Dealer won't give me my truck

[PKitchen]

I ordered my truck from a local dealership Feb 13. The dealer agreed to sell me the truck for $750 below invoice minus any applicable rebates. The dealer also agreed to "sold order protection" in case there were any price increases between the time of order and when I picked up the truck. At the time of order, I gave them a $1,000 deposit. We both signed a hand-written document with all this information on it.

The truck finally arrived at the dealer today. They called me and told me to come pick it up. As we were going over the price, I noticed that there had been a $100 increase in the diesel engine option. They wanted to sell me the truck at the increased price. I wanted to use sold order protection to get the price at the time of order. At that point everyone I was working with at the dealership became very hostile. They didn't want to do the sold order protection. We couldn't get a hold of DC customer service because they were closed. So I said we would pay the higher price then I would call DC on Monday to find out what could be done. Once I said that, the general manager informed me that he would no longer sell me the truck. He wrote me out a check for my $1,000 deposit and said that was it. No truck. I explained to them that we had a signed contract showing the agreed upon price. They wouldn't budge.

My question is, does this dealer have any ground to stand on? With this hand-written signed contract, how could they possibly back out of the deal? I am going to call DC customer service on Monday and see what can be done. If that turns into a dead-end I think I will need to retain a lawyer. Do you guys have any suggestions?

 

[klenger]

Contact the owner and explain the problem and show them the contract. They probably want to sell it to someone else at MSRP because of the backlog on new orders. Don't give in.



BTW, this is a good case for having Pre-Paid Legal services.

 

[swexlin]

Sounds like he wants to sell the truck to someone who WILL pay the higher price. Report him to the Better Business Bureau, and your local TV news. The news LOVES stuff like that.



Heck, I CANCELLED my deposit on my ordered truck, because the silly dealer was stinging me along, and after I bought another truck at another dealer, the first one was STILL calling me, saying that the 0%/2000 was still in effect (which I knew already - SOld ORder Protection), etc.



BY the way, this is the first post I've seen that mentioned a price increase since February. I had ordered mine 1/19.



It also seems strange that the manager is willing to lose a GUARANTEED "right now" sale on a $40,000+ truck over a measly $100. 00. Dealerships around here in wouldn't even blink an eye at that.



I think he has someone else that REALLY wants that truck, and is willing to pay full MSRP.

 

[lmills]

Originally posted by swexlin



I think he has someone else that REALLY wants that truck, and is willing to pay full MSRP.

That's what it sounds like to me also.

 

[KD7GYJ]

Sounds like a good story for "GET GEPHARDT". This would help put them in their place. This would also be a good one for a lawyer. But I would have paid the extra 100. 00 difference. The dealership shouldn't be out an extra 100. 00 for giving you a good deal. 'You will pay dearly in interest. You might have to act quickly, it may not be there when Monday rolls around.

 

[700rmk]

Which dealer was it?

 

[DanDee]

There was a couple of increases between when I ordered in Feb and the delivery in April... I think about $100 on the CTD and some on the Laramie. (I had the Feb. factory order print out & the window sticker showed the increase)



They said the same thing about no order protection to me, but I decided I had bigger battles to fight, so I let it slide.

(Of course I didn't have any money down & I had to be firm with them on the $500 farm rebate... which they did give me. )



Your right, it is supposed to be price protection & rebate at time of order... . or current price on delivery & current rebate if its larger.



However, since I was saving about 4k over msrp (they gave me invoice) & 3k in rebates, I figured the $171 wasn't worth arguing over.

Made the right decision as the dealer has treated me great & the truck is perfect!!!



Did I mention I love my new truck? Oo. DanDee

 

[PJ]

Wow. In Oregon a year ago, my wife and I bought a used Class A Diesel Pusher Motorhome that was a few years old. I noticed that the cruise control didnt work, so I put that on the sales agreement that it needed to be fixed. Well, 3 weeks later, it still wasnt fixed and the dealer called me and told me to pick it up and give him the 2 year old Yukon that was my trade. I said that I would final the purchace once the cruise worked. Then I found out that the parts were not available and they couldnt get it working. They then demanded that I paid the balance and gave them the Yukon. Well, in Oregon, once the contract is signed, its YOURS. I found out I didnt have a leg to stand on. I was stuck! Needless to say, I owned a motorhome. Well, i kept it until the end of last summer and sold it. It just wasnt any fun after the crap I got from the dealer. Lucky for me I got rid of it before the Diesel went through the roof! Just today, diesel here in Southern Oregon has hit a record high of $1,96. 9 a gallon. Im sure glad my Cummins gets 21mpg on the highway!

