valpac

iTrader: (2)

So here is goes... Today, I went to pick up the car. I live in Atlanta and the car was at Mazda of Knoxville, 150 miles away. Since I have no friends.. noone would give me a ride. No planes,trains or automobiles so, I got on a greyhond at 630 AM for the 4.5 hour ride. Not terrible. But I do know whyI haven't been on a bus in 25 years.

Anywho, the salesman picked me up at the bus station and brought me back to the dealership. He said, "there's your car" And it did look beautiful all red and stuff. But when I started looking closely, it had some issues.

First the car had not been detailed, AT ALL. Dirty all over.

Second, some idiot has used tire black or some goop on the interior and it was dripping with it. Yuck.

Third, the rear bumper had several nicks and scratches. Looked like someone backed into a small pole or something.

Fourth, the plastic seam strips on the roof where hazy and discolored ("oh, thats normal in the Sun." Hmmm, the red car to the left didn't have that problem and the VIN was earlier.)

While they certainly agreed to replace the bumper, order tha roof strips, re-detail the car and clean the crap off the interior components they were not too happy
with my inspection.

So here is the deal breaker.... I did the flash upgrade check (pump the brakes a bunch) and the oil needle did sweep. I asked them to verify whether the flash was L or M and then the BS started. "The computer doesnt show that information", "Once its flashed, you cant verify the version", and so on.

They didnt even install the two stickers they were supposed to per the service bulletin. They said "we were waiting for you to tell us where to put them because you are so picky" Yeah, I know where they can put them.

They shuffled me through all the sales staff on up the ladder and each had the same crap story.. "You don't trust us" and "we are offended" . They put up such a stink, I really started to wonder whether they really did it at all. (Methinks they doth protest too much..)

All I wanted them to do was VERIFY the service work they said they performed. Not an unreasonable request , was it?

Finally, the called the owner of the dealership, who tried the same guilt trip thing with me. And when I said I didn't know him from Adam and that I didn't trust many people.. The vein in his neck looked like it was about to pop and he said, "You need to move on down the road".

So, I dont have an RX-8, AND lost a day of work, cost of bus ticket, a cab ride, and a car rental (total about $310).

This rant is long but nothing like the effort I'm going to put forth contacting, MAZDAUSA, District Managers, BBB, Knoxville Business Burea, and Chamber of Commerce. I am that pissed!!

Grabitquick

And they probably had already allocated a $500 charge for "dealer prep" into the price (even though they didn't do it), and expected you to pay for your own hotel room while they did the work. Probably not much recourse beyond contacting the entities that you listed, but you might be better off anyway if the car was that poorly taken care of and presented to you--who knows what else may have been wrong with it that you could not see?

Query how you wound up going for a car way off in Knoxville rather than right there in Atlanta?

ladyvolbb

Can you tell us what Knoxville dealer pulled that stunt on you? I live in Knoxville and was planning on buying from Mazda Knoxville.

VikingDJ

That sounds typical to me. You were getting 800 below invoice, which means you were less important to them. They didn't feel you had right to question them up and down, because the deal on the car was so great. You had every right to be upset, but I have to be honest. If I were in their shoes, selling a car for 800 below invoice, and I had to deal with a picky customer, I'd have done same thing as dealer did. Hell we all would have. They took it personally just as you did, and that's why everything fell through. All to common, because dealers are human like we are and they have a breaking point as well. There's some super deals out there on rx8s, even better then 800 below invoice, but it always comes with a price. Their intent was so get rid of that car and minimize their loss. This wasn't a meak or break sale for them either, so now you know what to expect on close out liquidation deals on rx8s. Good luck on your next trip to dealer .

valpac

iTrader: (2)

The very same dealer!!!

VikingDJ

Unfortunately to be a good salesman in this world it involves leaving out important details, and playing stupid/naive so you don't kill a sale. I knew all about the product, but I acted like any regular guy, and I actually hurt my sales from being truthful. Example: I'd tell customer the rx8 guzzles gas,. and will flood if started cold and not warmed up. I will also tell them it is not as powerful as it's competitors, ect ect. I'd lay down all it's faults, which is very unsalesmanlike. It takes a certain personality to be a salesman, and I didn't have it. The customer is always so tough to please, and a salesman needs to stay cool to make a sale, and kiss the customers ***. Personally I think you went in there with no trust to begin with, and they picked up on that. They made a few mistakes, and suddenly you went hunting for more things to gripe about. YOu definitely were not what a salesman wants to sell to, and this problem will happen again very likely. There is no right or wrong here, but Kudos to you for schooling a salesman on rx8 info, and Kudos to them for getting rid of you. I will say this though, the fact that they basically threw you out door and refused a sale says something. You really pushed their buttons so much so they they wanted you out, and did not care about selling a car that day. That is a rarity when buying a new car. One other thing. If you were a salesman, you wouldn't like it if customer was in control either. Not because you would want to rip them off either. Let us know if you have a war with next dealer you go to.

