So there's a new 2015 Fit at my local dealer and they have promised that my name is on it. It's the only one they currently have. The problem is that they say it can't be sold to me until they get a new one in. How does this make sense? My salesperson didn't have a very good explanation of why other than "Honda is being weird about the Fits right now". I have already called Honda to get their thoughts on the situation, but all they did was log a case and probably won't get back to me for a couple of days. Granted, I haven't signed anything yet or paid anything, but still, these seems crazy. The car is still wrapped up in the back of the dealership, so it's not like they are using it as a model or anything. Does this make sense to anyone?!

 

No it does not....

My dealer got three in, sold all of those day one. Waited a couple of days if not more and got some more. Sold those. Never once did they just say to a potential buyer that he/she could not sell the one that is on the lot until more arrived.

You better watch him so that he does not use that Fit as a demo.

 

That definitely sounds like a dealer issue not Honda.

 

No, it does not. It looks like the dealer wants to sell the car to someone else, and push you to the next car. Only an opinion ....

 

It's a dealer issue. I had a similar thing almost happen to me. I'll try to make a long story short, though.

6/28 - went to the dealership looking for the specific model I wanted (the car in my sig file). Was told it wasn't on the lot, but would arrive any day. They had one for a test drive, so I did a test drive. They said they'd call me as soon as the one that I wanted arrived.

7/1 - got a call saying my car just came off the truck. Come in and see it, test drive, etc. I did. Loved it, said I wanted it, so we did the dealing and signed the paper work. It was after closing, so I knew that I couldn't take delivery that night. When we got to that question of delivery, the salesperson told me that I he couldn't give me a delivery date, because they had to keep my car on the lot to show and for test drives until another arrived. He said it was a Honda policy. I was livid. He said he'd ask the sales manager for specifics the next day and let me know the deal.

7/2 - Got a boilerplate email from the GM, "thanks for visiting, blah blah what can we do to move the deal forward." So, responded and told him I already bought the car, but was reconsidering my decision due to not being able to take delivery. GSM called me a couple of hours later, and said that he was sorry for the confusion, but the car should have never been sold to me. It's a dealership policy to keep one on the lot at all times. However, because no one told me up front, I could take delivery. So I did.

I had taken a picture of the odometer the night before, and the mileage was reasonable with only 1 additional mile on the odo when I took delivery.

So yeah, some dealers are doing this, and I think it stinks.

 

The only constant with dealers is that they will play games to maximize their profits. If they have a customer coming in to look at a Fit they will try to keep an already-sold car on hand and they will tell you anything to make you do what they want. If you've agreed to buy the car they have no business letting other people get into it, let alone use it for test drives. They want to sell the car and keep it too!

The only tool in the customer's box is to cancel the deal and walk out. Yes, you will still buy a car, but probably not from that dealer. In the process of walking out you may find the issue has magically resolved itself.

 

My dealership is holding one unit in stock that they are using as a demo and won't sell. That was the case with two other dealerships as well. However, they're up front about it and won't even offer it as one that's available to purchase.

I was clear that I did not want the vehicle I purchased test driven. It was a nonissue because they had a demo model.

 

That does not make sense. I have been to several Honda dealerships in the SF Bay Area. One used to have one on the lot and it sold, so they didn't have any for a test drive. Another four I called had none either. So your "have to keep on the lot for demo purposes" is a local policy.

I did go to one dealership and called ahead of time to see if they had one on the lot that I could test drive. When I got there, the sales rep said yes, they did have one on the lot, but it was already sold! I was mad b/c I had driven all the way up there to do a test drive. Well, they talked to the manager and allowed me to do a test drive around the block and on the freeway (1 exit only, which was fine). The next people who came on the lot saw the same car but were not allowed to drive it, but they could sit in it. These 2015 Fits are just in short supply!

I would take your business elsewhere.

 

How would you like it if you bought a car and, before you took delivery, the dealer let random people drive it? If a dealer did this to me I would refuse the car because I have no way of knowing how it was driven.

Conversely, I wouldn't test-drive a car if I knew that another person had purchased it. It just wouldn't be right to use their car without permission.

 

This happened to me once. Ironically, I was purchasing another small, hard to find hatchback.

The only one in the near vicinity we could even see in the flesh had already been sold to someone else. We test drove that one, because we didn't know it was somebody's car until AFTER it had been driven. It was a manual and at the time I couldn't drive stick so my father drove for me-- I never actually test drove before buying that car.

When I bought the fit, I bought it from dealer stock and I made the salesman swear on his life that no one would test drive it. They had an EX-L demo and another EX in the same color, so I wasn't panicked that someone would, but I've found you have to be very explicit with salespeople in this situation and say "I know how many miles are on it. If it has more than X miles +2 (to tank it with gas for delivery) I am not accepting the deal."

 

In 2007 when the Fit was first released to the U.S. There were a few dealers in the area that had only 1 car as a display/demo only model.
People for the most part need to see and or touch something before buying especially with a major purchase like a car. Every day a dealer has a hard to find hot model like the new Fit, a car that can at least be seen and sat it it will equal to a substantial amount of additional cars ordered and sold. It's sucky for you but for the dealership it just = money.
Either case you can defend delivery immediately or take your money to a different dealer. Hopefully you got yours by now.

 

While I agree that some dealers do play games to maximize profit (my customers have shared some "you've gotta be kidding me" stories) not all dealerships are the same.

My dealership, if a car is sold, even a 2015 Fit, they want it delivered ASAP. Letting someone else, even a salesperson test drive it, is a big no no.

I haven't heard of any dealers in the East Coast selling a Fit, but not allowing it to be delivered until another came in for display. I have heard, however, that particular sold Fit may not be allowed to be sold until a second pre-delivery was down by service, at Honda's request. That happened to one of our customers this past Saturday. But it only delayed pick up by a few hours.

If you put a deposit on the Fit, it arrives and passes the pre-delivery inspection, it should be allowed for delivery. If the dealership is playing games, then perhaps you should find one that treats customers honestly.

Believe it or not, they do exist.

 

It's the same as a dealer recommending mileage services (15k, 30k etc) on a maintenance minder car. They're just out to pad their pockets. Honest dealers are out there we are just few and far I between unfortunately.
Y

 

Yes. I agree. But they do exist.

Just like their are bad lawyers, cops, teachers, parents, accountants, drivers, politicians, etc, there are the good versions of them as well. That includes dealers and service departments.

And when you find a dealer or service department that always does the right thing by you, that's when loyalty comes in.

At the end of the day, price does not determine customer service. In fact, it has nothing to do with service at all. Anyone can beat or match anyone. Everyone pays the same price to the manufacturer.

But here's the honest truth. You really don't know how good a dealership is until the first problem arises.

How they handle you after you take delivery of your car is what determines how good a dealership is.

 

Honda geek you sure you don't want to come to College Park Md and write service for me? You sound like someone I need in my service lane....

 

I use to dream of running my own dealership, where honesty, integrity and fair practice was the norm. And while you never know what the future holds, I feel fortunate to have found a dealership, a Honda one to boot, that shares my views and sentiments.

It's like my manager told me once. "You can say anything you want to the customer, as long as it's the truth."

 

My Service Director has always shown me the same thing. Look me up if you ever come down to Md I will buy you a drink and we can swap dealership horror stories.....