Walked out on dealer - did not purchase the R :-(

[cb1111]

If you're serious about one in the metro DC area, you need to check out Sheehy VW or Lindsay VW. Both have website prices below MSRP.

No they don't - at least not the Lindsay site.

Yes, the site shows about $1000 off MSRP - but - it does not include destination so the "real" discount is about $150. You can make that up easily by either negotiating a bit or just buying the car in MD where the processing fee is $299 vs the VA $699 fee.

 

[cb1111]

When I went through the process for my GTI, they sent me to a dealer on the other side of town *and* Costco gave me two names of individuals to deal with. But right after I hit "go" on Costco's site, I got a call from someone else at that dealership.

And when I went in, it was very much old school used car sales. She didn't know squat and had to go back and forth, and came back with a price that didn't make sense. When I said I had a cheaper quote right out of the gate, she asked me if I had that in writing. Huh, funny you should ask...here it is.

Aha. Well, more back and forth with white-shoe Kurt Russell in another room somewhere, and finally she comes back with "oh yeah, we had the wrong pricing, that's right, the Costco pricing is what you showed us from the other guy."

I wasn't going to use them anyway, but now I REALLY wasn't going to use them.

So, punch line: Costco sent me a survey about the process. I let them have it with both barrels, and in the end said "yes, please contact me about all of this". And they DID, a couple days later.

This guy was very apologetic, and he was flabbergasted that I was not engaged with either of the two Costco-trained staffers at the dealership. Apparently what this dealership did was every step against the Costco guidelines.

I would hope so. I also hope that this dealer is no longer in the Costco program.

So I ask: did the Costco site give you names to deal with at this dealer, and is that who you dealt with? Because I don't trust it any other way.

Yep, they gave me a name. Like you, somebody else contacted me with the "COSTCO price" which was about $2k more than the advertised online price even after you add in all the crap that the DC Metro dealers play games with.

 

[takemorepills]

Did the Costco car buying thing change since Dec 2015?

I bought my GTI using this service (actually leased) and the Costco website gave me the quoted price, they didn't send me to a dealer for it to be "revealed". Also, I believe my quoted price was basically invoice. It was very open process.

Recently, I tried using the Costco website to get a better deal on a GolfR, and the process seemed different. In 2015, all I needed was my Costco ID#, this time they wanted me to setup an account.

 

[cb1111]

Did the Costco car buying thing change since Dec 2015?

I bought my GTI using this service (actually leased) and the Costco website gave me the quoted price, they didn't send me to a dealer for it to be "revealed". Also, I believe my quoted price was basically invoice. It was very open process.

Recently, I tried using the Costco website to get a better deal on a GolfR, and the process seemed different. In 2015, all I needed was my Costco ID#, this time they wanted me to setup an account.

No more quotes. They send you to the dealer for pricing - the same as TrueCar.

 

[adam1991]

The Costco site *does* give you full information about all promotions and incentives, though.

Once you have the pricing from the dealer, you have full information. No counting on Kurt Russell to tell you anything.

 

[cb1111]

The Costco site *does* give you full information about all promotions and incentives, though.

Once you have the pricing from the dealer, you have full information. No counting on Kurt Russell to tell you anything.

Really? What are the promotions and incentives for the R? Do you have a link to that page? I wasn't able to find anything.

 

[RoyB2]

To be honest, I would have bought it with 17. To be clear I walked out on 37 miles, and mainly because the salesman lied about the mileage.

Another thing I forgot to mention because I was so PO'd when I posted this, is that 6 salesmen were all around "my R" when I pulled up. When I parked my 335 close to the R, they all moved a little and stood 5 feet away BS'ing and smoking cigarettes. I went inside and "my salesman" gave me the keys to check it out while he finished with another customer and pointed to the car where all the other sales peopel were. I walked to the car and noticed they all had a grin on their face. That grin was from most of them driving the car. They all started talking to me saying what a nice car it is and how much I will love it. When I started it up it was warm and right up to operating temp, which was proof someone had been driving it. I also felt some heat coming from the engine when I walked around the front inspecting it before I sat in it. I started putting 2 & 2 together on my drive home.... I still have their grins in my head - the grin that said I just drove the he*l out of your car.

I believe the car did have 5 miles when I first talked to guy 4 days ago and we were emailing back & forth while he was talking to his manager and finally agreed on $41K. It was all those others sales guys that wanted a chance to drive it before it was sold and racked up the miles.

Harry

PS. edited for typos/grammar

So let me get this straight. The car had 5 miles on it per the salesman when you first started communication 4 days prior to you showing up? Then it had a whole 35 miles so you walked away instead of trying to negotiate a better deal since it had more miles on it?

The car has a 6 year warranty. What could possible happen in 30 additional miles of test drives that wouldn't show up in 6 freaking years?

It's possible they pulled the car up and had it running for you so you could test drive a warm car. I have had dealers do this before when they know I am coming in for a specific car at a specific time.