zzum-zum

VikingDJ
Of course there is a right or wrong here. If a dealer doesn't want to sell the car for the price given - he shouldn't give it. Because a customer is getting a good deal doesn't mean he should expect less than professional customer service and to have his concerns addressed about a $30,000 purchase. To say that valpac is the kind of customer a salesman definitely does not want to get is what makes consumers wary of car salesmen to begin with. (Not to mention your statement about having to leave out details to be a good salesperson)

VikingDJ

I apologize. I didn't emphasize what I meant by NO RIGHT OR WRONG. I meant that in your mind you did no wrong and they did wrong, and in their mind, they did no wrong. I realize now I can't make you understand the point I am getting at, and I am sorry for trying to do so. My previous statements were made to show you what they are thinking. it doesn't make it right, but it's just how they think and operate, and there's no way to stop it. There's not a salesman around that will tell you everything. Ultimately it will kill their sale if they were 100% honest. In your case they tried to pull a fast one. Once they lost your trust, you should have walked, because you had to know a sale wasn't happening. If you don't trust them, you need to just cut your losses and walk right away. I'm sure you are aware of that now. What I meant by LEAVING OUT DETAILS TO BE A GOOD SALESMAN, I didn't mean that from a customer's point of view. I meant that from a salesman's point of view, meaning if they want to make more sales, they simply need to lie. Again, I should have realized you can't see it that way at all. That's how the shady salesmen operate. We all handle situations differently, and unfortunately you ran into the wrong salesman. I too have no trust in the dealer I went to. After I bought my car, they did the recalls, and ended up breaking my glovebox while fixing air bag sensor. Of course they never mentioned it to me, hoping I wouldnt' notice. Rather then throw a fit, I simply took car back, made them fix it, and told myself I'll never deal with them again. I guess you paid the price for traveling to find the best deal. It's definitely risky, and unfortunately for you it backfired. I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. I have a habit of looking at both sides, and it comes off as making it like dealer did no wrong. The number one goal for dealers is to sell cars. If they can get away with something, they will do it. Naturally you look at what I am saying as being ignorant, when in reality I am simply trying to show you how they think and operate. You'll have to accept that this is the way the world is. It's every man for himself. I realize now I should not show a dealers point of view, because someone in your shoes simply cannot see it. It's not right, but it's how they operate, and to them it's not wrong. You were definitely inconvenienced, but most places only care about themselves, just as the customer does. The difference is that the customer should be allowed to think that way, and a dealership should not. Unfortunately many times they do. The dealer definitely had a lot of gall to present the car like that to you. It just goes to show you that unless a dealership puts the customer first, there will always be problems. Best of luck in your future purchase.

markd

If you're still in the hunt for a new 8, I just purchased mine a little closer to your home (Stone Mountain Mazda). I got mine almost $1000 below invoice (paid even less with trade-in) and the sales and service teams were much better than the other dealerships I visited (e.g., Jim Ellis, Lithia Springs, etc.). Stone Mountain also is the only Mazda dealership in Georgia (or so they say) that offers a free 100k powertrain warranty (honored at all Mazda dealerships). Hope that helps.

Mark

dwill9578

Valpac your in the right, the car was probably on the lot for awhile and they wanted it gone. plus the deal they gave you in reality wasn't so great i'm sure they were making money on you. your the customer and should be treated with respect, I mean your putting down hard earned money on something thats not perfect! not acceptable! I told my dealership that I'm the biggest **** freak alive and took it from there, i feel i got a good deal and my car looked like I washed it---which is to say freaky clean( I use q-tips for tight spots) My dealer was great and I hope you find a better one! yeah i say my dealer was great but they are still car salesman-----never trust anyone let alone a car salesman!!!!!!! remember the car is great find a good dealer and you'll be very happy. GOOD LUCK!!

