What would you do?

[1ed]

I have been loolkign for a tow vehicle and posted such in the towing vehicle tread. Well I was going to go out of state and all of a sudden I found a vehicle about 30 miles from my home at a GM Dealer. So I called about the vehicle and saw pictures of it and made arrangements to see if first thing the next day. I arrived at the dealership and inspected the vehicle and took it for a road test and it was a good vehicle but not my first choice but thought it would work for what I wanted. During my inspection of the vehicle I noticed that the rubber around the door that is attached to the body was all ripped so I said we had a deal if they would replace the rubber seal.
They agreed and I put a $500 deposit on the vehicle and agreed to come back the next day with my wife and the money. Well after much discussion and looking at all the aspects I decided not to take the vehicle. So I called the dealership at 0800 the next morning and informed them that I was not going to purchase the vehicle and they said they are gong to charge me $125.00 for the rubber seal. Now that seal was all ripped and they told me I could come and get the rubber if I wanted. My feeling is they are wrong and should have refunded all of my money. HOW IS THIS RIGHT ? What are your thoughts? My plan is to write a review on YELP for what it is worth . Wife says forget it and move on....Don't want to go to small claims court but it just frost me if you know what I mean... Ed

[ksss]

I am not sure why customers expect a business to absorb costs like this. When I test drive a vehicle, I put fuel back in it. Consequently when I show up to test drive a vehicle, they are happy to see me. My trades are what I say they are. When I make a deal, I get a good one, but I am not looking for them to lose money selling to me. I have long time relationships with both the commercial GMC and Chevy dealers. They compete against each other for my business but I am friends with both. When I buy heavy equipment I do the same thing. I also call up the sales guys and take them to lunch, as they do me. I like to be a guy that companies actually want to do business with. Everyone has to make money, and the old saying "watch the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves" also applies. Listen....don't be Dbag to work with, and you will get farther. Establish a real relationship with your trading partners and you will get farther. Treat them like you would expect to be treated and you get farther and sleep better.

[BenK]

Agree with Mich and the main basis for dealers...heck both sides..distrust the other...as a large percentage of respondents on this one thread prove that need for a written contract

On that, if the OP did have a written contract and that dealer willing to forgo and only asked for coverage of expenses...we have found an honest dealer...

mich800 wrote:

captnjack wrote:


Your word may be YOUR bond but what about the other guy's word? Are you ready to trust HIM? Going through life on a handshake could cost you tons of lost money. Sad but true state of the world today. Plus, the world changes. Can't do anything about it. Keep up or step off.

Who said it was a bad idea to put pen to paper? In fact, this is a classic example where the dealer probably should have done so to protect themselves from a purchaser that was just window shopping. Written agreements are to protect and give remedies when one party will not fulfill their "word".

[Curly2001]

Pay the money and move on. They did what you asked them to do and YOU backed out.

[mich800]

captnjack wrote:


Your word may be YOUR bond but what about the other guy's word? Are you ready to trust HIM? Going through life on a handshake could cost you tons of lost money. Sad but true state of the world today. Plus, the world changes. Can't do anything about it. Keep up or step off.

Who said it was a bad idea to put pen to paper? In fact, this is a classic example where the dealer probably should have done so to protect themselves from a purchaser that was just window shopping. Written agreements are to protect and give remedies when one party will not fulfill their "word".

[captnjack]

BenK wrote:
Agree 100%...and allows the likes of Martin Shkreli and Heather Bresch the poster guy and gal for this topic...

So much depends...

If your state defines a verbal agreement as a biding contract, then they had an agreement. If it requires a written and signed (wet ink) piece of paper, then that is the agreement

Repeat, my word is my bond and live by that every second of every day....which as Bryan says...seems to be lost by this threads comments

Am 70 this year and guessing that level is lost or getting lost...but I'll not change and continue to teach those values to my family and the people around me...

mich800 wrote:
snip....

I guess we live in a society with no consequences for our actions. Unfortunately I see it every day in my business.

Your word may be YOUR bond but what about the other guy's word? Are you ready to trust HIM? Going through life on a handshake could cost you tons of lost money. Sad but true state of the world today. Plus, the world changes. Can't do anything about it. Keep up or step off.

