So, I am returning to GTI once again and much excited about recent sales. As you all know, DC region advertise their price rather too rigorously and as one member stated, they do include all possible discounts that you may not even qualify. But what really got on my nerve is how some dealership around DC play with numbers and lure/mislead customers in illusion, for example, Sheehy(Springfield, VA) and Stohlman(Tysons Corner, VA). So, here is what happened with those unbelievable $7k $8k off MSRP discounts (which may include Royal customer/military/graduates/etc)
Original Price $27,835 ( GTI S + $320 for (Monster Mat & FirstAid Kid (these two are almost sold/included in as default) + $820 for Destination Charge)
For example, Stohlman VW said they would give me $7250 off MSRP as "discount", so i.e.
$27,835 - $7250(discount) + $65(tag/registration) +$600(doc fee) + $900(tax) = $22,150. But everybody freaked out and became argumentative because they said I have to pay for destination, i.e.
$27,835 - $7250(discount) + $65(tag/registration) +$600(doc fee) + $900(tax) +$820(Destination charge) = $22,970
So I of course objected why they are charging me for Destination Charge twice since 27835 included it already.
And of course sales without ability to explain or choose not to explain , or even refuse to go line by line with a calculator, it became disputes and one of extremely rude manager literally throw the phone away and walked off.
I ended up talking to General Manager directly and he said, they took out destination charge and put it in the discount! So technically, they are not giving the customer $7250 discount; so it was $6430.
In numbers,
$27,835 - $7250( $820 for destination + $6430 for the actual discount) + 65 + 600 + 900 + 820 = 22970.
So I asked him why you do that, or doesn't he stretch too much or use way too loose term of "discount". and how does it become "discount" if I am paying back anyway. There he admitted that they just want their customers feel like they are getting superb deal and virtually almost nobody asks about destination charge. And when I told him that I can't thank you for giving me 7250 and paying you back 820, because Stohlman VW being sly and misleading, and because I am not a rebate program. then he awfully sounded like there is nothing wrong how they lure or mislead the customers.
So anyhow, $6430 may still a good discount considering most of posts here says less, but it's just the sly play DC area dealerships play I couldn't be down for business.
So for the heck of it, I went to Beyer VW up in winchester, VA, and dealt with Kelly. She was knowledgeable and we had a great talk even about upgrading chips and horsepowers, etc.. I was impressed. Maybe because winchester is about 70 miles away from "city", people were rather straightforward.
After I talked about my experience and numbers, this is what they gave me.
27835 -6200(discount) +65(tag)+600(doc)+900(tax) = $23,200.
There is yes, $230 difference; but i am thinking of going to Kelly at Beyer VW than Stohlman or Sheehy.