So I went and bought our daughter a new GTI Sport...

TD · 07-24-2017, 02:40 PM

Many years ago when our daughter was still quite young, my dad would regularly promise to buy her a new car when she turned 16. My dad loved to push my buttons so whenever he promised this, it was never just a generic reference to buying a car, but rather a specific reference to buying her a Hummer. I'd roll my eyes and we'd move on.

Most of you know that my dad passed almost 5 years ago. And our daughter is a few months past 17. But my mom, out of a mix of honoring my dad's promise as if he fully meant it and some estate planning, offered a few months back to make a significant contribution toward a car for or daughter.

I debated putting the funds toward a replacement car for me and handing down to her one of the cars in our existing fleet. But I recall my parents buying me a new car when I was her age, I know a car like this will easily serve her well for a decade until she can buy herself something decent, and getting her a car rather than putting the money toward something for me felt much more in keeping with the spirit of the gift.

And I reserve the right to borrow it whenever I want.

So I started the process I've detailed mildly in JST's Golf R thread.

I first visited Stohlman in Tysons and drove the blue GTI Sport that seemed a bit off. The next weekend I drove a red one with our daughter at King VW and it was a blast. Remember, these dealers have been advertising majorly discounted cars. We spent a lot of time there and walked all over the lot comparing colors with the salesman.

I would have preferred to buy from King as they are less than 10 min from our house. But my guard went up when the salesman refused to negotiate on a price via email. "Come in. We'll do you right." Um, sure.

I go in the next weekend, this time our son is with me as my wife and daughter slipped away to the beach for the weekend. I go in with a price in mind (partially based on what I had explained to me weeks before at Stohlman and partially based on reviewing the incentives listed at Edmunds) and the salesman gets nowhere near it. I ask about the price shown online and he rattles off the incentives required to get to that price, each with with its own eligibility requirements, and which no living human could possibly qualify for all of. Basically the advertised price was bullshit to get me to be sitting there getting played.

"Well, if you're not willing to go to that price, perhaps you should just consider a GTI S" (the base GTI with less power and without the LSD).

Um, no. And fuck you for trying that.

"You're not going to get a better price. And if you go the Virginia, the doc fee is $700 versus $300 here,"

That afternoon I swung by Ourisman VW in Rockville to give them a crack at price. I declined a test drive, saying I was familiar and was shopping around. I told them they're convenient and would love them to come in with a good price. I asked for their bullshit-free best price. It was worse than what King had teed up.

Sure, I could theoretically have worked either number to a better place but felt so put off by the approach that I couldn't engage.

I texted the salesman I had worked with at Stohlman weeks before to ask him for his bullshit-free best price. Now he and I had spent a lot of time together that day I was in. We "bonded" over our fleet, he also having an E39 and a B7 A4 - both stick. And we talked soccer. So I was pleasantly surprised when he emailed me a price quote through all taxes/fees/etc more of less in line with my original expectations.

I went in on Saturday with the full family as my wife had not driven one yet. We took two cars and my wife left with our son after the drive and our daughter and I set out to get it done.

The Sport 6-spd we wanted was, unfortunately, shod with Hankooks. Other Sports on the lot had Potenzas. One with Potenzas was also going to be delivered that afternoon. So my salesman got them both in the service bays and got the techs to swap wheels between the two cars for me while I fought through the F&I room.

On my first visit, talking cars, the salesman figured out I've bought a few and that's when the stage was set for trying to do this deal BS-free.

The F&I guy tried to play games with the interest rate on the financing I had to take to get the price (I was inclined to finance a portion anyway). I threatened to walk and insisted the rate was part of what I had agreed to with the salesman. The F&I guy tracked down the salesman, came back, and angrily changed the rate. He then proceeded to not even try to sell me any of the service agreements spanning three pages on his IPad Pro. "I've set these all to decline. Just initial at the bottom."

In all, we were out of the F&I room in under 10 min.

Upon delivery, the salesman shows me the front license plate mount, still in its plastic bag, stirring in the hatchback area. I hadn't asked but he assumed I didn't want it mounted. And there was no Stohlman badge/sticker below the GTI back on the hatch lid as was on every other car on the lot.

