Well my Sonata came in 2 weeks earlier than I expected (came on a truck mid-day Friday) and I picked it up Saturday morning. There was something of a little bit of controversy as the dealer tried to tack on an additional $1,000 to the deal after we agreed upon the numbers for the car. However, I guess I should explain everything from the beginning. I first inquired about the price of a 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE with Sunroof & Navigation package through Hyundai's website. The next day I was contacted by a saleswoman at the local Hyundai dealership, who knows me well and the only person I do business with at that dealership. In the e-mail, she stated that the price of a SE with Sun & Nav would be $27,549 (which I know was absolute bull and that the price was inflated with possible dealer markups and dealer add-ons I never want on a car) but that they would sell it to me for $24,735 which in all reality is only $1160 off the MSRP (including destination), not the $3,000 they explained in the e-mail. Last Saturday I went to a Hyundai dealership in Columbia (SC) to test drive a 2011 Sonata. The same saleswoman gave me the keys to a demo GLS and let me take it out for a test drive by myself (since we have a good rapport) while she handled some business with other customers. When I came back to the dealership, the saleswoman and myself talked about what I want in a Sonata. She let me know that 2 Sonatas with the options I wanted was on their way to the dealership and at last check would be there at or around 2 weeks from the 14th (the Saturday I test drove). So we talked some numbers. When we got down to it and crunch some numbers I didn't like what I saw or was offered. They were wanting me to put down $2,000 to get my payments down in the $380 range which I knew I didn't have to put down that much to get in that range as I did lots of number crunching before ever stepping foot in the dealership. If I did put down that much my payment would have been in the $340 - $350 range. They even stated they would be willing to help by giving me $12,000 even for my 2008 Sonata that was only worth $9,975 in a trade-in (according to KBB) but I still owed $11,924.12 on it. Still I opted to declined because the estimated payments were well beyond the means of which I was willing to pay. They claim the estimated payments included Hyundai's 3.99% for 72 months.
Anyways, shift to Monday and I receive a letter from my insurance company telling me that their banking services is running a special promotional rate for new vehicle purchases, 3.49% for 84 months. This rate would put me well in line with the price range I want and with the outstanding credit I got, I knew it wouldn't be a problem for me to get that rate. The next day, I e-mail the saleswoman at the dealership and explain that I may be able to do the deal but there were certain provisions that I want and explain that I could be financing the car through a different company and not HMFC if my loan was approved. Some of the important provisions I requested for me to consider buying the car was:
Saturday morning I arrived at the dealership ready to let the deal down. After going through all the formalities, signing the paperwork, handing them the check to buy the car and everything that goes with a new car buying experience. They take me to a place I like to call the dark room. I'm pretty sure most of you are familiar with this. It's a room where they take you that feels kinda secluded. There are no windows, the walls seem like they are sound proof. Basically what they are trying to do is to get you to buy additional stuff/protection for your car (whether it's through pressure or psychological warfare) so they can jack up the price of the car payment and get an additional kick back. Being how I know what goes downs with the deals since this wasn't my first rodeo I knew before hand I wasn't going to buy those products. Keep in mind I wasn't even financing through Hyundai or any of the dealer's financing arms so the reason why I had to talk with a finance manager eluded me. I even explained to their finance manager from the beginning that he should save his breathe because whatever he was selling, I wasn't buying. They even tried to play the tale of "what happens if something catastrophic goes wrong with your car and it's not covered by the warranty" to which I responded that new Hyundai's come with a 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty and a 5 year/60,000 mile new vehicle/bumper-to-bumper warranty and I think if anything "catastrophic" is going to happen to my car, it'll most likely happen in that time frame. So the finance manager tries to spin a different angle by saying I could say in maintenance cost over the life of the vehicle if I take their offer. Still I decline. Again he asks if was interested in one of their deals, which one would I take. So I choose the basic one because (1) I wasn't interested and (2) still didn't care. So he comes back and says what if I take 40% off this maintenance protection package would I interested then. I responded I'm still not interested, I like the price of my car where it is and if I wanted to pay more for my car, I would have financed with them instead of my company. After which he dropped the issue and had me signed a document stating that I was refusing all maintenance and protection packages they offered. He started printing the bill of sale and then stops. Out of no where he proclaims that I short changed their dealership $1,000 and that I owe them that before they will sell the car to me. I asked him how he came to that conclusion. He then explains that the sales price of the car was $25,749 and that I only put down $500 instead of $1500 they expected. I countered by stating the dealership agreed to sell me the car for $24,735 and that I never said I would put down $1,500 conclusively. I said I would put a down payment/security deposit between $500 - $1500 depending on who I financed with and that I had secured financing elsewhere. He showed me the paperwork that shows the price of the car as $25,749 and clearly I knew it was a piece of paperwork they didn't show me (whether it was intentional or not) or the paperwork on the other deal they tried to work the week prior as the finance company wasn't on the paper work. I responded by stating that he didn't still didn't explain how I owe them a $1,000 when I have a check for $24,287.12...the final price at which they agreed to sell the car to me for. I even use their own calculator to break down the price of the car since he had a hard time understanding. The pricing was as follows...
