Price Gouging?

[johnnyl321]

The owner of the store I work said he's not going over sticker....never has and never will. He said it's not worth it to maybe make a few grand profit, but in the end you wind up losing a lot of loyal customers. He's not offering them for GMS yet, but I'm pretty sure in time and pending what we have left he will. There are still some stores our way that won't sell a Buick Enclave for GMS or GSU. As the boss says...."GM will build more everyday".

[MalibuMaxxSS]

Originally Posted by knightfan26917

*nods*

Thanks, 377Z for clearing this up. Sorry I wasn't here sooner to do it.....


Let's see ... I stopped by on a Saturday with ONLY TWO OTHER CUSTOMERS (as I noted before) at the dealership. Two customers is busy?

And, no, my friend NEVER "threatened" to go to the BMW dealership. As I stated initially here, he went to check out and test drive the G8 to see if he really wanted that instead of a BMW. He had seen pics of the G8 and really liked it...and wanted to test drive it. From what he told me, he NEVER ONCE told the salesman about deciding between a G8 and a BMW. And, he didn't go on a Saturday.



Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker
WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"Does your conscience bother you?" ... Lynyrd Skynyrd ... 'Sweet Home Alabama'

well I was not gonna read this thread but it has been on top for 3 days now figured it was good.

Regardless if you told him you were looking ata Bmer or not, should still give you a proper pres, if not a test drive.. I would be happy to know the competition I am up against as I show a car, makes my job easier, and I can focus on the benefits ours has over the BMW...

as far as the over sticker markup...GMAC here will finance 120% of sticker, if your credit is good, is ita good idea..?, I dont think so but I dont run the store were they are doing it at...each to their own, The dodge dealer in town here marks ALLLLLLL their inventory up 2995..and this reminds me of when the jeep wrangler 4 doors came out, people paid up to 5G over sticker for those....

as for lookies lous.....ya kinda remember this as you go wonder into the Pontiac dealer, these guys have spent the last few weeks showing this car to everyone and anyone buying or no intent on buying, some of you would say thats our Job, and ya maybe it is, I dont sell the Pontiac, but the new malibu is kinda the same, everyone just walking in to 'see' it no intention on buying it...maybe the markup is a way of getting rid of the lookers, and if you ask maybe they would sell it for sticker, I can tsee any dealer turning down MSRP on a car...we have sold every Bu we have got for full MSRP, no discounts.

[redlipp]

Originally Posted by MalibuMaxxSS

well I was not gonna read this thread but it has been on top for 3 days now figured it was good.

Regardless if you told him you were looking ata Bmer or not, should still give you a proper pres, if not a test drive.. I would be happy to know the competition I am up against as I show a car, makes my job easier, and I can focus on the benefits ours has over the BMW...

as far as the over sticker markup...GMAC here will finance 120% of sticker, if your credit is good, is ita good idea..?, I dont think so but I dont run the store were they are doing it at...each to their own, The dodge dealer in town here marks ALLLLLLL their inventory up 2995..and this reminds me of when the jeep wrangler 4 doors came out, people paid up to 5G over sticker for those....

as for lookies lous.....ya kinda remember this as you go wonder into the Pontiac dealer, these guys have spent the last few weeks showing this car to everyone and anyone buying or no intent on buying, some of you would say thats our Job, and ya maybe it is, I dont sell the Pontiac, but the new malibu is kinda the same, everyone just walking in to 'see' it no intention on buying it...maybe the markup is a way of getting rid of the lookers, and if you ask maybe they would sell it for sticker, I can tsee any dealer turning down MSRP on a car...we have sold every Bu we have got for full MSRP, no discounts.

to bad the markup sucks!!!!!!!!

[knightfan26917]

Originally Posted by 377Z

Had I known that sonjaab had such a chip on his shoulder, I would not have even bothered, but I know that most people see through the internet tough guys pretty easily.

Heh ... sometimes, it isn't that easy .

Originally Posted by 377Z

Send me a PM if you'd like to know the dealership I'm talking about. Highly recommended, though you may not want to drive to Hodgkins.

You're right ... don't want to drive to Hodgkins.

