# Are car dealer scams and games a thing of the past? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 28, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424 "2018-08-28T19:20:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/41 "2018-08-29T19:55:56Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > You sound like the same Subaru salesman who last tried to push one of these. It totally pissed me off when he said “well I would”! Like I actually gave a hoot what this idiot would do. > > Why is this so darn complicated? I DONT want a lease, I DONT want to give my reasons, and I DONT want to argue about it. The salesman said “well I am just curious as to your reasons”? > > I think we just turned around and left and went to a different Subaru dealership. > > Please tell me, do salesmen get some extra pay if they sell a lease? > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Not necessarily sales pressure but I was very embarrassed that I didn’t buy from the guy? Why? I felt sorry for him because he was a little person. I was embarrassed when my wife started to giggle. > > Yes a dwarf was selling Toyotas in Olathe Kansas. Now he had the knowledge and seemed like a good salesman, only issue is he admitted he couldnt actually drive a car. > > Well we did 2 test drives of the cars we were interested in but decided not to buy. I just felt embarrassed we couldnt give this man a sale that day. I’m not an idiot, first off, and I seriously was just asking. I’m not a fucking dwarf trying to sell you a Toyota, I’m a fellow Doper on a messageboard asking you a specific question. If you don’t want to answer, fine, that’s all you have to say. Must not be very good reasons. What have you got against us little people anyway? I still remember your wife giggling at me, and yes, it still hurts. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/42 "2018-08-29T20:13:04Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > I average 40k miles per year. I drive cars until they’re dead, then I repair them, and drive them until they die again. Then I repair them, drive them until they die, and _then_ I’ll consider giving it to my grandchildren. No dealer wants to take back my car in three years beaten, thoroughly used and with 120k miles on it. > > So stop asking. I don’t care what the residual value is. This isn’t an investment for me, it’s an appliance, and I intend to use it until it has absolutely no more value to anyone except the scrap yard. > > Also, if residual value is so high, and I _was_ the type to buy a new car every couple years, why wouldn’t I sell it myself and pocket the difference? Certainly the dealership isn’t running a charity. That’s easy money for someone, and why shouldn’t it be me? If someone says to me at the store when I mention a lease that they aren’t interested, I immediately drop it. I do have to ask though, because some people _ **are** _ interested in a lease. The only time I might come back around to a lease again is if a customer didn’t do their homework, isn’t being realistic, didn’t realize how much negative equity they had in their trade, don’t want to put any money down, etc and when they are presented with conventional payments they are way higher than they thought they were going to be. Otherwise, yeah, I don’t really care about a customer’s reasons. It’s their money. I had only asked here because it’s a different format. Don’t take out your latent car sales anger on me! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/43 "2018-08-29T20:16:32Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > To be fair, dealers also get liars. > > When a person brings a car in for a trade and they hide a major defect. That’s fair, and _ **trust me** _, that’s just one small thing buyers lie about. This is the inherent problem with this whole thing. Customers are so guarded when they come into a dealership, and I have to spend have my time breaking down walls anf overcoming objections as a result when we really could just be having a conversation instead of an antagonistic view of one another. It’s like the chicken and the egg problem. It doesn’t really matter whom was here first or who first started this “war” in auto sales, but we’re both here and need to treat each other better. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/44 "2018-08-29T20:24:48Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > So what? As a renter, if I want to move, the most I have to do is wait until that year’s lease is up. I don’t have to worry about trying to sell the place, or making repairs so it’ll pass an inspection, or kowtowing to lazy ass buyers who expect the house they’re buying to be painted and finished to their exact desires before they’ll even consider making an offer. Different people have different priorities. You want to be able to pick up and move at the drop of a hat? Good for you. I’m not going to tell you you’re wrong. I’ve lived where I am for nearly 20 years so given the choice between a mortgage and rent, I went the other way. I’ll have a few extra steps to take if I ever decide to move, but my home equity will go right along with me so it’s entirely possible I can go to a new place, buy another home, and have no monthly payments. > [@jz78817](#): > > At any rate comparing car loans to home ownership is dumb since cars are rapidly depreciating assets. I said as much in the post you replied to. Try reading for comprehension rather than framing up snarky responses next time. I will soon be at the point where I can buy a new car free and clear every year for the cost of a single year’s depreciation. I’m not going to, but I’ll be able to. It’s like driving around in a mobile cash reserve. If I ever got in a really bad way for some reason, I can sell it, buy a cheap used car, and have money to deal to deal with whatever calamity had befallen me and still be able to get around. