The end of December we ordered a new Coachmen Freedom Express 231RBDS to replace our 2007 Maxlite 23RS. Everything went very well, no high pressure tactics, and the final price negotiated was 38% below MSRP. The morning we were to take delivery I got an email from the dealer's finance person confirming our delivery time and to bring a cashiers check for a certain amount. I looked at the number and saw that it was over $1000 more than what was on the sales "Worksheet" (the term that was on the top of the paper) that we had signed. I pulled the paper and immediately saw the problem - they had not put in sales tax. In the back and forth of the negotiations no one had noticed this. I had a check for the amount that was on my sales document.
I decided to wait until we got to the dealership to talk this over. When we got there and sat down with the finance manager I began very politely and calmly with an explanation of what happened and that I had a check for the amount we had signed for. The finance person excused herself and said that she would get the sales manager. I need to add that I had called my friend who is an attorney with an Ohio county prosecutors office who works on the civil side of the operation - mostly contracts - to ask about the issue. In short, he said that the dealership did not have to honor the price on my "Worksheet".
The sales manager comes into the office where we are and I again politely and calmly explained the situation and emphasized that this had been missed by the sales person, the sales manager, and the finance/business office until the morning I was due to pick up my camper and that I expected them to honor that number. He was polite and calm as well and said that you have to pay sales tax and that is something they have no choice but to charge me. I said yes I understand, but that he should not turn this around on me. You do this every day and the paperwork clearly states this is the balance due on delivery. I suggested that he give us more on our trade to make the bottom line match the figure we had. He said that he would look at the deal and my trade and be back in a few minutes.
When the sales manager returned after about 15 minutes he had a new "Worksheet" that had increased the amount for my trade by over $1000 so that the bottom line matched my original signed "Worksheet". Both he and the finance manager apologized several times and thanked us for our business. The rest of the delivery process went very well. My wife and I were very glad that a potentially nasty situation turned out so well.
(I posted this on another forum also)
2021 Grand Design Transcend 240ML
2017 GMC Sierra 1500, 4wd, 5.3L, Crew Cab, Standard Bed, Heavy Duty Tow Package
Equil-I-zer hitch
