Another poor interaction with a Mazda dealership. Went back and forth with one of their sales clerks online and via phone. Vehicle list price was 18,999.00. Yes, they are yet another dealership that has gone to the one price only scheme. After some back and forth, I pointed out an almost identical vehicle with 10,000 miles less on the odometer, and priced for less. Well, I guess we had a breakthrough, they dropped the price to match, at 18,777.00. I guess 10k miles is only worth $222.00. What a joke. They refused to drop to $18,500.00. Figuring they don't take offers seriously by verbal means, I went to the dealership and took the vehicle out for drive. yes, in case you're wondering I did make an offer to buy and pay without even wasting a salespersons time in person, how easy would that have been?
So the new salesperson is not really familiar with Mazda products. It's either his first day selling used cars, or first time dealing with Mazda. He didn't know the asking price of the vehicle, and new very little about the vehicle. He also insisted Mazda didn't have a CX-7, twice!. I walked him over to a CX-7 on his own lot, and he said, oh ya, that's a CX7.
We went in, he started to do the whole Ipad thing, I said listen, I like the car and will offer $18,500.00, please go check with your sales manager and let me know if we have a deal. 5 minutes later he returns, oh hey, I'm really sorry but I forgot to have you fill out some paperwork and get you into our computer system, I just need to do this first. I said listen, I don't want to waste my time or yours, I'm not sitting here for an hour to play paperwork games if we don't have a deal. Did you relay my offer to the salesmanger? He said yes. I asked do we have a deal, he said he didn't know. He went back to get him. Sales "manager" shows up and sits down, can I help you. I explain the offer. He says we know what the car is worth, we do research etc etc and once we have a price we don't move from it. I said, never? You guys don't change prices at all? He said no. At that point I should have noted that the price already changed once, but really at $222.00 it's not much of a change. So already, I know there is a lack of integrity. I asked if we had a deal at $18,500.00, he said no, we decline that. So I asked why then if we didn't have a deal would you send the sales person back to waste my time filling out paperwork. No answer to that of course. I actually felt some pity for the salesperson. He loses a sale over $222.00.
I'll again note it feels like these sales people are really just clerks. Minimal knowledge of product, and absolutely no negotiation skills whatsoever. That's the result of one price shopping, which of course always benefits the dealership. An educated consumer is NOT what these places want.
Oh, and how dedicated are they to customer satisfaction. If this site is any indication, not much. I note they have one response from a social media specialist to the 7 reviews they have had over how many years? And her advice, to contact "mike". That's a real laugh. He's the owner of the dealership, think he will respond? No, he won't. I wrote him over a week ago with my concerns, and I haven't heard a work back from him. Now that is service.
But the most shocking part of this encounter was realized this morning. I went back in to their used car list and lo and behold the vehicle was still there (it's only been 2 days). The price on the vehicle now?
$19,248.00. That's right, the dealership that doesn't adjust prices (according to their sales manager) went from listing price of $18,999, to $18,777, has now increased the price of the vehicle to $19,248.00.
Was the sales manager lying, or do they actually change the prices of their vehicles?
Perhaps Crystal can get with "Mike" and post a response?
UPDATE: Got a response from a sales clerk today regarding the price difference. yes, the price did go up. Why? Well, it's like a stock see? Here is the explanation:
Our vehicles are priced according to market. They are automatically updated every week taking into consideration market value for the particular vehicle.
That is priceless. The prices ebb and flow, how many guesses as to how many times the car price goes down? Not often. I thought I had seen all the pricing schemes and scams out there, this one takes the cake. read more