So we go back later this week for the real tags, at which time they'll scrape the infernal Virginia inspection sticker off (it has to stay as long as it's running Virginia tags).

Here are a few pics from delivery. The white one in the background in one of the pics is the car now wearing the Hankooks.

And, yes, the interior is plaid.

bren · 07-24-2017, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TD

It's a really nice car. And it's quite fun to drive.

I probably would've bought something with fewer doors, but should be a great (first) car for her.

Just tell her to stay out of PA.

rumatt · 07-24-2017, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bren

I probably would've bought something with fewer doors, but should be a great (first) car for her.

Quote:

Just tell her to stay out of PA.

rumatt · 07-24-2017, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TD

ask him for his bullshit-free best price

I'm curious - how exactly do you word that request?

Josh (PA) · 07-24-2017, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bren

I probably would've bought something with fewer doors, but should be a great (first) car for her.

Just tell her to stay out of PA.

Ouch.

And Congrats, Tom. It's nice when the most pleasant salesman is also the best priced one. I think you did right by your parents wishes too. Makes much more sense for how your daughter wound up with the newest car in your fleet.

Hope it stays that way (unlike my pic that Bren shared

)

bren · 07-24-2017, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rumatt

I'm curious - how exactly do you word that request?

Ask for the best price "on the road" or "out the door".

John V · 07-24-2017, 03:54 PM

Cool! They are great cars. Sounds like you got the best possible deal.

I don't understand dealership reluctance to do business via e-mail / web / phone. I would think they'd be motivated to sell something quickly rather than spend hours finding a buyer who will pay a few hundred bucks more. I've only ever personally bought one new vehicle (a motorcycle) and I had a similar experience with every dealer except the one I ended up buying from asking me to come in to do the haggling.

ff · 07-24-2017, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TD

The F&I guy [...] angrily changed the rate.

That's how you know that you succeeded in negotiating the best deal you're going to get; when the F&I guy gets angry. He's the last stop in ensuring that the dealership actually makes some money on the deal.

If he didn't even offer you those wretched warranties, then you really must've socked it to them. He just wanted you out of his sight! LOL

TD · 07-24-2017, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh (PA)

Ouch.

And Congrats, Tom. It's nice when the most pleasant salesman is also the best priced one. I think you did right by your parents wishes too. Makes much more sense for how your daughter wound up with the newest car in your fleet.

Hope it stays that way (unlike my pic that Bren shared

)

I'm still planning on getting myself something next spring when my number would come up for the Tesla Model 3. I'm not feeling it now that pics are up of the production version. But I might just go with a used Model S or, as I have mentioned before, a late in the run prior-gen S4.

I really have to figure out how to get the E39 gone.

kognito · 07-24-2017, 04:27 PM

Documentation fee?

What is this? You have to pay them to do their job?

