What bugs consumers at dealerships?

[larrymg1]

Automotive News article:
What bugs consumers at dealerships?

 

[Mr. Incredible]

kind of mirrors my experience recently to some degree.

Acura and Lexus have gone to "no haggle" pricing, the price on the sticker is what you pay end of story, they will not negotiate, therefore they lost my business.

Most of the upper tier brands, MBZ, Acura, Audi, Infinity, Lexus, Caddy, BMW, etc. in my experience, will not allow test drives unless you are 100% going to purchase the car from them right then, At all of these dealers, when I tell them I am cross-shopping makes/models I have been treated like I have some type of plague. the salesmen have no interest in trying to earn my business, I am not an easy target or an easy sale, so they walk away. Another reason why several manufacturers will likely never again see business from me.

While this seems to be a dealer dependent behavior, it is becoming more and more apparent at more and more dealerships, Hyundai/Genesis is no exception. I walked out of 2 Hyundai/Genesis dealership because of this behavior.


Overall the car buying experience IMO has not changed in the 35 years I have been driving/buying cars, dealerships have not really gotten better at customer service, IMO the American car manufacturers are the worst, from the buying experience to the service experience. The Asian and German tend to be nicer, cleaner, and have more foo foo and frills, I have not found the overall mannerisms to be much better, at the end of the day free coffee and scones do not make up for crappy attitudes, argumentative service/customer/sales reps, and just plain inaccurate information on features, pricing, service, etc.

 

[EdP]

the salesmen have no interest in trying to earn my business, I am not an easy target or an easy sale, so they walk away. Another reason why several manufacturers will likely never again see business from me.

While this seems to be a dealer dependent behavior, it is becoming more and more apparent at more and more dealerships, Hyundai/Genesis is no exception. I walked out of 2 Hyundai/Genesis dealership because of this behavior.

Name a brand and I probably walked out of a dealership over the years. I've had a couple of OK transactions but none great. Twice I've walked into a showroom, saw the car I wanted, had a price in mind to buy, but never got that far.

Twice I had the last laugh though. Went to a dealer, offered a price and it was refused. Left the showroom, went to another dealer and bought the same day. Next day they call to accept my offer. Sorry, too late.

Easiest buy was my previous Genesis. Had a price from TrueCar in an email. Dealer quickly matched it when his offer did not fly.

 

[Mr. Incredible]

Name a brand and I probably walked out of a dealership over the years. I've had a couple of OK transactions but none great. Twice I've walked into a showroom, saw the car I wanted, had a price in mind to buy, but never got that far.

Twice I had the last laugh though. Went to a dealer, offered a price and it was refused. Left the showroom, went to another dealer and bought the same day. Next day they call to accept my offer. Sorry, too late.

Easiest buy was my previous Genesis. Had a price from TrueCar in an email. Dealer quickly matched it when his offer did not fly.

agreed, I have done the same thing over the years. and I agree the Genesis was by far the easiest and best transaction once I was working with a dealer that "got it".

I also had a Truecar price, the dealer that had the G80 sport in the color I wanted was one I walked out of. The dealer that didn't have it was the one that went a step above to earn my business. After I explained my disability and my need for an extended test drive to be sure the seating position was going to work for me, they provided me with a demo vehicle for an over night test drive. they gave me what I wanted for my trade, and gave me the Truecar price, even though they had to do a dealer trade to get the color/model I wanted. They actually ended up trading from the dealer I walked out of.. They flat-bedded the car to my home, and we did the whole transaction there..

 

[Mark_888]

Acura and Lexus have gone to "no haggle" pricing, the price on the sticker is what you pay end of story, they will not negotiate, therefore they lost my business.

That might apply to some Acura and Lexus dealers, but I don't believe it applies to all of them. And even so, I don't think their "no haggle" price is always MSRP, but obviously could be on some models depending on supply vs demand.

 

[Mr. Incredible]

That might apply to some Acura and Lexus dealers, but I don't believe it applies to all of them. And even so, I don't think their "no haggle" price is always MSRP, but obviously could be on some models depending on supply vs demand.

It's region specific for Lexus, not sure about Acura, but all Southern California Lexus Dealers are on the "no haggle" (Lexus calls it the Lexus Plus Experience) and yes it is MSRP pricing.. in some cases higher than MSRP because of dealer add-ons or the every famous "market adjustment" fee.

8 of the local Lexus dealerships to me (which extends about 150 miles in each direction) all have $10K mark-ups on the new LC500 and LS500, no haggle price is MSRP + $10K "market adjustment"

As for Acura I was also looking at the RLX Sport-Hybrid while cross shopping the G80, and again all the dealers around me for about 150 miles in all directions (Ventura to Riverside to San Diego) would not budge on their "no haggle" pricing. I saw dealerships online in other states offering the same car same features same build for $51-$53K and the dealerships around me were stuck on $64K for the car, and would not budge. Several of the dealerships didn't even have any RLX models in inventory and flat out refused to honor the $8K rebate from Acura on it because it "applied to in stock vehicles only" and they didn't stock the RLX because it is a low volume seller.

