I am afraid there will be many stories like this one so I thought it would be appropriate to start a thread to NAME & SHAME the offending dealerships...

After GM added us to their launch markets I called Capitol Chevrolet in Austin to put down a deposit and get on the waiting list (at the time they told me there were already 3 other people who had put down $500). The salesman told me they did not have pricing (of course). I explained that did not bother me but before I agreed to write a check I pressed him to commit to how much at, above, or below the MSRP they would charge. I explained that I had pre-ordered cars before and had always found this out ahead of time. He put me on hold, came back a couple of minutes later and said they would be charging above sticker, not sure exactly how much above sticker but "around 10." "Ten what?" I asked. "Ten Thousand." Yeah right. :mad:

I headed over to Champion in Austin which - as others have already noted - is holding deposit checks for $500 and planning to charge at MSRP (it is an AutoNation dealership).

Any chance GM can just dump any dealers engaged in price gouging? It is unfortunate that this is going to tarnish the Volt roll-out. Nissan really does have a better approach (though an inferior car IMHO).

This was terrible....wanted $1000 down...nonrefundable. No guarantee on MSRP...nothing in writing.

The sales guy was great...the general manager was a jerk. Didn't even want to talk to me and I was willing to put a deposit down but if I didn't like the car or had second thoughts, could not get my deposit back.

Also, they wouldn't guarantee MSRP or any mark up.

I am afraid there will be many stories like this one so I thought it would be appropriate to start a thread to NAME & SHAME the offending dealerships...

After GM added us to their launch markets I called Capitol Chevrolet in Austin to put down a deposit and get on the waiting list (at the time they told me there were already 3 other people who had put down $500). The salesman told me they did not have pricing (of course). I explained that did not bother me but before I agreed to write a check I pressed him to commit to how much at, above, or below the MSRP they would charge. I explained that I had pre-ordered cars before and had always found this out ahead of time. He put me on hold, came back a couple of minutes later and said they would be charging above sticker, not sure exactly how much above sticker but "around 10." "Ten what?" I asked. "Ten Thousand." Yeah right. :mad:

I headed over to Champion in Austin which - as others have already noted - is holding deposit checks for $500 and planning to charge at MSRP (it is an AutoNation dealership).

Any chance GM can just dump any dealers engaged in price gouging? It is unfortunate that this is going to tarnish the Volt roll-out. Nissan really does have a better approach (though an inferior car IMHO).

The big dealers are putting a big and bigger foot on the car!

:mad:Big Foots Brother!

Wow, several-to-ten-thousand, on top of a still unannounced MSRP?

What a great way to treat your loyal customers.

"After GM added us to their launch markets I called Capitol Chevrolet in Austin to put down a deposit and get on the waiting list (at the time they told me there were already 3 other people who had put down $500)."

SolarExec I am one the three people that had the $500 down when you called. When I first called they told me the deposit was $1000 and 5 people were ahead of me but that the Sales Manager was deciding right then what the "deal" was going to be so everyone was going to have to be called back after that and the "deal" redone. She took my number and said she would call back later.

About 2 hours later she called back and said they would be "auctioning" off the cars. They would probably start at about a $10K premium and you would be called in order of your deposit to see if you wanted it at the price they decided on and if you didn't want the car at that price they would go to the next person in line. They would keep going in that order and adjusting the price until someone bit. Apparently some of the first 5 were not too excited about the $10K premium and they bailed moving me up. I have no idea where I am at in the top 3.

I really don't think they will ever pull off the "auction" but since the $500 is refundable I am going to leave it with them just so I have a front row seat on how this really unfolds. I told them just in case they came to their senses and wanted to do a normal pre-order deal I would pay a $2K premium but that was it. They said Ok, they would just have to see what demand turned out to be. The "deal" has probably already changed since I called almost three weeks ago now.

Needless to say I do have a Plan B (actually it is really Plan A at this point) as I doubt this one comes through but Plan B means buying a plane ticket which is just fine. I live in the DFW area so Austin is just a 3 hour drive, it would be nice to buy down there but not on their existing terms.

They did send me a form letter thanking me for my deposit and it spelled out typical terms like you would normally do when you are not doing an auction saying you would be contacted 6 weeks prior to production to pick your options. Well that isn't going to happen. You will be bidding on whatever it is Chevy ships them probably.

As others have said this is a real mess. There is really no telling how all this will play out at dealers around the nation.

I'm not so sure it is fair to complain about a dealer that would rather sell the car to someone willing to pay more for it.

Sure, you may only be willing to pay sticker, but if someone wants it $5000 more then you do, why should you be entitled to it at a lower cost?

If you are so worried about markup, why not go protest a retail outlet about theirs.

These cars should be auctioned if the demand is really that great.

Andy what dealership did you say you work for? Just kidding.

The subject for this thread is "All about Chevrolet dealerships selling Volts and taking waitlists. Share your experience, good and bad."

I think that is what I talked about. What my experience has been and how I feel about it. I do not agree with their method of the Auction but that is just my opinion. They have ever right to do what they like but I don't have to agree with it and I don't have to participate.

I am sure they hope they will find many customers with your opinion that an Auction is just fine.

Hmmm- I must admit I had not been keeping up w/ this thread and I am not sure how I feel about this. On one hand there are only a few for the public and maybe GM dealers should charge whatever the market will bear. On the other hand is GM's image.

I don't know, I've said this before.

GM should have made this car a Cadillac and charged accordingly. If they can't sell the car at anything but a loss then why market it as a "Chevy".

The other thing we should keep an eye on is to see how much money buyers who flip the Volt make.. they get the fed credit and a profit, not fair!

The other thing we should keep an eye on is to see how much money buyers who flip the Volt make.. they get the fed credit and a profit, not fair!

Yes interesting. If you buy a used one is the 7500$ fed tax credit still usable??

Yes interesting. If you buy a used one is the 7500$ fed tax credit still usable??



I kind of doubt it, but if you are willing to buy a brand new car on e-bay that is wildly marked up in price, then you probably don't care about the rebate......

All I can say is that my local dealer here in Youngstown OH refused to take any kind of deposit until they have much more information from GM about when they will be allowed to buy/sell Volts. I am #1 on their list however.....

It looks to me like most of us are going to be in "wait mode" for the next 12-18 months.

Bummer

Wow, several-to-ten-thousand, on top of a still unannounced MSRP?

What a great way to treat your loyal customers.

About 7 years ago all the dealers wanted several thousand over on a Mini Cooper but I found a good dealer that did not do this so he got my business and a later purchase also. They can ask what they want but we can say no and remember them when they don't have the hot car. They need sales then also but would never get my business.

