RANT – I Really Wanted To Buy A New Truck, But…

I was thinking about trading in the tow vehicle, and scrapping the truck on the trailer, but I’ll probably keep driving the Chevy and fix up the Dodge to sell as a runner. Every vehicle I sell will be one they don’t.

(RANT!) Does the local car dealership owner come to your church and put a big wad of cash in the collection plate? Do they trade with your business? Do they donate to your local social/charity/fun club or organization? Some do, but for most its strictly a cash benefit analysis at best IF they do at all. The one car dealership that ever traded with my business is no longer around. One that donated to a club I ran is no longer around. One that donated to a club I was a member of is also one that screwed my dad on an engine rebuild. I don’t mean the usual unhappy stuff either. I mean screwed. I have been shopping the last week, and I am reminded how much I just don’t like dealerships. Low balling trades. Pricing not matching their advertising. Bait and switch (or appearance of bait and switch). Attempted driver’s license hostage scam. Try to get you “invested in the process” sales tactic. Parting shot method. Telling you the same thing over and over like it validates their invalid point. Having to ask six times to get a price on the truck they bait and switched you on and its a $1000 more than the window sticker, and a lot more than the advertised price of THAT truck. When I was a local contractor I used to buy all my trucks locally. I also seemed to get a “fair” deal. Now I want a new truck for personal use and generically dealerships suck. I’m not talking about tacky used car lots. I’m talking about new truck dealerships. I don’t know why either. They aren’t selling like they were a couple years ago. Published sales numbers are low, and dealers have quit being able to tack on outrageous premiums like they did not that far in the past. I’m so frustrated with local dealerships I’m ready to buy out of town. Out of state if need be. The time alone I have wasted with some of these guys would be worth it to just buy the truck I want from a dealership back east, fly out and drive it back. Any cash savings is just a bonus.