One Lexus dealership just never returned my call or email.

At one dealership I was bounced back and forth between to salesperson's and each said something different about the deposit process so I bailed

One said a vehicle was mine but I found out they were lying and never had secured said vehicle from their "Trading Partner".

The actual dealership that had the vehicle (from above) let me put a deposit down saying that pricing would be MSRP. Now I see this on their website called Out of Market ADM - "For customers that are out of our primary market we charge an additional fee of $1995 to offset the loss in future service business. The lifetime value of a local loyal customer exceeds this by substantially more but we need to offset some of these losses selling out of market." There's also another $685 fee for 3M protection and VIN etching which I also don't want but it doesn't **** me off near as much as the Out of Market ADM which I think should be eagle honestly.

Anyway, I'm just ranting as I was really looking forward to the GX. Now I'm 95% sure I won't be getting it and I'm honestly tired of trying to find a vehicle and will probably forget about replacing my 4Runner for the next 6 months.

I also will NEVER EVER try to buy a vehicle that isn't on the lot. From now on if I can't drive away with it that day then I don't want it.

I emailed the salesperson and she is going to have to talk to the GM on Monday when she's back in the office. I flat out told her in my reply that I'm not paying that so if they demand it be paid I'd like a refund of my deposit as it wasn't disclosed before I placed my deposit.

 

I hate all dealers. When this supply and demand thing subsides, I will pinch them for every penny I can.

I am not in the market for a new vehicle right now, maybe 2 years. When the time comes, I will pit each dealer against one another and go for every last penny.

They have the upper hand now, but times will eventually go back to normal and I will be more ruthless than ever.

Too many stories of unscrupulous dealers taking advantage of the situation. Payback will be a bi**h.

I hate all dealers, can’t you tell......

 

I'm right there with you. I'm tempted to wait it out as while we are down to a single vehicle currently we really don't need two vehicles either.

I don't know why but the "You're not going to be giving us money for ongoing maintenance so we're just going to charge you $2K for something that we wouldn't be doing anyway" just pisses me off.

The Market Adjustment stuff annoys me but I at least understand it. This Out of Market bull***** just pisses me off as it's just wrong. I'm probably going to open a case with Lexus corporate about it as that specific BS charge seems beneath Lexus and leaves me with a diminished view of Lexus as a whole if they let that stuff slide honestly.

 

So, my thesis for my Executive MBA is titled "An Automotive Revolution, Transforming the Way Americans Buy Cars."

Here is an excerpt:

You can help me by collecting links to various sources of information, and posting them here, in this thread. Throughout this semester (my final one, thankfully!) I will look and collect data from the various sources. They do not have to be peer-reviewed, journal articles, as I have enough of those. If you think it's important, post it here, and at the end of all of this, I will post in the thread notifying all that the paper is ready. If you are interested in reading it, I will email you a copy, or share it on google docs. Crowdsourcing is an outstanding way of gathering information and collecting data. You don't have to just randomly go searching for this info unless you want to. But if you come across relevant info in your automotive travels (most of us are car enthusiasts after all), I would greatly appreciate it.

 

Agreed. They are taking advantage of the situation. We are in a bad spot, if you can wait it out, that may be your best bet. The question is how long this madness will continue.

 

[QUOTE=jlficken;11132815

I also will NEVER EVER try to buy a vehicle that isn't on the lot. From now on if I can't drive away with it that day then I don't want it.

.[/QUOTE]

I placed a deposit on a new car to be built in January 2021. Mercedes E450 4matic cabriolet. In August (8 months) after monthly emails to the sales staff I couldn't get a "for sure" build date for the car and best guess was spring of 2022 for a 2022 (not 2021 that I ordered). I canceled the purchase and they refunded the deposit. I drove an hour and a half to the ONLY Lexus dealer in CA that had a new RC F. Liked the car (it's not a convertible, not 4 wheel drive, but it has a V8 which makes it sorta special and is a Lexus which costs a LOT less to maintain than an MBZ (have had 3 MBZs and now 3 Lexus). So, yah, I had to get something that is not what I wanted, but human nature being what it is, I'm happy to have "settled". However, in a different thread you'll see that I generally agree that dealerships are wasteful of your time and in these covid times, if it's not on the lot, go to where you can find something close to what you want. If they want to charge you extra because you won't service it there....then you have to decide how much you want it.

