I'm up at my local dealer this morning. Had to run to Wally World to pick up a 'script (I hate shopping at Wally World but my BP meds are $4 a month there and Walgreens & CVS want over $30, but that's another story).

So anyway, it takes me right past the dealership and I play in a Friday nite golf league with the GM, so I just stopped in to BS for a few.

While I'm standing around waiting for the GM to get done with a customer in his office, I wonder outside and am listening to a salesman talking to a prospective buyer right in front of a 2500 QC 4x4 CTD (nice truck I might add, wouldn't mind having it myself).

I'm listening and the salesman (whose title is "Truck Sales Specialist" at the dealership) is telling this guy and the chick with him that the truck has MDS and goes all the way thru the entire "how MDS works by shutting down HALF OF THE 8 CYLINDERS and saves you so much GAS"!!!

Sad thing is, Mr. & Mrs. Gullible are buying the whole schpeel! Didn't even pick up on the "saves GAS", let alone the fact that NO 2500, not even gassers have MDS and it sure the hell ain't in a 6 Cyl. diesel engine.

I think the biggest insult here is that because the truck is a 3/4 ton there are NO MPG numbers on the window sticker and when the girl asks the salesman what kinda GAS mileage they could expect, the salesman says, "Well around town maybe 15 or 16, but on the highway, when the MDS kicks in, 25 easy."

You guys just don't know how hard I'm biting my tongue at this point! I honestly don't know if this "truck sales specialist" is a con man or is just clueless on the product he's selling?

The thing that really got me is I couldn't resist to tattle on the guy to his boss when I finally got into the GMs office and this guy shrugs it off and says to me "does it really even matter?"...


I just had to post this out here...

 

The guy that i bought my truck from told me the 2007 models have already sold and that they wouldn't get any more black ones except 2008 models. So i bought my truck and then a week and a half later I went to pick up some paperwork and a matching truck except hemi and Center console was sitting in place of mine. About $500 more. I was not happy and asked to see him and guess what? He quit.

 

I think we all have had a "learn the hard way" situation with car/truck purchases. It's just really sad that a lot of people depend on the information shared by sales people, and can clearly be lied to, taken advantage of, and/or stolen from. Unfortunate the only place to buy brand new is from a dealer. Internet is full of info, do your research!

 

One of the car mags had some "salesman stories" in an issue many years ago. "Go ahead and take it home. If you don't like the six, bring it back and the service manager will put a V-8 in for you."

Hammer, I think I would've called him on it or at least tell the couple they were being woofed (actually I've done that before).

 

I was looking at a CTD once on a dealer lot and they were talking about how the thing was babied and such.. never towed, never beat on.. Started it up heard what I thought was an odd thunk... shut if off looked underneath.. broken motor mount... so much for that however many point inspection BS lol

 

I would have piped up and put the salesman in his spot. I hate mis-information especially when there is a massive purchase and the customer is relying upon the salsman to get the correct info.
Little does the chick know how bad the gas mileage really would be. It should be illegal to sell false information like that. That is exactly what is going on in that situation.

I always pipe up if I'm in a grocery store or Lumber yard and over hear things on a topic that I know about. i have no shame or embarassment in letting things fly in person, well, used to be on here too...lol

 

I thought about it, usually I'm real good at "showing my a$$" and ain't very discreet about it. I got into it pretty good with the service manager there one time when I took my mom's Caravan she used to have there for a free oil change (they give 3 years, 36k mile free oil changes/tire rotation on new vehicle purchases there).

Was a guy there with a totally torn up rear diff, good old "C-Clip" issues and the service manager is telling the guy right in front of me that he's NOT gonna be able to warranty the repair, that there were obvious signs of abuse and HE'D NEVER SEEN A LSD FAIL IN A RAM!

I let him have it, big time, right in front of the customer and everyone else within a quarter mile.

Put me in a bad situation with the GM, who was taking golf lessons from me at the time. I don't give the guy lessons anymore, as I'm not working as a golf pro now, BUT I have to see the guy EVERY Friday night and occasionally Sunday's at the course. He's not on my "team" Friday's but I have to see him just the same.

Don't worry though, I did let the GM know about the salesman and that I wasn't a happy camper with the situation. I don't think the guy and girl are gonna buy that truck, I might be wrong, gut he was young (like HS age or just older) and the chick looked all of about 18 and was pregnant. Their car was an older small KIA, I think the guy was dreaming. I might be wrong, but the guy just didn't look to me like someone who could afford a $48k truck...

 

I would have spoken up also. If not in front of the sales person due to trying to me mature and professional, I certainly would have caught the couple on the side and told them how it really is.

Anyone who trusts a sales persons is retarded anyway.

 

When I bought my truck it was a long distance deal. I live in Ontario and truck was in Edmonton, Alberta.

Had the salesman send me pictures and service reportsthat stated the truck was in top condition. Even had a friend make the 2ish hour drive from Calgary up to Edmonton to look at the truck for me. He told me it runs and drives well, only thing was it had a huge stonechip on the windshield and the step rails had a broken bracket. Looking back I should have had him bring the truck to a 3rd party garage for an inspection...live and learn I guess.

So I mentioned those to the salesman. He told me he'd have the bracket welded and the windshield replaced for me.

So anyways we make a verbal deal and I fly out to Edmonton to pick it up. Get on the lot to see my truck in person for the first time only to find that the windshield was not replaced like it was supposed to be.

I got in Edmonton at 3 on a Friday and was staying in Calgary so I had nowhere to stay and had no time to fight with him over the windshield. So I took it as it was.

Drive to Calgary and stay a few days then drive the 2000km`s home. Bring the truck to my shop for a safety and low and behold the front end needs a bunch of work. Both upper and lower balljoints had rediculous play in them and one tie rod had to be replaced.

Phoned the dealer up while completely enraged at the situation and the owner of the dealership told me it was a "difference of mechanical opinion" as to whether or not the front end of the truck was road worthy. They sold me this truck completely knowing the first thing I was doing with it was a 2000km road trip.

Long story short the dealer wouldn't accept any responsibility for it, but luckily those were the only major issues I came across.

 

Most dealers in my area automatically include a 3 month/ 3000 mile warranty with a used car purchase, at least with fairly late model vehicles. I would suggest to anyone looking at a used car demand one IN WRITING if the dealer doesn't offer one up.

You pay MORE for a used car at a dealer than private sale, and you should expect that the dealer checked the thing over before committing to it on a trade. ANY dealer worth a damn would have no issue offering a short period warranty if they actually did the "23 point inspection" they say they do...