[ernie]

In this day and age when I can go online or use an app and solicit a dozen bids by the end of the afternoon I find it incredibly annoying that you have dealerships who still want to play the "negotiation" game.

I just traded in my Pathfinder...no need for the size anymore and wanted better mpg.
I had done the narrowing down and test drives and decided what I wanted. I wanted 2017 Civic with the trim line below the touring. Either the blue or black. I gave them my pathfinder details.

The local Honda dealership sent back the cheapest price out of 7 or so dealers within a 90 minute drive. It was this dealership I did the test drive and the salesman was honestly great. Low pressure. Seemingly honest. So I go in and the manager completely lowballs me on the Pathfinder and starts pushing the 2016 year Touring trim hard (but for extra money of course). I talk a bit and say I've had a sight unseen quote on the Pathfinder that beats your offer by $2500 but it's in great shape so that I'll need more than that. They pass it off as if I'm lying (I wasn't). I leave but hey at least I have a baseline price to work from for other dealerships.

Didn't take long for a dealership 70 miles south to come back with upgrading to the 2017 touring trim and for $500 less than the quote from the local guys on the lower trim. On inspection of the Pathfinder they raise the trade-in offer another $1250 from the sight unseen offer they had given me. All told I got the highest trim and extra trade in value totaling for over $4k less than the local dealer (others came back lower as well but not that low).

I told them done deal, when I'd be there and that I didn't want any of the extras. I got there and the car was already detailed, went in signed all the paperwork and was out in an hour. That's how dealerships need to work. Give your best deal the first time (or at least a good deal). No hassles. No hard sells. Just get the customer what they want

The local salesman gave me a call a few days later wondering if I had made a decision. I told him how far off they were and said I just didn't think you could close that gap so I didn't bother coming back. He agreed and said thank you. THEN the sales manager called wondering why I never came back to negotiate.

I said I told you what I was already being offered on the Pathfinder sight unseen, you lowballed me, and your car price also didn't come close. If you didn't give me your best offer on your first shot it's your own fault. I don't think he was that happy about that. Salesman calls me back apologizing that the sales manager called me! Something tells me the sales in that dealership are tanking due to one person.

And for the record I likely would have bought local if they were within $500. Buying local is important to me on some level...just not as the multiple thousands level.