Talking about new trucks a lot - so ....

cdlaine wrote:
Bill,

Your experience is exactly the same as I had... exactly.
A waste of time... perhaps I misunderstood what they offering
(as one poster has indicated). In addition to the calls, I
also noticed that all the pop-up ads I started receiving were
Chevy/GMC etc. related ads. What I naively expected to receive
were price quotes based on the configuration I requested including
any "special offers" by GM, and, reflecting the stated USAA
discount. I received neither. Again, my error... I won't do
that again. I e-mailed my disappointment to USAA....crickets.

Charles

Right - what I expected according to the USAA website - I'd get a price and a discount for a truck as I configured it, and a location if one was around, or a price for one that could be ordered (Ordered from ANY dealer).

What I did not expect - a bunch of phone calls telling me to 'come in for a price, get a deal' I can do that anytime, and without USAA.

In addition: I began getting emails with 'best deal pricing' on 1500s (4x4) but one even a 1500 2x4 ... So, I get window stickers for 1500's ...

Well, of course, maybe I read USAA page wrong, about what it offered, but if I did, it's because they intended me to read it wrong.

In my mind, right now, it was a way to get my name to a bunch of dealers AND bypass the 'do-not-call' list - It did on NO way do what I expected - another new method for bypassing what a customer wants, and getting into a wallet.

I'm guessing one thing tho, that will eventually come out of all this internet selling -- the dealers will one day understand that they better start giving out real prices and real 'deals' on the web (and be prepared to standby it too) or they'll lose customers to dealers that do it.

In fact, two days later, I got ONE real truck, and ONE real price - on the email, just as I requested. And, although that truck (in stock) was not what I ordered, she said that was as close as she had in stock, and that she would offer the same discount in dollars on any truck she could find or she would order one - and give the same discount in dollars.

She is the ONLY dealer that did what I asked. So, guess who I'll call when/if I decide to buy one?

And, hopefully, that will be the wave of the future (True web pricing and discounts) - instead of us all traveling all over the place and sitting under the 'hot lights' at a sales table while we get interrogated about our financial position and squeezed out of every possible dollar ...

Truck buying should be fun - and make us smile - but most often, it does the opposite. We know all dealers will sell the same truck for the same cost - within a few bucks. So, why is it none of them will tell you the price until you've jumped through all kinds of hoops?

Well, because they KNOW all dealers will sell for the same price - and they don't want to be honest, nor do they want you to 'get away'.

IF I could believe for one second all dealers were telling the truth (HA, sound like a TV game show) the I'd simply go into the most local dealer and ask what amount I should write in my check. Instead, we get a huge run-around, that talks about EVERYTHING BUT the final price. How big a payment do you want, how much are you putting down, what color do you want - NONE of which has anything to do with price of the vehicle.

Funny think too - when I first 'built the truck' on the GMc site, it came up with a price (equipped exactly as I want) for a price (without discounts) that was over $2000 LESS than the same configuration on the USAA site, when it sent the certificate - exact same configuration -- $2000 LESS on the GMC build site - so, I'll say that again ...

Mostly, I shared this so you all would know - expect a huge number of calls if you sign up for any of these 'membership deals' -- it's not a deal, it's a release of your information ... SO, now, I'll remove my naive' hat and stick it in the laundry ...

The real giveaway for a truth? Here's our BEST price, but if another dealer gives you a lower price, we'll match it. Just exactly how contradictory is that statement?