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Not a Ridgeline Owner due to $55

7K views 61 replies 38 participants last post by  bear97 
#1 ·
Well over the past 2 weeks I have talked to 4 Honda dealers. Well this morning the verbal agreement was made. RTS with Navi, sunroof, hitch, fog lights and mud flaps. Invoice plus $700 and then trade-in value for my camry. (would have like to sell it on my own, but so convinient this way) I wanted to buy at the nearby dealer to take advantage of loaner cars and location, plus they had the silver truck still wrapped in plastic with only 4 miles on it.

Long and the short of it. Invoice + $700 - trade + TTL. I agreed and drove the 20 minutes to the dealer. Well like all other dealerships they try to add doc fees of $55 or other hidden fees, well that wasn't the agreement. Invoice + 700 + Tax +title + License and no where in there was there a "D" for documentation.

The sales guy had to go talk to the manager. Manager was a very rude guy also abrupt, standoffish. No way wo how! He then gave me the sob story about how they aren't making money already on me and they gave me everything I wanted, bla bla bla. I told them that the agreement only inlcuded ttl and sorry but I was leaving. The manager then told me that if I didn't take the deal then it would be higher if I came back. The sales guy was pretty upset because "I" was blowing the deal over $55.39. I looked him in the eye and said that wasn't included in our deal was it? He agreed. I left, walked right by the shining Ridgeline and drove home.

Well with the three Toyota's I bought in the past(not an expert by any means) I never had a manager close the door to negotiations. The truck was clean, check book was out, paper work filled out and ready for me to go and they let me walk out. Too bad they can't just tell you they are going to add the hidden fees, but they don't. Even if they call back I don't know if I would buy from them if this is the way the managers at Muller Honda in Highland Park Illinois treat their customers.

They could have apologized for not informing me of the hidden fee during the negotiation and then say that the deal is a good deal and if I needed to think about it, or they couldn't go any lower or maybe split it with me or any number of options, but this guy was so rude and final. Pretty much I was trying to rip them off.

Sorry for the ramble, but is there a Honda form I can fill out and submit managers names etc? In the scheme of things $55 isn't alot of money on a $31000, but that wasn't the deal I agreed too, but then again, $55 shouldn't have been a big deal to them either. My pride will keep me from going back and that is becasue of the way the manager chose to approach and interact with me.

Thanks,
Kevin
 
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#2 ·
I still think you may have been "a penny wise but a pound foolish." You don't have a Ridgeline, but you still have your principles.
 
#3 ·
Sorry to hear such a sad story. But what ever you do, do NOT let this interfere with buying a Ridgeline. Go to another dealer and another - four may not be enough. Sooner or later you will find nice people to deal with and at a price you agree upon. Believe me, the Ridgeline is worth it and if you buy something else you will forever be kicking yourself in the butt for giving up because of these jerks. Remember, they will always be able to sell that Ridgeline. So don't let them beat you. Buy one someplace else and then drive it around their lot when the salesman is out there showing someone a car. Just sit and wave. Believe me, it will make your day just to see the expression on his face!
 
#5 ·
I think you were right to stick to your guns. As for this form, I'm not sure who you'd contact other than a regional rep. Honda has next to zero to do with dealerships and their practices. In my opinion, you should still get a truck and you should simply check out a few other dealerships and tell them what you were going to pay at this one. I bet you'll find another half-way local rep that is either willing to match it or even beat it just to get your business over them.

Good luck and please keep us posted.
 
#6 ·
I very nearly (also) walked out on my deal over the "Towing Package" fiasco. If you're not familiar with it, it's where the Honda website states the package includes one set of items, but the dealer installs a different set, as he buys the individual parts and not the "package" that Honda advertises. It amounted to my being shorted a key locking hitch pin and a ball. My salesman, who's dealt me several vehicles over the years, simply stated "that seems to be OUR problem, you know I'll take care of it" and he did. He does, however, know that I will walk away from even a sweet deal, if I feel something is amiss. You did nothing wrong, and unless they had a 2nd offer after yours for more money, I hope they get to sit on it for a few extra months. JMHO


Don
 
#7 ·
I bet that the owner of the dealership would be mighty unhappy with the manager if he knew how new customers were being treated. If he is not upset, you must find another dealer. It would only get worse from there. If sales management has that bad of an attitude you can only imagine what the attitude of the service department would be.
You were right to walk away. Find another dealer that wants your business today and tomorrow. There definitely are some very good dealers out there. Ask for recommendations from members of this ROC site for dealers in your area. You have a very powerful tool to get the information that you need right at your fingertips right here on this site. Just ask and you will receive first hand information directly from Ridgeline owners. It doesn't get any better than that.
Go for it! Welcome aboard!
 
