I went to a Chrysler dealer recently because of an ad in the paper talking about a lease on a Grand Cherokee for 208 per month.
Turns out that’s only if you’re a returning Chrysler lease customer. Because if you aren’t…even if you’ve bought Chryslers since you were 17, well fuck you pal, you don’t get that price. Your price is about 50 bucks per month higher.
I don’t understand it. If you’re on a lease, a lot of times they have you by the balls. You NEED to turn a car in and you’re going to need something else to drive within a very specific timeframe. If you own a vehicle, you’re not in any hurry, and can buy when you want to. Why wouldn’t there be a similar incentive to get you into a lease program where they know you have to come back to them within a certain timeframe?
What a load of shit. This just reminds me why I don’t like dealing with buying or leasing brand new cars. GRR!
Another reason to read the small print in the ads for any car dealer or manufacturer (especially domestic models). I used to work for Lincoln Mercury and they would advertise a 24k Grand Marquis for 15995. It would include (attempt from memory):
1000 Ford Motor Credit rebate-you must finance 7k for a min. of 90 days. If you did not qualify (credit or whatever), you do not get it.
1000 Lease Loyalty-must be coming off of a lease and going to a finance.
A lot of companies include lease loyalty, and always have to disclose it somewhere if using it as a discounted price for advertising. I have also seen active duty military rebates, which is a nice one, but very rare that someone in bumfuck middle of nowhere is active duty military, reading the paper, and decides to go buy a Buick LeSabre (or whatever it is).
Don’t let the advertising piss you off. Just read the fine print a little better.
I’m not sure I really trust the whole idea of leasing. Doesn’t the lessor call all the shots when the car is turned in, such as whether its condition is ordinary wear and tear?
[opinionated ranting] Because a lot of American companies, especially American car companies, are all about the easy money. They don’t give a shit about any business practice that won’t make them a hundred million dollars right now, even if it would mean a billion dollars 10 or 20 years from now. This is one of many reasons they have done nothing but lose market share to the Japanese.[/opinionated ranting]
But seriously, with an uncle who sold cars for 25 years and a good friend who used to manage a dealership, I am paranoid beyond belief about car cealers. I basically decide what I want and am willing to pay for it, then visit a dealership until I find it. I ignore every word that domes out of any salesman’s mouth.
It’s not the advertising that pisses me off, really. I understand that a dealership is going to put the best price they can in ads to get people in the door. It’s the stupid Chrysler Finanacial policies that piss me off to no end. Honestly, I will probably end up in a GM car because Chrsyler can’t offer me a good enough deal to drive one of their @#$% cars. (Don’t even get me started on how they don’t make a car that actually looks interesting and is in my price range…they have been the bread and butter for my family for nearly 40 years, I feel slightly obligated to check them out)