It's documented that Audi RS cars hit the dealers with approx 30-40ish miles that are mostly PDI from the mnf. which involves beating the snot out of them.

This thread is ridiculous.

 

[vj123]

This thread is ridiculous.

Thats the reason why this thread is popular!

 

[adam1991]

Really? What are the promotions and incentives for the R? Do you have a link to that page? I wasn't able to find anything.

I got the same thing a couple weeks ago. No promotions are shown.

Now go price a different Golf--GTI or lower. See what happens.

So there are no factory promotions or cash available. That's what it tells me.

I knew everything about the end of year GTI promotions back in December. I had full information with which to make a decision.

And in the end, the non-Costco dealer who gave me the very first price, ended up having the lowest price with absolutely zero hassle.

 

[adam1991]

What could possible happen in 30 additional miles of test drives that wouldn't show up in 6 freaking years?

You obviously don't have the same quality of foil as he does for your hat.

Shoot, even at 5 miles the engine was ruined. Ruined. Just ask him.

 

[cb1111]

You obviously don't have the same quality of foil as he does for your hat.

Shoot, even at 4.00001 miles the engine was ruined. Ruined. Just ask him.

Fixed it for you.

In all fairness, I doubt that the problem was/is the miles. The dealer lied to him once a while back and now "lied" to him again. That got him royally pissed.

The magnitude of the second lie is immaterial. The guy could have said "nice day today, it must be 80 degrees" when in fact it was 79 and the OP would have gone off.

We've all been there but most of us don't go back to a dealer who lied to us. The OP went back and was expecting to be lied to. He got his expectation.

Some of our actions are irrational (my selling the R32 because of the dealer) but at some point we need to step back and say "am I overreacting?"

 

[vj123]

Mine had 2 miles on it and it still bothered me, I wouldn't buy it with 37 miles either. Matter of fact when I got mine, dealers were not allowing test drives on the R's at all. I drove it on the way to fill up the complimentary tank of gas. Find a different one for your peace of mind.

Shoot, even at 5 miles the engine was ruined. Ruined. Just ask him.

2 miles on the clock brings in worries, so 5 miles is 150% more.

People should visit an automobile assembly plant and have the look at the quality checks done after final assembly.

 

[cb1111]

2 miles on the clock brings in worries, so 5 miles is 150% more.

People should visit an automobile assembly plant and have the look at the quality checks done after final assembly.

and before the odometer is connected...

 

[vj123]

and before the odometer is connected...

Oh god, the engine travelled all the way from Hungary to Germany before it was assembled onto the vehicle.

 

[only1harry]

I used to get bothered by these things (37 miles on a new car) like OP. These days not so much. Just a few words that might help OP out (sorry for the unsolicited advice in advance in if you find this annoying) :

The cliche is that it's just a car. It's not even some rare unicorn of a car. There are more expensive , better performing more exclusive cars than the Golf R. Also as much you love the car now, it's not going to be with you for the rest of your life......

You don't have to tell me, the sticker on my 2011 335i was $56,400 fully loaded 7 years ago, so I have owned more expensive cars. It has absolutely nothing to do with the price of the car or exclusivity. Like I mentioned in many of my posts, I have bought Civics and others cars with 2-5 miles on the odo and that is the way I prefer to buy all my cars - with the lowest mileage possible, regardless of the price of the car. You guys don't care if your new car has 37 miles on it, and some here do. To each his own. I just know I am not the only one. It's my money and I set my own expectations, not someone else's. I don't tell you how to spend your money. It's your choice. I can advise if asked, but I don't judge. I was like many of you 20-25 years ago and wanted to finalize the deal quickly and drive that new car home sooner than later. That's not me any longer.

I can't believe this thread is still going strong I never expected this, but I am glad to see several people feel like me, and not at all surprised people are so judgmental. I 've been around forums since the late 80's. There is never 1 opinion on any 1 subject.

Anyway, I have started to mod my 335i and will be hitting the track again in a couple of weeks hopefully, and maybe start instructing again. I was just looking for a daily driver, and I no longer have a commute, so if I can't find a low mileage R for under MSRP or for the same price ($41K was the deal I backed out on) or better, I might just get an '18 GTI and just do a Stage 1 or other mods with the $ I will save from not buying an R. Don't know yet, we 'll see. I bet won't have a problem finding GTI's with <10mi. on the clock

The CTR is still on the table too. I like having choices. I am not desperate for an R. If I were, I would have taken that deal or try to re-negotiate, but I have learned to walk away from dealers over the span of the 4 decades I have been purchasing new cars, especially when they are not straight shooters, or try to deceive me in any way.

Enjoy your cars people! Take them to the track or an auto-x event once in a while. Don't do stupid things on the street. Get it out of your system at a sanctioned event, meet people, and have fun. Above all don't be embarrassed. Just make sure everyone knows you are a novice (if you are), and don't take it personally if you come in last or mess up. You are there to have fun and don't have the seat time (or mods) many of the others have.

Harry