$24,735 (the price they would sell the Sonata to me for) + $11924.12 (amount owed on my '08) + $300.00 (state tax) + $289.00 (doc/dealer fees) + $39.00 (title & tags transfer) - $12,000.00 (trade-in amount they agreed to give me) - $500.00 (owner loyalty) - $500.00 (security/down payment) which would make the final price of the car $24,287.12. Still the finance manager argued that I owed the dealership $1,000 to which I countered I don't. He left the room and came back with the new car sales manager and the general manager. Both of which immediately started backing up the finance manager's statement. As much as I wanted to get mad, I kept my composure and calm in this situation because I knew going off the deep end wouldn't do me any good. In any case they the general manager re-reads the provisions in the e-mail I sent them of what it would take for me to buy a car and then the light bulb went off in his head as he realized his dealership made a huge blunder. He tells me point blank that someone in his department did not read my the contents of my provisions correctly and that they should never agree or offered to sell me the car at $24,735 (despite the fact the original e-mail to me states they would sell me a SE at that price before I ever came in). He says with my deal they would not make a profit on the car (that they would lose $151...not sure how that is but that's what he said). He said that since I have purchased a couple vehicles from them in the past...he is going to make the dealership honor their word and sell me the car for the final agreed upon price. He was very apologetic and I think he meant it but at the same time I could tell he wanted to chew someone out, whether it was the finance manager, new car sales manager, the saleswoman who I initially worked the deal with or even myself. 15 minutes later (after looking over the new bill of sale, getting a receipt saying that I paid them exact price of the car and making sure there was no hidden fees or what have you as naturally at this point I am highly suspicious of any paperwork given to me) I was given the key fobs to my 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE and I drive off happy if not with a bitter taste in my mouth. I came in at 8:30 that morning to get the car and didn't leave until well after 12 due to what I will call their controversy for a lack of a better word. In comparison, when I got my 2011 Mustang in May, it only took 2 hours 30 minutes for the deal to go down and the majority of that time was the hour drive there and the hour drive back. Sorry for the long post. I have attached pics of my new ride.
Anyways, shift to Monday and I receive a letter from my insurance company telling me that their banking services is running a special promotional rate for new vehicle purchases, 3.49% for 84 months. This rate would put me well in line with the price range I want and with the outstanding credit I got, I knew it wouldn't be a problem for me to get that rate. The next day, I e-mail the saleswoman at the dealership and explain that I may be able to do the deal but there were certain provisions that I want and explain that I could be financing the car through a different company and not HMFC if my loan was approved. Some of the important provisions I requested for me to consider buying the car was:
- Before including my down payment and Owner Loyalty rebate as part of the deal, the selling price of the Sonata should be $24,735 which was the same price they e-mail me a week earlier.
- I wanted the proposed $12,000 trade-in value they were going to give me the Saturday I came in to test drive their demo GLS.
- I said if they agreed to the deal that I would be in their office later in the week to put a security deposit/down payment (ranging between $500 - $1500) for them to hold one of the cars so it wouldn't be sold off the lot. As I explained to them I wouldn't take possession of the car or purchase until the local county taxes for my 2008 was processed and showed as paid since I paid them 2 weeks previously and didn't want to get double billed.