[Bluhorn]

Come on people! The man did not live up to his own agreement. The dealer did fix the door seal. By the way,on that age and mileage truck the dealer would not fix it but would sell "as is". He paid for the part and paid an employee to install it. Was he supposed to eat that money? He could have kept the whole deposit.He was more than fair. If you cant stand behind your word dont give it!:RMove on

[Greene728]

I honestly can’t believe this thread even exists unless it was just to rile some folks up. Troll if you will. If it is legit then wow is all I can say. You make a deal contingent on repairs (no matter large or small repairs), then place a deposit on the vehicle. You then decide for unknown reasons to back out of said deal and get your feelings hurt when you are held responsible for your own terms or request. Then you question the dealers morals and or business practices. Am I missing something here?

Bottom line is never, ever, make a deal or especially put money down on something until you are sure of what you are doing or want. Why exactly did you back out anyways OP?

[BenK]

Agree 100%...and allows the likes of Martin Shkreli and Heather Bresch the poster guy and gal for this topic...

So much depends...

If your state defines a verbal agreement as a biding contract, then they had an agreement. If it requires a written and signed (wet ink) piece of paper, then that is the agreement

Repeat, my word is my bond and live by that every second of every day....which as Bryan says...seems to be lost by this threads comments

Am 70 this year and guessing that level is lost or getting lost...but I'll not change and continue to teach those values to my family and the people around me...

mich800 wrote:
snip....

I guess we live in a society with no consequences for our actions. Unfortunately I see it every day in my business.

[mich800]

captnjack wrote:

mich800 wrote:

jfkmk wrote:

mich800 wrote:

captnjack wrote:

2edgesword wrote:
The deposit is the cost of removing the vehicle from the market. You forfeit the deposit if you back out of the deal. I think the dealer is letting you off lightly by just charging the cost of the new rubber.

"the cost of removing the vehicle from the market"

What does that even mean? Sounds a little like "dealer speak" to me.

Plus I doubt they would "remove it" until it actually sold (deal done and closed out and vehicle fully paid for).

It was sold. Unless you are suggesting it would have been ok for the dealer to sell it to someone else after receiving the deposit. Having just purchased a used car last week I know how quick a good used vehicle can sell. I missed out on a half dozen just because I could not get to the location quick enough.

You dont know that because you dont know what the original agreement said.

So you are one of those that would sell it to someone else for a better price even though you took a deposit from someone else? I don't do business that way.

The dealer could keep it available to show prospective buyers and inform them a deposit has been made. The dealer could then inform the new prospective buyer if the deal fell through and the vehicle is available again. Nothing underhanded about it. It is smart business practice.
I'd imagine that deals fall through on a somewhat regular basis, just like this one did for the OP. Vehicles have gotten very expensive and complex. Deals can fall through for several reasons.

I guess we live in a society with no consequences for our actions. Unfortunately I see it every day in my business.

[captnjack]

mich800 wrote:

jfkmk wrote:

mich800 wrote:

captnjack wrote:

2edgesword wrote:
The deposit is the cost of removing the vehicle from the market. You forfeit the deposit if you back out of the deal. I think the dealer is letting you off lightly by just charging the cost of the new rubber.

"the cost of removing the vehicle from the market"

What does that even mean? Sounds a little like "dealer speak" to me.

Plus I doubt they would "remove it" until it actually sold (deal done and closed out and vehicle fully paid for).

It was sold. Unless you are suggesting it would have been ok for the dealer to sell it to someone else after receiving the deposit. Having just purchased a used car last week I know how quick a good used vehicle can sell. I missed out on a half dozen just because I could not get to the location quick enough.

You dont know that because you dont know what the original agreement said.

So you are one of those that would sell it to someone else for a better price even though you took a deposit from someone else? I don't do business that way.

The dealer could keep it available to show prospective buyers and inform them a deposit has been made. The dealer could then inform the new prospective buyer if the deal fell through and the vehicle is available again. Nothing underhanded about it. It is smart business practice.
I'd imagine that deals fall through on a somewhat regular basis, just like this one did for the OP. Vehicles have gotten very expensive and complex. Deals can fall through for several reasons.

