So 3 weeks ago I drive away in my new Ram truck, today the dealership calls me.

Dealer: How's it going with the new truck?

Me: Pretty good, couple little things but I like the truck

Dealer: Say we need a check for $700 because we miscalculated the sales tax.

Me: WTF wait a minute, didn't you tell me repeatedly don't worry about being from NJ, that you will take care of the sales tax, tags, and title?

The dealer is in MD, they had several days to get this all worked out before I even drove down there and they swore up and down they had it covered.

Idiots!

 

I always thought that once you drove off the lot the deal was done. However if you overpaid by $700 bucks I bet you would be pissed and would demand your money back. More then likely they would give it back. I think this sum's it up if you ask me. It was just as much your responsibility to check on the sales tax as it was their's. A simple phone call to the DMV would have solved this. Sorry just my opinion.

 

That's kinda bull****- it's their job to get that sort of thing right. I bought mine in a different province and I'd be pissed if they messed up and I ended up owing more.
Maybe you can get out of paying it- maybe they'd just write it off if it meant keeping a customer happy?

 

Yep I had calculated the sales tax myself and questioned them on this when I purchased the truck but they swore up and down it was lower because of the way they structured the deal. With my trade in, the 5 or 6 different incentives, rolling $3k of my previous loan into the new deal, and the sales tax only applying to the difference between my trade and the new truck I had to assume the finance guy knew what he was doing. He had spoken directly with NJ DMV on this even.

Anyway late breaking, the guy who called me was from the accounting office. I just called the finance guy who wrote the deal, he was unaware of the issue and is going to check into it. It could be the account office didn't understand how he structured the deal or the finance guy got it wrong we'll see.

 

see if you can replicate the deal (you thought) you got at another dealer. odds are you can, if you go in with a concrete price and the fact that you are a motivated buyer.
visit your original dealer and let them know you have worked out another deal and you will let them out of the sales contract unless they honor their deal.
it's not a sure deal but at least your have a little leverage if they decide to be hard asses.
good luck!
($700 will buy a lot of mods btw)

 

I bought my truck out of state and did not pay the dealer any sales tax. I took care of it myself when I registered the truck in my home state, and I'm glad I did because the dealer wanted me to pay sales tax on the rebates given ($8k), which I didn't end up having to pay, saving me about $600.

 

Look at your paperwork you signed in finance. If it is in order, look like you got an extra $700 off. there mistake. IMO, you don't owe them anything.

 

If you calculated the tax and knew it was too cheap then you shouldnt be too surprised.

I have had them screw up and take the rebates off pre-tax and come back looking for more money weeks later. It was an honest mistake made by a rookie finance guy at 8pm on a Saturday so I paid up, if I thought they were trying to screw me then I would have fought it. But tax is tax..

 

If it was an honest mistake and they don't feed me some BS excuse I'll probably chalk it up to **** happens and pay it. Ultimately I'm the one screwed in a Mexican standoff because until its paid I can't get my tags and registration.

This dealer has an excellent reputation and is active in their community and zero complaints against them. I was pretty impressed with them and the finance guy has been doing this for like 15 years so this issue is surprising.

 

Look you are even saying it yourself, a mistake has been made, why dont you offer to split it since they goofed.