Author Topic: in-house rust proofing rip off (Read 1703 times)

meggi · « **on:** July 16, 2011, 12:41:01 pm »

i just got my new mazda and i'm so glad i declined the in-house rust proofing that the dealer persistently and desperately tried to ram down my throat. he was charging me $3,000 for a "lifetime" guaranteed rust free car. i can go back to krown or ziebart every year for the next 20 years and i still not spend that much. when i turned down the rust proofing option the manager looked at me like i was a 10 year old punk who didn't know any better. he even warned me at least three times that the warranty will be void if i choose to go with third party rust proofing. a big lie since even mazda canada confirmed with me later that third party rust proofing will not void the warranty. i was also offered that electronic device that was supposed to prevent rust from developing. he wanted $1,200 but i also declined this. i found out later that this same device can be bought in a car accessory shop for $300 and all reviews i have read say it never worked. just be forewarned

Jaeger · « **Reply #1 on:** July 16, 2011, 01:04:48 pm »

For most of those dealer add-ons, "just say no" is the best policy. I was pitched everything as well, though I have to say I was by no means strong-armed. Funny how the price dropped a bit after each "No thanks", though.

Jaeger

Schmengie · « **Reply #2 on:** July 16, 2011, 01:34:12 pm »

Wow, I'm amazed the OP would still do business with this dealer after catching him in such a blatant lie.

One hint that the dealer's lying to me about anything and I'm outta there.

meggi · « **Reply #3 on:** July 16, 2011, 04:27:52 pm »

i would have left that dealer if only i had a choice and don't get me started on why i didn't have a choice. one very small and innocent mistake on my part left me with no choice but to buy a brand new car only with that dealer. but you are very right. you have to be alert with the sales staff and managers. one small mistake and they are all over over you. every single client who steps in their showroom is a potential cash machine. the dealer i admired most is VW where the salesman patiently convincingly made his sales pitch and in the end let me go look at other brands and dealers without even getting my phone number. that is one very confident dude and i have the highest respect for him. and i honestly would have made it back to him had i not been arm twisted by this mazda dealer.

Gardiner Westbound · « **Reply #4 on:** July 16, 2011, 04:31:47 pm »

Tell the salesman you don't want to buy a car that was inadequately rustproofed at the factory and watch for his reaction.

Jaeger · « **Reply #5 on:** July 16, 2011, 04:34:14 pm »

Quote from: Gardiner Westbound on July 16, 2011, 04:31:47 pm

Tell the salesman you don't want to buy a car that was inadequately rustproofed at the factory and watch for his reaction.

Jaeger

Schmengie · « **Reply #6 on:** July 16, 2011, 04:37:21 pm »

"one very small and innocent mistake on my part left me with no choice but to buy a brand new car only with that dealer."

Mmmm...sounds like you might have an interesting story there. Care to share?

meggi · « **Reply #7 on:** July 17, 2011, 09:00:10 am »

i'll be opening a nasty can of worms here. the whole story is 4 days long and endless hours of frustration and despair. but i will give you the very very short version with no bells and whistles.

initially i wanted a second hand suv. i did due diligence and researched the web and went to 2nd hand dealers. this dealer had a fairly good looking 2002 cherokee which they marked at 7,000. i tried it out and it rode very well and i liked it. we went through the paper work and put a $1,000 deposit and the balance is due upon pick up.

but i have to mention this part. he tried desperately to sell me a rust preventing electronic device for a "discounted" price of $1,200. days later i found out from other sources that this can be bought elsewhere for $300. of course i turned him down because i knew that there's no way a 10 year old car would be rust free. five times he insisted it was for my own good and five times i turned him down. then he charges me extra $370 for licensing and registration and i said fine go ahead. later, when i bought a new car he charges only $77 for the same service.

going back, i left their dealership 5 pm and they were open until 11 pm because of a special event. so about 2 hours later i changed my mind and decided i wanted to buy a brand new car to save me the anxiety of being stuck with a lemon. so i wanted to cancel the agreement and start trying out brand new cars. i called the manager but all i got was voice mail so i left a message. i emailed him too. past 11 pm i get an email the have "started the process" and it can't be cancelled. started what process??? they have not even started cleaning the car because it was way past working hours for the back office staff.

the next day i went back to appeal in person. a different manager approached me with a cold stern look in his eyes as if i was there to make trouble. obviously he was forewarned by the other manager to expect me and that he has already turned me down. with a low soft voice i tried to appeal to his sense of fairness and decency but he was adamant. when i said i wanted a brand new car his mood suddenly changed. so now he says the only way they can cancel the first contract was if i bought a brand new car with them. this is when i realized i was stuck with them and they can do pretty much anything they please. i felt like a 6 year old orphan in a room with a child molester. i spared the gory detail and my first intention was to post only the rust proofing incident which was what i posted earlier.

so this is how i ended up paying 40,000 for a car worth 26,500 msrp when my original intention was to buy and second hand car for 7,000.

boz · « **Reply #8 on:** July 17, 2011, 09:27:59 am »

An AWD CX-7 SUV with automatic transmission and leather seats/moon-roof package has a purchase price of $39,500 (all in) at Mazda Canada website. Is that what you bought?

meggi · « **Reply #9 on:** July 17, 2011, 09:44:51 am »

it's the very basic 2WD, no frills, no leather, no bluetooth. it's the basic standard package of cx7

Cord · « **Reply #10 on:** July 17, 2011, 10:39:22 am »

Quote from: Schmengie on July 16, 2011, 01:34:12 pm

Wow, I'm amazed the OP would still do business with this dealer after catching him in such a blatant lie. One hint that the dealer's lying to me about anything and I'm outta there.

