Dallas Hyundai Dealer

[tomhall@consultingdallas.]

Just wanted to report that my buying experience at Van Hyundai (they sold me my G70) was not good. If you buy from them be sure to very carefully review the contract to insure that it reflects exactly what was verbally agreed to. Also, closely inspect the car before taking delivery. Their make ready is some what casual, bordering on non-existent. My car still had stickers affixed and my nav didn't work because they forgot to provide me with everything necessary to make it work. Also, make sure the car you test drive is the car you buy, seems that the car I drove had heads up display but the car delivered didn't. If you don't check you have no recourse later. You get the idea. There are lots of other dealers around. You might check if they can offer you the deal you need to buy.

 

[TinsleyC]

I didn't buy there, but at Huffines Hyundai (Genesis of Plano). My biggest gripe is that I told them I wanted a 2020, and I drove a 2020, but when we negotiated for a white one, they had 2019 in small print on the negotiation form (which I did not notice). I thought the price was great.. and it was.

They delivered the car the next day - it looked great - but when going to financing I saw it was a 2019! I balked, but they said they're moving the 19's and a '20 would be a few k$$ more... pissed but still liking the car, and knowing I'd keep it for 8-10 years, I bought it anyway. They threw in a free tint for the "misunderstanding".

Enjoy the car!

 

[Aquineas]

I didn't buy there, but at Huffines Hyundai (Genesis of Plano). My biggest gripe is that I told them I wanted a 2020, and I drove a 2020, but when we negotiated for a white one, they had 2019 in small print on the negotiation form (which I did not notice). I thought the price was great.. and it was.

They delivered the car the next day - it looked great - but when going to financing I saw it was a 2019! I balked, but they said they're moving the 19's and a '20 would be a few k$$ more... pissed but still liking the car, and knowing I'd keep it for 8-10 years, I bought it anyway. They threw in a free tint for the "misunderstanding".

Enjoy the car!

I would have found that highly insulting. They were basically counting on you to not notice. Clearly I must be nuts, but I would much prefer someone level with me.
"Listen, I know you said you wanted a 2020. But hear us out on the 2019 deal. If you still want the 2020 at the end then we'll go back to the drawing board. But think you'll love the price."

 

[TinsleyC]

There was discussion, and they said "this is why we get things in writing, to make things clear", while pulling that negotiation form out of my file. Sure enough, it showed 2019, and I had signed it. But yeah... there was deception there. We never talked about a 19. The 20 would have been a few K more. I could have walked.

To the OPs point, check everything, don't assume anything.

 

[tomhall@consultingdallas.]

It makes you wonder if they have any concern over repeat business. I used to drive Honda's and I bought four from the same guy at Freeman Honda over the years. He always treated us fairly and was up front about everything. My experience with Van Hyundai means I won't be back and my letting others know of my experience will have some negative impact on their future business. They actually had me sign a hand written sheet that had the price, interest rate, payments to confirm my agreement on the deal and then the actual paper work had different numbers. My bad, but really, they knew that they had changed the deal and were hoping I would be stupid enough to believe the hand written agreement. They were right, I was that stupid.

 

[EdP]

It makes you wonder if they have any concern over repeat business. I used to drive Honda's and I bought four from the same guy at Freeman Honda over the years. He always treated us fairly and was up front about everything. My experience with Van Hyundai means I won't be back and my letting others know of my experience will have some negative impact on their future business. They actually had me sign a hand written sheet that had the price, interest rate, payments to confirm my agreement on the deal and then the actual paper work had different numbers. My bad, but really, they knew that they had changed the deal and were hoping I would be stupid enough to believe the hand written agreement. They were right, I was that stupid.

If you have a copy of that first sheet you can easily go after them. Really sleazy to change things though.

 

[G-863633]

They knew what they were doing, so, of course they kept it.