Actually, the other day on the way home from work, I stopped at a Pontiac dealership in Schaumburg...and the sales lady let me take a closer look. I was up front about wanting to look, reassured her that I was not interested in driving it (had to be somewhere else by 5:15p and it was about 4:45p, so no time for a test drive anyway), etc. She walked outside with me and opened the car up to let me sit in it and have a look around.

Impressive.

Except ... I got home and really looked through the brochure. How on EARTH does a G8 with a V6 have an EPA estimated gas mileage of ONLY 17mpg city? My '87 MC LS (305 V8) is getting at least that, if not MORE (18-19mpg) at times.....

*shrugs*



Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker
WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort
"There's just too much that time cannot erase" ... Evanescence ... 'My Immortal'

[Odin]

If you think the G8 is bad, I have heard that nissan dealers will sell the new r35 gtr, in the usa, with markups in between 30k - 60000 on EACH car. Hows that for markups?

[MalibuMaxxSS]

lol look at the PS3 on Ebay when the first few hit the stores, some sold for over $3000 bucks...someone will pay it. and they will brag about having hte first one, and they had to pay over sticker to get it....and when they trade it in in 5 years and its worth nothing they will bitch cause they got ripped off......ahhh cant win

[Sluggz]

Over on G8 board , someone paid 4k over. After we told him he got ripped off, he called the corporate offices. They are saying that he shouldnt have been overcharged , and are threatening the dealer with fines if they dont refund his money. Hopefully this will be a lesson for gouging dealers.

And here is a shot of my G8GT.


[img=http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2183/rtfrontqtr2vw9.th.jpg]

[ChebbySalesDept]

GM Corporate can't do squat about pricing a dealer charges over retail. The guy paid it and he needs to suck it up.

[mbukukanyau]

We got another GTO on our hands.. GM dealers live in the 70's.. at least some of them. Does GM use mystry shoppers to find out how their buying expirience is?

[MalibuMaxxSS]

Originally Posted by Sluggz

Over on G8 board , someone paid 4k over. After we told him he got ripped off, he called the corporate offices. They are saying that he shouldnt have been overcharged , and are threatening the dealer with fines if they dont refund his money. Hopefully this will be a lesson for gouging dealers.

And here is a shot of my G8GT.


[img=http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/2183/rtfrontqtr2vw9.th.jpg]

SEEEEEEE just like I said bragging he got one and had to pay over sticker, until someone points out he got ripped and now hes mad, LOL good luck on the getting his money back....like chebbysaid GM corporate cant do nothing...

and besides if its so bad to charge over MSRP, why do customers think its ok to pay below MSRP, I dont agree with that, but that is ok??..just pay MSRP and we would have none of this.

[ChebbySalesDept]

Originally Posted by mbukukanyau

We got another GTO on our hands.. GM dealers live in the 70's.. at least some of them. Does GM use mystry shoppers to find out how their buying expirience is?

Even if GM had mystery shoppers (which they don't), they would see that most of the time, things are fine. In a situation like this, a usual customer reaction to an over MSRP car is "WTF???". The last time I checked this country is one where free enterprise is king. You are allowed to ask as much as you want. Some will pay, some won't. However, for those of you who don't want to pay, leave the dealership quietly and disappear into the moonlight. No other customers want to hear you complain about "over sticker" or anything else. We won't make a scene about how you can't afford it if you don't don't give us a hard time about the price. It's just business.

Stop getting insulted and trying to change the world.

Horse trading has been going on for centuries.

[WWI Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by ChebbySalesDept

If you have AAA credit the bank will absolutely finance the over amount plus the sales tax. It happens all the time.

My Credit Union won't, nor would I want them to. I get my cars at MSRP or below, because, as you have stated correctly in other posts, it is a free market, and I can find a dealer that will sell at MSRP or below.

But, you are missing the point of my post. What I am saying is that Pontiac needs the G8 to do well for the brand's very survival's sake, but dealers are being short sighted and make Pontiac seem like it is lying to customers. This is the customer's perception, because the national ad campaign proclaims the best car "under $30,000", but when people who are interested by that claim actually take the time to go to the dealer, they are told "well, it is actually $5,000 more than that, because we can". That potential customer is now not a customer, unless they are in the tiny minority of auto enthusiasts who want to be "the first kid on their block" with a certian car bad enough that they are willing to shell out 5000 clams over the list price just to have it.