I am not too sure that charging an extra fee for the first Volts is a bad move for GM. Chevy is charging extra for the ZR1, and the Corvette has been around for 40 years. I won't pay extra for a Volt, but if someone is willing to pay $10,000 extra to get it a month or two before me, more power to them. The more money GM makes on the Volt, the more likely they are to build more than 30,000 a year.

Our allocation was 6 cars. SIX CARS!!!

The owner of our dealership told me $5000 over or politely let them leave. After 30 minutes in his office explaining what I have learned from GM-Volt.com and the 'early adopters' who are ready to buy, he agreed to come down to $2000 over.

At that price, I have already taken 12 deposits, and all of them are aware it may be a long long wait before those cars arrive.

And if any of those people are nuts enough to cancel? Then their car will go on the showroom floor with a $5,000 addendum faster than you can say "16 kilowatts".

That is how supply and demand works in the car business. And I would NOT believe any dealer who says ZERO markup if they are only getting 6 cars too. I would if they were getting 600.

Our allocation was 6 cars. SIX CARS!!!

The owner of our dealership told me $5000 over or politely let them leave. After 30 minutes in his office explaining what I have learned from GM-Volt.com and the 'early adopters' who are ready to buy, he agreed to come down to $2000 over.

At that price, I have already taken 12 deposits, and all of them are aware it may be a long long wait before those cars arrive.

And if any of those people are nuts enough to cancel? Then their car will go on the showroom floor with a $5,000 addendum faster than you can say "16 kilowatts".

That is how supply and demand works in the car business. And I would NOT believe any dealer who says ZERO markup if they are only getting 6 cars too. I would if they were getting 600.

That's good of you to talk the manager down some. I assume that hits you in the wallet to do so.
I'm #1 on a LOT of lists, but not in any states that are actually GETTING a Volt! (lol). I AM #19 on a list at a dealership that is about 3.5 yours south of me in MD. When asked, the salesman said that their allotment was 35! I asked how in the world they ranked so high and he claims that they are #3 or 4 in the nation with Corvette sales and that they were going "big time" on the Volt. Did the paperwork and plunked down a 1K refundable down payment. It will be Spring of 2011 before mine will arrive (I'm guessing that it will be a very late Spring - like September)(G).
He said that they had marked up the Camaro back orders by 1K, but might go 2K on the Volt. Whether I can bite on 2K extra will depend on the MSRP, so I may well know whether there is a Volt in my 2011 future by Tuesday.
Be well,
Tagamet

I guess it all comes down to your view on reasonable (personally, I would draw the line at MSRP plus less than $1k of dealer-installed window tinting, pin-stripes, floor mats, and other nonsense). After that, I would just go ahead and take delivery on my Leaf reservation (which I already know will come in at MSRP plus zero) and think about a Volt-Tec GM product in 2015/2016 when I replace the Nissan.

I appreciate that GM needs to shore up a dealer network that has taken it on the chin with all of the difficulties at GM, but the individual dealers get a small upside from this price gouging and GM gets all the negative publicity.

If the Volt buyer looks like the early Prius buyers (one expects they will) then for the average Volt buyer this will be the first time they have crossed the threshold of a Chevy dealership in well over a decade (maybe ever). They will have an average income of well over $100k/yr, they will be buying a volt instead of a German luxury sedan, and they will have a big influence on their peers. (I'm not making this up http://www.allaboutprius.com/blog/1018773_prius-a-substitute-for-luxury-vehicles-says-auto-analyst)

It is a rare opportunity for GM and Chevy to bring in an entirely new group of customers. I really hope the smaller local dealers don't blow it for them. Nissan will be the beneficiary if they do.

So, called a dealership to gauge interest and availability. They are planning (and have indicated that other dealerships are doing this) to markup the car 20k!!!!

Yes folks, $61,000 before federal tax credit.

I don’t care what you do, I’m waiting. I’m not paying 61k for a 25k car…. 33k was reasonable this is INSANE!!!!

GM may set the MSRP but DEALERSHIPS control the pricing on the street no matter what the GM Marketing Reps may tell you.

I feel like we have been strung along this whole time. "10k units initially will generate a little buzz". I don't think so, its generating a lot of buzz. Like 50 phone calls per day to the local dealership.

Guess what GM and affiliated dealerships? All that interest is based on 41k NOT 61k. Thanks but no thanks!

Early adopters, you're screwed!!!

Your friendly neighborhood curmudgeon.

BTW, GM isn't getting the money. At least thats how I understand it. Any $ on top of $41k is in the dealerships pocket.

Anyone correct me on that?

More gouging, $10k extra at Coutesy Chevy, $5K at Dublin, Fremont Chevy will decide tomorrow.

Don't they realize early adopter are very vocal. Don't piss them off

Dave

Folks in the SF Bay Area might want to check with Concord Chevrolet.

I ordered one there yesterday at MSRP and put down a $1000 deposit. They entered the order into GM's computer system and gave me a GM order number for tracking the car up through delivery. They have an allocation of 13 with 7-8 before February and the rest in the following quarter. I know at least 2 are already taken and the sales guy said several other customers had appointments later in the day. Someone at the mychevroletvolt.com blog said they may have since switched to some kind of lottery system but were still offering at MSRP. I worked with Derek Perez and he was great.

More gouging, $10k extra at Coutesy Chevy, $5K at Dublin, Fremont Chevy will decide tomorrow.

Don't they realize early adopter are very vocal. Don't piss them off

Dave

Courtesy dropped it to $7500

Crystal Red Tint Coat is only MSRP :mad:$495
Dealer mark-up attempts to $995
That is only for white & Veridian Joule at $995

Plus dealer refusing to sell the car without upping to leather package at $1,395! No cloth sales! Putnam Chevrolet. Too be fair, they were going to sell it at MSRP. So, if you want leather, and other than red paint, the price in Burlingame, CA may suit you.
However, they would not sell it to me, since I did not live in California any more.

:mad:

Community Chevrolet Burbank, CA (*Gary)
$20K mark-up, give me a break!
I would take a bulldozer to it before I would pay that price!:mad:

Sent an email request for a volt reservation on friday and talked to him on the phone same day. He seemed OK w/ selling to me as I am out of state AZ and his dealership is in Riverside, Ca. He promised to get back w/ prices and a deposit form.--------

but alas still no response----

Guess he is not interested.

PS his dealership is marking up 2000$, not unrealistic IMO.

ive said it before on other threads but worth pointing out again. Hats off to the Michigan dealers.....I was hard pressed to find any dealer charging above MSRP, in fact I haven't found one who did gouge but I am sure there are some. The two or three I worked with all stated MSRP and no markups. The one I went with has been excellent and very responsive. Too bad Michigan gets burned with a March 2011 first delivery. Still wonder why it's not first come first served when the dealer is miles from the factory! Still, way to go Michigan dealers...seems Cali, who is first to get Volts could learn some lessons from you.