#8 ·
I admire you for walking away. I would, and have, done exactly the same thing. A deal is a deal. Dealers wonder why they have the reputation somewhat below pond scum... one reason is exactly what you posted. The dealer probably doesn't understand why you walked away. The morals of a legitimate business relationship escapes them.

The good news is that every time I walked away from such a deal a better one presented itself in short order. I expect the same will happen to you.

If you feel strongly about the problem the best thing you can do is file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
 
#9 ·
hkmail1, Utilize a different dealership and contact their Internet sales manager and "bypass" the floor salesperson! I think you will find a whole lot less bull sh%^&* . This worked for us as we got our's for $30,175 Out the door. We paid the $515.00 Destination and they paid my tax & Lic. which was around 10% Very fair, we thought. Now's an even better time to deal than when we bought ours. You stick to your guns and you won't get taken. We wish you luck and you won't be sorry with this new pickup! :D
 
#11 · (Edited)
Sorry you walked out, but every dealership has a doc fee that is usually non-negotiable. One of the first questions I ask is how much is the doc fee. Doc fees can range from 180 to 700.00. A 55 dollar doc fee is sweet. they don't get much cheaper than that. The cheapest doc fee I've run into is 180.00. Dealers are scum, but in this case I think they were acting reasonably considering the deal they gave you. Man, $55 was nothing and I don't think it was hardly like they were trying to pull a fast one to make $50.00. In the future you should know every dealer has a doc fee and inquire about it.
 
#13 ·
Ok, you are at Best Buy and you agree on a price for a TV. Then at the register after you pick up the TV and carry it to the front they change the price for the TV after you already thought the price was final, would you pay the additional amount, even if it was only off by a dollar? I bet you would tell the cashier, then they would have to do a price check, then they would have to call a manager to make the change on the register, etc.

You are buying a house, do you find out up front what all the charges will be? I knew to the penny how much our house was going to cost. no surprises. Some people are surprised.

I did my research and asked the questions. The problem is the Sales guy lied when he said the final price. Then at the 11th hour they changed the price. If he would have told me about the $55 during negotiations then I could have included it in the total cost for consideration, but they don't tell you about it until you are about ready to drive away in your new shiny car for a reason.

I know that there is a doc fee, I have bought a few cars. Some dealers tell you about their doc fees during negotiations and some don't. The ones that don't and then try to slip it in at the end are the scum ones and the two times this has happened, first time the sales guy wrote me a check and the other the dealership deductied it from the price of the car.

The reason the dealership can do this is because people allow them too. Oh hey Ridge one thing I have learned in my short life, everything is negotiable. Stating that the price is non-negotiable is just a negotiating tactic.
 
#14 ·
hkmail1 said:
Well over the past 2 weeks I have talked to 4 Honda dealers. Well this morning the verbal agreement was made. RTS with Navi, sunroof, hitch, fog lights and mud flaps. Invoice plus $700 and then trade-in value for my camry. (would have like to sell it on my own, but so convinient this way) I wanted to buy at the nearby dealer to take advantage of loaner cars and location, plus they had the silver truck still wrapped in plastic with only 4 miles on it.

Long and the short of it. Invoice + $700 - trade + TTL. I agreed and drove the 20 minutes to the dealer. Well like all other dealerships they try to add doc fees of $55 or other hidden fees, well that wasn't the agreement. Invoice + 700 + Tax +title + License and no where in there was there a "D" for documentation.

The sales guy had to go talk to the manager. Manager was a very rude guy also abrupt, standoffish. No way wo how! He then gave me the sob story about how they aren't making money already on me and they gave me everything I wanted, bla bla bla. I told them that the agreement only inlcuded ttl and sorry but I was leaving. The manager then told me that if I didn't take the deal then it would be higher if I came back. The sales guy was pretty upset because "I" was blowing the deal over $55.39. I looked him in the eye and said that wasn't included in our deal was it? He agreed. I left, walked right by the shining Ridgeline and drove home.

Well with the three Toyota's I bought in the past(not an expert by any means) I never had a manager close the door to negotiations. The truck was clean, check book was out, paper work filled out and ready for me to go and they let me walk out. Too bad they can't just tell you they are going to add the hidden fees, but they don't. Even if they call back I don't know if I would buy from them if this is the way the managers at Muller Honda in Highland Park Illinois treat their customers.

They could have apologized for not informing me of the hidden fee during the negotiation and then say that the deal is a good deal and if I needed to think about it, or they couldn't go any lower or maybe split it with me or any number of options, but this guy was so rude and final. Pretty much I was trying to rip them off.

