Messed up? You decide.
 

Intro:

So I'll be frank, I had a horrible buying experience with my '09 GT-R. Put a deposit down, waited 4 months, they got me the wrong interior, and then they said they would gladly sell me the WRONG car for ONLY $7K more. How generous. Then, after much debate, I decided, they didn't deserve my money and even though the GT-R was non-existent at that point (they were being held in the Port of Long Beach for launch control reprogramming), I passed on the "deal". Then they wouldn't give me back my $7K deposit and I had to threaten to take legal action to get it back, and they made me drive back there to get it (WTH). Shortly after, I found one in San Diego and bought it at MSRP (also, unheard of at the time... people were paying $120K for a $74K car! :eyebulge: ). I definitely, did not want to go through this again. EVER.

Fast Forward:

So I've been "in the know" for this car(s) for awhile and I waited to see what dealerships are reliable and I put a couple deposits down on two that I saw actively helping others, basically, to see who gets it first. No big surprise, they were very knowledgeable and helpful (like all dealerships are in the beginning), so we'll see how they play out.

What concerned me are the small dealerships that I called a few days ago, that hadn't even HEARD of the car yet. They said I sounded serious, so they would put me in their #1 spot for their (nonexistent) list. How awesome! No deposit either! Yet, I didn't hold my breath. So I get a call yesterday early in the morning, BOOM, they have one for me to drive. It's white, and I already told the dealer I don't want white, as all my cars are white... but I wanted to drive the manual, which it was! So he said, come down for a test drive, before 4pm and we'll go from there. Awesome.

So I ran some errands, and around noon, I call back to get directions to the dealership (I lost track of which one this was since he didn't seem to know anything), and he tells me, "there is someone here filling out the application to buy this car, sorry, but I don't know if you should come anymore." I asked him to please call me, (I was pretty upset, because I live an hour away and, what if I never called him and left already?), and let me know if it doesn't/ does get sold. He never called.

There are many things wrong with this, to me. He never offered me the car, even though I was first on his list. He never let me leave a deposit. He never called to tell me that someone else was buying it. WHY does this dealership get one, especially, before all of the first86 get theirs? And WHY is this car so hard to see in person / drive!?!? Every time there's an event or something, I can't make it. The closest I've been to seeing this car in person is the BRZ concept at the LA Autoshow :mad0259:

Sorry, end rant.

What dealership was this?

Like I said, I lost track of which one this was, because he didn't seem to know anything. I didn't put any money down and I was put "first" on his list.

Check your call history and call them back to ask which dealer they are and describe exactly what you described to us and ask them why they are behaving like that. Just wondering is your name Andy or do you happen to know him? (My GT-R owner friend in San Diego.)

Yes, I do. I am debating on doing that or just waiting to see if they actually come up with a car for me... That's why I haven't named names yet.

Situations like this suck, but feel assured you're not the only one.

Once upon a time, there was a concept car called the Pontiac Solstice, and I drank the Pontiac Solstice kool-aid, and all I wanted was one. While waiting some 2 years for it to come to market, I posted endlessly on message boards, scouring the interwebs for the latest little hint of news, spy photos and previews. Meanwhile, I called every Pontiac dealer in my area to see who seemed to have the most information and wanted me to throw money at them for a deposit. Finally found one who claimed to be getting the biggest initial allocation, based on prior sales, and that I'd be 5th or so on the list, able to customize the car to my choosing. In writing, I would be getting my car @ MSRP.

Then the TV show "The Apprentice" featured the Solstice heavily. I think it was part of the grand prize for the first season, and the contestants had to design some marketing for it. So public interest in the car BLEW UP OVERNIGHT. Shortly thereafter, I get an email from the dealership stating that they were cancelling all the orders - some 26 or so cars.

"We are no longer accommodating preorders on the Pontiac Solstice."

Further inquiry revealed the reason why - They planned to sell my car (and all the others) to the highest bidder. They literally invited bidding wars on those initial cars, and marked up later allocations somewhere between 5K to 10k more. I even had to fight to get my REFUNDABLE deposit back.

In hindsight - at least I avoided owning a Pontiac Solstice.

/my rant over

OP, I had something similar happen to me when I was trying to get a BMW 1M last year. I never did end up with one. At least the BRZ/FR-S is half the price.

That sucks, but realistically, you made it clear that you did not want white but just wanted to test drive their white FR-S. "First" on the list or not, they didn't have one that you wanted, but the one you intended on test driving -- not purchasing -- was getting sold to someone who wanted it. I think it's unfortunate, but fair, especially when they have a buyer for that exact car lined up. Or maybe they were waiting until the transaction was fully complete (meaning money is exchanged) to notify you, as the potential owner may have just been filling out a credit application at that time.

Sorry to hear about your experiences but if they can't meet your expectations, move on. This seems to be the norm with most dealerships.

No worries. I bet you're SUPER glad, seeing as Pontiac went under AND every Solstice driver I've run into, no matter what car I'm driving, has to be a **** to me.

I can totally see that happening on the 1M but that was a legit limit production car, similar to the GTR. This is supposed to be an everyday / average coupe. Not trying to step on any toes, but the hype is getting kinda old. The first86 deserve their parties n such, but is it too much to have an honest dealer tell me when they'll have mine? I know everyone is feeling the same as me, and I shouldn't be complaining since I already bought my new daily, and this car is more for my little brother. Still, it's hard not to be excited over a car this long in the making (at least publicized).

Well, I totally agree with you. Except, the "common" rule apparently for Scion dealerships is that regardless of your color choices / transmission choices, you have priority according to your spot in line. Otherwise, let's say #1 on the list has red as top pick, but the first 10 cars are all different colors... he doesn't just get skipped now does he? I have 3 cars.. all white. Realistically, I am partial to white. Just because I said I don't think I want white, doesn't mean I am totally against it. What if I went, saw this car in person, and wanted to buy it. Who should get first dibs, if I was first on the list? That's the part that irks me. No I probably wouldn't have bought it, but I feel like I should've at least had priority to SEE the car and deny it. That's just my feelings though. I'll cry myself to sleep in my Cobra. :D

Yeah, didn't have, and still don't have, much faith in them. I have deposits with two big dealerships who are on the forum. Idk though, without knowing who ordered what and when Scion will release the cars from port, this is cutting it close. The car, like I said, is primarily for my little bro, but he's going off to college. I want to teach him how to drive / drive stick before he goes, so when he comes back, and I have the car all modded up, we can go track together. :iono: Plus, my parents have supported me with my cars, I want to do something nice for them and my bro and support them financially this time (with a car that has better fuel economy than 18 mpg haha)... :bonk:

RRnold, btw, are you on ninjette or some 250 forum? I think I've seen you on there before.

You bought a GT-R at MSRP? Interesting...they've been $10K+ over MSRP here since they came out.

If the car was white, and you specifically told them you don't want white why are you surprised that they went ahead and sold it to somone else who did want it?

Not everywhere. And even if you see mark ups on GT-Rs at your local dealership, that doesn't mean that it's firm. Sometimes they use it as a deterrent for lowballers so they can deal solely with serious inquiries. I was at a local Nissan dealership, and the salesman straight up told me that.

I have a friend in this area who has hook ups with Nissan (and owns an R32 Skyline GT-R himself, though I think he stashed it once DOT/EPA was hounding the Kaizo-imported GT-Rs), and I had sent a friend of mine who wanted a new 2012 GT-R last year, and I think he got one at a pretty good deal.

It was prob a first 86 car, if you called scion northridge thats my dealer, they got my car in yesterday and are clueless lol prob didnt realize it was sold and lied about having papers signed to cover up