Bait and Switch ...You be the judge

[Ben2023L]

We have all probably been there. Smarmy salesman who knows he can sell you something you weren't interested in. Thinks the old 75 year old is a mark waiting to be convinced. Not caring the cost in time and .... well read on ...Ahhh so begins the tale:
We drove 4 1/2 hours based on assurances the truck would be ready and could close a deal right then. I offered a credit card to provide earnest money on the deal which was rejected and was sent a dealer Deal Sheet # 12619 listing all costs and final price. He had my cell phone number and I was on time. He waited until I was seated and told me the truck was sold 20 minutes earlier. Then he and a sales manager? tried to sell me a truck that I repeatedly said I was not interested in. I finally told them a price I would consider concerning the outgoing model year and what was below what I could do locally and to "make things right" knowing they would not take it and to show my disgust with how cavalier they were with what had occurred, And car dealers wonder why they are not trusted (2024 KPA Dealership Trust Survey conducted by The Harris Poll). Knowing I was coming, a reasonable salesman would insure the car would be available by placing a temporary hold on anyone selling it until after the time I said I would be there. The process turned into all the appearances of a classic bait and switch where the salesman knew if it was sold he could convince me to buy from older in stock vehicles. The alternative to that manipulation is indifference to buyers time and resources where a day of 2 peoples lives were wasted driving to this dealership. Time is a resource that can't be replaced.
We traveled 244 miles @ 70 cents per mile (IRS mileage rate)=$140.80 round trip $341.60 is a real cost not including eating on the road. They knew I wasn't local so why would they care if I never returned.
Now its your turn to add to the madness with your tale of woe

this is why i won’t buy from a dealer

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[CJV]

would I have done things differently? sure
I have bought and sold dozens of cars and motorcycles where I traveled to pick them up. This is the first time I was burned. When I look at the time stamps for communicating (less than an hour total including looking at reviews of the salesman and dealership) and getting a verbal commitment that the truck would be there I figured it would wrap up like every other time I purchased at a distance. How long have you sat at a dealer closing a deal? How long do you take sending documents back and forth. I would never buy anything without trying it and I certainly would not fly or drive overnight under these circumstances. When you are dealing with an established dealer one expects a certain level of professionalism. So second guess all you want, my experience can be used as a cautionary tale. Bottom line for me was the way we were treated. I guess I'm just old school. As far as bait and switch goes, the car was sold before I got there and instead of calling they decided to wait til I got there and took their time to set me up for buying another truck. If it ain't there and you try to sell something else wellll if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck ;-)
So anyone else have a horror story

 

[hibred]

I had just the different thing happen. I called a dealer 2 hours away that I saw a maverick on their website and did they still have it? the salesman said he would check and call me back. He called back 10 minutes later and said it was there then said he would put a hold on it till I could get there to look at it. That said I drive there to look at it test drove it then bought it price agreed on with pick up the next day. Signed papers but did not need a deposit. they said papers signed and a hand shake was their way of doing business. Great place Holiday Ford FDL.wisconsin

 

[gzebrick]

Bait and switch. Almost had a similar situation, had a deal over the phone, was about to drive 200 miles and had a bud taking a day off of work. I called the dealer at 6 pm the night before telling them we were heading out first thing in the am and could the car be ready for,pickup. I let him know I’d be pissed if it wasn’t ready as we were on a short time frame to get there and back and only had a short window to get through the paperwork. That’s when he calls me back 10 minutes later and says he was told the car was sold.

Total,BS. Can’t trust most dealers unless they have a proven track record of straight sales. Thinking Granger Ford and probably Long McArthur ford are two good ones.

 

[babytruk]

It’s been a while, but I remembered this MTC post you can search for:
Updated List of Dealerships (Good, Bad, Warning)

• Thread starterprsncat
• Start dateMay 13, 2023

Is your dealer on this list?

 

[dalola]

You should've asked to speak to the business owner and/or the GM before leaving. If nothing else, you'll feel better.

 

[MavTed]

this is why i won’t buy from a dealer

So who do you buy from?

 

[OB1e]

Please leave bad reviews on Google and bbb. The first sign was not taking a down payment. 9 hrs round trip? How many tables and chairs did you get to chuck across the room?

 

[Propane Burning Man]

I would bet a lot of buyers use some cash, meaning Benjamin's, to complete the deal. I can't be the only here that sold my old truck to a private party for cash, then use that money to partly pay for the Maverick. So sometimes getting all the paperwork done before you arrive is not going to happen. And no, I am not depositing a wad of Benjamins into the bank that pays me 0% that I helped bail out back in 2008, and snitches on me to the feds.

 

[ice445]

The fact they wouldn't let you put a deposit is proof the truck was already sold before you ever called. They just respected you and your time so little that they decided not to tell you lol

 

[Cherokee]

Op said, “He had my cell phone number and I was on time. He waited until I was seated and told me the truck was sold 20 minutes earlier.”

Right then and there Idda said F U very much and walked out. But before I walked out I’d let them know I was going to devote nine hours of my time on social media making sure as many people as possible know how much of a Fock tard that dealer was.
9 hour round trip drive equals 9 hours of non favorable reviews.
Then I’d write a letter to Ford Corporate.

Would it make any difference?
Of course not.
But I’d go to jail for punching the salesman in the face.

 

[JDMaverick]

Maybe you should have made them show you the bill of sale for the truck you wanted, so you could see the date and time of the sale. May have been sold a few days before, which is why they didn’t want your deposit.

 

[DragonLady]

I think I would let corporate Ford know of this shoddy treatment

 

[gumball]

We have all probably been there. Smarmy salesman who knows he can sell you something you weren't interested in. Thinks the old 75 year old is a mark waiting to be convinced. Not caring the cost in time and .... well read on ...Ahhh so begins the tale:
We drove 4 1/2 hours based on assurances the truck would be ready and could close a deal right then. I offered a credit card to provide earnest money on the deal which was rejected and was sent a dealer Deal Sheet # 12619 listing all costs and final price. He had my cell phone number and I was on time. He waited until I was seated and told me the truck was sold 20 minutes earlier. Then he and a sales manager? tried to sell me a truck that I repeatedly said I was not interested in. I finally told them a price I would consider concerning the outgoing model year and what was below what I could do locally and to "make things right" knowing they would not take it and to show my disgust with how cavalier they were with what had occurred, And car dealers wonder why they are not trusted (2024 KPA Dealership Trust Survey conducted by The Harris Poll). Knowing I was coming, a reasonable salesman would insure the car would be available by placing a temporary hold on anyone selling it until after the time I said I would be there. The process turned into all the appearances of a classic bait and switch where the salesman knew if it was sold he could convince me to buy from older in stock vehicles. The alternative to that manipulation is indifference to buyers time and resources where a day of 2 peoples lives were wasted driving to this dealership. Time is a resource that can't be replaced.
We traveled 244 miles @ 70 cents per mile (IRS mileage rate)=$140.80 round trip $341.60 is a real cost not including eating on the road. They knew I wasn't local so why would they care if I never returned.
Now its your turn to add to the madness with your tale of woe

Please name names or all this thread has done was rile people up for no good reason. We should know who is out there being unscrupulous. Don't protect these fools. Doesn't sound like they need protection testing a 75 year old.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

Maybe you should have made them show you the bill of sale for the truck you wanted, so you could see the date and time of the sale. May have been sold a few days before, which is why they didn’t want your deposit.

How do you make a business show you somebody else's sales contract with their personal information on it?
That isn't going to happen.

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