 

[Aquineas]

Things dealers have done or tried to do to me:

1. Agree on a price over the phone and then add in under-body coating without telling me when it was time to sign the papers.. They claimed "It's done for all our cars automatically! We can't remove it!" I only caught it because I had my laptop in front of me and had calculated my own payment based on the amount and interest rate. Lesson learned: Anytime in life someone across the table has a computer or calculator in front of them, you have one too. You are at a disadvantage if you are relying on someone else to do your math for you.
2. Agree on a price over the phone and then change it when I got into the dealership. I walked out of the dealership and bought the car from another dealer that very afternoon. That next morning the original dealer called me to try to get me back in, and it was too late. Lesson learned: always be willing to walk out.
3. Tried to get me to sign a piece of paper stating that I wouldn't leave until we'd agreed on a price (are you out of your cotton-picking mind?)
4. Kept me sitting around twiddling my thumbs in the lobby for an hour while waiting to see if they'd "accept" my Hyundai trade-in value guarantee (for the 2012 model year, Hyundai issued certificates guaranteeing the trade-in value of their vehicles if you bought another Hyundai). I sat there in in limbo without so much as a peep from the salesperson or the "tower" (new car dealers call that glass area where the managers sit and where final approval of the sales deal takes place the "tower"), which I guess they assumed I would keep doing. I waited an hour then walked out and took delivery of the car I wanted off the showroom floor of another dealer. Lesson learned: Give yourself a time-limit, and let them know you have a time-limit at which point you will leave the facility. They are counting on you getting worn down and impatient while wasting your time.
5. Had a salesperson try to tell me that halogen lights were superior to HID headlights when I told him HID headlights on my vehicle were a requirement on the family hauler I was going to buy (I lived in the far suburbs with some country roads in the mix). This dealer was a Chevy dealer, and he proceeded to argue with me. It's not debatable- it's imperical. HID lights produce more lumens than halogen. Lesson learned: Salesmen will say absolutely anything to get a sale. (I ended up buying a GMC Acadia which did offer halogen headlights, and it ultimately was prevented from being a good family vehicle by number of dealer visits to repair the air conditioner). Lesson learned: Know the product and features and which ones you're willing to do without vs which ones are mandatory. Also, do more homework before buying a GM product.
6. Informed me that someone else had asked about the car I was interested in that very morning and would be back. Lesson learned: Cars are a commodity, and you can always find what you want- just be prepared to drive a bit if you have to. Lesson learned: Always be willing to walk away (again).

Things I've witnessed them doing to friends of mine:

1. Treated a female coworker I was shopping with complete disdain when she was looking at a Honda S2000. This woman could have written a check for the car in cash, but the guy ignored her completely and started talking to me when I was helping her car shop. They were speaking to her in that over-dramatic, louder volume, slowed-down rate of speech that some idiots use on people when English isn't their native language: "This. is. a. SPORTS. CAR." Neither of us could believe it. We pulled out of the parking lot and called another Honda dealer while sitting in front of their building. She took delivery that next day.
2. Insisted that a college-graduate friend and his wife sign a sales contract before they would let him test-drive a vehicle (a Toyota Camry in this case). Admittedly this dude looked young, but he was a native New Yorker who was quick to recognize bullshit. He and his wife were also Cornell graduates. The dealer had the nerve to get an attitude with them.

 

[EdP]

Things dealers have done or tried to do to me:

Tried to get me to sign a piece of paper stating that I wouldn't leave until we'd agreed on a price (are you out of your cotton-picking mind?)

Absolutely incredible. The other items on your list are somewhat common and sleazy but you should consent to be voluntarily kidnapped? OMG, that is the best ever!
Thanks for the laugh of the day.

 

[TinsleyC]

Good stuff Aquineas, thanks for sharing.

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[Mcc]

Anytime in life someone across the table has a computer or calculator in front of them, you have one too. You are at a disadvantage if you are relying on someone else to do your math for you.

This has been at the top of my list for the last 20 years and I’m glad it’s at the top of yours. Especially critical to have a leasing app (and practice using it) on your computer even if you are not planning on leasing , just in case. I once went to a dealer and the salesman told me I could bring my computer into his office. That was a real laugh!