# Advertised car absent from used car lot -- reason? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 28, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962 "2008-07-28T19:24:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/1 "2008-07-28T19:24:14Z")
I drove over to a used car lot in Santa Monica to look at a specific car listed on their website. The sales guys were apparently out to lunch, but there was a cell phone number taped to the office door. I walked around the lot and didn’t see the car. So I called the number. The short version: ME: Do you have that car? HIM: It _should_ be there… \ Oh, the owner of the dealership must have driven it home. ME: Wha? HIM: She takes whatever car she wants. She’s not in today, though. I suppose that’s possible. Every other car there was newer and nicer and more expensive than the one advertised. Presumably she could be driving one of those. (Of course, then I wouldn’t have noticed anything.) What I feel is more likely, though, is that they just don’t want their oldest, cheapest cars there when walk-ins come by, so they stash them in some back lot somewhere, triple-parked behind a bunch of other cars, and bring them out when they need to. Otherwise, it’s 2005 BMWs and 2007 Audis and whatnot on the lot. My question(s) for those with knowledge of how car dealerships operate: Why might a used car lot be missing a car? Is the “dealer drove it home” excuse plausible? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/2 "2008-07-28T19:38:07Z")
I wouldn’t think so, from an insurance perspective anyway. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/3 "2008-07-28T19:40:57Z")
I used to work as a photographer for an ad publication for used cars. I’d go around to the dealers and take photos of the cars, as all their details. Plenty of times a sales manager would give me a list with two or three vehicles that were nowhere to be found. Often there would be a salesman (or owner) driving it, or it was at another location (for mechanical work, detailing, etc) or they had it “on the arm”, i.e., borrowed from another dealership, who wanted it back. So, yeah, it’s fairly common. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/4 "2008-07-28T19:42:02Z")
I was BSing with a guy that ran a used car lot, as I wanted to buy a trailer for my motorcycle. We started talking about my Charger, and he said he doesn’t buy a nice car for himself because he can take any vehicle from the lot home whenever he wanted (a minivan for trips, a truck if he needed to haul stuff, etc.). Although, in your situation, it sounds like they simply advertised a car at a low price to just get you to their lot. Looks like it worked. Part 2 of their plan doesn’t look like it did, though. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/5 "2008-07-28T19:46:01Z")
[QUOTE=postcards] So, yeah, it’s fairly common. [/QUOTE] I just stopped by to confirm what postcards said. A good friend of mine managed a car dealership. He would regularly take home a different car because he was allowed to, and he didn’t want to put the miles on his car. I think he took different ones to spread the mileage around, plus it’s easy to let your personal items creep into a car of you regularly drive the same one (that last part is only my personal opinion). Although I can’t put my finger on “why”, but in your situation it just seems like it’s more of a bait & switch. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/6 "2008-07-28T19:47:24Z")
[QUOTE=Santo Rugger] Although, in your situation, it sounds like they simply advertised a car at a low price to just get you to their lot. Looks like it worked. Part 2 of their plan doesn’t look like it did, though. [/QUOTE] Well we know the third step is “Profit”. ---
**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/7 "2008-07-28T19:48:05Z")
[QUOTE=Santo Rugger] Although, in your situation, it sounds like they simply advertised a car at a low price to just get you to their lot. Looks like it worked. Part 2 of their plan doesn’t look like it did, though. [/QUOTE] That was my first guess, as well, but I forgot to supply a detail in the OP: The guy told me that the car would definitely be there today if I came by. If that’s the truth, then the car does at least exist. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/8 "2008-07-28T19:48:47Z")
[QUOTE=Pasta] What I feel is more likely, though, is that they just don’t want their oldest, cheapest cars there when walk-ins come by, so they stash them in some back lot somewhere, triple-parked behind a bunch of other cars, and bring them out when they need to. Otherwise, it’s 2005 BMWs and 2007 Audis and whatnot on the lot. [/QUOTE] That fails the logic test unless you’re shopping at a high-end dealership. Why would they put cars front-and-center that are unaffordable to their target demographic? When they advertise a used Escort, how would it be reasonable for them to think that they can bait-and-switch you into a Lexus? I suspect that the guy was telling the truth. Back in the early 1980s my dad sold used cars, and he regularly came home in one off the lot. I wouldn’t think that much has changed. The 1,000 miles they might put on it between buying it and selling it doesn’t depreciate the value much more from what it would be if they let it sit on the lot for a month. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/9 "2008-07-28T20:09:52Z")
