Federal Jury Convicts Norman Car Dealership Executives of Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Forgery, and Identity Theft

[dennishoddy]

Why, with how easy it is to comparison shop, much less get financing with the internet, people still get taken on cars is a bit beyond me. Learn to research, learn to say no and walk away. Use your phone to record conversations.

First visit to a dealership always results in the salesperson saying pricing is high right now, all vehicles going at MSRP.
I have them build the truck I want on the internet and send me a firm quote.
copy and paste that sheet to every dealership in several states.
Doesn’t take long to get discounts. Send the discounted prices back as many times as possible until the dealerships start dropping out. Then you know your getting close to bottom line. Couple phone calls later for final details and drive away from the dealership.
We visit the dealership twice. Once to build, second to drive away. No pressure using the power of the internet.

 

[El Pablo]

First visit to a dealership always results in the salesperson saying pricing is high right now, all vehicles going at MSRP.
I have them build the truck I want on the internet and send me a firm quote.
copy and paste that sheet to every dealership in several states.
Doesn’t take long to get discounts. Send the discounted prices back as many times as possible until the dealerships start dropping out. Then you know your getting close to bottom line. Couple phone calls later for final details and drive away from the dealership.
We visit the dealership twice. Once to build, second to drive away. No pressure using the power of the internet.

Yeah, and it’s also nice when you can just go to a dealership you know the new car manager. True car isn’t too bad either. But when you can search nation wide, it’s pretty easy.

I find the pressure at dealerships rather funny. My first car shopping experience was going around with my grandpa. He owned the largest produce brokerage company in the south west for many years. So going with someone that very nicely argues commodity pricing all day long, for decades, is beyond fun. One of my best memories with him.

 

[RagdollOp]

Also, don't tell them if you are paying cash. You get the best deals if they think you are using in house financing. They make it up on the back end in interest. So, surprise them after you have a firm price.

 

[GC7]

I bet most new car dealerships do some form of this trickery because they are incentivized by the manufacturers to move merch. Big Red just got caught.

Might be different for used car dealerships or places like Car Max which only sell 2nd hand vehicles with retail markup.

 

[Glocktogo]

Yeah, and it’s also nice when you can just go to a dealership you know the new car manager. True car isn’t too bad either. But when you can search nation wide, it’s pretty easy.

I find the pressure at dealerships rather funny. My first car shopping experience was going around with my grandpa. He owned the largest produce brokerage company in the south west for many years. So going with someone that very nicely argues commodity pricing all day long, for decades, is beyond fun. One of my best memories with him.

This. I go to Autotrader, put in the exact vehicle and options I want, search "lowest price first", get a written total via email and go get it. Easy peasy!

 

[swampratt]

Years ago my FIL drove for Jack Cooper transport.
He retired with them also.
He stated years ago that Jack Cooper would no longer haul cars to Big Red.
Stated something about crooks and not paying, they were getting black listed.

I have only purchased 1 car from a dealership. My 1995 corolla and it was 5 years old when I got it.
Still driving it.
356,000 miles.

 

[Aku]

Sentencing to take place in approximately 90 days. They be gone.

 

[BillPenn]

Big Red and David Stanley have gotten into a lot of trouble over the last few years. Not for ripping off customers, but for ripping off the banks. Lying on TV commercials is a slap on the wrist. Finagling the paperwork to rip off a customer is no big deal. Get caught telling City Bank that your selling a 70K LTZ unit with 15K down to a customer with so/so credit. Then they find out later you actually sold a 40K base model for 50K with nothing down. Now your going to jail for wire fraud.

Even while they were doing this you could still get a good deal at either location. You just had to work for it.

 

[O4L]

That place always had a mafioso vibe to it.

 

[John6185]

My 1995 corolla and it was 5 years old when I got it.
Still driving it.
356,000 miles.

I often tell my wife when we're on the road, "see that older car there? It's paid off and it will get to the next stop light he same as a newer one with payments-and usually the same time." I look at some of the new cars on the road today and they aren't paid off, they owe hundreds of dolalrs per month in payments. Keep on driving that Corolla, every month you save hundreds of dollars.