In May 2012 I went into Tamiami Hyundai to look at a new Elantra Hyundai. I saw the EPA mileage estimates of 40 mpg high way and wanted to check it out. We test drove the car and it felt OK but then when went back to the dealers office. Well 4 hrs later after being beat up by the sales man, sales manager and general manager we were the owner of a new Hyundai.....GREAT! Well after getting home we started to look at the trade in we received and started to freak out. We were only given a small amount for our car as based upon Kelly Blue Book values. At that time I tried to return the car but was refused by Tamiami Hyundai. After this we went into a week of e-mails and harassment by the dealer who Simply Refused to take our return. At this point we saw the car we traded in for 10K listed for sale by the dealer(I think some kind of criminal) for almost 19,000....Ouch! Well after this our real fun began when we started getting awful gas mileage on our NEW car. Well after complaining to every body we could reach we just gave up and began living with our as little as 20 mpg car.

Well recently we received a notice from Hyundai that they had some home incorrectly reported the mileage to the EPA we were going to get and offered us a $26.00 rebate based upon our mileage driven....BIG FREACKING DEAL! That amounts to a Half A Tank Of Gas.

WE HAVE BEEN RIPPED OFF!

Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on Tamiami Hyundai

5 Updates & Rebuttals

Flynrider

Phoenix,
Arizona,
USA

Trade in.

#2Consumer Comment

Thu, December 27, 2012

   The important lesson to be gained from this was mentioned in Bubba's post.   If you ignore it, as you seem to be, the same thing will happen at the next dealer.   The numbers were right there on the contracts for you to read.

"  If a $9,000 dollar mark up is how you stay in business.. "

The mark up has nothing to do with you.  They will sell their car for whatever they think they can get someone to pay for it.

In the sales contract, you agreed to sell them your trade-in for a specific amount.    If you thought it was worth more, why did you agree to sell it for $10K?   Any dealer will try to lowball your trade as much as possible.   If they can get it for $1, they'll do it.

You appear to have entered into the negotiation without knowing the market value of your trade in.    That's not a smart way to sell something valuable.    If the market value is really in the $19K range, anybody (not just this dealer) would have taken it off your hands for $10K.

   If you're expecting ANY car dealer to watch out for your interests in a negotiation, you'll be disappointed every time.

coast

USA

Buyer's Remorse

#3Consumer Comment

Thu, December 27, 2012

Hyundai Motor Company is guilty of inflating fuel economy numbers, which is a rip-off. The dealers selling these vehicles are not culpable in this rip-off.

Automobile dealers are not obligated to buy or sell vehicles at prices listed in Kelley Blue Book; therefore, Tamiami Hyundai did not rip you off. There are no laws regulating the amount a merchant may profit when they resell their merchandise. You accepted the terms of the contract but now you are suffering from a case of buyer's remorse.

Mistress of the Obvious

Mobile,
Internet,
United States of America

That does stink!

#4Consumer Suggestion

Thu, December 27, 2012

I really sympathize with your plight as a single female car-buyer. I think we all have a car horror story in our past. The dealer can put any price on a vehicle for re-sale but that usually isn't the price they expect to get. That said, we must educate ourselves as consumers....it really scares the dishonest and makes ethical dealers try harder to please. I am not saying you didn't try but sometimes a different trick is always helpful. I had a family member in the automotive industry as an engineer, here's some great advice I was given:

Always check the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board, the people who investigate accidents,) website for recalls and complaints. It's unbiased as this site only posts company recalls and customer safety complaints. Other car rating sites take profit to run and are unreliable. (The "best" cars often had pages of complaints on them.). I would file your complaint with the mileage issue there. I believe awareness of this issue starting to appear in the media.

Check the BBB and please file on the dealer there as well.

If the dealer hands you off to more than just one "manger" to help you....RUN! That's a sales tactic to dupe you into feeling secure about a deal.

If the deal takes more than 20-30 minutes to make firm, stand up and just say, "have a nice day," and walk out. The sales staff is just "waiting you out."

Scare them right off the bat with tough questions. I did this when helping a friend buy a car. The salesman realized my friend brought someone in the know and ran to get another salesman to work with us. This tactic above all others will either scare a bad salesman off or ensure you got a good one. If you look at a salesman and off-handly ask a very technical question, you will broadside them....even if it is the only technical detail you know. Make sure you already know the answer to your question. Plus it's insanely fun to turn the game around.

I honestly wish you all the luck in resolving your issue. Maybe with the BBB helping you, you will get resolution.

sandi

Lehigh Acres,
Florida,
United States of America

Misconceptions from a CAR DEALER!

#5Author of original report

Thu, December 27, 2012

Bubba or is it Bubby? Thank You for the recent Hyundai Review. It is really fun to watch a fellow CAR DEALER criticize a consumers article as you did. If a $9,000 dollar mark up is how you stay in business....perhaps that's why your spending All This Time on the internet answering Ripp Off Report posts. And interestingly enough its fun to notice how you cleverly deflect criticism away from Tamiami Hyundai toward Hyundai Corporate as They Both Know the Mileage claims were simply false.

A fact later proved by the EPA.

Bubba Lee

REd Deer,
Alberta,
Canada

I agree, you have been ripped off, BUT NOT THE WAY YOU THINK

#6General Comment

Thu, December 27, 2012

The EPA has been providing and endorsing inflated milage figures since the ratings were introduced.

The Manufacturers "Tune" the cars to get the best results during testing and can't get those figures on the real roads. (Actually you can but only professional drivers using "Hyper Milage" driving can.)

It was so blatant a cheat on the Hyundai product recently they were forced to refund a "Portion" of the lie in the form of a rebate check.

So far the dealer hasn't ripped you off. Hyundai has.

By the way: Dealers sell cars, they don't accept returns, thats why you signed an agreement at least three times during the sale process. Each time you saw the $ number and agreed to it.

Trade in value, is set by the resale value of your car less markup to get a profit on your vehicle by the dealer. $9000 on a $19,000 car is only about $1,000 high and since the car will sell for $17,000 ish not to far out of line if they want to stay in business. Finally the real # is the difference you paid, I have seen the numbers manipulated making the trade more money, but in the dealer jacks the price of the new car to make it up. This dealer is being remarkably honest and transparent in their dealing with you.

So if you really think you are being ripped by the dealer, Call a Lawyer and he will tell you your chances. But I doubt you have any grounds.