I know the salesmen from the local Ford dealership seem to drive the cars home pretty often. Not all of the cars, but a group of them. I would think it’s sort of a good thing, cars don’t do well sitting for weeks or months not being driven. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/10 "2008-07-28T20:17:18Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] I suspect that the guy was telling the truth. Back in the early 1980s my dad sold used cars, and he regularly came home in one off the lot. I wouldn’t think that much has changed. The 1,000 miles they might put on it between buying it and selling it doesn’t depreciate the value much more from what it would be if they let it sit on the lot for a month. [/QUOTE] I used to visit a friend of mine in that same time period and his dad did the same. He worked for a place that sold some nice cars and always was in a cool car. (You aren’t from the Delaware Ohio area are ya? 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/11 "2008-07-28T20:21:46Z")
Wow, I guess I stand corrected regarding insurance issues. How can you be free to drive whatever unregistered vehicle you want, whenever you want? ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/12 "2008-07-28T20:27:21Z")
[QUOTE=Leaffan] Wow, I guess I stand corrected regarding insurance issues. How can you be free to drive whatever unregistered vehicle you want, whenever you want? [/QUOTE] The cars aren’t unregistered. They’re registered to the dealer. As a representative of the dealer you are authorized to drive them. They’re also insured, or you wouldn’t be able to take them for a test drive. When you register the car after you buy it you’re merely registering it in your name. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/13 "2008-07-28T20:34:37Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] The cars aren’t unregistered. They’re registered to the dealer. As a representative of the dealer you are authorized to drive them. They’re also insured, or you wouldn’t be able to take them for a test drive. When you register the car after you buy it you’re merely registering it in your name. [/QUOTE] Ah. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/14 "2008-07-28T20:47:54Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] The cars aren’t unregistered. They’re registered to the dealer. As a representative of the dealer you are authorized to drive them. They’re also insured, or you wouldn’t be able to take them for a test drive. When you register the car after you buy it you’re merely registering it in your name. [/QUOTE] +1 ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/15 "2008-07-29T02:38:41Z")
Ever see a license plate that says “dealer” on it? It’s possible that’s the woman who owns the lot, or someone else driving a car that belongs to the dealership. Dealer’s license plates are usually screwed into a magnet so they can just stick them to any car and go. They can use them for anything. Want lunch? Slap a plate on a car and go get it. And it’s not just used cars. Dealers, salesmen, the service/body shop manager, or anyone else semi important (i.e. not mechanics, detailers, etc usually) often get “demos” which are brand new cars that they drive for about 5000 miles, then put back on the lot. I believe the law is that a vehicle can still be sold as new if it has under 6000 miles on it (or was a couple of years ago in my state anyway, it’s not something I keep up with.) ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/16 "2008-07-29T15:05:27Z")
Jerry Lundegaard can help you find the car. It’s on the lot somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/17 "2008-07-29T17:31:57Z")
[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF] That fails the logic test unless you’re shopping at a high-end dealership. Why would they put cars front-and-center that are unaffordable to their target demographic? When they advertise a used Escort, how would it be reasonable for them to think that they can bait-and-switch you into a Lexus? [/QUOTE] Because we can get you into a Lexus for the same payment as you would make on the Escort, with NO MONEY DOWN!!! \* \*30 year, 77.2%APR, $78,000 balloon payment at term end, we get your kids if you don’t pay, and we lied, there is money down. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/18 "2008-07-29T17:33:27Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] Jerry Lundegaard can help you find the car. It’s on the lot somewhere. [/QUOTE] Durn tootin’. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/19 "2008-07-29T17:37:56Z")
[QUOTE=Pasta] My question(s) for those with knowledge of how car dealerships operate: Why might a used car lot be missing a car? Is the “dealer drove it home” excuse plausible? [/QUOTE] My guess is it went the way of the Perfect Job through an Agency. It never existed. They use it to draw you in to look at what actually resides on their lot. It’s a scam. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962/20 "2008-07-29T17:38:04Z")
[QUOTE=jtgain] \*30 year, 77.2%APR, $78,000 balloon payment at term end, we get your kids if you don’t pay, and we lied, there is money down. [/QUOTE] There was just a comma missing on the sign, it should have said “No, money down.” (from The Simpsons.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advertised-car-absent-from-used-car-lot-reason/457962.md?page=2)