Dealership trade in prices are not what what their site claims!

After entering our vehicle information on dealers webpage, it came up with a trade in value as something I felt comfortable with. Once we test drove dealers vehicle, then set down to complete the sale we were offered 5K less than the site advertised. I showed sales person the picture of their site and trade in price they offered. Then sales manger added $5k to the selling vehicle and said that's how we do business. We were shocked and said no deal, then sales person asked us to leave. Today sales manager called, asked us to give him full statement of what took place and what it would take to earn our business, he was very understanding and patient, acting like he had no say in what took place night before. He was the one setting prices, very comical to say the least! After 30 minutes phone conversation we landed back at how he needs to make profit. Nothing really happened other than complete waste of time. I really don't know how they can sleep at night other than just not caring about others and dirty sales tactics.

 

Scum. You hear so many stories like this...

 

Places like that are giving car sales that are trying to change the perception a bad name. That's dick moves right there, multiple in the same interaction.
There's good ones out there, just getting over shadowed unfortunately.
They will see who prevails in the long run.

 

Feel free to list the name of dealer

 

Please tell us what dealer so others can be spared the experience.

 

Good cop bad cop routine. Stay away from this, as it seems they had the time to try and play a long game with you.

Name em' if possible.

 

Typical dealer shenanigans. They will always find a reason to low ball your trade. Most people would give in and not walk, so great job sticking to your plan.

 

I would go on every review site and submit a review on this dealer, in addition tell your story to Toyota. I had a bad experience and complained to Toyota about Cleveland Toyota in Cleveland Tn. Yes, Toyota really can't do anything to help you, but they will let the dealer know you complained. I know because the sales manager called me numerous times after I complained to Toyota.

Link below, click continue to fill out.

https://support.toyota.com/s/questions-comments?language=en_US

 

Not that this would have helped the OP, but I took some advice when I bought my '20 (new) and fully negotiated my '08 trade in and got it in writing. Then went to haggling over the '20, that way they couldn't try to peel off money from my trade in. I got to the point where I said no thanks, I'll think about it, maybe I'll call you and started walking out. Out came the sales manager and brought me back inside and we sealed the deal. Always be willing to walk away like the OP did.

 

I also like to have a Carmax offer for my vehicle in my back pocket. I got $500 over that piece of paper the last time I did this.

 

I did the Carmax appraisal first since I heard that Toyota would match it (May 2021). Carmax offered $14,000. When picking up my new 4R the Toyota dealership offered $12,000 for the trade-in. I showed them the Carmax offer and Toyota increased it to $14,000 immediately, no questions asked.

 

There is a vendor review part of the form, what about a dealership review

 

a dishonest car dealership? no way!

 

The same held true for me when buying new on other occasions. Carmax had the model and trim I wanted, so I let my local dealer I’d consider buying with them assuming the carmax price. I didn’t feel like haggling, so when the dealer accepted the going rate at carmax, we bought it.

 

I tend to take these shenanigans more personally than I should. That’s what they do. It’s their little dance that makes them feel….um, however it is they feel.

Well, not all of them act like this, but most do.

 

It’s surprising they ever offered a dollar amount sight unseen. Generally they try to avoid doing that because they want to see the car in person, for obvious reasons, but it also gives them an opportunity to walk around the vehicle with the owner and devalue it by pointing out flaws and questioning maintenance history and stuff like that. To be fair though, everyone comes in thinking their vehicle is pristine and worth top dollar. At the end of the day they are a business and they are there to make money.

 

Never trust a stealership!

 

Dealer online trade-in values are nothing more than a bait and switch trick. Just like the advertised low payments that nobody can get, its another way to lure you in to the dealership. Don't bother writing bad reviews or complaining to Toyota. Contact your state Attorney General and file a complaint. If enough folks complain they will investigate (and hopefully) bring the full force of the law. This is classic fraud.

 

Would not have gone back after initial humiliations.
Its my money to spend.

 

Carvana offers more. My experience.

 

Greedy bastards. Looking forward to the day inventories normalize and they have to go back to begging for sales.

 

Sorry to hear about your experience, OP. It happens. Good on you for walking away from a deceitful dealer.

Sometimes it just works out though. This dealer that I walked away from last year because they wouldn't give me the price I wanted for my 2016 4R, was the same dealer that took my 2023 Tundra 2 days ago at a trade-in price I was happy with.

 

This is another example about why the Brands want to move away from the dealership model. Everyone is at risk of becoming a service centre, a delivery point to the customer and a used car lot. I feel bad for the dealerships that practice ethical sales. They’re out there, but there is just. Or one in everyone’s neighbourhood.

 

Dealerships risk an uncertain revenue stream also with the transition to EV. EVs will have less parts to break and less items to service. Obviously there are big ticket items though like batteries.

Some face the decision to invest in equipment to adapt or get out of the away particularly more rural dealers.

I feel bad for the more honest ones also. Everyone needs to make buck to feed their family.

I am old school believe in treating people fairly, respectful, honestly, don’t mind letting someone make a buck as long as it not gouging and the circle hopefully goes fully around.

Too bad such a simple philosophy is not followed by more.

 

A cup of coffee typically has a 93.5% gross profit margin… where’s the outrage over all the other products, services, and businesses that have mark ups that are hundreds of percent higher than cars?

 

I still use dealerships for all my services. The certified techs are specialist in that motor brand.
Its a Catch22. Unfortunately, the idea of giving commission/incentive encourages manufactured lies for survival.
Its well. The world we live in

 

It used to be a free market economy so those wanting to spend that much on coffee can do so versus make their own. The consumer demand adjusted prices accordingly and demand rates adjusted. Add too much regulation and that messes with the whole system.

The OP presumably walked away from the deal, if enough of that activity occurs by dealer and consumers then something will need to change to move inventory.

A lot of people buy $5 plus Starbucks everyday and don’t complain at all and a lot of people like me make Maxwell House every morning. That’s our choices and a free market, those choices are not as accessible in other countries with more regulation.

 

I have never had a trade in make sense from a financial perspective. Last week we bought a 23 Camry and I had a 17 Honda fit that we were getting rid of. I let the dealer look at it but doubted they would give me what what I knew it was worth. They offered 10k and I passed. Went home and paid the $50 for an Autotrader ad. Sold it for $15k the following day to a dealer. What was interesting is I had 6 different dealers making bids for it.

I try to separate the games of trade in and how I am paying cash or financing it. Just the price of car nailed down and then move on to how I am paying for it. The shell game and moving numbers around is typical but I have learned and refined buying/selling cars over the years.

 

The problem is not people like OP that walked away.

The problem is that people have short term memory and will go back to that same dealer a year later and buy a car under different circumstances.

Change can’t and won’t happen unless consumers are in it for the long haul. A short term boycott does nothing. I personally will drive 1000 + miles to give my business to a dealer that cares vs forgetting about all of the price gouging my local dealers did during Covid.

 

I think feedback is good for dealerships. If a person walks away from a bad deal, that’s negative feedback for a dealership. If they offer a great deal and the person buys then it's positive feedback. I think they need feedback to actually change how they do business. So I don’t have a problem going back to the same dealership if I’m getting a great deal.