Sorry for the ramble, but is there a Honda form I can fill out and submit managers names etc? In the scheme of things $55 isn't alot of money on a $31000, but that wasn't the deal I agreed too, but then again, $55 shouldn't have been a big deal to them either. My pride will keep me from going back and that is becasue of the way the manager chose to approach and interact with me.

Thanks,
Kevin
Hi Kevin,

Do what I did, Don't waste time on any salesman, woman, or manager! Find the fleet sales manager and go directly to him or buy factory direct! Get what makes you happy!
 
#15 ·
hkmail1 said:
Ok, you are at Best Buy and you agree on a price for a TV. Then at the register after you pick up the TV and carry it to the front they change the price for the TV after you already thought the price was final, would you pay the additional amount, even if it was only off by a dollar? I bet you would tell the cashier, then they would have to do a price check, then they would have to call a manager to make the change on the register, etc.

You are buying a house, do you find out up front what all the charges will be? I knew to the penny how much our house was going to cost. no surprises. Some people are surprised.

I did my research and asked the questions. The problem is the Sales guy lied when he said the final price. Then at the 11th hour they changed the price. If he would have told me about the $55 during negotiations then I could have included it in the total cost for consideration, but they don't tell you about it until you are about ready to drive away in your new shiny car for a reason.

I know that there is a doc fee, I have bought a few cars. Some dealers tell you about their doc fees during negotiations and some don't. The ones that don't and then try to slip it in at the end are the scum ones and the two times this has happened, first time the sales guy wrote me a check and the other the dealership deductied it from the price of the car.

The reason the dealership can do this is because people allow them too. Oh hey Ridge one thing I have learned in my short life, everything is negotiable. Stating that the price is non-negotiable is just a negotiating tactic.
I don't want to make a big thing out of it, but everything I've read on buying cars says to expect a doc fee. You knew about it, I'm surprised you didn't bring it up. There's a dealership in Vegas that sells at invoice, but they have a 700.00 doc fee. Now, I think we can all see how shifty that little move is. It's pretty sleazy to say the least. Why don't they just advertise they sell at 600.00 over invoice, because that's what it amounts to. in your case you were already at invoice, and to tack on a 55.00 Doc fee is reasonable. I'm frankly surprised it was so low. they probably feel "Gee, we've already given the guy the store, and we forgot to mention our doc fee, and he doesn't even want to give us that. I just don't believe dealerships try to pull fast one for only 50.00, 200.00 yes, but not 50.00. It's just not worth their time.

I've heard Honda may be throwing some backend money on the RL to the dealer, hence the reason some are selling at invoice, because they can still make 1,000.00. The fact they wouldn't budge on that 50.00, leads me to believe they were really at invoice, and were just trying to get their allotment up for the end of the month, or it was just a matter of pride to them that they weren't going to let you walk all over them. I think you let a great deal slip away because of pennies. Yeah, I would pay the extra dollar at best buy, because I know sometimes people forget to mention petty stuff and they're not all out to get me. Yes, dealerships are out to get you and me, but we need to know when we are getting a deal and I believe you had a pretty sweet one. When the big three end their give away program and RL prices go back up, you'll be lucky to get it for 1,000.00 over invoice. This was petty, petty stuff. You thought they were out to get you. They thought you were out to get them. Nobody won, and your still wrapped in plastic RL that you knew no one else drove, was driven home by somebody else, and you have to start over with some other scumbag. Sometimes it's better to stick with the devil you know.
 
G
#16 ·
Ridge said:
I don't want to make a big thing out of it, but everything I've read on buying cars says to expect a doc fee. You knew about it, I'm surprised you didn't bring it up. There's a dealership in Vegas that sells at invoice, but they have a 700.00 doc fee. Now, I think we can all see how shifty that little move is. It's pretty sleazy to say the least. Why don't they just advertise they sell at 600.00 over invoice, because that's what it amounts to. in your case you were already at invoice, and to tack on a 55.00 Doc fee is reasonable. I'm frankly surprised it was so low. they probably feel "Gee, we've already given the guy the store, and we forgot to mention our doc fee, and he doesn't even want to give us that. I just don't believe dealerships try to pull fast one for only 50.00, 200.00 yes, but not 50.00. It's just not worth their time.

