*sigh* Blur, I need you to say one thing... (dealer problems)

[DeathChill]

So, I went to order my Camaro today after I got off work. Unfortunately for me I work a dirty job but the dealer is about an hour away from where I live and the specific sales person (fleet manager) isn't available on the weekends so I had to head in right after work.

I go in and he's talking on the phone working on a deal. That's fine, however he doesn't even acknowledge me at all for a good 15 minutes which I thought was odd.

I sit down and we start talking and all the sudden the dealer talk starts:
"This car, it's limited availability." I thought for sure all of the sudden the car would be marked up, but he then spit this out: "We'll need a $2000 non-refundable deposit." I couldn't hold it in and immediately said "F*** no." He countered with "What are you willing to swing?" and I responded, "For a non-refundable deposit, nothing."

We got stuck on this point for a minute before he realized that I wasn't budging; he just kind of moved around it and we worked on the actual car information as well as financing information. They ran my information and are supposed to get back to me later tonight or tomorrow. He asked again about the deposit before I left and I just kind of ignored it.

I don't know, I thought it was the most retarded thing because I have emails from him stating a $500 refundable deposit:

Thank you for your inquiry! Our allocation of Camaro's is not yet full for the first year. We still have several spots, so if you would like to place an order please let me know asap. We'll need a $500 deposit to put you on the list. If you will be financing the car, a credit approval is also required up front. Orders are supposed to be going in very soon, though the start of production may be delayed about a month or so according to rumors.
Call me in the office Monday and I'll be happy to arrange a time to see you or answer questions you have over the phone."

The deposit is to secure a place on the list. We'll refund it if you cancel before the order goes in, but not after unless the car is equipped as others would buy it. Call me Monday and we'll talk further..

All of the sudden it's a $2000 non-refundable deposit. I am definitely not ordering an odd car: 2SS/RS Black exterior, black interior with a hurst short throw shifter.

I really don't know what to think besides the fact that there's nothing in hell that could get me to put that money down.

[Milk 1027]

Read the sig. vvvv

[kanys]

Yeah I would be careful giving that dealership my $$. If you do agree to do something like what was stated in the email, be sure to get it in writing. Also make sure that $500 goes towards purchase of car, unless you are willing to pay a little extra.

[Adam]

If he said 500 bucks refundable in an email like you say, then you should have just told him that was what he said and that's what you will do. I can hardly imagine anyone having a counter for that argument.

[iCANTwait]

Well I guess I'll tell you guys about my horror story trying to order mine...
So heres how it goes, I got off work one day and decided since ive been saving all the money i could since the day i rode in my uncles 98 Z28 the first time (I was 10 and absoultly in love), well anyway i have managed to keep the money and decided its going toward my first new car. Ok enough sappy story sry I went to the dealer and we filled everything out for my car (2SS/RS IBM/black leather M6 and short throw), he looks up at me and tells me hes gonna need at least $5000 cash to put it in, i have the money but i can't agree to this and tell him to forget it.. I went home and called the dealer who sold me my 98 GMC and asked him if he could help me out and thankfully he did for a $500 deposit. Now really 10 times the deposit???? Does anyone else have these problems or is it only when ordering that far in advance????

[headpunter]

print that out and tell him you want him to honor his word. otherwise look for another dealer, or get one from scotty and have them drop ship it to the dealer so he has to stare at the car he didnt get any money for.

[Skyman 08]

My deposit is $300 Non-Refundable, unless there is a problem on GM's or the dealers end, then it is refundable. If I decide I just do not want the car they keep the deposit.. I can understand that, they put time in to write up all the paperwork and spent a couple hours with me deciding on just what was happening, along with the e-mails and such. Their time is a valuble as mine... Now i don;t see paying more thean 500 for that service, because that would definately be ripping people off.

oh, I have it in writing on the sales contract.

[PonyMan]

I located a dealer and called him over the phone, he seemed very nice and appreciated my undersatnding of how the "order process" worked. He put the order in, and emailed me my copy along with the order number ten minutes later (all for MSRP). Plus, the dealer required no deposit (signed agreement for that order number). I wish all dealer worked that way.

[The_Blur]

Your dealer is an idiot. Not only has your dealer failed to study the basics of counting, your dealer has also managed to forget how to read. This, however, is not surprising, as the mind of a dealer is as limited in retention as that of a parrot. A strange creature, dealers can only hold enough to make it to work and home. It has been documented that dealers have gotten lost along the way due to forgetting to write down their daily commute to work or forgetting how to read what they wrote. This sort of stupidity is not that surprising coming from someone so stupid that he got fired from the M&M factory for throwing away all of the W's.