[jfkmk]

Fordlover wrote:

1ed wrote:
I have been loolkign for a tow vehicle and posted such in the towing vehicle tread. Well I was going to go out of state and all of a sudden I found a vehicle about 30 miles from my home at a GM Dealer. So I called about the vehicle and saw pictures of it and made arrangements to see if first thing the next day. I arrived at the dealership and inspected the vehicle and took it for a road test and it was a good vehicle but not my first choice but thought it would work for what I wanted. During my inspection of the vehicle I noticed that the rubber around the door that is attached to the body was all ripped so I said we had a deal if they would replace the rubber seal.
They agreed and I put a $500 deposit on the vehicle and agreed to come back the next day with my wife and the money. Well after much discussion and looking at all the aspects I decided not to take the vehicle. So I called the dealership at 0800 the next morning and informed them that I was not going to purchase the vehicle and they said they are gong to charge me $125.00 for the rubber seal. Now that seal was all ripped and they told me I could come and get the rubber if I wanted. My feeling is they are wrong and should have refunded all of my money. HOW IS THIS RIGHT ? What are your thoughts? My plan is to write a review on YELP for what it is worth . Wife says forget it and move on....Don't want to go to small claims court but it just frost me if you know what I mean... Ed

Would you feel the same if you were the private seller of the vehicle, and a buyer came and said here is a 500 deposit, I'll come buy tomorrow if you replace the rubber seal? You perform the repair on your dime then they say hey, just kidding, give me my 500 back.

That actually wouldn't bother me at all. I would have done the repair myself, so it would have been $50. I would then point out the new deal to the next potential buyer and say yeah, there is stained carpeting because of a leaking seal, but look, I've fixed it. Actually, unless there was other damage besides the stain, I'd really clean the carpeting as well.

[Fordlover]

1ed wrote:
I have been loolkign for a tow vehicle and posted such in the towing vehicle tread. Well I was going to go out of state and all of a sudden I found a vehicle about 30 miles from my home at a GM Dealer. So I called about the vehicle and saw pictures of it and made arrangements to see if first thing the next day. I arrived at the dealership and inspected the vehicle and took it for a road test and it was a good vehicle but not my first choice but thought it would work for what I wanted. During my inspection of the vehicle I noticed that the rubber around the door that is attached to the body was all ripped so I said we had a deal if they would replace the rubber seal.
They agreed and I put a $500 deposit on the vehicle and agreed to come back the next day with my wife and the money. Well after much discussion and looking at all the aspects I decided not to take the vehicle. So I called the dealership at 0800 the next morning and informed them that I was not going to purchase the vehicle and they said they are gong to charge me $125.00 for the rubber seal. Now that seal was all ripped and they told me I could come and get the rubber if I wanted. My feeling is they are wrong and should have refunded all of my money. HOW IS THIS RIGHT ? What are your thoughts? My plan is to write a review on YELP for what it is worth . Wife says forget it and move on....Don't want to go to small claims court but it just frost me if you know what I mean... Ed

Would you feel the same if you were the private seller of the vehicle, and a buyer came and said here is a 500 deposit, I'll come buy tomorrow if you replace the rubber seal? You perform the repair on your dime then they say hey, just kidding, give me my 500 back.

[2112]

This is a new vehicle dealer in Ct with a 14 year old truck with 160K miles on their used lot? Those usually go straight to the auction barn down here unless it's in excellent condition or a high demand vehicle. There's not enough profit in it otherwise.

On the piece of rubber for $50 discussion, have we considered the same day delivery charge? I would be surprised he had that part on-hand. It's not a high volume item.

[Bird_Freak]

jfkmk wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:

jfkmk wrote:

One poster found it on the internet for 55, I found one for just over 50 for genuine gm part. I'm sure they're making money.

...

Well, I would hope they're making money, that's what keeps the doors open. They aren't going to stay open very long selling a $55 for $60.

My point was that if the internet price is 50, and they're making money, then the dealer paid a lot less for the piece of rubber. This was in response to someone questioning the original price.

Im not sure how this happens but it does. I recently bought a new Ford Motorcraft fuel pump in the Ford box from Rockauto. My friend is the parts manager at our local Ford dealer and he showed me his cost on the same thing. I bought it for $45.00 below his cost.:h

[hawkeye-08]

If the dealer had actually replaced the seal, then they have a cost to be covered. I'm not surprised by too much anymore, well when things go well with a transaction, I am surprised because I deal with the deals that have an issue all day for my job.