Livermore Chevrolet has a $5000 markup. Courtesy Chevrolet called me asking if I was still interested. I told them I might be willing to pay a one or two thousand over sticker but I've waited 20 years for an electric car I can wait a few more months.

:mad:

Community Chevrolet Burbank, CA (*Gary)
$20K mark-up, give me a break!
I would take a bulldozer to it before I would pay that price!:mad:

Vegas: we called Community as well, boo to them! Here is a rundown I made on Lyle's "Gouging" post.

I like to use the analogy of concert or show tickets. After working in that business for some time I know a thing or two about customer reactions.

1. 3rd party ticket broker buys blocks of tickets from box office = Franchised Dealership buying cars from GM

2. 3rd party ticket broker “marks up” or down tickets based on demand = dealership marking up or down cars based on demand

You with me so far, all seems fair in the world right?

3. 3rd party ticket broker discloses to customer at time of purchase that price is above marked face value on ticket = dealership discloses to customer that car costs more than MSRP sticker on car

Still seems kosher right?

4. consumer balks at ticket price above face calling broker a “Scalper” = consumer balks at price at dealership but is assured that its the theory of supply and demand that makes this ok.

So, my question how is a dealership any different than a 3rd party ticket broker? Why are we ok with a dealership charging more than MSRP?

Also, the “demand” that has been created by the GM marketing machine is for the price of 41k not 61k. Demand will wane and GMs newly acquired “image” will start to tarnish.

If ANY cars that can compete with the Volt in the next 2 years make it to market, I almost guarantee that all of us that have been scorned will go that way. I know I will, after this pricing debacle I have NO loyalty to GM (as a matter of record, I had little before the debacle).

You friendly neighborhood curmudgeon!

Vegas: we called Community as well, boo to them! Here is a rundown I made on Lyle's "Gouging" post.

I like to use the analogy of concert or show tickets. After working in that business for some time I know a thing or two about customer reactions.

1. 3rd party ticket broker buys blocks of tickets from box office = Franchised Dealership buying cars from GM

2. 3rd party ticket broker “marks up” or down tickets based on demand = dealership marking up or down cars based on demand

You with me so far, all seems fair in the world right?

3. 3rd party ticket broker discloses to customer at time of purchase that price is above marked face value on ticket = dealership discloses to customer that car costs more than MSRP sticker on car

Still seems kosher right?

4. consumer balks at ticket price above face calling broker a “Scalper” = consumer balks at price at dealership but is assured that its the theory of supply and demand that makes this ok.

So, my question how is a dealership any different than a 3rd party ticket broker? Why are we ok with a dealership charging more than MSRP?

Also, the “demand” that has been created by the GM marketing machine is for the price of 41k not 61k. Demand will wane and GMs newly acquired “image” will start to tarnish.

If ANY cars that can compete with the Volt in the next 2 years make it to market, I almost guarantee that all of us that have been scorned will go that way. I know I will, after this pricing debacle I have NO loyalty to GM (as a matter of record, I had little before the debacle).

You friendly neighborhood curmudgeon!

I'm not sure about what point you are trying to make. Third-party ticket brokers are scum. They add no value to the consumer, and often create situations where the consumer has trouble getting tickets directly from the venue in question. I think they should be illegal.

Concert tickets may be bought at the box office (or Ticketmaster etc) at face value. In exchange for being a sales outlet for the concert sponsor, the box office makes a fair profit.
Scalpers buy up blocks of tickets, creating a demand for them and getting as much as they can.

The Difference: You cannot buy a car from the manufacturer (at least not the major ones). The MSRP has a built-in fair profit for the dealer. In addition, the dealer gets profit from the dealer prep fees, dealer installed options, warranty & out of warranty service.

Profiteering is just plain "not nice" and not conducive to repeat business.

To you Volt shoppers out there, if your local dealer is "scalping", make sure you don't give him ANY of your business.

Plus dealer refusing to sell the car without upping to leather package at $1,395! No cloth sales!Not only is that pretty sleazy IMO, it's kind of dumb. Some people *prefer* cloth! I personally am not nuts about leather and that alone would be enough to make me look for another dealership from which to purchase the Volt.

That's good of you to talk the manager down some. I assume that hits you in the wallet to do so.Tag, maybe it's naive of me, but I would like to think that honest dealers will benefit MORE in the long-term, by playing fair.

Maybe when selling their limited allocations, they should explain their customers that they COULD get $manythousands over MSRP, but they're choosing not to. Frankly, I wouldn't have a problem with them pointing that out!

Forgive me if I haven't been following this all that closely.We,the US taxpayers bailed out GM.One of its stories has been that soon,very soon,they will have a gas/electric car which will have a reasonable range that will meet most of what a typical driver might require,for a not unreasonable price.And now some GM dealer wants to mark this up 10-20k to make up for the losses they took on some other illogical cars they otherwise sell.I suppose they may hope that some will buy it as a status symbol.There are people who buy Cadillac Escalades.I suspect that most of us who may be interested in the Volt are also following the Leaf,Aptera,aftermarket conversions of Priuses to plug-ins,as well as a possible Ford Fusion all-electric version.Forgive me if I include in my differential the possibility that the Volt is just greenwash for GM to continue to sell and make as much money on monster trucks and SUVs,and when the market for those crashes, once we start to pay the true cost of fossil fuels, GM will once again come crying to the federal government to bail them out because they are too big to fail.It is already a question what would be the more reasonable,functional car,with the least amount of gas consumption for a reasonable price,this Volt sedan which is not as functional as a hatchback Prius,or buying a low mileage used Prius and converting it to a plug-in. A large part of the Volt community views cars as regretfully neccesary evils.Emphasis on evil.

Concert tickets may be bought at the box office (or Ticketmaster etc) at face value. In exchange for being a sales outlet for the concert sponsor, the box office makes a fair profit.
Scalpers buy up blocks of tickets, creating a demand for them and getting as much as they can.

The Difference: You cannot buy a car from the manufacturer (at least not the major ones). The MSRP has a built-in fair profit for the dealer. In addition, the dealer gets profit from the dealer prep fees, dealer installed options, warranty & out of warranty service.

Profiteering is just plain "not nice" and not conducive to repeat business.

To you Volt shoppers out there, if your local dealer is "scalping", make sure you don't give him ANY of your business.

Thank you hamchief, I was hoping someone would understand the analogy.

BTW, scalping tickets is LEGAL as long as you disclose to the buyer that they are paying above face value before the transaction. Yes they are scum, thats why I don't deal with them or work for them anymore (ever see Pawn Stars? similar but worse).

