I purchased three cars (2005 SL500 and two 2007 GL450s) from a "prestigious" dealer in Bergen County, New Jersey. I had been wary about buying my latter vehicles at this dealership as I had less-than-stellar experiences with the SL500. I nonetheless bought the latter vehicles there due to its relative proximity to my home.

I found a low-mileage CPO vehicle on its website and placed a credit card deposit on the car through the salesperson (for one of the GL405s) on a Tuesday late afternoon. I told the salesperson that, as long as the car had no issues, I would purchase it on the following day.

During the very same Tuesday evening, a different customer visited the dealer and agreed to pay about $2500 more for the same vehicle. The sales manager decided to sell the vehicle despite the fact I had placed a deposit.

I learned about the incident on Wednesday morning. The sales manager kept referring to the situation as a "miscommunication" despite having acknowledged selling the "held" vehicle for a higher price. It wanted to make amends by selling a different vehicle to me!

I wanted to "vent" some steam about this "prestigious" dealer in Bergen County, New Jersey. More importantly, I wanted potential customers to be cautious. I will steer away potential customers....

 

Wow, I know you must be annoyed. You know it may be "legal" to do that if the "bill of sale agreement" was not signed, but it sure is a thoughtless thing to do.

I wouldn't let them off the hook now. You have serious leverage to ask for extras or discounts at this point. Everybody asks for them, butin your case, they have some making-up to do.In my opinion, they need toput a smile back on your face, especially since you're a repeat customer. I'd give them the opportunity to do it. I bet if you tell them in a nice calmunthreateningmanner that you expect them to make a consideration for the inconvenience, they will.

I used to live by the "I'll never go back" philosphy, but after a while there were no places left to go. Then for a while, I carried a tablet of state court complaint forms in my glovebox,would ask them for the necessary names and addresses, and complete theform in front of them; you make a lot of enemies that way. What DID make me feel better is tolearn how to accept people's mistakes and weaknesses, but at the same time hold them accountable and give them the opportunity to make things right. They usually will. Afterall, we alll make mistakes.

Let us know how this turns out.

Blue

 

I don't live in New Jersey or even go there; but, if you want to say something about what happened to you (and so it won't happen to someone else), NAME THE P DEALER!!!!

 

I understand sales are important, but if a customer puts a down payment or a credit towards a vehicle for a specified amount of time then there should be no problems. Especially at a more expensive dealership. That dealers 'miscommunication' was more of him being incompetent to customer service and not being to acknowledge the power ofreferrals.

 

I've been in sales forever. Not cars but I do know contracts. So, you say you put a credit card deposit, what paperwork was used for that? Did they run your card at all. Most companies would run it to check it's validity and that actually put's a hold on that money in your account for 24-72 hours. If they did anything like that or you have anything else in writing you have a very good chance of getting the car back at your price. Check into it. If you don't know, call your card company and ask if anything came from that dealer. Let me know and I might be able to advise more. you have spent a lot of money with them and you have been treated poorly. At the least, report them to you better business bureu and in most States they are licensed through the State dept. of Motor Vehicles which should also be interested in your complaint or use these possible reportings as leverage however,I wouldn't give them one more penney. It sounds like they are making too much of it to care.