07-24-2017, 02:40 PM	#1
TD Founder emeritus Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Maryland Posts: 21,007	So I went and bought our daughter a new GTI Sport... Many years ago when our daughter was still quite young, my dad would regularly promise to buy her a new car when she turned 16. My dad loved to push my buttons so whenever he promised this, it was never just a generic reference to buying a car, but rather a specific reference to buying her a Hummer. I'd roll my eyes and we'd move on. Most of you know that my dad passed almost 5 years ago. And our daughter is a few months past 17. But my mom, out of a mix of honoring my dad's promise as if he fully meant it and some estate planning, offered a few months back to make a significant contribution toward a car for or daughter. I debated putting the funds toward a replacement car for me and handing down to her one of the cars in our existing fleet. But I recall my parents buying me a new car when I was her age, I know a car like this will easily serve her well for a decade until she can buy herself something decent, and getting her a car rather than putting the money toward something for me felt much more in keeping with the spirit of the gift. And I reserve the right to borrow it whenever I want. So I started the process I've detailed mildly in JST's Golf R thread. I first visited Stohlman in Tysons and drove the blue GTI Sport that seemed a bit off. The next weekend I drove a red one with our daughter at King VW and it was a blast. Remember, these dealers have been advertising majorly discounted cars. We spent a lot of time there and walked all over the lot comparing colors with the salesman. I would have preferred to buy from King as they are less than 10 min from our house. But my guard went up when the salesman refused to negotiate on a price via email. "Come in. We'll do you right." Um, sure. I go in the next weekend, this time our son is with me as my wife and daughter slipped away to the beach for the weekend. I go in with a price in mind (partially based on what I had explained to me weeks before at Stohlman and partially based on reviewing the incentives listed at Edmunds) and the salesman gets nowhere near it. I ask about the price shown online and he rattles off the incentives required to get to that price, each with with its own eligibility requirements, and which no living human could possibly qualify for all of. Basically the advertised price was bullshit to get me to be sitting there getting played. "Well, if you're not willing to go to that price, perhaps you should just consider a GTI S" (the base GTI with less power and without the LSD). Um, no. And fuck you for trying that. "You're not going to get a better price. And if you go the Virginia, the doc fee is $700 versus $300 here," That afternoon I swung by Ourisman VW in Rockville to give them a crack at price. I declined a test drive, saying I was familiar and was shopping around. I told them they're convenient and would love them to come in with a good price. I asked for their bullshit-free best price. It was worse than what King had teed up. Sure, I could theoretically have worked either number to a better place but felt so put off by the approach that I couldn't engage. I texted the salesman I had worked with at Stohlman weeks before to ask him for his bullshit-free best price. Now he and I had spent a lot of time together that day I was in. We "bonded" over our fleet, he also having an E39 and a B7 A4 - both stick. And we talked soccer. So I was pleasantly surprised when he emailed me a price quote through all taxes/fees/etc more of less in line with my original expectations. I went in on Saturday with the full family as my wife had not driven one yet. We took two cars and my wife left with our son after the drive and our daughter and I set out to get it done. The Sport 6-spd we wanted was, unfortunately, shod with Hankooks. Other Sports on the lot had Potenzas. One with Potenzas was also going to be delivered that afternoon. So my salesman got them both in the service bays and got the techs to swap wheels between the two cars for me while I fought through the F&I room. On my first visit, talking cars, the salesman figured out I've bought a few and that's when the stage was set for trying to do this deal BS-free. The F&I guy tried to play games with the interest rate on the financing I had to take to get the price (I was inclined to finance a portion anyway). I threatened to walk and insisted the rate was part of what I had agreed to with the salesman. The F&I guy tracked down the salesman, came back, and angrily changed the rate. He then proceeded to not even try to sell me any of the service agreements spanning three pages on his IPad Pro. "I've set these all to decline. Just initial at the bottom." In all, we were out of the F&I room in under 10 min. Upon delivery, the salesman shows me the front license plate mount, still in its plastic bag, stirring in the hatchback area. I hadn't asked but he assumed I didn't want it mounted. And there was no Stohlman badge/sticker below the GTI back on the hatch lid as was on every other car on the lot. So we go back later this week for the real tags, at which time they'll scrape the infernal Virginia inspection sticker off (it has to stay as long as it's running Virginia tags). Here are a few pics from delivery. The white one in the background in one of the pics is the car now wearing the Hankooks. And, yes, the interior is plaid. Last edited by TD; 07-24-2017 at 02:54 PM.

07-24-2017, 04:27 PM	#10
kognito older fart than ZBB Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: On the road again Posts: 8,898	Documentation fee? What is this? You have to pay them to do their job? __________________ 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE 2020 Fusion Titanium

07-24-2017, 03:54 PM	#7
John V No more BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8 Location: Glenwood, MD Posts: 14,753	Cool! They are great cars. Sounds like you got the best possible deal. I don't understand dealership reluctance to do business via e-mail / web / phone. I would think they'd be motivated to sell something quickly rather than spend hours finding a buyer who will pay a few hundred bucks more. I've only ever personally bought one new vehicle (a motorcycle) and I had a similar experience with every dealer except the one I ended up buying from asking me to come in to do the haggling.