 

[EdP]

It's region specific for Lexus, not sure about Acura, but all Southern California Lexus Dealers are on the "no haggle" (Lexus calls it the Lexus Plus Experience) and yes it is MSRP pricing.. in some cases higher than MSRP because of dealer add-ons or the every famous "market adjustment" fee.

8 of the local Lexus dealerships to me (which extends about 150 miles in each direction) all have $10K mark-ups on the new LC500 and LS500, no haggle price is MSRP + $10K "market adjustment"

I don't have a problem with market adjustment fees. I adjust the shift lever to D and leave the dealership. Nor would I consider some crappy over price dealer added accessories.

 

[BrazGenesis]

What about the pricing flexibility of Mercedes Benz and BMW dealers? No haggling too?

 

[Mr. Incredible]

What about the pricing flexibility of Mercedes Benz and BMW dealers? No haggling too?

personally haven't bought a BMW or MBZ in 10ish years, but I know the local Porsche, Audi, BMW dealer near me is flexible on pricing, a buddy bought a 2017 Panamera 4s there and he is a negotiating god, he never pays retail for anything, I've seen this guy task Costco on a 65" TV and get a deal on it.

 

[Mark_888]

It's region specific for Lexus, not sure about Acura, but all Southern California Lexus Dealers are on the "no haggle" (Lexus calls it the Lexus Plus Experience) and yes it is MSRP pricing.. in some cases higher than MSRP because of dealer add-ons or the every famous "market adjustment" fee.

8 of the local Lexus dealerships to me (which extends about 150 miles in each direction) all have $10K mark-ups on the new LC500 and LS500, no haggle price is MSRP + $10K "market adjustment"

As for Acura I was also looking at the RLX Sport-Hybrid while cross shopping the G80, and again all the dealers around me for about 150 miles in all directions (Ventura to Riverside to San Diego) would not budge on their "no haggle" pricing. I saw dealerships online in other states offering the same car same features same build for $51-$53K and the dealerships around me were stuck on $64K for the car, and would not budge. Several of the dealerships didn't even have any RLX models in inventory and flat out refused to honor the $8K rebate from Acura on it because it "applied to in stock vehicles only" and they didn't stock the RLX because it is a low volume seller.

In the case of the specific Acura and Lexus models you cited, the fact it is only for those models (and maybe a few other) proves what I said that there is no brand level policy of no haggle pricing at MSRP for those two brands. Cars where demand outstrips supply are obviously going to demand premium prices.

The last brand that I recall have no-haggle prices across the board was Saturn, and I think they gave that up shortly before GM closed them down. There may be been others besides Saturn, but I am pretty sure that Acura and Lexus allow dealers to haggle and sell below MSRP if the dealer wants to do that. At the dealer level, dealers can do what they want to, since they are not owned by the manufacturer and are independent businesses (unless it says in the franchise agreement that they must have no haggle prices).

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[Mark_888]

I've seen this guy task Costco on a 65" TV and get a deal on it.

I don't believe that, unless it was a floor sample.

 

[Mr. Incredible]

In the case of the specific Acura and Lexus models you cited, the fact it is only for those models (and maybe a few other) proves what I said that there is no brand level policy of no haggle pricing at MSRP for those two brands. Cars where demand outstrips supply are obviously going to demand premium prices.

The last brand that I recall have no-haggle prices across the board was Saturn, and I think they gave that up shortly before GM closed them down. There may be been others besides Saturn, but I am pretty sure that Acura and Lexus allow dealers to haggle and sell below MSRP if the dealer wants to do that. At the dealer level, dealers can do what they want to, since they are not owned by the manufacturer and are independent businesses (unless it says in the franchise agreement that they must have no haggle prices).

I didn't say it was only for those models, I pointed out those models because I was shopping them.

Lexus has no haggle pricing in specific regions, it is called the "Lexus Plus Experience" it is a thing and has been in place for 2 years. in high volume areas like Los Angeles, San Fran, NYC, Florida, they use this tactic.


as for the Costco thing, all I can say is try it, yes Costco will negotiate on certain high dollar items if you talk to management, so does Best Buy and Sears on appliances..

 

[Mark_888]

as for the Costco thing, all I can say is try it, yes Costco will negotiate on certain high dollar items if you talk to management, so does Best Buy and Sears on appliances..

A lot of stores have price matching guarantees.

 

[Mark_888]

Lexus has no haggle pricing in specific regions, it is called the "Lexus Plus Experience" it is a thing and has been in place for 2 years. in high volume areas like Los Angeles, San Fran, NYC, Florida, they use this tactic.

Yes, I have heard about that. But that doesn't mean the no haggle price is the same as the MSRP at locations that don't have no haggle pricing. That was my point.

Also, my understanding is that the no haggle price can differ around the country.

The Saturn no haggle price was the MSRP price, and was the same at every single dealer in the USA.

But with so many buying services these days at credit unions, Costco, or TrueCar, etc, there is no haggle pricing available at a lot dealers these days.