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/45 "2018-08-29T22:50:27Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I’m not an idiot, first off, and I seriously was just asking. I’m not a fucking dwarf trying to sell you a Toyota, I’m a fellow Doper on a messageboard asking you a specific question. If you don’t want to answer, fine, that’s all you have to say. Must not be very good reasons. > > What have you got against us little people anyway? I still remember your wife giggling at me, and yes, it still hurts. **“I’m not a fucking dwarf trying to sell you a Toyota.”** Words to live by. :D:D:D ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/46 "2018-08-29T23:30:02Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I’m not an idiot, first off, and I seriously was just asking. I’m not a fucking dwarf trying to sell you a Toyota, I’m a fellow Doper on a messageboard asking you a specific question. If you don’t want to answer, fine, that’s all you have to say. Must not be very good reasons. > > What have you got against us little people anyway? I still remember your wife giggling at me, and yes, it still hurts. Ooh, anger! Fun! Because I like talking about myself, and because none of you can stop me, I’ll explain why I turned down the lease when I was offered it: I don’t like not owning things I’m using. There. I know you all were interested. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/47 "2018-08-30T01:09:28Z")
> [@1060westaddison](#): > > Yeah, sleazy tactics definitely still exist, at least as of 2014. I was buying a new Honda Insight at a dealership by O’Hare Airport, and first they tried to add $400 to the quoted price because they had pre-installed these stupid door edge protectors on the car, and tried to insist they couldn’t be removed (they ended up just giving them to me for no charge). When I bought my current car, after we settled on a price, they tried to add additional fees for the door edge protectors, locking lug nuts and alarm. I said that we’d negotiated over the car as it was presented to me, so I wasn’t going to pay anything extra for the edge protectors or the locking lug nuts. As for the alarm, I was happy to have them leave it off. (Although apparently the way that works is that the alarm is already installed and they just removed a chip to disable it.) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/48 "2018-08-30T02:09:04Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > When I bought my current car, after we settled on a price, they tried to add additional fees for the door edge protectors, locking lug nuts and alarm. I said that we’d negotiated over the car as it was presented to me, so I wasn’t going to pay anything extra for the edge protectors or the locking lug nuts. As for the alarm, I was happy to have them leave it off. (Although apparently the way that works is that the alarm is already installed and they just removed a chip to disable it.) I _just_ got back from a Honda Dealership. Everything settled, I can pick up the car tomorrow, they just wanted me to sign something agreeing to all the numbers. Ok, no big deal. I scanned over it and noticed at the end they added on All Weather Floor mats, trunk tray and rear splash guards and a $150 gift card. I asked about all that and she mentioned that the gift card is free, you can use it for anything you want (here). What about [doing the math in my head] the $400 worth of accessories. She said they just put them on all the cars. Okay, so don’t put it on mine and lets make that $150 a down payment. She checks with the manager, he comes over and walks through each item, explaining what it is, how much it is and how they just add them to all the cars to protect their investment. So, I tell him that I really don’t want all weather mats or a trunk tray and I don’t need splash guards etc… He thinks about it for a second, I told him and her that I think I’ll hold off, since they told me the deal was only good for a few more days, I’ll wait until next month. The 2019’s will be out and they’ll be better (or at least different) deals. The manager goes to see what he can do. He comes back out a few minutes later explaining that he can’t remove the accessories, the owner likes to see those on every car (yeah, I’ll bet he does), so instead he added $500 to the value of my trade-in. Perfect, signed the paper, I’ll go in tomorrow to pick it up, assuming nothing else happens. I should note, however, that I’m only 90% sure he simply added $500 to the value of my car and not that he did that AND is planning to give me the car without those items (but is just leaving them on the paperwork). Granted, if he does that it’s on me, but I don’t want to have to pay for them when I turn it in if I never had them. One thing that I did find odd, is that when I talked to them a few days ago, they told me that the car I wanted would be in sometime in the next 2-12 weeks. It’s in high demand, so they are often only on the lot for a few hours. I was fine with that. I got a call from the sales person today, to see what I was planning to do, I told her I could stop in and put money down on the car to reserve one. She mentioned that they don’t have any coming in, so that’s a good idea. When I got there, she was trying to get me to test drive a different car. I assume she just wanted to close the deal then and there. By the time we were done, they told me the car would be in tomorrow. I don’t know if that’s just a fluke, if they bumped me to the front of the line since I was right there, who knows. I assume it’s a fluke, they knew I was happy to wait and I assume others are already waiting. I can’t see any other reason. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/49 "2018-08-30T04:25:20Z")
> [@UnwittingAmericans](#): > > No. They still do the exact same shit. In fact, they’ve added one more layer - telling you they don’t do the exact same shit anymore. Like CarMax. _“We don’t negotiate, we just charge you way too much right up front!”_ ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/50 "2018-08-30T10:47:43Z")