I think your statement about repeat business rings the truest in this whole thing. My fiancee is the one that called to the local Chevy dealer and has bought 4 cars from them in the past. Her loyalty, of course, made no difference.

Got my Volt order entered yesterday at Jim McKay Chevrolet in Fairfax, VA. Charging MSRP without any additional mark-up. They are a first-class operation that works hard to do the right thing by their customers and their town. Didn't charge any markup on the new Camero when it first came out either. This will be the third Chevy we have purchased from them and we anticipate another excellent experience. Reading all the bad experiences on this blog makes me all the more pleased to buy from them.

Hi--

I have my order number from a great dealer in VA: MSRP for the Volt and all upgrades. I'm a happy camper!!!

Shop around if you think you may be paying too much.

This was posted yesterday on the Voltage Site:

For those that are experiencing issues with dealer gouging - I would like to have someone look into this further for you. Could you please e-mail me at socialmedia@gm.com with your contact information (full name, address, best number to reach you and e-mail) as well as the dealership information - including the name of the salesperson you were working with. We are looking into this issue and will get back with you within a few days.

Angie – Chevrolet Volt Advisor

I apologize that I have not had a chance to post to this forum earlier regarding this issue. That is correct, we are concerned about gouging. I would like to extend this offer to the GM Volt Forum members as well. If you are experiencing issues with dealer gouging please P.M. me or e-mail me at socialmedia@gm.com. It is important that you include your full name, address, best number where we can reach you and your e-mail address. We are also asking for the dealership information including the name of the salesperson (or sales people) you have worked with.

Thanks,
Angie – Chevrolet Volt Advisor

The two biggest Chevrolet dealers in the Sacramento area, John L Sullivan and Performance, are asking for $3,000 and $5,000 respectively, in premium over MSRP on their 2011 Volts. Both dealers were also trying to talk me out of using the GM lease program, saying that they no longer participate. Translated, they are acting in a very predatory fashion. They are also besmirching GM’s good name. I wish that they were the only dealers acting in this fashion!

I haven’t given up yet! I am still looking for an honest dealer, if there is one left. In the mean time, I have a strong suggestion for Chevrolet Division of General Motors. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to secure a valid email address for any of the current GM management.

My suggestion is this: Inform all Chevrolet dealers participating in the 2011 Volt roll-out, that any order that they complete at or below MSRP will NOT be counted as part of their 2011 Volt allocation. This might encourage better dealer behavior, but more importantly, it will reward good dealer behavior, and allow more customers to get a fair deal on a Volt.

If carried out, this suggested action would also reflect well on GM, who I know is struggling hard to rebuild its tarnished reputation from the government forced bankruptcy. Please discuss the subject of this email with key people at the Chevrolet Division, so that GM can become proactive in resolving a nasty PR problem in the making.

After at least 5 weeks of trying to find a Sacramento area dealer who would even talk price for a Volt and getting NOWHERE. I found

FAIRFIELD CHEVROLET, Danny Austin sales rep

They were willing to take my order and deposit at MSRP for a Red Volt with premium leather in neutral and the backupcamera/parking assist option.

I have since heard from the NEW Chevy Dealer, Kuni Chevrolet, John Buterbaugh that they are "eager to serve Sacramento customers" and it is MY IMPRESSION that they will write Volt orders at MSRP also.

Have faith, there ARE a few Chevy dealers who are not totally exploitative. I would note that I am also getting a Nissan Leaf and that will be at about $1000 LESS than MSRP! Nissan set up a sales process that put ALL THE POWER in the customer's hands.

Thank you Nissan !

For those of you still struggling with an unreasonable Dealer mark-up please don't miss the opportunity that Angie with Volt Customer Service is offering you.

I am on a waiting list of a dealer that was one of those saying they were charging a $10K plus premium and going to auction off Volts to the highest bidders. After Angie did her magic the dealership called me last night and said Volts would be ordered in the order that deposits were received (no auction) and that any premium, if any, would be well with in reason. What an attitude adjustment.

They say they are still not able to place an order but they are calling to find out what options you want so they can call you back with pricing and place the order as soon as ordering does become available for them.

I placed my deposit on July 3rd. To finally get a call after weeks of no information at all was really exciting.

Thanks So Much Angie.

Jerry

Koons Chevrolet, Vienna, VA: MSRP + $10,000
Jim McKay Chevrolet, Fairfax, VA: MSRP

Guess who received my deposit :D

The greed never ceases to amaze me.

The greed never ceases to amaze me.

Of the buyers or the sellers?

Koons Chevrolet, Vienna, VA: MSRP + $10,000
Jim McKay Chevrolet, Fairfax, VA: MSRP

Guess who received my deposit :D

I had the same problem with Koons way back in June. They wanted a $2500 NON REFUNDABLE deposit and then wouldn't guarantee me that they would sell at MSRP. Looks like they had a plan the entire time to gouge customers. I mean come on, they get you to put a very large deposit down and then when the price of the car is announced, they add $10k and then force you to buy with them or walk away from $2500! GM should investigate them and I WILL NEVER deal with Koons in the future. This will be my first Chevy purchase (in fact, my first purchase of an American car manufacturer) and GM almost lost my business because of Koons' greed and poor business practices.

I ended up going with Criswell in Gaithersburg and am very happy that I did (no markup plus small deposit).

I apologize that I have not had a chance to post to this forum earlier regarding this issue. That is correct, we are concerned about gouging. I would like to extend this offer to the GM Volt Forum members as well. If you are experiencing issues with dealer gouging please P.M. me or e-mail me at socialmedia@gm.com. It is important that you include your full name, address, best number where we can reach you and your e-mail address. We are also asking for the dealership information including the name of the salesperson (or sales people) you have worked with.

Thanks,
Angie – Chevrolet Volt Advisor
Angie check your PMs please, Thanks
.LB

As the dealer gouging problem seems to be getting worse rather than better, I thought maybe time to re-energize this thread. Let's put these stories in one place so GM can help deal with them.

Here is a starter from Houston on cars allegedly available as of Friday:
Allen Samuels has a Black one #1704 - won't commit to exact pricing until it arrives but are saying $10k over MSRP
Davis Chevy has a Silver #1349 asking $2.5k over
Ron Craft has a Red #1680 asking $5k over

As the dealer gouging problem seems to be getting worse rather than better, I thought maybe time to re-energize this thread. Let's put these stories in one place so GM can help deal with them.