8_wannabe

Valpac, here's my two cents worth. You have every right to be offended, and with trust lost on both sides it is well you went your separate ways. The crap about no detailing, scrapes, tire black, etc. you are completely on the mark, though it sounded like they were taking care of it for you.

The part about the upgrade felt and sounded to me like you were a little over the top. You did the check which indicated the upgrade was done. They told you the upgrade was done. So when you say you just want them to verify it, I'm not quite sure what would have made you happy. Would immediately putting on the sticker satisfied you? Hard to say, but I doubt it.

If you think you got below-par treatment because you paid less for the car, that is just wrong. They should treat all customers with care and respect. it's free, and simply reflects their values as a dealership. Tt sounded like they were willing and able to fix everything you found, but you reached an impasse with verifying the upgrade and I'm not sure what would have made you happy. Is it true their computer can't tell what flash is in? If they lied about that, then totally I agree with you. But if they told the truth about the computer, then too bad, so sorry, and I hope you find another soon to make you happy.

xxMax Powerxx

It seems like Valpac was handling the situation well. Rather than walking, he simply had them fix a bunch of imperfections that would have had me walking (of course I hadn't invested in a long distance transaction). The dealership service department can easily check the records on the car, and if they don't specifically state that the M Flash has been installed, then it hasn't. I bought a car yesterday that had to be transported from another dealer (across town). I checked the flash, no dial movement. I walked with the rep straight to the service department with the VIN, and no indication of the work was in the system. They are going to reflash next week. These facts mean that the dealer was in the WRONG and were being dishonest thereby deserving Valpac's concern. Freaking out about it and pushing it on him that he should trust people he's never met with his $30k are signs that they are up to no good. That is clear without the other details regarding transport and deposits. I went to a pretty reputable dealership in the Bay Area, but right up until I drove away, they were trying to stick it to me. They tried to push Clear Gaurd 3M protector on me (among other worthless services) in finance for $2k. I told them no and he dropped the price to $500. $500!! That's at least $1,500 of BS!!! I still didn't buy it. I don't trust that it's good deal. That, VikingDJ, is the sales person's fault. At this point, I don't give a flying crap if they are offended that I don't trust them. The Customer IS ALWAYS RIGHT.

Air Force RX8

I agree with a lot of what is being said here for many different reasons. Buying a car is a negotiation. You want to negotiate the best price for your wallet and they want to negotiate the best profit for the dealership and commission for the salesman. In any negotiation you have to be aware of when you are pushing too far for something that really is not a showstopper. If the needle sweep did occur then you were being IMO unreasonable by asking them to prove whether it was L or M simply because you had other issues with the car.

They were trying to do right by you by ordering the parts and detailing the vehicle as should have been done. Typically the car is not detailed until the customer is in the finance phase of the purchase in my experience.

You said, "They shuffled me through all the sales staff on up the ladder and each had the same crap story. "You don't trust us" and "we are offended" . They put up such a stink, I really started to wonder whether they really did it at all. (Methinks they doth protest too much..)". You did not trust them and you showed it. Did they have a right to be offended? That depends on how big of a production you were making of this and not giving them a fair chance to make it up to you, which it sounds as if they really were. We are only getting your side of this story and that leaves a lot for us to presume.

Now you have to ask yourself if the $310 was worth the difference between L and M being explained on the sppot that left you without the vehicle you wanted. If you do not compromise then this will not be your first and last bad dealer experience. If you think they resent you knowing more about their product than they do as you put it, then you have it wrong slightly. They resent a customer who comes in trying to PROVE they know more than the dealer, and making an issue out of it.

I'm not trying to take blame from them because we all know dealerships are usually less than honest, but you sound like you went into this looking for a fight. This is my opinion.

valpac

iTrader: (2)

I checked Stone Mountain. Didnt have what I wanted and the salesman never called me back. They dont need my money.

Air Force RX8

***CENSORED*** Content edited to conform with forum rules.

My post was intended to state my opinion which you open yourself up to when you post something like this in the first place. So I'll say it again...

I'm not trying to take blame from them because we all know dealerships are usually less than honest, but you sound like you went into this looking for a fight. This is my opinion.

