[utzy]

Just a word of warning if you are shopping for a new Honda in the south suburbs of Chicago. Some of these sales people will have no problem lying to you about anything!!! I won't name anyone specifically, but my wife and I purchased a 2001 civic from this dealer a year ago and everything was great. Just recently, we found out we are going to be having our first child so we wanted to get a bigger vehicle. The Element was our top choice. The sales person told us that the fair market value of our civic was equal to the outstanding loan amount. I asked a few different times if this was accurate because I was researching what our car was really worth and I couldn't find anything close to the what he was telling me. The deal sounded good since we would come out even on the trade so we put down $250 and waited for our new Element to arrive.

Three weeks passed and we got a call from the sales person to come on in and pick up the car. At this point, the sales person was not able to quote me a price for the car and was told numerous times before coming in that since we were loyal customers, the general manager was going to speak with us about giving us a great deal. Well......

We get to the dealership, and now the trade in is worth $3000 less than what we were told. So much for our great deal!! I told the sales person that we were lied to and the response was "well, I said we would payoff your loan in full but I never said the car was worth the outstanding loan amount"

My wife and I were so mad that we asked for our deposit back. Now all of a sudden, the sales person was willing to give us more for our trade in. I knew ahead of time that the car was not worth what I was originally told, but the fact remains that I was lied to. Anyhow, we got the dealer to give us $2000 mroe for the trade in so we were only short $1000. If it wasn't for the urgent need for a bigger car and our deisre for the Element, we would have totally walked on the deal. I am now planning on writing a letter to the dealer, Honda USA and to the Illinois Attorney General. Next time, I won't make the same mistakes. As for our new Element, it is GREAT!!! Only had it for a few days now but it's been better than we ever thought it could be. If anyone wants to know the name of the dealer specifically, just let me know.

 

[peterdaniel]

I used to be a car salesman and here are a few things to note;

1) The saleman is nothing more than a walking talking brochure. Go into any type of detail beyond what you would normally find in a dealer brochure and you will encounter more bullsh*t ( if the guy or girl is good) or a dumb ass look or flat out stupidity.

2)The saleman has nothing to do with the sale of the vehicle. He/she makes NO decisions in the price of the car or your trade in. This job is solely up to the sales mananger and/or the finance manager.

3) No matter what "great deal" you think you were getting, the dealer will get his profit somehow by "borrowing from peter to pay paul" Got a lot ( you think) for your trade? Think again... Somehow somewhere the dealer added what he lost in the trade to either options, finance rate and or markup. Plus kickback from the banks dealer packs and special offers from the manufacturer all add up to nice profit for the dealer. Believe me they don't lose ever....

4) Don't even deal with the silly and useless time wasting salesperson. Go straight to the fleet department and get a set price If you can do it, do NOT get financing through the dealer, it is marked up just like the vehicle.

5) Your dealer is an independant person. When Honda first introduced the Element, it pleaded with the dealers NOT to mark up the prices above M.S.R.P. due to its target group. Uh-huh sure!! The dealers do what they want Hate to say it but the dealership is more important to Honda than you are. You do NOT buy your vehicle from Honda, the dealer does. You buy your Element or any vehicle from the dealer.

6)Get it in writing

7) Make all people , no matter who they are in your life, accountable for lying. People need to take responsibility for their actions and if you don't call them to the floor for them, nothing will ever change

 

[T Mac]

Utzy-

Sorry to hear about your experience. Hopefully, now you can just enjoy your Element and when the time comes give your business to a different dealership. Thanks for sharing your story but keeping the identities unknown.

I'm downstate from you, by the way. Supposed to be 80 here today!

Take care,

T Mac
Site Admin, Founder
Element Owners Club
www.elementownersclub.com
[email protected]

 

[utzy]

Thanks T-Mac -

Just wanted to share my horror story but also express my excitment with the new Element. As for the weather, it will almost reach 80 here in Chicago, but since I work indoors, I won't be able to enjoy it until later in the evening.

As for the dealer, I'll be going elsewhere in the future!

Utzy

 

[E-Bobbert]

I had the same experience here in Pittsburgh. My salesman was a dope, he coouldn't get anything right. In fact, I overheard the manager chewing his a** out for being an idiot :shock: Oh well, I got my Element and now I'm happ-E :wink:

 

[Element]

I personally don't like dealers. I was lucky that the salvation army took my old car and now i have a decent write-off for my taxes next year I didn't want to sell it privately and i dayum sure didn't want my local dealer to low ball me either. So i was happy, and now someone else is happy with my old car.