 

[Bob Fennema]

Originally posted by PKitchen

As we were going over the price, I noticed that there had been a $100 increase in the diesel engine option. They wanted to sell me the truck at the increased price. I wanted to use sold order protection to get the price at the time of order. At that point everyone I was working with at the dealership became very hostile.

Wow, a fight over $100!! I dropped more than that taking my mother to dinner tonight. Just doesn't seem worth the fight and you probably have lost the truck. How do you win? I would have picked a more important fight and think the DC people will think this is pretty silly.



Bob Fennema

 

[Punkineater]

Well a lawyer is quite a bit more expensive than that extra $100 they wanted to charge you. Take your lumps and go to another dealer. Unfortunately, there's not many of them here in Utah that aren't like the one you're talking about. At least let us know who it was so I can put them on my "to avoid" list. However, if this list gets any longer I'll be getting my truck serviced out of state.

 

[GSchmitt]

I ordered my truck 12/30/2003 and it finally came in last week. During this period, the price went up almost 400. 00. I paid 100. 00 over invoice and the dealer stood by the original price. So, you are telling me that you found a dealer to sell you truck for 750 under invoice and he wants a 100 more. Pay the man and get your truck. That is a no brainer. You can't get 2 tanks of fuel for 100.

Gary

 

[swexlin]

So, you are telling me that you found a dealer to sell you truck for 750 under invoice and he wants a 100 more.

I agree it's silly to argue this, and this man is still getting a good deal. I myself would have paid the $100. 00. That being said - it si still the principle of the thing. Maybe it's the area. Where I live (Philadelphia area) we literally have a dozen Dodge dealers within an hour of me. Very competitive. Dealers around here will easily NOT try a tactic like that.



Where this gentleman lives, maybe there isn't much competition.



It's still the principle though, this dealer sounds more slimey than most.

 

[DPKetchum]

Can't believe the dealer would do this over a $100 dollars. Cost him MORE in lost customers and maybe loosing you as a FUTURE customer again. I proberly would have broke down and paid the $100 more but THEM getting hostile won't help THEM in future sales.

 

[Glen]

I'd give Dave Smith Motors in Kellogg, ID a call.

1-800-635-8000

 

[PKitchen]

When we couldn't get a hold of DC customer service, I agreed to simply pay the extra $100. Wasn't that big if a deal to me. However, at that point they had decided they weren't going to sell the truck to me period. Said something about me giving them a bad customer survey if they sold me the truck. I assured them I wouldn't give them a bad customer survey. However at that point their decision seemed to be final.



If I would have known that using sold order protection was such a hassle for them, I wouldn't have bothered with it. In the end I asked them what price they would sell me my truck for. They said they would sell it to me for MSRP. Of course I didn't take them up on that offer.



The dealership is Barber Bros in Spanish Fork.

 

[swexlin]

Said something about me giving them a bad customer survey if they sold me the truck.

This is what I HATE about corporate America. I would write to DC, and give them a long, detailed description of what went down. Now that dealer WILL get a bad survey, and deservedly so.

 

[amsoilman]

PKitchen,

When I ordered my 2003 CTD from "Hinckley Dodge" in Ogden, I ordered a "Jacob's" Exhaust brake for it, and had the price of the EB in the cost of the truck. The cost of the EB at that time was only $299. 00. (EB wasn't even released for the 2003 CTD at that time) When the truck came in, and I took delivery and signed all the papers, of course the EB was not there yet.



Well, when the EB came in, DC had increased the cost of the EB to $1200. 00!



Guess what? "Hinckley Dodge" in Ogden ate the difference! They said we made an agreement, and we will stand by it!



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[jfrow2]

---(snipped) Said something about me giving them a bad customer survey if they sold me the truck. I assured them I wouldn't give them a bad customer survey.

Guess they could do like my dealer, Earnhardt Dodge in Gilbert AZ. During the delivery process, they showed me the D/C survey I would be receiving and instructed me how to fill it out so that they would receive the highest rating. According to them, 98% of the rating marks had to be in the highest category for them to receive the highest rating.



:-laf Can't wait to get the survey.

 

[GCross]

Re: Re: Dealer won't give me my truck

Originally posted by RFennema

Wow, a fight over $100!! I dropped more than that taking my mother to dinner tonight. Just doesn't seem worth the fight and you probably have lost the truck. How do you win? I would have picked a more important fight and think the DC people will think this is pretty silly.



Bob Fennema

Ditto

 

[DPKetchum]

I would CLIMB up D. C. as far as possible ASAP by phone and MAIL. Try to meet with a D. C. SALES REP asap and get that truck at the $100 over agreed price. Do a LIP STAND. Oo.