Here is a starter from Houston on cars allegedly available as of Friday:
Allen Samuels has a Black one #1704 - won't commit to exact pricing until it arrives but are saying $10k over MSRP
Davis Chevy has a Silver #1349 asking $2.5k over
Ron Craft has a Red #1680 asking $5k over

Thanks for the info. I hope that others post theirs as well. Looks like everything IS bigger in Texas. With that reasoning, I guess I should shop for one in Rhode Island.
Be well,
Tagamet

I don't know about that. They are posting $10,000 over MSRP in Oregon. See thread:
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?6926-Used-Volt-found

As the dealer gouging problem seems to be getting worse rather than better, I thought maybe time to re-energize this thread.

I don't think it's suddenly getting worse, I think there are just suddenly new dealers who are now getting allocations. Some of the initial dealers tried gouging, but most of them seemed to quickly settle down as customer resentment, ill will, and animosity towards GM bode poorly for them. Now there are new dealers who have this nifty new car available.

And they're making the same (stupid) mistakes. Nothing says sales incompetence like "Hey customer! Buy from ME! I want to screw you!"

I don't know about that. They are posting $10,000 over MSRP in Oregon. See thread:
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?6926-Used-Volt-found

And for a "used" one, at that. I'll put that one in my upcoming book: The farther west you go, the goofier things get. Politicians running away from the (proposed) laws in Wisconsin and Indiana, people in NM getting cars from Tx, used Volts for $10K over MSRP in Oregon, and don't even get me started on Calif (lol).
Be well,
Tagamet

I had a bad experience with a dealer marking up the price at the last minute, don't let them dictate the terms for every dealership with a mark up there are 5 without. Call many dealerships put deposits down at multiple places and get a signed contract stating the price.
BTW the ones with the markups are having a hard time selling there Volts and GM isn't giving them many. My first dealership still hasn't sold the car I was suppose to get, because they want too much for it.

How much over was/is Chevy of Jersey City asking?

I thought it was time to add my purchase of volt #1019 to the list. The dealer closest to me didn't know much about the cars when I first checked and they told me they were only getting 2 and those were sold so I looked further and found Victory Chevrolet in Petaluma. They had one in I could see and knew much more. So after seeing it I went home to the web sight and picked my colors and options. I emailed them my choices and waited. About 2 weeks later I got a call saying they got one in exactly like I wanted and I could have it. When I went to pick it up they said they were adding $5,000 to the sticker

http://www.buzzjuice.com/volt%20sticker.jpg

(which I finally saw when I got her home folded in the center storage compartment) I asked if there was any room for movement in the price and he took $500 off and agreed to throw in the 240 volt charger when it becomes available. This was my first new car purchase and have learned a lot here on this list and from talking with other dealers. Will be a wiser consumer in the future.

PS: Did email Angie at GM mentioned earlier in this thread when I was looking for information about MSRP and dealer pricing, etc. but have not heard anything back. I am grateful for a great conversation with Neil on the east coast.

Dealers have been doing this sort of thing forever. Here in the Pacific NW, and perhaps elsewhere, it was named "Market Adjustment". It's the dealer's belief that buyers in this market would pay that much more for the vehicle, it's always been negotiable. I've bought many new cars over the years and never paid it, in several cases it did mean getting up from the table and walking. The magnitude of the "Market Adjustment" appeared to be related to the vehicle's desirability and demand/supply balance, boring sedans in plentiful supply for all intents had negative adjustments.

In any event, dealership tactics like this were not invented for the Volt, it's standard operating procedure IMO.

How much over was/is Chevy of Jersey City asking?

They were asking 1500 extra, but I walked away and got the same car for MSRP a month later, two months and they still haven't sold the car.

THE BAD:
Gengras in Hartford
Quality Chevrolet in Escondido
Platinum Chevy of Santa Rosa
Capitol Chevy in Austiin
Singh Chevrolet
Coutesy Chevy
Putnam Chevrolet -- One paint option marked up so may be OK
Community Chevrolet Burbank
Livermore Chevrolet
John L Sullivan (Sacramento)
Performance (Sacramento)
Koons Chevrolet (Several)
Allen Samuels (Houston)
Davis Chevrolet (Houston)
Ron Craft (Houston)
Chevrolet of Jersey City
Victory Chevrolet of Petaluma

THE GOOD:
Jim McKay Chevrolet
Fairfield Chevrolet (Sacramento?)
Kuni Chevrolet
Crane Chevrolet

This the "bad dealer" list not the "good dealer" thread, that's another thread, so the good list won't be complete in any way. (Nor will the bad list either.) If you're looking for a dealer you need to look at a different thread. If you see a dealer you might want to search and find out more info. There is definitely variation. Some are mild, some crazy, and some downright evil.

I want to move Ron Craft to the good dealer list. After the initial quote from the overly exhuberant sales person they endedup selling at MSRP. We bought from them and had a first class experience in every respect. They have five more coming in and all, I understand, at sticker. Our buying experience there was terrific.

Hey SolarExec, was your story that you ordered the "numer six" allocation and it stayed at status 1102 forever, then with intervention from a Volt Advisor you got a different order number? Or do I have you confused with someone else (sorry if that's the case)? If so, how can you call that a "terrific" buying experience? Again, if I have you confused with someone else my apologies. Glad you got your car and hope I see you on the road here in Houston.

Hey SolarExec, was your story that you ordered the "numer six" allocation and it stayed at status 1102 forever, then with intervention from a Volt Advisor you got a different order number? Or do I have you confused with someone else (sorry if that's the case)? If so, how can you call that a "terrific" buying experience? Again, if I have you confused with someone else my apologies. Glad you got your car and hope I see you on the road here in Houston.

Yes, this is partially correct. I ordered from Lone Star Chevy (which is a sister dealership to Ron Craft) and had the experience you are referring to (which is described in detail on another thread. That was resolved when the Volt Advisor intervened and we got hooked up with Ron Craft instead of Lone Star.

After that intervention the entire deal was picked up by Ron Craft and escalated to a senior person at the dealership. From that point forward the experience has been terrific. I hope (and have reason to believe) that others will not have any issues at Ron Craft and that the problematic sales person who gave the above MSRP quote is no longer involved in Volt sales.

I wish that we had never had to go through the ups and downs (btw, the original car is STILL not even at 3400) but at the same time, I want to be fair to Ron Craft and say that once we moved from Lone Star to Ron Craft we were treated extremely well in every respect.

Another interesting turn of events among Houston Dealerships: Remember the car that Allen Samuelson was asking $10k over MSRP as recently as 2 days ago? Well apparently the dealership management had a change of heart and decided to sell Volts at MSRP. They called us yesterday and told us that they were offering the car (and all future Volts) at MSRP and that we were first on their list because we had tried to order from them months ago.

That is great news. I think the price transparency created by this forum, and GM's regular monitoring of the information here, is helping to prevent unreasonable "market adjustments" so I hope people will continue to report what they find here. In the mean time, Allen Samuelson should be again selling Volts at MSRP.