 

[QUOTE=SailorTPD;11132878]I placed a deposit on a new car to be built in January 2021. Mercedes E450 4matic cabriolet. In August (8 months) after monthly emails to the sales staff I couldn't get a "for sure" build date for the car and best guess was spring of 2022 for a 2022 (not 2021 that I ordered). I canceled the purchase and they refunded the deposit. I drove an hour and a half to the ONLY Lexus dealer in CA that had a new RC F. Liked the car (it's not a convertible, not 4 wheel drive, but it has a V8 which makes it sorta special and is a Lexus which costs a LOT less to maintain than an MBZ (have had 3 MBZs and now 3 Lexus). So, yah, I had to get something that is not what I wanted, but human nature being what it is, I'm happy to have "settled". However, in a different thread you'll see that I generally agree that dealerships are wasteful of your time and in these covid times, if it's not on the lot, go to where you can find something close to what you want. If they want to charge you extra because you won't service it there....then you have to decide how much you want it.[/QUOTE]

I absolutely refuse to pay them almost $2K for service they will never perform so I told the lady that if she talks to her GM on Monday and that can't be removed then to cancel my purchase of the vehicle and refund my deposit as those costs weren't disclosed before I placed my deposit. All that was said was that pricing was going to be MSRP which I was find with.

I'm probably going to skip Lexus if this falls through as my closes dealer is 75 miles away with the next being 125 miles away.

Toyota is closer at 25 miles, 60 miles, and then 75 miles.

On the other hand my brother is a Master ASE certified GM mechanic and lives less than a mile from me. Before getting the 4Runner I had a Z71 Tahoe for 14 years and really like it so I may just get another Z71 Tahoe. It's larger than the GX and my wife won't drive it but I believe I can get employee pricing on it as well.

I'm just soured with Toyota/Lexus at the moment but I'll see what happens on Monday and go from there. It really sucks as I had become a HUGE Toyota fan over the last 10 years since my wife got her Yaris and I really like her 2019 RAV4.

 

I have no problem with dealers. Everyone needs to eat. It’s buyer beware.

Two sides to every storey…. I despise those who don’t want to give a dealer a fair price. Despicable people


GX models are in high demand. So are 4Rs, very hard to get colours or options as they are never just sitting on the lot. I waited 16 weeks for mine and I would have likely paid MSRP. But not more

 

Invoice price on this GX is $57,297 and MSRP (which I'm happy to pay) is $61,565 so do you think I'm not giving then a fair profit? They will also most likely have a residual as well as make some money on the shipping to get it to me. Plus they'll get another allocation from Toyota to replace it immediately as this one wouldn't even touch the lot.

I get that dealers need to make a profit, however, can you honestly say that charging someone for service that they'll never perform is right? What's to stop someone local from taking their vehicle to a different dealer than they purchased it from....nothing that's what.

If they want to make a larger profit then just add a dealer adjustment to the price and I'll just be on my way. I at least understand and accept that as being a common practice. What I don't accept is trying to tack on $2K ($2700 if you count the added $700 for paint protection that I don't want) after the fact when none of that was disclosed before I placed my deposit as I was told MSRP.

I even accept the $180 documentation fee as they have to send me the paperwork via UPS which isn't free.

If they won't budge on the paint protection for $700 but drop the $2K stupidity then I'll take it, otherwise, they can keep it and I'll just wait until I find a dealership that isn't so scummy.

 

Why not? Because...

1) Most Americans aren't willing to wait a few months.

2) With today's two-job, smash-your-***** economy, mamy people will lose their job if their car fails them more than once or twice. Once their (usually old) car fails them more than once or twice, they're not able to wait a few months. (This is also why most people can't obey the shame-the-poor scolds like Dave Ramsey and buy only used cars, because usually only a new car dealer will sell to you for $0 down, and 1/3 of Americans don't have $400; look it up.)

3) People like to think they "got a deal," which is why most dealerships who try no-haggle soon abandon it because customers merely use them for a quote and then buy down the street from someone who gives discounts.

4) Dealer associations are entrenched in their lobbying power in nearly all states. Trying to run them out will be like trying to exterminate kudzu.

 

So all that you said if fine….but with shortages it would almost be impossible to do. Buying a new GX or 4R off the lot is likely never gonna happen as they are in high demand.

 

There's a dealership near me with 2 Limited 2022 4Runners currently on the lot that haven't been sold but I don't want the Limited.

I could also grab a 2021 GX as the closest has 2 Premiums on the lot and the next closest has 4 Premiums and 2 Luxury models on the lot that aren't sold.

At any rate though I can wait as I don't need a second vehicle currently. Eventually the market will switch back and there will be a glut of vehicles.

 

This is funny. It's okay for the dealer to get as much as they can but not okay for the customer to pay as little as possible.

 

Not sold...or waiting for that buyer to come in a pay MSRP or more?

You have the advantage..so when that happens you'll get a better price

 

Not sold and no markups.

ETA: The GX's actually have a $750 dealer discount on them...I just looked.