(referring to **Joey P** ’s post) that’s like dealers who add pinstriping to every vehicle on the lot and stick the wildly inflated price of it on the sticker. honestly, that kind of shit is a “go to a different dealer” signal. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/51 "2018-08-30T11:59:15Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I _just_ got back from a Honda Dealership. Everything settled, I can pick up the car tomorrow, they just wanted me to sign something agreeing to all the numbers. Ok, no big deal. I scanned over it and noticed at the end they added on All Weather Floor mats, trunk tray and rear splash guards and a $150 gift card. I asked about all that and she mentioned that the gift card is free, you can use it for anything you want (here). What about [doing the math in my head] the $400 worth of accessories. She said they just put them on all the cars. Okay, so don’t put it on mine and lets make that $150 a down payment. She checks with the manager, he comes over and walks through each item, explaining what it is, how much it is and how they just add them to all the cars to protect their investment. > So, I tell him that I really don’t want all weather mats or a trunk tray and I don’t need splash guards etc… > He thinks about it for a second, I told him and her that I think I’ll hold off, since they told me the deal was only good for a few more days, I’ll wait until next month. The 2019’s will be out and they’ll be better (or at least different) deals. > The manager goes to see what he can do. > > He comes back out a few minutes later explaining that he can’t remove the accessories, the owner likes to see those on every car (yeah, I’ll bet he does), so instead he added $500 to the value of my trade-in. > Perfect, signed the paper, I’ll go in tomorrow to pick it up, assuming nothing else happens. > I should note, however, that I’m only 90% sure he simply added $500 to the value of my car and not that he did that AND is planning to give me the car without those items (but is just leaving them on the paperwork). > Granted, if he does that it’s on me, but I don’t want to have to pay for them when I turn it in if I never had them. > One thing that I did find odd, is that when I talked to them a few days ago, they told me that the car I wanted would be in sometime in the next 2-12 weeks. It’s in high demand, so they are often only on the lot for a few hours. I was fine with that. I got a call from the sales person today, to see what I was planning to do, I told her I could stop in and put money down on the car to reserve one. She mentioned that they don’t have any coming in, so that’s a good idea. When I got there, she was trying to get me to test drive a different car. I assume she just wanted to close the deal then and there. By the time we were done, they told me the car would be in tomorrow. I don’t know if that’s just a fluke, if they bumped me to the front of the line since I was right there, who knows. I assume it’s a fluke, they knew I was happy to wait and I assume others are already waiting. I can’t see any other reason. Man, this whole experience sounds really strange to me. And shady. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/52 "2018-08-30T12:41:43Z")
In the realm of gamesmanship, I was going back and forth with the dealership about an offer they made me on a car on the lot. The salesman warned me that I needed to act fast because someone else was interested in it. Yeah, a standard transmission model that had evidently been sitting there unsold for at least a few months was suddenly in demand. :dubious: > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > To be fair, dealers also get liars. > > When a person brings a car in for a trade and they hide a major defect. The dealer also has a sizable staff of mechanics who are presumably competent enough to spot major defects. Or maybe when my car is taken back for inspection at trade-in time they just rev the engine a few times and check to see if the ashtrays are full. :dubious: Buying a car is no more even a contest than gambling at a casino. The house will inevitably come out ahead. I just aim to minimize the ripoff. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/53 "2018-08-30T13:03:38Z")
> [@steatopygia](#): > > Anyone who buys a car based on monthly payments shouldn’t be in charge of the home finances. So it’s really early and I have yet to have a single molecule of caffeine enter my system, so this is likely a really stupid question, but… why? Can you (or someone) expand on this? I assume it’s because of the buyer will pay more interest over the life of the loan, full stop. I ask because my FIL does this. He taught his daughters that when buying a car, the only thing price-wise that matters is the monthly payment. So, every 8 or ten years he goes into the dealer “just looking” and ends up driving off the lot with a new car, usually one that he didn’t research. He pays sticker price (!), accepts whatever added accessories like fancy floor mats the dealer throws at him (!!), but if he can talk them into “accepting” a lower monthly payment he thinks he’s the best negotiator in the world. Then brags that he has extra money each month to go buy something else, like a travel trailer… while his house is slowly falling into disrepair. ::facepalm:: Anyway, my wife and I have never bought a new car and so I have not yet been able to determine just how thoroughly he ingrained this attitude into her—not too well, I’m guessing. However, when it’s time to actually buy a car and she if mentions the monthly payments being more important than the final price I want to give her a better reason than “because your dad’s a fucking dumbass” for that approach being wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/54 "2018-08-30T13:35:09Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > So it’s really early and I have yet to have a single molecule of caffeine enter my system, so this is likely a really stupid question, but… why? Can you (or someone) expand on this? I assume it’s because of the buyer will pay more interest over the life of the loan, full stop. And because if the seller can get you to focus on a monthly payment, it is easier to spend more than you wanted. > [@](#): > > However, when it’s time to actually buy a car and she if mentions the monthly payments being more important than the final price I want to give her a better reason than “because your dad’s a fucking dumbass” for that approach being wrong. You know your wife better than I do. The Lovely and Talented Mrs. **Shodan** and I are very much on the same page when it comes to finances (thanks be to God). But the idea that “I can’t afford to spend $12,000 but I can afford $400 a month for 36 months” can only be addressed with a calculator, alternate financing, and a good deal of tact. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/55 "2018-08-30T14:25:50Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Man, this whole experience sounds really strange to me. And shady. Forget about it, Jake; it’s a Honda dealer. I won’t buy from Honda again, although I had a CR-V back in 2003. They changed the way they sell cars, it seems. When I went to buy a new one in 2006 (actually an Acura RDX), they wouldn’t budge off MSRP and insisted on adding a hefty “area fee” to the price. Even though I brought a coworker in with me who was also going to buy one, they wouldn’t budge one dollar, not even after talking to the sales manager. I walked out and bought a new Chrysler 300, drove back to the Honda lot, flagged down the salesman and said “Remember me? Here’s your commission and future return business”. I’m sure he didn’t give a shit, but it felt good. Fuck Honda. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/56 "2018-08-30T15:18:14Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > In the realm of gamesmanship, I was going back and forth with the dealership about an offer they made me on a car on the lot. The salesman warned me that I needed to act fast because someone else was interested in it. Yeah, a standard transmission model that had evidently been sitting there unsold for at least a few months was suddenly in demand. :dubious: Gotta tell this story. In 1987, the wife and I were planning a move to Aptos. I would be commuting back to the SF Bay Area and the motorcycle I had was not up to the task long term. My dream bike was a [1983 Yamaha Vision](https://ridermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/web-Williams-04.jpg) and wouldn’t you know it, I found one new at a local dealer. Bike was bought, I was happy, it ran like a dream, all good. Several years later, I’m training a new driver at work and the conversation turned to motorcycles. I told him what I was riding and he told me he had almost bought one. He had found a new one locally (cue Twilight Zone theme) called his grandma to borrow funds, raced to the dealer upon receipt only to be told the bike had been sold that morning. _Awkward pause ensued_ ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/57 "2018-08-30T15:19:24Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Forget about it, Jake; it’s a Honda dealer. I won’t buy from Honda again, although I had a CR-V back in 2003. They changed the way they sell cars, it seems. When I went to buy a new one in 2006 (actually an Acura RDX), they wouldn’t budge off MSRP and insisted on adding a hefty “area fee” to the price. Even though I brought a coworker in with me who was also going to buy one, they wouldn’t budge one dollar, not even after talking to the sales manager. I walked out and bought a new Chrysler 300, drove back to the Honda lot, flagged down the salesman and said “Remember me? Here’s your commission and future return business”. I’m sure he didn’t give a shit, but it felt good. Fuck Honda. Not to defend Honda or anything, but perhaps one reason why they play games like that is that they’re unlikely to make any more money off you once you buy the car. In my experience, their cars require so little in the way of maintenance or repair that I’m rarely in the service department. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/58 "2018-08-30T15:49:29Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Forget about it, Jake; it’s a Honda dealer. I won’t buy from Honda again, although I had a CR-V back in 2003. They changed the way they sell cars, it seems. When I went to buy a new one in 2006 (actually an Acura RDX), they wouldn’t budge off MSRP… > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Not to defend Honda or anything, but perhaps one reason why they play games like that is that they’re unlikely to make any more money off you once you buy the car. In my experience, their cars require so little in the way of maintenance or repair that I’m rarely in the service department. No, this sounds like price fixing. It was once a widespread problem in the U.K. - manufacturers would threaten dealers with loss of franchise if they cut prices below MSRP, so there was little competition between dealers. U.S. anti-trust enforcement is usually pretty aggressive against this kind of practice. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/59 "2018-08-30T16:08:30Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > No, this sounds like price fixing. It was once a widespread problem in the U.K. - manufacturers would threaten dealers with loss of franchise if they cut prices below MSRP, so there was little competition between dealers. U.S. anti-trust enforcement is usually pretty aggressive against this kind of practice. It probably didn’t help that it is the only Honda dealer in Anchorage, AK. But for what they were charging, I could have flown out to Seattle first class, bought the same car and shipped it back to Alaska, and still have been money ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424/60 "2018-08-30T16:17:26Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > It probably didn’t help that it is the only Honda dealer in Anchorage, AK. But for what they were charging, I could have flown out to Seattle first class, bought the same car and shipped it back to Alaska, and still have been money ahead. Ah, well - you can’t really prosecute for antitrust violation when there is nobody to to collude with, i.e. provided dealers from different brands in the area are not all colluding to set prices artificially high. Nothing wrong with charging what people are presumably willing to pay for the convenience of a local Honda in that market. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-car-dealer-scams-and-games-a-thing-of-the-past/820424.md?page=4)