[MerF]

Blur's outbursts are second-to-none.

[The_Blur]

Originally Posted by MerF

Blur's outbursts are second-to-none.

I take pride in my ridiculousness.

Sadly, much of what I say with the intent of being ridiculous is actually true.

[MerF]

You're gonna have to remove your sig image if you keep spanking yourself on the butt with quotes..lol.

[Melson]

I cant think of anybodys that are any better.........I enjoy reading Blur's posts.

[The_Blur]

Originally Posted by MerF

You're gonna have to remove your sig image if you keep spanking yourself on the butt with quotes..lol.

I could incorporate them into the next signature I make. That one will have my Camaro in it.

[ZYAL8R]

This sort of stupidity is not that surprising coming from someone so stupid that he got fired from the M&M factory for throwing away all of the W's.[/QUOTE] from The Blur

Oh s**t that's funny!

[PQ]

Originally Posted by iCANTwait

Well I guess I'll tell you guys about my horror story trying to order mine...
So heres how it goes, I got off work one day and decided since ive been saving all the money i could since the day i rode in my uncles 98 Z28 the first time (I was 10 and absoultly in love), well anyway i have managed to keep the money and decided its going toward my first new car. Ok enough sappy story sry I went to the dealer and we filled everything out for my car (2SS/RS IBM/black leather M6 and short throw), he looks up at me and tells me hes gonna need at least $5000 cash to put it in, i have the money but i can't agree to this and tell him to forget it.. I went home and called the dealer who sold me my 98 GMC and asked him if he could help me out and thankfully he did for a $500 deposit. Now really 10 times the deposit???? Does anyone else have these problems or is it only when ordering that far in advance????

If you bought the other dealer before, then why try a different one the second? Most of the time they'll treat return business better. Lesson learned the best way. And you weren't out any $$. That's a cheap lesson.

Originally Posted by headpunter

print that out and tell him you want him to honor his word. otherwise look for another dealer, or get one from scotty and have them drop ship it to the dealer so he has to stare at the car he didnt get any money for.

Dude, my side hurts laughing so hard. That's awesome.

[iCANTwait]

Originally Posted by irpq11

If you bought the other dealer before, then why try a different one the second? Most of the time they'll treat return business better. Lesson learned the best way. And you weren't out any $$. That's a cheap lesson.

The dealer I bought the truck from is 50 miles from where I live and the dealer i tried to go to is in my hometown, so i was trying for convienence but i will not be going back there for anything.

[GothamCamaro]

Originally Posted by iCANTwait

The dealer I bought the truck from is 50 miles from where I live and the dealer i tried to go to is in my hometown, so i was trying for convienence but i will not be going back there for anything.

Yup I tried the convienence part, the first dealer I called was 5 minutes from my place, I live behind it. Next one was 20 minutes away. A bunch of idiots, I went with the honest dealer in another state. Sometimes to get the best, you gotta go aways to get it!

[JMM1181]

I see far too much of this sales guy BS with dealerships, you think with the situation they're facing they'd be a little more accomodating and a lot less aggressive. I had a guy recently pull a very similar stunt with me, I told him I was all set. I just hope that the people on these boards truly do stick to their guns with the price point once these cars actually roll out, because my gut feeling is that most of the dealers are counting on our expectations to raise the price right away and we as consumers are the ones who will either set the correct standard for what we'll pay, or else let them get away with it (and our money).

[RPO_Z28]

If the dealer's policy is a $2000 non-refundable deposit on a Camaro order, you have the choice to pay it or not. In this case, the email stated $500 would be acceptable so there was not reason for him to try to strongarm you for more money. However, a dealer asking for a $2000 deposit on a $40000 car doesn't make him an idiot. It makes him smart for gettong a true commitment from a real buyer and not a tire kicker that thinks dealers should order cars for people who "may" take delivery. They obviously plan on delivering every Camaro for every person who orders one. If you are absolutely sure you are taking the car when it arrives, you should have no problem laying out the cash. If you are not sure, you walk away. That does not make a dealer an idiot.

[littlecammi]

Originally Posted by RPO_Z28

A dealer asking for a $2000 deposit on a $40000 car doesn't make him an idiot. It makes him smart for getting a true commitment from a real buyer.

There are people who put down as little of a refundable deposit as possible and do so at several dealerships, intending to buy the first one that arrives at any of the dealers and demand the deposits back from the rest.

[OUR72GTO]

I don't see a problem.........Now dealer #2 has a car he can sell to Joe the Plumber.

Usually they use their friends and family to grab or reserve limited production cars.

they are not going to get stuck with a dud....... even if they trade it off to dealer # 3