Saturday morning I arrived at the dealership ready to let the deal down. After going through all the formalities, signing the paperwork, handing them the check to buy the car and everything that goes with a new car buying experience. They take me to a place I like to call the dark room. I'm pretty sure most of you are familiar with this. It's a room where they take you that feels kinda secluded. There are no windows, the walls seem like they are sound proof. Basically what they are trying to do is to get you to buy additional stuff/protection for your car (whether it's through pressure or psychological warfare) so they can jack up the price of the car payment and get an additional kick back. Being how I know what goes downs with the deals since this wasn't my first rodeo I knew before hand I wasn't going to buy those products. Keep in mind I wasn't even financing through Hyundai or any of the dealer's financing arms so the reason why I had to talk with a finance manager eluded me. I even explained to their finance manager from the beginning that he should save his breathe because whatever he was selling, I wasn't buying. They even tried to play the tale of "what happens if something catastrophic goes wrong with your car and it's not covered by the warranty" to which I responded that new Hyundai's come with a 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty and a 5 year/60,000 mile new vehicle/bumper-to-bumper warranty and I think if anything "catastrophic" is going to happen to my car, it'll most likely happen in that time frame. So the finance manager tries to spin a different angle by saying I could say in maintenance cost over the life of the vehicle if I take their offer. Still I decline. Again he asks if was interested in one of their deals, which one would I take. So I choose the basic one because (1) I wasn't interested and (2) still didn't care. So he comes back and says what if I take 40% off this maintenance protection package would I interested then. I responded I'm still not interested, I like the price of my car where it is and if I wanted to pay more for my car, I would have financed with them instead of my company. After which he dropped the issue and had me signed a document stating that I was refusing all maintenance and protection packages they offered. He started printing the bill of sale and then stops. Out of no where he proclaims that I short changed their dealership $1,000 and that I owe them that before they will sell the car to me. I asked him how he came to that conclusion. He then explains that the sales price of the car was $25,749 and that I only put down $500 instead of $1500 they expected. I countered by stating the dealership agreed to sell me the car for $24,735 and that I never said I would put down $1,500 conclusively. I said I would put a down payment/security deposit between $500 - $1500 depending on who I financed with and that I had secured financing elsewhere. He showed me the paperwork that shows the price of the car as $25,749 and clearly I knew it was a piece of paperwork they didn't show me (whether it was intentional or not) or the paperwork on the other deal they tried to work the week prior as the finance company wasn't on the paper work. I responded by stating that he didn't still didn't explain how I owe them a $1,000 when I have a check for $24,287.12...the final price at which they agreed to sell the car to me for. I even use their own calculator to break down the price of the car since he had a hard time understanding. The pricing was as follows...
$24,735 (the price they would sell the Sonata to me for) + $11924.12 (amount owed on my '08) + $300.00 (state tax) + $289.00 (doc/dealer fees) + $39.00 (title & tags transfer) - $12,000.00 (trade-in amount they agreed to give me) - $500.00 (owner loyalty) - $500.00 (security/down payment) which would make the final price of the car $24,287.12. Still the finance manager argued that I owed the dealership $1,000 to which I countered I don't. He left the room and came back with the new car sales manager and the general manager. Both of which immediately started backing up the finance manager's statement. As much as I wanted to get mad, I kept my composure and calm in this situation because I knew going off the deep end wouldn't do me any good. In any case they the general manager re-reads the provisions in the e-mail I sent them of what it would take for me to buy a car and then the light bulb went off in his head as he realized his dealership made a huge blunder. He tells me point blank that someone in his department did not read my the contents of my provisions correctly and that they should never agree or offered to sell me the car at $24,735 (despite the fact the original e-mail to me states they would sell me a SE at that price before I ever came in). He says with my deal they would not make a profit on the car (that they would lose $151...not sure how that is but that's what he said). He said that since I have purchased a couple vehicles from them in the past...he is going to make the dealership honor their word and sell me the car for the final agreed upon price. He was very apologetic and I think he meant it but at the same time I could tell he wanted to chew someone out, whether it was the finance manager, new car sales manager, the saleswoman who I initially worked the deal with or even myself. 15 minutes later (after looking over the new bill of sale, getting a receipt saying that I paid them exact price of the car and making sure there was no hidden fees or what have you as naturally at this point I am highly suspicious of any paperwork given to me) I was given the key fobs to my 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE and I drive off happy if not with a bitter taste in my mouth. I came in at 8:30 that morning to get the car and didn't leave until well after 12 due to what I will call their controversy for a lack of a better word. In comparison, when I got my 2011 Mustang in May, it only took 2 hours 30 minutes for the deal to go down and the majority of that time was the hour drive there and the hour drive back. Sorry for the long post. I have attached pics of my new ride.
