Is the Dealer Shady?

This situation seems very odd to me. I would like opinions. I have been corresponding via email with a BMW Dealer about the purchase of a car. I gave an out the door price, the dealer said he would accept the offer. I had given the dealer the color combination I wanted and the options I wanted. The Dealer said he would sell the car at the price I stated, but wanted a deposit so he could locate the car.

I replied, I would gladly give a deposit if the Dealer guaranteed me that the exact car I wanted would be available. (I know sometimes certain Dealers will not give up certain cars in Dealer trades.) The Dealer wrote me back and said, "In life nothing is certain but death and taxes, I need a deposit to secure your car. I will have it in about 1 to 2 weeks." I wrote back and said, "I will gladly give a deposit, if you guarantee me that you can secure the exact car I want, with the exact options I want, at the exact price we discussed, and a 1 to 2 week time frame as you suggested. I want to know for certain the car is available."

The Dealer wrote back again, and said " I have explained myself, I need a deposit to continue, or we need to move on" I wrote back to the Dealer and said, "we need to move on. In all honesty I have never heard of anyone giving a deposit on a car or any tangible item without a guarantee that the item actually exists."

Does this Dealer seem shady?

Reply » Is the Dealer Shady?

Would the deposit have been refundable? If so, seems reasonable to ask you to put some skin in the game to let him know you're serious before he goes off on a wild goose chase.

Alex

Reply » Is the Dealer Shady?

Quote:

Would the deposit have been refundable? If so, seems reasonable to ask you to put some skin in the game to let him know you're serious before he goes off on a wild goose chase.

Alex

Well, the other two Dealers I worked with previously never asked for a deposit. They told me once they locate the car and talk to the other Dealer to see if the Dealer would trade the car, then they would need a deposit, which I thought was appropriate and ethical. In both of those cases, the Dealers were not able to get the other Dealer to trade the car. Both of these Dealers were great. In fact, the first Dealer referred me to the second Dealer when he could not get the car I wanted.

This new Dealer seems shady. A Dealer should be able to tell you if he/she can get the car before they ask for a deposit.

Reply » Is the Dealer Shady?

Quote:

This new Dealer seems shady. A Dealer should be able to tell you if he/she can get the car before they ask for a deposit.

I'd agree with that statement.

Alex

Reply » Is the Dealer Shady?

I purchased my '04 ZHP from a dealer in Georgia without even speaking to the salesman until I called to coordinate delivery...at a Popeyes in north ATL...lemme tell you, that was an experience....a new Bimmer AND some Popeyes Chicken

When the dealership emailed that they had found the car, they also requested a deposit, which was placed on a CC. Basically, as mentioned before, its to let them know you dont have them running around like a chicken for nothing.

-B

Page 1 of 1