I too ordered from Lone Star Chevy. They told me their "sixth" allocation was available - I have an email stating that they had already placed the order and it would go to production that week (this was January 25) but I could have it if I acted right away. Is that roughly the same story they told you? I wish I had known about Volt Advisors and could have gotten the same resolution you did. At present I'm disputing the charge for the deposit with my credit card company. When this happens these people should be subject to criminal charges. I guess because its a relatively small amount nobody can pursue it in court, and prosecutors figure its a car dealership, so its buyer beware. I agree buyers should beware, but they should not be subjected to outright fraud.

I too ordered from Lone Star Chevy. They told me their "sixth" allocation was available - I have an email stating that they had already placed the order and it would go to production that week (this was January 25) but I could have it if I acted right away. Is that roughly the same story they told you? I wish I had known about Volt Advisors and could have gotten the same resolution you did. At present I'm disputing the charge for the deposit with my credit card company. When this happens these people should be subject to criminal charges. I guess because its a relatively small amount nobody can pursue it in court, and prosecutors figure its a car dealership, so its buyer beware. I agree buyers should beware, but they should not be subjected to outright fraud.

Sounds VERY familiar. Send me a PM on how to contact you and I'll share what I learned along the way. May be some help.

I ordered my volt back in September when City Chevrolet said and i quote their email

"We will NOT mark up the price of the Chevrolet Volt. We don't believe in that." :D

This was after another "Quality" Chevrolet dealer in San Diego had told me...

"Your $500 deposit will put you on our Volt list. Your New 2011 Volt price will be MSRP + $2,000... lease or buy."

When I told them,
"Thank you for your prompt response. Unfortunately, I refuse to reward price gouging and will purchase this car elsewhere."

He then replied with...
"I understand your concern... but a 9.3% Gross Margin, for our dealership on a New 2011 Volt is not gouging. Your employer... XXXXXX. operates on a Gross Margin of 14.71%! I am sure your company doesn't gouge it's customers, so please tell me what you think is fair... and I will listen."

Okay, that creeped me out, he checked out my personal email address, then connected my name with my employer and then researched their margin to try to make a point. :mad:

So, no business for them. :rolleyes:

But, with City Chevrolet, they were true to their word, were quick on delivery, were tracking the order well, were very understanding with my travel schedule and had the car on the lot for almost two weeks before I could finally pick it up!!! But, not for customer viewing or test drives, since it was marked "sold".

So far, they have done great service on my car when I've asked, and have been very communicative via email when I need. So, thrilled with City Chevrolet in San Diego!!!

Scott
PS> The "Quality" Chevrolet dealer in San Diego, finally decided "OK... I give up... MSRP it is (for registration in San Diego County). With a $500 deposit, I can put your order into GM's system." But, by then I had found a better dealer with less hassle.

Add Putnam Chevrolet in Northern CA to the good list. Somebody previously mentioned that they overcharged for the red paint, but sold at MSRP. My experience was very pleasant, I was #3 on their list and got mine at MSRP. I was treated very well.

Tennyson Chevrolet -Livonia Michigan. They were all very nice but charged me a $2000 premium over list. I bit rather than wait longer for a Volt. I have reported them to GM (which will probably accomplish nothing.)

Tennyson Chevrolet -Livonia Michigan. They were all very nice but charged me a $2000 premium over list. I bit rather than wait longer for a Volt. I have reported them to GM (which will probably accomplish nothing.)

It is great that you reported them. GM has been pretty swift to express their displeasure with dealers charging above MSRP. It has caused quite a few to do a u-turn (including the two we eventually bought ours from, both of which were originally demanding above sticker). Even if you don't get any money back, you have probably saved the next guy from getting over-charged.

Hope you are enjoying the car! What color did you get?

Add these people to the bad dealer list:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320676048879&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

They must have had the reserve 5K over MSRP. Despite bids well over MSRP, the car didn't sell.

Hopefully they will get busted by GM and have to sell at MSRP. Then they will realize greed is good, but pigs get slaughtered!

Here's another price gouger!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2011-CHEVY-VOLT-BRAND-NEW-NAVIGATION-ELECTRIC-SEDAN-/110668557743?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item19c45c2daf

Looks like 3K over sticker on the buy it now price?

bastards!

Here's another one trying to get $5K over sticker:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2011-Chevrolet-Volt-Black-black-leather-interior-/250797795988?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3a64b6aa94

Does GM care about dealers gouging through ebay or does that somehow make the dealers exempt from GM's scrutiny?

Wow! $20K over sticker! Where's GM when you need them?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.m748&item=370491925589&viewitem=&_trkparms=clkid%3D8227750979377270355

Wow! $20K over sticker! Where's GM when you need them?

I like the line down there in the copy (after the pictures) that says:



VEHICLE DESCRIPTION
THIS VEHICLE FOR TEST DRIVES AND DISPLAY ONLY.The dude's selling his demo car??!? GM may very well have an opinion about THAT!

I like the line down there in the copy (after the pictures) that says:

The dude's selling his demo car??!? GM may very well have an opinion about THAT!


Here is what I have from a couple of threads. Not exhaustive by any means. I don't have an ugly category but I'd put any dealer who tries to change the deal at the last minute into that one. If you see a dealer on the list you probably want to take a look-see as to what the reported issue was. Reports aren't verified:

THE BAD
Gengras in Hartford
Quality Chevrolet in Escondido
Platinum Chevy of Santa Rosa
Capitol Chevy in Austiin
Singh Chevrolet
Coutesy Chevy
Putnam Chevrolet -- One paint option marked up so may be OK
Community Chevrolet Burbank
Livermore Chevrolet
John L Sullivan (Sacramento)
Performance (Sacramento)
Koons Chevrolet (Several Mentions All Not Good)
Allen Samuels (Houston)
Davis Chevrolet (Houston)
Ron Craft (Houston)
Chevrolet of Jersey City
Victory Chevrolet of Petaluma
Ourisman Chevrolet (Marlow Heights, MD)
Lone Star Chevrolet (Houston)
Mak Haik Chevrolet (Houston)
Lasora (NJ)
Ayers Chevy (NJ)
Grand Prix Chevy (NJ)
Hackensack Chevy (NJ)
Pohanka Chevrolet (VA)
SIMMS CHEVROLET (MI)
Ray Huffines Chevrolet Plano (TX)


THE GOOD
Jim McKay Chevrolet
Fairfield Chevrolet (Sacramento?)
Kuni Chevrolet
Crane Chevrolet
Seacoast Chevy (Asbury Park)
Rotolo Chevy (Fontana)
Don Hewlett (Austin/Georgetown)
Atlantic Chevrolet Cadillac (Infamous Neal Diamond)
George Chevrolet (Bellflower CA -- Roger Stewart - MSRP, US Bank Ally Bank)
Covert Chevrolet (Bastrop Texas)
Westgate Chevrolet (Amarillo)
Don Hewlett (Austin -- US Bank)
Arroway Chevrolet (Mt Kisco, NY)
Sterling Chevrolet (Sterling VA)
Jimmie Johnson's Kearny Mesa Chevrolet (San Diego)
Sunset Auto Center, Lompoc CA (US Bank)
Bellavia Chevrolet, Rutherford NJ (US Bank)
Bob Stall (San Diego)
Mike Savoie Chevrolet (Troy MI - Charlie Martin--Sales Mgr)
All American Chevy (Nanuet NJ)
Multi Chevy (NJ)

List obtained from "Owner's Forum\Buying/Leasing"

So, here is my story about Putnam Chevrolet in Burlingame, CA.

