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Bill page Honda- Verbally quoted a lower out-the-door price and charged a higher out-the-door price Falls church, Virginia
We recently went car shopping and unfortunately, by a personal recommendation we went to Bill Page Honda. After negotiating a purchase price and a trade-in price, we verbally agreed with the sales person and his manager on the out-the-door price. This process, took 3 and half hours of our Sunday, haggling backward and forward. After we all agreed with the numbers, we decided to purchase the vehicle, and started signing the appropriate paperwork. We noticed confusing numbers throughout the contract, to include fictitious rebates thus confusing the real numbers. After signing all the paperwork and taking ownership of the new vehicle, we realized that the numbers were not the numbers we verbally agreed on. Those numbers were not even present on the contract, so when we came back less than 24 hours later to discuss with the sales department, they were rude and disrespectful.
First of all, they didn't acknowledge the verbal agreement we had discussed earlier with the agreed upon price. Then we decided to return the car back to the dealer and get the trade-in car back. They said they didn't know where my old car was, a fact that really surprised us since early in the morning we called the used car dealer to notify them about the situation. The Sales Manager, Mr. Lobo, didn't agree on taking the new car back, stating that the verbal agreement was irrelevant in that kind of business. He further stated that what matters is my "signature on the paperwork even if they were the wrong numbers", and also he stated that "if I have psychological or emotional problems thinking that I paid the wrong amount of money, as a concession he can throw in a couple of oil changes to appease me, or a check for $200" an amount that is not even close to the amount that they overcharged us. I insisted on returning the car and getting my old car back, and he could only say that by Virginia law I owe the amount of the contract no matter what we verbally agreed upon. He also said "unfortunately verbal agreements are valid only in Seven Eleven context but not in that particular dealership". We guess that probably we would be totally satisfied if we stopped by Seven Eleven instead of stopping at Bill Page Honda. I love my car but I really would like to buy it at an honest dealership. This sales department gives the Honda brand a very bad reputation!. AMC
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Flynrider
Phoenix,Arizona,
USA
Contracts.
#3Consumer Comment
Tue, November 08, 2011
" we verbally agreed with the sales person and his manager on the out-the-door price. "
A verbal agreement is only valid if it is the same as the contract you signed. In other words, you can make a verbal agreement on the out-the-door price, then insist that the total at the bottom of the contract matches what you agreed to. Written contracts take precedence over any verbal commitment.
"We noticed confusing numbers throughout the contract, to include fictitious rebates thus confusing the real numbers. "
If a contract is confusing, you don't sign it. A contract is an agreement between you and the dealer. How can you sign something if you don't know what you are agreeing to?
"After signing all the paperwork and taking ownership of the new vehicle, we realized that the numbers were not the numbers we verbally agreed on. "
After signing the contract is the worst time to verify the numbers. By then, you are committed to the numbers on the contract.
" Then we decided to return the car back to the dealer and get the trade-in car back. "
Does the contract say that you can return the vehicle and get your old car back? Probably not. Are you seeing a common thread here? Everything revolves around the written contract. A salesman can tell you that a car will poop a gold nugget out of its tailpipe every thousand miles, but if it's not in the contract, don't expect it to happen.
"I love my car but I really would like to buy it at an honest dealership. "
This could happen to you at virtually any car dealer. Dealer finance guys make their money by arranging the contract to maximize profit for the dealer. I personally have never received a contract that reflected the verbal agreement I'd made with the sales staff (at least not the first contract offered). This is something you'll need to watch out for the next time you go car shopping, because it is a very common practice in the industry.
coast
USAIt's elementary
#3Consumer Comment
Tue, November 08, 2011
Read before signing. Is that a complicated concept?