Internet price vs price on car

[supton]

Why do dealers have one price in the CL or FB ad, but their website will be $1k higher? Seems to me to be a reason to avoid said place.

Case in point, this ad says 7k, but their photo shows 8 on the car, and their website still lists as 8. Just a game they play in general? once in person… they figure you’ll cave?

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Edit: it increases their position, making you negotiate from a higher price than what you thought you might be starting from. If you're internet surfing, you're electing to pick the best (and cheapest). Doing this they regain some territory and make you fight to get down to the price that got you in the door, and thus less likely to get the car for the price that you might have thought you could negotiate. Duh. Didn't think of that until I walked away.

 

[IndyIan]

Generates clicks I guess. Do you have advertised all in pricing laws in your state? We do in Ontario. A local motorcycle dealer was advertising new bikes on Facebook marketplace at $1 and I thought about contacting a lawyer and seeing what's possible. They are a decent dealer though so I wouldn't feel right doing that...

 

[skyactiv]

Generates clicks I guess. Do you have advertised all in pricing laws in your state? We do in Ontario. A local motorcycle dealer was advertising new bikes on Facebook marketplace at $1 and I thought about contacting a lawyer and seeing what's possible. They are a decent dealer though so I wouldn't feel right doing that...

They probably meant $1 down?

 

[supton]

Generates clicks I guess. Do you have advertised all in pricing laws in your state?

Not sure... quick google check doesn't seem to find an answer.

Will say, it sets a red flag for me, and puts me on pause, stopping me from going to look. My guess, majority people aren't doing that... or maybe they'll honor the FB price if you message from that ad (and commit to that price w/o haggling), but if you walk in from the street... good luck.

 

[SC Maintenance]

This is not new. Its a "teaser" on the marketplace's to get you to come in. My guess is the car is already sold long ago, they want you to show up. If you call they will say its there, when you get there they will say someone just bought it.

There is a local dealer that had a 2008 or so lexus ES 350, higher miles, for like $10K. I drove over and they told me it was sold. That add iss still up - and its been weeks.

 

[joekingcorvette]

I was looking at new vehicles and some of the time they do not even have the vehicle available on the lot. Then they say the only way you can get the discount is if you are a veteran, work as an EMT, have a previous brand that is the same and less than 5 years old and use their financing then you get the internet price if you qualify. I miss the days of going on a lot and picking from a row of 20 or vehicles of the same type with different options. I miss the little small town dealers even more. Vehicle purchasing in today's world takes a lot of homework to save that extra 5 to 10 percent or more.

 

[supton]

I was looking at new vehicles and some of the time they do not even have the vehicle available on the lot. Then they say the only way you can get the discount is if you are a veteran, work as an EMT, have a previous brand that is the same and less than 5 years old and use their financing then you get the internet price if you qualify. I miss the days of going on a lot and picking from a row of 20 or vehicles of the same type with different options. I miss the little small town dealers even more. Vehicle purchasing in today's world takes a lot of homework to save that extra 5 to 10 percent or more.

Seen that for a while. 10 years ago I was truck shopping. Got an internet price on a GMC, only to go in and be told that I didn't qualify for the discounts that had been applied (without stating as such) to the price given over email. Said I'd go home and think about it, salesguy was like "I know you'll be coming back". Nope...

 

[fdcg27]

Well, almost all states have statutes that enjoin deceptive advertising. Not stating special conditions in an ad is deceptive.
I'd bet that if you as a buyer mentioned that the advertised price has to be the actual price and that you'd contact both your county prosecutor and your state attorney general the price offered to you might change.
Advertising a vehicle with a bunch of special discounts which may not stack anyway and for which nobody will qualify not explicitly spelled out in that ad is clearly deceptive.
Best bet would be to screen print the ad, bring it to the dealer and then give it to the authorities when the dealer starts playing games. It is also generally unlawful to advertise a vehicle for sale that you don't have.
There are plenty of honest new and used car stores out there and the shady and shifty shouldn't be allowed to taint the reputation of the entire business.

 

[IndyIan]

They probably meant $1 down?

The ad didn't say anything specific about pricing and the default on a facebook marketplace ad is the total price of the item. I think whoever did their facebook ads just chose $1. They did list several bikes separately as well, all with the price as $1.
Probably wouldn't go anywhere legally with such an unrealistic price listed, but if a business is posting ads online, even on facebook, they probably legally have to honor the prices listed.

 

[supton]

Probably wouldn't go anywhere legally with such an unrealistic price listed, but if a business is posting ads online, even on facebook, they probably legally have to honor the prices listed.

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[IndyIan]

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View attachment 171820

I'm sure they'll knock off a few grand for you?

 

[supton]

I'm sure they'll knock off a few grand for you?

Act now! inflation is only going to get worse!

Oh the stuff you run across...

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Why do dealers have one price in the CL or FB ad, but their website will be $1k higher? Seems to me to be a reason to avoid said place.

Case in point, this ad says 7k, but their photo shows 8 on the car, and their website still lists as 8. Just a game they play in general? once in person… they figure you’ll cave?

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Edit: it increases their position, making you negotiate from a higher price than what you thought you might be starting from. If you're internet surfing, you're electing to pick the best (and cheapest). Doing this they regain some territory and make you fight to get down to the price that got you in the door, and thus less likely to get the car for the price that you might have thought you could negotiate. Duh. Didn't think of that until I walked away.

Walk away anyways, after loudly saying “so you guys won’t honor the price you advertised at??” You could probably also file a complaint with your state AG if you really wanted to. “Bait and switch”, “false advertising”, plenty of things can be used to deter shady dealers. But the best punishment is walking away and never going back.