things I want in it. Typically, to avoid this hole, you have to ask for a purchase order that lists price and all options on the model you want (and they have to sign it)That way if they deliver the car ot the lot and it does not have what you want, you can get your deposit back. Obviously, I didn't do that, otherwise there would nto be a point to this story. The day before scheduled delivery I call to confirm everything. And he hits me with this: I forgot to tell you the price does not include leather package. I suspected this all along. Since the price he gave me was lower than what I was on Edmunds.com. Ok, I say, add the leather package. He gives me 21,7... I ask if this is the final price for everything I want. He says yes. About 30 minutes later I realize that if he "forgot" to tell me about the leather package what are the chances he car will ahve a sunroof package that I also requested. I call him back and ask him. He replies: everything is cool, don't worry man, trying to play up to me as a friend. I ask again, does this price include the sunroof package? THen he gets nasty. He's like- you don't want to do business, blah blah blah...I'll give you your refund back, have a nice day. And hangs up. I guess he thought I'd feel ashamed and call back. Shame is another of dealers' weapons against customers. If they make you feel guilty, they can sell you whatever they want. So...screw you Will Callaghan of Haltermann's VW. Almost got screwed. In a few days I went across the street (literally) to Honda and bought a 02 accord v6 with everything with no hassle, and on sale.

[thesamba]

By the way, head over to edmunds.com. THey ahve an article there: Confessions of a Car Salesman. They hired a journalist and he went undercover posing as a car sales man. THe things he tells are scary. Beware.