How to avoid getting ripped off by the dealer

[4by4runr]

First. When you first pull in, before you get out, leave the engine running, and then continue right back out the exit.
Second. Become mildly mechanically inclined. These are the easiest vehicles to due general maintenance on.
Thirdly. Whatever the dealer says the price is, is immediately 25% more than a fair deal.
Fourth and final. If for some reason you agree to a price, just go somewhere else. These places are designed to take every penny you have as fast as they possibly can and with as little moral regard as possible.
IE They could give a F%$^ about you unless you are giving them money. Every position there is SALES, this is what they do. Whether you need something or not, they will say you do.
That's my .02 for the day.

 

[The Yin]

He's right you know.

When I first had my Yota I think I took it in to the dealer for an oil change or 2. Bought it used as the 3rd owner with just under 70k on it.

One day they tell me the brake pads are worn and quote $400+ to replace them. I was new to the auto world and had never worked on brakes before. Know what I told them?
"I'll be there to pick up my Runner soon, don't do a thing with the brakes, I'll replace them myself." Replacing the brake pads on these trucks is one if the easiest things to do. It probably takes me longer to get the truck off the ground and remove the tires then it does to pull the pads and drop in the new ones.

These dealers must be charging $100+ per hour of labor for some of these repairs.

 

[Atlanta_man]

What really irks me is the service advisor who shows you his computer with all the 'recommended' maintenance for your vehicle's age and mileage.

It is a lot longer than the Toyota recommended maintenance.

The main trouble with visiting a dealer is that you are greatly outmatched in all areas.
They do their thing every day and even hire consultants that teach them how to squeeze your wallet.

 

[Montego Murph]

My favorite thing that I've noticed is the inconsistencies...

Sales guy: "yes, you would be wise to buy this (insert vehicle here.) It's the longest lasting most reliable model we sell. Why, we have several with over 200,000 miles on them that still run and look new!"

(when bringing it in for service)

Sales guy "Are you here to check out the new models?"

You: "No thanks, I'm just having my tires rotated. Still love my (whatever.)"

Sales guy "oooh, you're still driving that old car? It says here that thing has nearly 50k miles on it. It's going to start nickel and diming you soon. A lot of people bring them in with 75k with the engines and transmissions TOTALLY blown. You really should trade it in now while it's still worth anything at all."

 

[Inv4drZm]

My dad takes his 2013 Tundra to the dealer in my town to get the oil changed because it costs him $40 more to do it in KC where he lives.

 

[Samm25]

My favorite thing that I've noticed is the inconsistencies...



Sales guy: "yes, you would be wise to buy this (insert vehicle here.) It's the longest lasting most reliable model we sell. Why, we have several with over 200,000 miles on them that still run and look new!"



(when bringing it in for service)



Sales guy "Are you here to check out the new models?"



You: "No thanks, I'm just having my tires rotated. Still love my (whatever.)"



Sales guy "oooh, you're still driving that old car? It says here that thing has nearly 50k miles on it. It's going to start nickel and diming you soon. A lot of people bring them in with 75k with the engines and transmissions TOTALLY blown. You really should trade it in now while it's still worth anything at all."

Had almost this exact same thing happen to me the other day. Went into the dealer looking for a used vehicle my dad saw online for himself. The salesman thought the car was for me until I told him so. His response? “We can do two deals with your 4Runner trade since it’s near it’s last leg” I laughed and told him “last leg? I just topped out the speedometer the other day, and never had an issue with anything on this truck. My 190k will get me through another 190k without any issues”

It’s funny how knowledgeable these salesmen think they are until you challenge them with your mechanical knowledge. They usually don’t have much to say to that.

Oh. And when I had them appraise it just for fun to see what they’d offer me (not looking to sell at all, just waste their time like they waste mine) they came back at me with $3,000 trade in. I laughed, got up, grabbed my keys and said “no thanks”
It’s an ‘05 V8 with 190k, I’m the second owner, and there is no body damage, accidents, etc. I could sell it for $8k if I wanted to.

 

[Atlanta_man]

The last used car I bought from a dealer (don't ask, it was for my girlfriend), was touted by the salesman for its good value, high reliability and resale value. All true.

But then a long pitch for an extended warranty warning about the high risk of all those electronic things failing.

 

[kingofthehill]

I was with my dad when he bought his last new car several years ago at our local Toyota dealer. When in the finance office the salesman was trying to sell the extended warranty. He was talking it up saying it would cover any mechanical issue and all that. My dad told him "I'm buying a Toyota, I don't need a warranty." after that he changed tact and said it would cover new speakers and that his last Toyota blew speakers within a week of leaving the lot. So he wanted my dad to spend several thousand dollars to warranty $100 worth of speakers.

 

[duffdog]

Do your research and get a cashiers check for the full value of the EXACT model that you want, without any dealer "upgrades". Walk into the dealer with the check and go directly to the finance manager and ask if you want to do this deal for this car right now and I will be out in 15 minutes, if they say anything like "well...(insert salesperson words)", just leave. period. I have called another dealer while sitting in the finance managers office just to verify that I could get the same car $5000 cheaper somewhere else and left that place and went to the other dealer and bought it...

The advise in this thread is gold, the dealer salespeople take special classes to find out how to scam people, and if those people can't be scammed, waste their time:mad2:.