Leased an FRS...Dealership Issues...HELP!

[gtslow]

Originally Posted by TrqlessWonder

Never leased a car, but from what I recall, when you lease a car, you do offer up a security deposit. Car comes back all scuffed and stone-chipped, and the dealer takes more of the deposit than they should..like pay for a full front respray, and then only DRColorChip it.

The terms of the OP's lease almost amount to usury, though. Granted, our credit situations are different, but I'm financed within 5% of that payment, with the powertrain warranty extended out to 6/100. 2500 down, 3300 in trade..out-the-door...tax, title, tags, everything.

Some leases don't require a damage deposit.

What was your OTD price including warranty, taxes, title etc? You also dropped nearly $6k into your down payment so it makes sense your payment would be much lower.

[TrqlessWonder]

Originally Posted by gtslow

Some leases don't require a damage deposit.

What was your OTD price including warranty, taxes, title etc? You also dropped nearly $6k into your down payment so it makes sense your payment would be much lower.

No security deposit? Seems a little risky, but hey, guess that's the lessee's choice.

My final price, according to the corrected paperwork (also had the college grad rebate in there) was just under $31k. Also note, my payments aren't actually lower, but the amount more that I'm paying becomes the amount I'd be saving if the warranty weren't there. It could also be the higher mileage lease (is it?), which adds to the cost, and I didn't read that there wasn't a trade-in from the OP, so I guess we need to know if that's the case, too. But fair point, not exactly apples-to-apples. Just seems like in exchange for the limitations/sacrifices/risks associated with leasing, one should yield a bigger difference than a pizza per month.

Back OT: I'd advocate for trying to give the car back, but it'll be tricky. OP, it sounds like you did take delivery of the car? Maybe try to get a meeting with the GM to explain the situation and see if they'll either honor the deal or take the car back as a zero-sum expenditure? If they balk (likely) then let them know that you'll be contacting Toyota directly to seek relief through them. That may soften them up a bit. If you're truly stuck with the car, at least there'll be a survey coming your way from Toyota about your experience, and it's bad news (has potential to cost them money) if those results aren't 5's across the board. I don't advocate raping folks on those surveys, but it looks like the OP legitimately had a less-than-exemplary experience. So, rate them accordingly on the topics you're not pleased about. Something that smells like bait-and-switch won't be looked upon favorably. FWIW.

[Psy-q]

I sell cars for a living and that dealership is not treating you right. Get your money back and walkaway. Try at another.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by TrqlessWonder

No security deposit? Seems a little risky, but hey, guess that's the lessee's choice.

My final price, according to the corrected paperwork (also had the college grad rebate in there) was just under $31k. Also note, my payments aren't actually lower, but the amount more that I'm paying becomes the amount I'd be saving if the warranty weren't there. It could also be the higher mileage lease (is it?), which adds to the cost, and I didn't read that there wasn't a trade-in from the OP, so I guess we need to know if that's the case, too. But fair point, not exactly apples-to-apples. Just seems like in exchange for the limitations/sacrifices/risks associated with leasing, one should yield a bigger difference than a pizza per month.

Back OT: I'd advocate for trying to give the car back, but it'll be tricky. OP, it sounds like you did take delivery of the car? Maybe try to get a meeting with the GM to explain the situation and see if they'll either honor the deal or take the car back as a zero-sum expenditure? If they balk (likely) then let them know that you'll be contacting Toyota directly to seek relief through them. That may soften them up a bit. If you're truly stuck with the car, at least there'll be a survey coming your way from Toyota about your experience, and it's bad news (has potential to cost them money) if those results aren't 5's across the board. I don't advocate raping folks on those surveys, but it looks like the OP legitimately had a less-than-exemplary experience. So, rate them accordingly on the topics you're not pleased about. Something that smells like bait-and-switch won't be looked upon favorably. FWIW.

I have a very good relationship with my dealer and can tell you without a doubt they are scared to DEATH of those surveys! It does not take much of a bad score at all to cost them more money then they would like to even think about. Pretty sure this is the first time I have ever seen the survey mentioned on here but knowing about them does give a new owner with an issue quite a bit of leverage.

[aznatama]

There's no buyer's remorse in Cali, so you'r stuck with the car. The legal documents you signed state what you paid for the car and what it includes. Means nothing what the dealership told you since you have no proof of anything. Sales may give you stuff, but the contract writer may "inadvertently" leave things off. Those long forms they use cost like $15 ea or something... I've made some dealerships go through 4-5 of them because they always got something wrong on it. you could fight it and maybe they'll take the car back, but since the papers are electronically transferred to the DMV, it's probably listed as used now.

Basically, LOOK AT YOUR CONTRACT and any forms that show what you HAVE NOT RECIEVED yet. If you have nothing showing that, then they don't legally owe you anything.

Lastly, live and learn. a Lease is with the bank, not the dealership. You NEVER tell dealer what you want to do, ALWAYS negotiate the BEST PRICE before talking about buying/financing/leasing.

Of course, there's plenty of info we don't know yet, so it's a bit hard to give accurate advice here. If you feel you really were screwed, you could always go consult an attorney.