I've been following the gm-volt.com since the beginning and was ready to place my order. I went to Putnam and had a pleasant sales experience. I drove the demo volt and put in my order with $1,000 refundable deposit. They told me it would be four to six months before it arrived and I would be buying it for MSRP. So far so good. I put my order in on March 11, 2011. That meant that I should get the car July thru Sept. During the sales process, they made a big deal about how they were about selling the cars for MSRP, and they really wanted to build a long term relationship with people in the community. I ate it up.

Periodically I would check back to see how things were coming. At one point, I saw an order cancelled status (on chevroletconnects.com -- great place for order tracking). I saw that my original order number was cancelled, and there was a new order number issued on 4/22/2011. The dealer told me that it was because I was getting a 2012 rather than a 2011. Fine with me. Also, they told me that the plant was closing for a month, so it would likely be later (October or so). No big deal, and I mentioned to them that if someone backed out of there order, I'm interested. I wasn't that concerned about the color, etc.

I got a call this week, and they said that had an order cancel, but I needed to hurry down. I left work to check the car. It looked great. Though the color was different than the one I ordered, I was ready to go. The salesman told me that they might want more than MSRP for it, but encouraged me to drive the car. I did, and it was great.

Here's the part that I didn't like at all. I am planning to pay MSRP and do the lease. When we got back from the drive, they said that they wanted $5,000 over MSRP and they wouldn't do the lease deal. I walked out. I still want to the car and will do the original deal, but I'm not sure that they will honor our original agreement based on how they've treated me. I don't want to hear how important our long term relationship is, and then be treated that way. Fine if they want to sell the cars for more than MSRP, but at least be straight and let me know that before I leave my work to come get jerked around.

Over the years, I've purchased a 1990 Mazda and a 2006 Volvo from the same dealership group, and I've only been marginally satisfied with their sales process. (My parents bought a 1966 Buick Special from the same dealer.) I really bought their song and dance about dealing in a reasonable way with customers and building long-term relationships. Now, I'm not convinced. If they deal reasonably (or not) when the car is delivered, I'll post again with the rest of the story.

And now, for the rest of the story.

I got tired of waiting and I sent an email to Trevor, the volt adviser who posts frequently, about getting a volt. He sent me a list of the volts in the area that were available. I called a couple of dealers and had a nice chat with Marvin Morales at Winter Chevrolet in Pittsburg, California. (http://www.winterchevrolet.com/). I saw on the list from Trevor that they had a red 2011, with leather, etc. in stock. I called and asked if they would sell it for MSRP and do the lease. He said yes, and I provided credit info over the phone. I would highly recommend working with them if you are in the area.

I went over (it is about a 90 minute drive from where I live), and we did the deal exactly as described on the phone. Everyone there was great to deal with and it was a fantastic buying experience. The car is absolutely amazing and it has been fantastic for the three days that I've owned it.

I had a $1,000 deposit that was refundable from Putnam, and they were great about doing the refund. I called my salesman, and got a call back from the finance manager and got it all handled without any problem.

Go volt!

And now, for the rest of the story.

I got tired of waiting and I sent an email to Trevor, the volt adviser who posts frequently, about getting a volt. He sent me a list of the volts in the area that were available. I called a couple of dealers and had a nice chat with Marvin Morales at Winter Chevrolet in Pittsburg, California. (http://www.winterchevrolet.com/). I saw on the list from Trevor that they had a red 2011, with leather, etc. in stock. I called and asked if they would sell it for MSRP and do the lease. He said yes, and I provided credit info over the phone. I would highly recommend working with them if you are in the area.

I went over (it is about a 90 minute drive from where I live), and we did the deal exactly as described on the phone. Everyone there was great to deal with and it was a fantastic buying experience. The car is absolutely amazing and it has been fantastic for the three days that I've owned it.

I had a $1,000 deposit that was refundable from Putnam, and they were great about doing the refund. I called my salesman, and got a call back from the finance manager and got it all handled without any problem.

Go volt!

AVOID Champion Chevrolet in Tallahassee. They want $1,700 over MSRP!

Capitol Chevrolet in Columbia, SC is asking $2000 over MSRP. I told them that there were other dealers here in Columbia not charging a premium at all so I will be buying from them, and the guy said "well, what about $1000". Ummm...last time I checked, $1000 is STILL more than zero. I realize it's supply and demand, and the price of a product should be what someone is willing to pay. So if they can get someone (who I consider a sucker) to pay over MSRP, then more power to them. But I can promise you this...screwing your customers out of every dime you can instead of appreciating their business will NOT make me want to do business with them again. Capitol has a few different dealerships here in the area, and I will always remember that they price gouge and I will never do any business with them...not to mention make sure everyone I know knows about this.

So...I put down my deposit on a Volt about 2 weeks ago at a different dealer, and got a printout of the exact MSRP, which is what they are charging me.

So depressing. I had thought this thread would be dead by now but with the roll-out to new markets a whole new set of dealers are up to the same old shenanigans. But good to post here. Our experience from the launch markets is that is DOES make a difference in dealer behavior.

Sorry about your experiences but you can find cars at MSRP.

Since the thread has reseurected itself.. I'll add my "shame" and "Fame" entries.

BAD:Daniels Long in Colorado Springs.
GOOD: Wills Point in Wills Point TX (east of Dallas).