VikingDJ

Unfortunately there are some valid points here. It is only one side of story, but we are who we are, and we act certain ways and people get offended. It seems to be more of a case of personality conflict rather then just a plain old dishonest dealer. They wouldn't be in business if they acted same way to every customer as they did towards you, and vice versa. I'm sure you'd here a different side if dealer was on here telling their story. Salesman and customers always have their own sides interpretations, and each will think they were not in the wrong, so the quote above should not be typed without knowing you will **** off the complainer who thinks he was wronged. This will not always be a support forum, because the story leaves too much open for fault on both ends. If you think you did nothing wrong, then stick with it, and don't try and convince others that it was 100% dealers fault. Society does tell that regardless of how a customer acts, they are always right, even if they are wrong. This is why I'd never be a salesman. I might lose it and beat the hell out of any customer who made a stink, and had attitude.

Riccio

Most dealerships seem to reflect the personality/ethics of the owner and/or the General Manger who runs the place. If you're been treated badly BEFORE the sale is made, beware how you will be treated after. In this case, they know you live too far away for the profitable after sale service, but still should have made a better effort to sell the car and please the customer.

Did you stay calm and "reasonable" throughout? I have learned the (very) hard way that losing it and getting stinky almost never gets me what I want - even with sales people. You don't have to back down, but you do have to stay courteous and civil.

I think they thought they sorta "had" you (long bus trip, etc.) and so the less than stellar treatment. Probably you did the right thing to just leave.

thew

dont let this stop you from getting that 8.. most dealers are looser when it comes to knowing anything about what they sell. YOu proved that you had a clue and i think that owner decided it was better to let you go than to have to keep you happy for the next 3-6 years.. ......

you did the right thing.

valpac

iTrader: (2)

My post was not intended to elicit opinions from anyone who was not there, doesn't know me nor knows the whole situation. I merely offered it up as my experience with a particular dealer.

VikingDJ

Lets get the dealer on here to hear their side of story and see if it matches up with yours. :D You can't make any post on here without people expressing their opinions so get used to it. There is one point you cannot deny. When complaining about anything, one must always stay calm courteous, and express your concerns in a calm manner. If they can't meet your needs, you just bite your tounge and walk. No matter who is right or wrong, if you get upset and show attitude, you can kiss the sale goodbye. I guess deep down you knew you were not buying the car before they even asked you to leave. I guess getting in your two cents was worth the trouble, but next time you know just to walk away, and say I do not want this car.

Omicron

Valpac and others who have had a bad experiene with this dealership, please, post in the Good Guy/Bad Guy forum in the "Bad Mazda Dealers" thread. I know for a fact Mazda is watching that thread, and applying pressure on the crappy dealers.

Air Force RX8

Look, you attacked Viking right off the bat because he did not stroke your ego. That is why I spoke my mind and did not hold back fully, but did state twice it was my opinion. Obviously I wasn't there, but whatever. If you can't stand the criticism then let everyone know up front that you want only people to reply that want to coddle you. The only farce here by the way is you not owning up to part of the responsibility of this deal going south. Did the dealer screw up, admittedly they did by all who responded, even I said it in my post, however you decided to press the issue of the needle sweep which did indicate at least the L flash had been done. You were called on it and now your answer is to try to belittle those who shared their opinion. If you do not want opinions do not post to a bulletin board it is that simple.

I admittedly should have never replied to your post because Viking had already given up getting through to you, and I should have known that you were not going to listen to reason.

And by the way this Air FORCE person is currently in the desert defending your right to your opinion.

thew

That dealer should have been kissing your butt because you were choosing to spend your money in there store..(4 hour bus ride and all) end of story................... there is nothing you could have asked said or done that should ever change that fact.

Car dealers need sales. Sales happen when the customer feels happy and comfortable. This dealer needs to be sent a message form us the consumer!

Also Please try to remember that this type of conversations is exactly what we all need to promote good customer service among this industry. Try not to flame the guy to hard for trying to make everyone else aware that this dealer has issues when you question them .

Good luck

Hey mods can you move this thread to Good/Bad area if it has not been done..

valpac

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for getting the gist of my post, thew. Refreshing.

thew

NP sometimes this form of communication is a bit confusing.. If you sit down in a bad mood and read someone's perfectly innocent post you read into it the anger you are carrying .. that then makes you misunderstand the intention of the authors thoughts. It seems to happen to me like every other post .
Most people assume i am being an *** wipe.. But really I treat the Forum like it is middle ground. We need to get out all the bad and good so we can all be informed about our choices..
We just need to take a deep breath when we read something that we don't like and ask ourselves if that's what the author really had in mind. Since there's no inflections in the misspelled typoed world of the web sometimes it gets confusing.
Again.. I think you are doing the right thing .. Take you business to a dealer that will cater to your needs as the consumer.