[B-R-Z]

Act like you don't care and are going to move on to the next dealership. They want to make a sale, they play a psychological game that they are in the drivers seat if they know you are desperate to get the car. They should be working with you to get you what you want, at the same time you have to be fair about your requests.

I remember a few cars ago when I said I was going to sleep on it, my dealer pulled out a business card of one of his other customers and was like "well, this person wants the car too". He was totally trying to play me, I got up and walked out and that was that.

[thill]

Originally Posted by aznatama

There's no buyer's remorse in Cali, so you'r stuck with the car. The legal documents you signed state what you paid for the car and what it includes. Means nothing what the dealership told you since you have no proof of anything. Sales may give you stuff, but the contract writer may "inadvertently" leave things off. Those long forms they use cost like $15 ea or something... I've made some dealerships go through 4-5 of them because they always got something wrong on it. you could fight it and maybe they'll take the car back, but since the papers are electronically transferred to the DMV, it's probably listed as used now.

Basically, LOOK AT YOUR CONTRACT and any forms that show what you HAVE NOT RECIEVED yet. If you have nothing showing that, then they don't legally owe you anything.

Lastly, live and learn. a Lease is with the bank, not the dealership. You NEVER tell dealer what you want to do, ALWAYS negotiate the BEST PRICE before talking about buying/financing/leasing.

Of course, there's plenty of info we don't know yet, so it's a bit hard to give accurate advice here. If you feel you really were screwed, you could always go consult an attorney.

She has some protection but not much as you mentioned:
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochure...cts/ffvr35.htm

I would still talk to the manager and if that does not work talk to the State Attorney General and perhaps the BBB...

And I know all car dealers and salesman are not crooked, but you essentially have to approach the car buying business as if all of them are and protect your best interests every step of the way.

Car dealers know what they are doing, they do this for a living all day long. They know most people are on an emotional roller coaster when you go to sign all the paperwork and most buyers just want to drive their new car and get out of the dealership since they have most likely been there for hours....

[Tcoat]

Was hard for me to play the "I don't care" game when I was getting mine as they could very clearly see me drooling all over the hood while I gently caressed the front fender. But even then, when they emailed the next day and said they couldn't hit my price point I said "fine I will go across the street and talk to Subaru" their tune very quickly changed.

[thill]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Was hard for me to play the "I don't care" game when I was getting mine as they could very clearly see me drooling all over the hood while I gently caressed the front fender. But even then, when they emailed the next day and said they couldn't hit my price point I said "fine I will go across the street and talk to Subaru" their tune very quickly changed.

Very true. I once offered a deal on a new MazdaSpeed3 to a local dealer and they told me no chance (and to be fair to them, it was a lowball offer). It was the beginning of the month. On a whim I stopped back by at the end of the month and the same sales manager told me he needed two more sales to hit a big quarterly bonus and it was 5pm on the last day of the quater. We shook hands and both of us were happy

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by thill

Very true. I once offered a deal on a new MazdaSpeed3 to a local dealer and they told me no chance (and to be fair to them, it was a lowball offer). It was the beginning of the month. On a whim I stopped back by at the end of the month and the same sales manager told me he needed two more sales to hit a big quarterly bonus and it was 5pm on the last day of the quater. We shook hands and both of us were happy

The 2015s were due in the dealership the next week when I got mine. I wanted the Hot Lava and since they only had the one in the showroom that had most of the TRD bolt ons and a few other goodies that was my only choice. As it had been there for months I figured they would want to move it but they wanted full price for all the stuff they had added to it. They did say I could have white or black for cheaper though. When I said I was walking they threw in most of the add ons and I only paid a little (in comparison) over stock price.

[aznatama]

I do all my negotiation via email. Easiest that way. I never buy in person until I have hashed out all the details in writing.

[thill]

Originally Posted by aznatama

I do all my negotiation via email. Easiest that way. I never buy in person until I have hashed out all the details in writing.

I usually do too, but my car at the time was at the dealer (this was 2007), and I test drove the Speed3 while I was waiting for my car and the sales manager asked me what it would take to put me in the car

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by aznatama

You NEVER tell dealer what you want to do, ALWAYS negotiate the BEST PRICE before talking about buying/financing/leasing.

I don't understand why so many people fall into this trap. Why do people not shop around for their financing before even setting foot into a dealership? Why can't people understand that buying a car and financing the purchase are two separate things?

I have a 1.45% rate on my note because I took the time to shop around and get pre-qualified before I even knew what car I was going to buy. I see the rates some of the people here are paying and cringe. Why would you let a salesman talk you into that, when a few phone calls could save you thousands of dollars?

Originally Posted by Sandy209

The salesperson was telling me thats the best rate I could get.

And you believed him?

I don't want to make you feel bad, but I think you're learning a very expensive lesson here. Salesmen will tell you anything to sell you a car. Just because a salesman says he's offering you the best deal you can get does not mean he's actually telling you the truth. That goes for both the price of the car and the financing terms.

[lantsalot]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

I don't understand why so many people fall into this trap. Why do people not shop around for their financing before even setting foot into a dealership? Why can't people understand that buying a car and financing the purchase are two separate things?

When i bought mine i actually didn't realize that i could go that route! got a pretty good rate though since my credit was good, but it would be nice to have your 1.45%!