B@W (Bored at Work) 2023

[sonicsdaman]

A few days in and it's still running

Glad you found it. God knows how much that would have cost at the dealer.

I'm pretty sure the dealer I picked my car up at isn't there any more, and they were the only local fiat place......

[Fiat500USA]

Good morning y'all TGIF!

A few days in and it's still running

I'm pretty sure the dealer I picked my car up at isn't there any more, and they were the only local fiat place......

Glad you found it. Sad news about the dealer(s).

We had a new dealer open up 45 minutes from me. Seems they couldn't care less about Fiat. Never responded to me. I had the same problem when I bought my Prima. The first dealer I contacted repeatedly never got back to me after I told the I had a check to buy a car at full list price. All the had to do was to hand me the keys and they would have gotten a ton of publicity. Thank god for Fiat of Larchmont. They're a real dealer and 100% enthusiastic. Shame there is barely anything to sell.

[map]

The first dealer I contacted repeatedly never got back to me after I told the I had a check to buy a car at full list price.

When I bought my '18, I told them I had cash. The salesman's response was, "Wait. Let me check with the manager. I don't know if you can pay that way."

[Fiat500USA]

When I bought my '18, I told them I had cash. The salesman's response was, "Wait. Let me check with the manager. I don't know if you can pay that way."

Sometimes a dealer will give away a car when they know they'll make money on the financing. If there is no money on the financing and they took a mini deal on the car, the GM will have an aneurysm. But, as they say, half a loaf is better than no loaf. If a salesman makes a deal without knowing if you're financing, and they give you a no profit deal, you can bet the salesman will get his butt handed to him by his boss.

At one point, there were incentives for the dealer to hit certain sales goals and the dealer would get some bonus cash back. That gave an incentive for some dealers to cut deals at or under invoice with the hope they would hit their goal and get some of that back end money. That caused a lot of the price wars between dealers, especially in California. These deep discounts by the high volume dealers drove a lot of other dealers out of business. We lost a lot of the smaller enthusiast dealers that cared. There was very little money in a 500 once they started the price wars.

Originally, it was going to be everyone paid the same, fair price. The dealers could then afford to have the amenities we all like and expect, a full staff for support and pay for nice facility they were forced to build. That went out the window once the American-car style deep discount philosophy took over. Sad.

[map]

Yeah, they just didn't have anyone paying cash these days, though a friend told me they suspect people paying cash. I offered to bring in a cashier's check but they said to pay by personal check. I've used about 4 checks this century, so had to dig around, looking for the book. After the purchase, I wondered if they were getting an OK from local cops. When I bought my Dodge 13 years earlier, the deal took about 40 minutes. This purchase took over 4 hours.

[Fiat500USA]

Un the old days, it was only a certified or bank check. Now, they seem to want a personal check.

Maybe it took so long 'cause they had to prep the car? Most, or maube all dealers around here can issue license plates on the spot. When I sold cars, we used to have to go down to the DMV and wait on line to get new plates. The "spot delivery" they do now doesn't give people anytime for buyer's remorse.

[smark]

I’ve bought 40 some new, and used cars over the years. Paid cash for them, took out small short term loans.
I always use cashier's checks to pay for my cars, over years. Guaranteed money back.
The Fiat 500, I paid cash for. It was a brand new 2011 model. The price sticker
was $21k. I negotiated, I got the car for $19,500. The cars were just sitting on
the lot. 40 new ones, 2012 Fiat 500’s. They were issues with the one we bought
At delivery time. The car wouldn’t start. They ordered me a new one from the factory
loaded for the negotiated price.

I might use a personal check, or use credit car to on a down payment.
On a car I have on order. Many moons ago we ordered a brand new1992 Accord,
It came to the dealership damaged. The dealership want to fix it for us.
I back out of the deal. The deposit 500 bucks was on the credit card.
Had the dealership get me another car.

[map]

Un the old days, it was only a certified or bank check. Now, they seem to want a personal check.

Maybe it took so long 'cause they had to prep the car? Most, or maube all dealers around here can issue license plates on the spot. When I sold cars, we used to have to go down to the DMV and wait on line to get new plates. The "spot delivery" they do now doesn't give people anytime for buyer's remorse.

Yes, prep of the car was part of it. They started prepping the car after 3 hours into my wait. Their 2 car wash dudes put in the floor mats and attached the front license holder, which I assume took about 10 minutes, and they didn't have time to install the antenna. I think they preferred the personal check in the hopes of up-selling options. They actually said they didn't want cash or a certified check.

I saved $4K by purchasing in Southern Oregon where there seem to be a number of cash-rich people with no registered occupation. I'm guessing that might have been most of the delay. Local dealers don't issue plates but they do require you to submit application via the dealer. That allows the dealer to tack on an addition $200 to $1200 as a service fee. It also allows the state to double-charge you for plates, if you want one of the special plates. When replacing license plates on your car, the state offers a variety of choices. When buying a new car, you are out the price of the plates they ship you and have to pay again for the new set.

[Fiat500USA]

Yes, prep of the car was part of it. They started prepping the car after 3 hours into my wait. Their 2 car wash dudes put in the floor mats and attached the front license holder, which I assume took about 10 minutes, and they didn't have time to install the antenna. I think they preferred the personal check in the hopes of up-selling options. They actually said they didn't want cash or a certified check.

I saved $4K by purchasing in Southern Oregon where there seem to be a number of cash-rich people with no registered occupation. I'm guessing that might have been most of the delay. Local dealers don't issue plates but they do require you to submit application via the dealer. That allows the dealer to tack on an addition $200 to $1200 as a service fee. It also allows the state to double-charge you for plates, if you want one of the special plates. When replacing license plates on your car, the state offers a variety of choices. When buying a new car, you are out the price of the plates they ship you and have to pay again for the new set.

What a racket Disappointing hearing about crappy service. The dealer that sold my Wife her Grand Cherokee also wanted a personal check. Weird.

[Fiat500USA]

Hi everyone. TGIF