DanliesLong in Colorado Springs wanted 5K over MSRP. Early August. They had the car on cars.com and chevy at 1K above MSRP and i was willing to pay that since theI cut them some slack since they clearly had to trade someone to get a Volt in CO that early. Went down, did not like the Virulent Joule color (too gray for me), and then I found they had market it on the lot at 6K over MSRP. They said they would give it to me at 5K over and I just said it was the wrong color. I could get one in Red in TX for MSRP. But I asked about ordering what I wanted from their 2011 allocations they said they would look into that. They knew they had already ordered one but not the color. (Their volt specialist was not in at the time). 3 days later I get a call they have Red, and they emailed us some specs/docs. Asked us to come in for the paperwork. We get there and the price is not MSRP, its back to 5K above MSRP saying they are again trading to get the car. The look on my wife's face told me the deal was dead.. she will not deal with people like that. I wrote a letter to the dealer owner (it was recently purchased as GM was going to close it) and called a VA to find a car somewhere else.

VA called muliple people, could not find an allocation in CO but found a car at Wills Point in TX (about 870 miles away). They agreed to 500 less than MSRP (car had ~100 miles) and to take my del sol for trade in (they gave 1500 , with the car blue book 1300-1900 depending on condition. It had 2 new and 2 old tires and a "repaired" windshield, but otherwise in good shape with 130k miles.. I had offers to buy it at $2000. As the overall price package was good, it does not matter what is new price and what is trade in discount (except for paperwork and taxes). Wills Point was great, they did not even charge a paperwork fee. Went over things with us, car was gased and charged and ready to go. Too bad they are too far to be my regular dealer.

A new shame entry.
Went in in June with my USAA "Car Buying Service" (fleet) purchase price listing ... $1501 below MSRP, price was agreed to.

Went in today to pick up my car - dealer added a second sticker of $3000 and didn't recall the $1501 below MSRP! Total difference $4501 (3k over MSRP)
BAD, Bad, bad Harnish Auto Family, Chevrolet of Puyallup

By the way, I took my cash & walked. They also missed out on a second because I need to replace my pickup too.
Went to another dealer and placed a new order. :-(

Went to another dealer and placed a new order. :-(That's the only thing to do. Good for you. More to the point they lost two sales and two services. They probably think they'll just sell your Volt to someone else, and maybe they will, but they've still lost a customer. Forever.

That's the only thing to do. Good for you. More to the point they lost two sales and two services. They probably think they'll just sell your Volt to someone else, and maybe they will, but they've still lost a customer. Forever.

Exactly
What annoyed me most is they had already agreed to the USAA fleet purchase price when I placed the order. They even took a copy of the USAA paperwork. Just tics me off that I waited 3 months and will now have to wait another 3.

A new shame entry.
Went in in June with my USAA "Car Buying Service" (fleet) purchase price listing ... $1501 below MSRP, price was agreed to.

Went in today to pick up my car - dealer added a second sticker of $3000 and didn't recall the $1501 below MSRP! Total difference $4501 (3k over MSRP)
BAD, Bad, bad Harnish Auto Family, Chevrolet of Puyallup

By the way, I took my cash & walked. They also missed out on a second because I need to replace my pickup too.
Went to another dealer and placed a new order. :-(

Did you have a contract and deposit?

Beware of Arcadia Chevrolet in Arcadia, Florida:mad:

Those who know my posts may know that I have been awaiting November to get a Volt due to the (at last) acceptance of the GM Card rebate towards purchase of the Volt. I have been proactive, however, gaining written agreement that I could get the Volt for MSRP from Arcadia Chevrolet here in SW Florida. I got this written agreement LAST YEAR.

Another piece of the puzzle I awaited was $$. The state of FL reneged on funding its solar program and has owed me $52K for over a year. Well, they finally paid a reduced amount, and I received a check for $27K this week. This was enough to get me to call up and make plans to put a Volt on order. I called and spoke with the Internet fellow I had been dealing with. I told him that while we had agreed on MSRP, I was hoping that they could do a bit better, since it seems so common to read here about MSRP offerings.

So, after speaking to a manager, he calls me back and states that I will be charged in the neighborhood of 20-30% OVER MSRP!!! I gave him a piece of my mind, told him to look up the emails and hung up on him. A half hour later, my phone rings. He tells me that there was a mistake, that they would back up MSRP and desired me to speak to his manager.

So I speak with the manager, who gets condescending and arrogant with me and tells me that ONLY because there was this agreement would they do this. Why am I writing this to all of you? Because of what he tells me next- “Every dealership in this country is charging three to four thousand dollars over MSRP for this car”. I quite literally screamed back at him, “No they don’t!” And I hung up the phone as I was hearing him reiterate, “Yes they do.” GM-Volt.com helps reveal him to be ignorant and/or deceitful.

Apparently the management of Arcadia Chevrolet is now occupied with avarice, deceit and arrogance. The fact that I was one of the few purchasers of the Tahoe Hybrid from them, a $50K vehicle, was lost in their memory (even though I pointed it out). And greed-in-common is still no justification for their putrid actions, anyway.

While I assume the MSRP offer from them is still valid, I have no desire to purchase from liars and cheats. Hopefully, other Florida dealers who frequent this website will PM me and improve my attitude. I know there are out of state dealers with some integrity here, but I would prefer to keep my business in state, especially since the state boundary is still six hours from here.

Oh, and to dealers who read this, I like to get in the news and TALK UP green and green products:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMOCPGLqoGI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIi3bzAlsPQ
http://sensitivedentistry.net/green.html

I am good advertising (for those who treat me right)!
(And for those who’ve read my posts, the second video is a new one, created by our utility concerning our business; the utility makes it sound at the end like they gave us advice, but that is inaccurate)

New addition to Wall of Shame: Midway Chevrolet in Phoenix, AZ. Two weeks ago, I checked their website. They were charging $7K premium over MSRP. I called them up to confirm and had to leave a message. They called me back the next day and confirmed. I said "Thanks *click*".

I got a call back from them today and they've lowered their prices. Now they only want a $5K premium. I asked them to not call me back any more and to to please remove my phone number from their prospects list.

Drive a few hours over to Camino Real Chevrolet in Monterey Park, CA. He's at $500 below MSRP and has 2012's on the lot right now.

New addition to Wall of Shame: Midway Chevrolet in Phoenix, AZ. Two weeks ago, I checked their website. They were charging $7K premium over MSRP. I called them up to confirm and had to leave a message. They called me back the next day and confirmed. I said "Thanks *click*".

I got a call back from them today and they've lowered their prices. Now they only want a $5K premium. I asked them to not call me back any more and to to please remove my phone number from their prospects list.

Watch out for them, every car gets tint and paint protectant, a $1800 addin. They claimed a MSRP deal to me to get me in the door, but when I showed up in the diamond white, they hedged. They didn't even have an allocation they were willing to use. Sorry no deal, but in their defense they did give me $50 in gas cards for the trouble. How long is it going to take me to use them! Hehehehehe

Edit: BTW I did buy a car ans truck from these guys about 12 years ago and had a very nice experience well under MSRP and no add ins.