[Northerner52]

A friend was taken advantage of at a Leesburg auto dealer. Besides Seniors Vs Crime. Any suggestions on recourse?

[JGVillages]

Depends on the details of what occurred.

[retiredguy123]

I think all auto dealers deceive customers and try to take advantage of them. But, did they do anything illegal?

[Stu from NYC]

First question is was a crime committed?

[villagetinker]

They could file a complaint with the BBB, as noted above you gave no details, so if what ever was done is illegal (like turned back odometer for example), then the local police could be contacted.

[Northerner52]

The 'CRIME was stealing the trade for $2500 when it is worth $10,000 on KBB trade in value. The CRIME is leasing a $32,000 new car with a Capitalized cost of $47,000, A CRIME lifting $5,000 from the senior woman's pocket. A CRIME to add $5,000 in add on services.
And all legal, as no gun was used

[Tennisbum]

Better Business Bureau, at least it will in the eyes of the public. One of the ladies that play on my mixed team had an issue with an olil change company that tried to soak her for 2k for safety parts on her car. They threatened to call her insurance company and report her! She was a lawyer........she got a free oil change!

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Northerner52

The 'CRIME was stealing the trade for $2500 when it is worth $10,000 on KBB trade in value. The CRIME is leasing a $32,000 new car with a Capitalized cost of $47,000, A CRIME lifting $5,000 from the senior woman's pocket. A CRIME to add $5,000 in add on services.
And all legal, as no gun was used

I'm sorry that happened to her. But, I'm not at all surprised. That is what car dealers do to people who are uninformed.

[bimmertl]

This is a classic example of the crap some of these dealers do on a regular basis.

In March I had a trade in worth around 12K on Kelly BB price. In addition, I had a firm price from Carvana for $12,900. When the salesman put the initial together he valued my trade in at 5K. I told him it was absurd and had him go to Kelly on his desk top.

10 minutes later a "sales manager" showed up and now the trade in jumped to 12K. So it's let's see how dumb this guy is and if we can screw him on his trade in we will.

I left.

For what it's worth, give Carvana a shot on a trade in. No cost and you'll have some idea of a trade in value in addition to KBB or whatever else.


I'll skip the details on the bogus add ons.

[villagetinker]

Thanks for the background, decades ago, my dad had a similar problem, at the time he was able to get to the vice president of the Pontiac division and had a discussion, the problem was cleared up the next day, I think the salesman was fired also.

[retiredguy123]

I agree that it won't hurt to post a detailed complaint on the BBB website. But, I don't think she would have been treated any better at any other car dealer. That is how they do business.

[JoMar]

And the dealers name is?

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Northerner52

The 'CRIME was stealing the trade for $2500 when it is worth $10,000 on KBB trade in value. The CRIME is leasing a $32,000 new car with a Capitalized cost of $47,000, A CRIME lifting $5,000 from the senior woman's pocket. A CRIME to add $5,000 in add on services.
And all legal, as no gun was used

1. This was a friend of yours, so of course you'll be biased. And dealerships are notorious for trying to get the best bang for your buck.
2. You don't know the actual condition of the vehicle, unless you're a mechanic and did a full inspection of it. The Kelley Blue Book provides guidelines, trade-in values are not black and white, they are shades of grey.
3. Didn't your friend do any research on her own? If not, why not? It's her car, it's her responsibility to know - at least within reason - the value of her own vehicle. No crime committed on trade-in value. They offered her a number, she accepted it. She could have walked away from the deal. She chose not to.
4. Leasing the car: when you make payments on a car, you accept that you'll be paying more than the car is actually worth. When you're leasing, you're paying interest. It also includes maintenance costs, which are covered in the lease. You don't buy a $32,000 car and don't expect to do oil changes, tuneups, 6000-mile checkups, exhaust, brakes, and AC checks and replacements, new tires after "x" number of miles, etc. etc. etc. Those things cost money and when you're leasing, they build those costs into your monthly payment. And when the lease is up and you hand the car over, they are not receiving a $32,000 car anymore. It's typically 2-4 years old already and likely worth perhaps half of that, if it's in good shape.

All legal, that's how leases work. No crime committed.

[EdFNJ]

It is a sad and aggravating fact these things often happen to women at car dealers (I believe 60 Minutes, years ago did a story on that) and being a senior woman puts a bigger target on your back. While I wouldn't call her gullible or stupid evidently she was just UNINFORMED. Barring any further details than provided she got what she legally contracted for and the salesman must have thrown a party when she left. She can write to the newspapers, contact "seniors against crime" who couldn't do anything anyway despite evidently there was no crime except for her being uninformed or contact the BBB for "satisfaction" but she won't get much more than that. As posters here ALWAYS write, we need to take responsibility for our own deeds. They probably got her by adding $9000 worth of worthless dealer installed extra to the sticker price. Sorry "your friend" got (legally) bamboozled.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

It is a sad and aggravating fact these things often happen to women at car dealers (I believe 60 Minutes, years ago did a story on that) and being a senior woman puts a bigger target on your back. While I wouldn't call her gullible or stupid evidently she was just UNINFORMED. Barring any further details than provided she got what she legally contracted for and the salesman must have thrown a party when she left. She can write to the newspapers, contact "seniors against crime" who couldn't do anything anyway despite evidently there was no crime except for her being uninformed or contact the BBB for "satisfaction" but she won't get much more than that. As posters here ALWAYS write, we need to take responsibility for our own deeds. They probably got her by adding $9000 worth of worthless dealer installed extra to the sticker price. Sorry "your friend" got (legally) bamboozled.

She should have asked someone who knew about car buying to come with her.

Also when you shop for a big ticket item should have some idea of what it might cost.

Do not think a crime was committed though.