After sending out several dozen requests for price quotes, I happen to get a reply from a dealer in southern California (I live in San Francisco). The price was $4000 below MSRP for a Limited with a stack of options/accessories.
I just happen to be vacationing 20 minutes away from the dealership and went in the following morning and gave them a $500 deposit on credit card. While they didn't have a vehicle order sheet filled out, they did print out my original email (which listed trim and options), with the agreed upon price and off I went to catch my flight home.
Last night I emailed asking for the VON, figuring 6 days should be plenty of time for them to have entered it into the ordering system.
The reply, "We do not have one yet when I do I will forward it to you also when the manager ordered it the price was a bit different the Factory makes you get some of the features in packages when my GM gets back in town I am going to go over it with him. He is the one who built it for me for you."
I acknowledged that there was a $4k price difference between MSRP and their quote, but reminded him that they had already taken a deposit based upon the price they stated in email. And that I expected them to honor their offer. He replied, "I will talk to him for sure my friend"
Hmmm.... I'm getting a sinking feeling they are going to try and back out of this deal because they made such a huge mistake in the pricing. I've tried looking for any legal references online for California and if an email quote is binding, more so if they've already taken a deposit on the car, but to no avail. So I'm looking to the hive mind and if anyone knows of any legal points that bind them to the price they offered???
I don't want to be a jerk with them IF they try and back out... but I'll certainly hit social media and forums to warn about this dealership and for sure contact SoA about this. But I'd just rather get the car I inquired about in good faith at the price they offered. If I knew what MSRP was when I began reaching out to dealers, I would expect dealers to know their own pricing when they reply back.
Sigh
I just happen to be vacationing 20 minutes away from the dealership and went in the following morning and gave them a $500 deposit on credit card. While they didn't have a vehicle order sheet filled out, they did print out my original email (which listed trim and options), with the agreed upon price and off I went to catch my flight home.
Last night I emailed asking for the VON, figuring 6 days should be plenty of time for them to have entered it into the ordering system.
The reply, "We do not have one yet when I do I will forward it to you also when the manager ordered it the price was a bit different the Factory makes you get some of the features in packages when my GM gets back in town I am going to go over it with him. He is the one who built it for me for you."
I acknowledged that there was a $4k price difference between MSRP and their quote, but reminded him that they had already taken a deposit based upon the price they stated in email. And that I expected them to honor their offer. He replied, "I will talk to him for sure my friend"
Hmmm.... I'm getting a sinking feeling they are going to try and back out of this deal because they made such a huge mistake in the pricing. I've tried looking for any legal references online for California and if an email quote is binding, more so if they've already taken a deposit on the car, but to no avail. So I'm looking to the hive mind and if anyone knows of any legal points that bind them to the price they offered???
I don't want to be a jerk with them IF they try and back out... but I'll certainly hit social media and forums to warn about this dealership and for sure contact SoA about this. But I'd just rather get the car I inquired about in good faith at the price they offered. If I knew what MSRP was when I began reaching out to dealers, I would expect dealers to know their own pricing when they reply back.
Sigh