I'm not condoning lying by anybody and really just playing devil's advocate here, but would you also suggest that the dealer throw out a customer they find to be lying about anything?

sailor723 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 17, 2011, 10:41:10 am »

So you let yourself be taken for 13K plus rather than walk away from your $1,000 deposit?

tpl · « **Reply #12 on:** July 17, 2011, 10:43:56 am »

Quote from: Cord on July 17, 2011, 10:39:22 am

Quote from: Schmengie on July 16, 2011, 01:34:12 pm
Wow, I'm amazed the OP would still do business with this dealer after catching him in such a blatant lie. One hint that the dealer's lying to me about anything and I'm outta there.

I'm not condoning lying by anybody and really just playing devil's advocate here, but would you also suggest that the dealer throw out a customer they find to be lying about anything?

Yes if it is a substantive thing like the condition of a trade in or state of their credit. Although I'd accept an argument that the buyer of the trade-in ( the dealer) should be deemed to be an expert and work out for themselves exactly what they are getting. From your posts Cord I am sure that you ARE such an expert.

Cord · « **Reply #13 on:** July 17, 2011, 10:48:32 am »

Quote from: tpl on July 17, 2011, 10:43:56 am

Quote from: Cord on July 17, 2011, 10:39:22 am
Quote from: Schmengie on July 16, 2011, 01:34:12 pm
Wow, I'm amazed the OP would still do business with this dealer after catching him in such a blatant lie. One hint that the dealer's lying to me about anything and I'm outta there.

I'm not condoning lying by anybody and really just playing devil's advocate here, but would you also suggest that the dealer throw out a customer they find to be lying about anything?
Yes if it is a substantive thing like the condition of a trade in or state of their credit. Although I'd accept an argument that the buyer of the trade-in ( the dealer) should be deemed to be an expert and work out for themselves exactly what they are getting. From your posts Cord I am sure that you ARE such an expert.

I guess I was focusing on Schmengie's emphasis on the word anything. I was just wondering if a lie about anything allows the other party to claim the moral high ground.

tpl · « **Reply #14 on:** July 17, 2011, 10:54:21 am »

Quote from: meggi on July 17, 2011, 09:00:10 am

...

but i have to mention this part. he tried desperately to sell me a rust preventing electronic device for a "discounted" price of $1,200. days later i found out from other sources that this can be bought elsewhere for $300. of course i turned him down because i knew that there's no way a 10 year old car would be rust free. five times he insisted it was for my own good and five times i turned him down. then he charges me extra $370 for licensing and registration and i said fine go ahead. later, when i bought a new car he charges only $77 for the same service.

...

FWIW those "electronic rust preventing devices" DO NOT WORK. They pass a small current through the vehicles body/chassis and are more likely to cause corrosion where dissimilar metals touch than they are to prevent anything. People will tell you that "that's what is used on boats" Metal hulled boats or those with metallic parts that are immersed in an electrolyte ( water with any amount of dissolved minerals) DO benefit from a sacrificial anode that takes all the corrosive action on itself. In fact your home water heater probably has one in the tank, a magnesium rod that slowly gets eaten away.

Do not pay any money for one of these nor allow one to be installed.

Julie · « **Reply #15 on:** July 17, 2011, 11:01:33 am »

Meggi, something is very, very wrong here with paying $40,000 grand for a car worth $26,500.

You did have a choice.

You need to contact a lawyer and report this dealer to Mazda Canada.

There was a report in the media about a dealer that sold a $40,000 car to a client for $60,000. Amongst other trouble he got into, he can no longer sell Mazda's.

Yes, it's very embarrassing to be ripped off like that, but don't let the embarrassment separate you from $13,000.

You'll need a lawyer though. They won't listen to you and they'll keep threatening you. Do not take this lying down!

Cord · « **Reply #16 on:** July 17, 2011, 11:16:33 am »

^^ I suspect that like another forum poster, this person is expressing the price of the vehicle in terms of adding up all the monthly payments.

Julie · « **Reply #17 on:** July 17, 2011, 12:00:20 pm »

Quote from: Cord on July 17, 2011, 11:16:33 am

^^ I suspect that like another forum poster, this person is expressing the price of the vehicle in terms of adding up all the monthly payments.

Oh! Makes sense Cord, thanks...

Schmengie · « **Reply #18 on:** July 17, 2011, 12:18:31 pm »

Quote from: Cord on July 17, 2011, 10:39:22 am

Quote from: Schmengie on July 16, 2011, 01:34:12 pm
Wow, I'm amazed the OP would still do business with this dealer after catching him in such a blatant lie. One hint that the dealer's lying to me about anything and I'm outta there.

I'm not condoning lying by anybody and really just playing devil's advocate here, but would you also suggest that the dealer throw out a customer they find to be lying about anything?

Absolutely. if I feel that a dealer's saying or doing something dishonest ( yes, about anything) I will go somewhere else. By the same token, I'm just fine with a dealer who throws out a customer that lied to them. Honesty works both ways.

meggi · « **Reply #19 on:** July 17, 2011, 12:23:38 pm »

Quote from: sailor723 on July 17, 2011, 10:41:10 am

So you let yourself be taken for 13K plus rather than walk away from your $1,000 deposit?

ok this is how it works. the 1,000 was for a second hand car which i originally purchased but wanted to back out on. i am committed to pay a balance of 6,000 because this contract cannot be cancelled according to them. only if i buy a brand new car from them can this contract be voided. the 13k covers tax, freight plus other add ons (no accessories)