I've heard Honda may be throwing some backend money on the RL to the dealer, hence the reason some are selling at invoice, because they can still make 1,000.00. The fact they wouldn't budge on that 50.00, leads me to believe they were really at invoice, and were just trying to get their allotment up for the end of the month, or it was just a matter of pride to them that they weren't going to let you walk all over them. I think you let a great deal slip away because of pennies. Yeah, I would pay the extra dollar at best buy, because I know sometimes people forget to mention petty stuff and they're not all out to get me. Yes, dealerships are out to get you and me, but we need to know when we are getting a deal and I believe you had a pretty sweet one. When the big three end their give away program and RL prices go back up, you'll be lucky to get it for 1,000.00 over invoice. This was petty, petty stuff. You thought they were out to get you. They thought you were out to get them. Nobody won, and your still wrapped in plastic RL that you knew no one else drove, was driven home by somebody else, and you have to start over with some other scumbag. Sometimes it's better to stick with the devil you know.
Brutally honest but, nevertheless, honest. :eek:
 
#17 ·
I think you did the right thing by sticking to your principle. However, keep trying, keep looking because, I tell you, Ridgeline is worth the money and fun to drive. I just pick one up on Saturday. The dealer I went to was no hasle at all. They have a one price, no hasle and no haggling deal which is about 3-4 thousand dollars below MSRP. The staff and facility were nice. They even gave us a tour of the facility. With my experience with them, I may go back to buy another Honda from them in the future. So, goodluck, and keep us posted :)
 
G
#18 ·
teamridge said:
I think you did the right thing by sticking to your principle. However, keep trying, keep looking because, I tell you, Ridgeline is worth the money and fun to drive. I just pick one up on Saturday. The dealer I went to was no hasle at all. They have a one price, no hasle and no haggling deal which is about 3-4 thousand dollars below MSRP. The staff and facility were nice. They even gave us a tour of the facility. With my experience with them, I may go back to buy another Honda from them in the future. So, goodluck, and keep us posted :)
Hey teamridge!! Welcome to the ROC family and congratulations. We're glad you're here. Enjoy the ride.
( nice name " teamridge" but couldn't you have picked a brighter color? ) :D
Just kiddin'. Welcome.
 
#20 ·
Invoice + $700....and that included tow package, fog lights and splash guards? Man, that was a deal! The cheapest I can find for a dealership to install just the tow package is $629 (+tx), not to mention the other two accessories.

My 'doc' fee was $299, and stated on the sticker as well as the sales invoice (it is pre-printed in the box, as if it were 'etched' in stone'....)

Part of me wishes I could sell my RL used and maybe get a new one (upgraded to Navi) for what I paid for my current one back in April! I know it was the best deal back then ($1,700 under MSRP, which made it about $1,200 over invoice...) but I have to stop reading threads like this because it aggravates me that it's available for less now!

Kevin, I'm sure you felt 'taken' by $55.39 because they failed to mention 'D', but if they truly gave you invoice (which you know given your research) then you should not pass up a similar deal if presented to you. If you went to another dealership who offered the same (invoice + 700 + T+T+L and mentioned the 'D', would you take it? It sounds to me like you would because it's a matter of principle to you. But also consider it could have been an unintentional oversight by the salesman that agreed with you because he forgot to do his job by reminding you (the idiot should have taken the $55.39 from his pocket to make the sale....)

Good luck Kevin and I hope you get into the RL you want. It's a great truck adn you will certainly enjoy it.
 
#21 ·
I won't trash anyone for doing something they feel is right. Personally, I really wanted my truck and $55.00 or $550.00 was not going to stand in my way. ($5500.00 might have though!) Everyone knows you buy a vehicle partly for tangible reasons (fuel economy, safety, color) and partly on "feelings". I do things based on my principles, but "give and take" are a big part of it. If life was absolute, we would all be very unhappy.
 
#22 ·
I'd call another dealer (you should have plenty in Chicagoland) give them the price and have them trade the original dealer for your Silver Ridge. That way you pay what you want, get the color you want and the original dealer gets what they deserve. When my local dealer wouldn't trade on my '00 Odyssey for the Black RTS he had, I called the next closest dealer made the deal over the phone and had him trade with my local dealer.
 
#23 ·
Having second thoughts yet? You have to want it. Owning this vehicle a day sooner is worth $55. Owners, tell me I'm wrong. Wait around till the prices go back up which they surely will. If you doubt that, it's because you don't own one. :p
 
#24 ·
Every dealer here has at least 7+ Ridgelines on the lot. One dealer I was talking to called it the fridgeline around here. One dealer hadn't sold one yet. The dealer that I was making the deal with had 12, most were on the lot for 40 plus days. I don't think it will be a problem to find one again and I know I can get invoice anywhere I go, the thing was I wanted to do it all in one day, get rid of the camry, etc. Since they only gave me trad-in value for the camry there was definite room to deal.

I will probably take my time and sell the camry outright and I will come out ahead. If the price jumps on the ridgeline then it does and it wasn't meant to be.

Keivn
 
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