I am talking about customer perception, and the value that customers place on trust when dealing with an automaker. I am talking about how they either will or will not buy a car based on their percieved treatment by that car company. To customers, the dealer experience IS the company experience. And Pontiac is trying to get a lot of people in the door with the G8. I think I saw somewhere on this site that Pontiac was just under 2% of car sales in the US last year. That has got to improve. GM corporate has given a number of very exciting vehicles to Pontiac in the Solstice, Solstice targa, G8, G8 GXP etc, to make the numbers improve...but this corporate initiative is being tarnished by the actions of dealers that are overcharging.

[Old Dood]

Originally Posted by ChebbySalesDept

No other customers want to hear you complain about "over sticker" or anything else.

I beg to differ. You would be amazed at how many people want to know the truth.
Even sales people want to know. I explained the hesitation issue when the 07 I4 Camry came out to the sales staff.
Many of them did not know about it and it wasn't in all the cars either.
They were thankful so they knew up front so they could be honest when dealing with their customers.
I speak up each and everytime I am in a place of business when I see something that needs to be addressed.
I agree that no one needs to scream and hollar but, to speak the truth is warranted.
People are thankful. People have the right to know.

Originally Posted by ChebbySalesDept

We won't make a scene about how you can't afford it if you don't don't give us a hard time about the price.

See? You insult people right there. It is not a case of 'affording it'.
This gives me an inkling to how you think of us...the buying public.
It is the principle of the thing. There is no reason for it. Not when you are trying to 'win back customers'.
Not when you see commercials on TV that say it is under $30K.
"The most powerful car under 30 grand...."

Originally Posted by ChebbySalesDept

It's just business.

Bad business...(See Above)


Now granted when new technology comes out it is more expensive.
Take CPU prices. BUT, they are actually priced at the higher price.
There is no up charge. If people want the latest CPU then they have to pay for it when it is new or wait until it comes down.
It is ALL up front. We know that going into it.
So we are not shocked when we go buy a new computer.
We understand that we will have to pay a premium at first.

Up Charging on a car/truck price is taking the low road.
People for the most part are not expecting it and it will anger them.
It is overall bad for business in the long run.
For as short as people's memories are they do not forget things like this very easily.

For the record...I am not slamming you personally. I am explaining how many of us think and feel when purchasing a vehicle.

[BryceStrong]

Originally Posted by Old Dood

People for the most part are not expecting it and it will anger them.
It is overall bad for business in the long run.
For as short as people's memories are they do not forget things like this very easily.
...
I am explaining how many of us think and feel when purchasing a vehicle.[/

I'm sure that GM hires intelligent marketing agents who also understand that GM does not set dealer pricing. Their job is to influence buyers to visit Pontiac dealerships and our job is to sell to those customers, regardless of their expectations. And It is not our responsibility to 'hold the customer's hand'. It is our intention, however, to earn money. Despite anyones willingness to slander what is perceived as unfair.

Old Dood, I think you're approaching the situation mainly from a financial perspective. But you're defending the ignorance and misperceptions of others. By gloating about principles and "bad business" you're only fostering the idea that some profit is immoral. I ultimately don't care what you do, but certainly you understand that that's contrary to your argument, right? The "truth", as you explained it, is also that making money is not rooted in morality and that buyers are not endowed with any entitlements [for 'fair' pricing].

[Old Dood]

Gloating? I am gloating?
I was not gloating over anything.

When a person goes to a manufacturer's website and prices out a car/truck then goes into a dealership then gets told it is more then what they found online, more then the sticker.
Then that is not a fair business practice....
I do not care if the manufacturer does not set the dealer's price.
Above sticker is wrong. In anybody's business. Not just vehicles.
It IS gouging. No other term for it.

I never have problem with anyone making a honest buck.
This to many people is not honest.
Then I hear car sales staff complain because people think of them as thieves.
This does not help their image one bit...