Breaking News: car salesmen are liars!

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First_Bolt

New Member
My August 11 post said I had ordered a 2023 Bolt EV 2LT.

At that time I had gone to Burien Chevrolet and spoke with salesman SAHIL KHANAL. He was pleasant, and helped me order the EV I wanted on the GM website. He assured me the dealer markup over MSRP was $989 and it was the lowest in the area, and the same for everyone.
"Great!" I said, "Here's my deposit!", to which he said: "The shipment doesn't arrive until late October. I'll call you when it's here, then we can do a test drive, and you pay the deposit then."
I insisted on putting a deposit down, but he wouldn't take it.
Fast forward to October 27th. I phoned his cell number (twice). No answer, so, I called the dealership directly.
"SAHIL KHANAL doesn't work here anymore." they told me. (His photo is still on their website as a top salesman, and his photo is still on their wall).
"He was supposed to call me when the shipment arrived!" I say.
"It came! We sold them all!"
"INCLUDING MINE?! You sold my car to SOMEONE ELSE???"
"Did you put down a deposit, sir?"
"SAHIL KHANAL refused to take it! When does the next shipment arrive?"
"November. Oh, and the dealer markup is now $2,000 over MSRP." this guy says. (note the phrase "IS NOW").
"SAHIL told me it's $989."
"Dealer markup has never been that. Do you have any paperwork?" (No. Only on my account on the GM website when I ordered it. When I check this later, my account is still there and active, but the car I ordered has disappeared).
I call GM customer support back east and complain. iN MINUTES the salesman calls me back and complains about my complaint, telling me "You have no paperwork! We still have the lowest markup in the area!"
I call Bill Pierre Chevrolet, Lee Johnson Chevrolet, Jet Chevrolet, Bellevue Chevrolet, and Chuck Olson Chevrolet. All quote me markups of between $2,500 to $5,500. Good Chevrolet of Renton doesn't sell EVs.
I'm 66 years old on a fixed pension, and have been waiting YEARS for EVs to become affordable. I had my financing worked out to the penny thru my credit union. I CAN'T AFFORD THIS NOW. CHEVROLET JUST LOST A SALE.
 
My first thought is just wait out the present economic climate, although it has to be admitted that its going to be of indeterminate length. My second thought is congratulations on "joining the club". There are too many such dealers around and I have met them all. My present dealer turns out to be within reason in several ways, but I do have to bear in mind all the tricks that my prior dealer played on me over the years. Having said all that, keep trying to find a satisfactory deal, because the Bolt EV is an outstanding vehicle. I have had mine since July 2017, and I have nothing but praise for it. The money it has saved me over the last five years is just amazing. My solar covers all its fuel costs, so it runs on sunlight all the time, while its maintenance costs have been pretty close to zero. The baseline is just the cost of maintaining and buying tires. I can't think of anything else. Keep up your determination to buy the Bolt, and don't let those pesky dealers stand in your way. Once you have one, they are out of the picture.
 
Car dealers are the lowest form of life. Alas, the present supply-constrained market has enabled their worst behavior. I'm grateful not to be in the market for a vehicle right now, as everyone -- almost whatever brand/model they're shopping -- is reporting horror stories.
 
If you are a Costco member, you might try there to see if you can get a Bolt at MSRP from one of their participating dealers.

Also, note that Mary stated in a Bloomberg interview that she believes the GM EVs will qualify for $3,750 in federal tax credits out of the gate. So if you are paying that much in taxes, then that's something to consider for cars bought in 2023.
 
First_Bolt said:
My August 11 post said I had ordered a 2023 Bolt EV 2LT.

At that time I had gone to Burien Chevrolet and spoke with salesman SAHIL KHANAL. He was pleasant, and helped me order the EV I wanted on the GM website. He assured me the dealer markup over MSRP was $989 and it was the lowest in the area, and the same for everyone.
"Great!" I said, "Here's my deposit!", to which he said: "The shipment doesn't arrive until late October. I'll call you when it's here, then we can do a test drive, and you pay the deposit then."
I insisted on putting a deposit down, but he wouldn't take it.
Fast forward to October 27th. I phoned his cell number (twice). No answer, so, I called the dealership directly.
"SAHIL KHANAL doesn't work here anymore." they told me. (His photo is still on their website as a top salesman, and his photo is still on their wall).
"He was supposed to call me when the shipment arrived!" I say.
"It came! We sold them all!"
"INCLUDING MINE?! You sold my car to SOMEONE ELSE???"
"Did you put down a deposit, sir?"
"SAHIL KHANAL refused to take it! When does the next shipment arrive?"
"November. Oh, and the dealer markup is now $2,000 over MSRP." this guy says. (note the phrase "IS NOW").
"SAHIL told me it's $989."
"Dealer markup has never been that. Do you have any paperwork?" (No. Only on my account on the GM website when I ordered it. When I check this later, my account is still there and active, but the car I ordered has disappeared).
I call GM customer support back east and complain. iN MINUTES the salesman calls me back and complains about my complaint, telling me "You have no paperwork! We still have the lowest markup in the area!"
I call Bill Pierre Chevrolet, Lee Johnson Chevrolet, Jet Chevrolet, Bellevue Chevrolet, and Chuck Olson Chevrolet. All quote me markups of between $2,500 to $5,500. Good Chevrolet of Renton doesn't sell EVs.
I'm 66 years old on a fixed pension, and have been waiting YEARS for EVs to become affordable. I had my financing worked out to the penny thru my credit union. I CAN'T AFFORD THIS NOW. CHEVROLET JUST LOST A SALE.
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Super frustrating experience. I am also in the market for a Bolt EV. My plan is to wait until January because it should be eligible for an $3,750 off the price due to the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) EV incentive. With the slowing of the economy with rising interests rates, car sales should also cool down and prices improve. I will not pay over MSRP and by January, it might even be possible to get some "money on the hood." I can already see used car prices have been trending down, even if they're still pretty high and new car prices won't be far behind.
 
It's depressing that the only thing that may end the big dealer markups (and even worse than normal dealer behavior) is interest rates getting so high that most people can't afford to buy a car. It's incredibly frustrating that interest in EVs has really spiked but most models are in short supply and often back-ordered for many months. Ugh.
 
Bruce M. said:
It's depressing that the only thing that may end the big dealer markups (and even worse than normal dealer behavior) is interest rates getting so high that most people can't afford to buy a car. It's incredibly frustrating that interest in EVs has really spiked but most models are in short supply and often back-ordered for many months. Ugh.
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More important than interest rates (because some don't have to finance), I believe that if supply could meet demand, MSRP would become a thing again.
 
I'm surprised to hear you mention that Lee Johnson has a markup. I just bought my 2023 Bolt EUV from them with ZERO markup. They told me AND I received paperwork confirming it that they've never had a markup on any of their EVs. I took one of their allocations back in August and paid a $2500 deposit for it. It was promised late September but it finally arrived recently and I was able to take delivery last Friday. A very pleasant experience overall and I would highly recommend them. They offered the usual things like PPF, auto protection, etc...but they didn't push them on us when I declined them the first time.
 
atomic80 said:
I'm surprised to hear you mention that Lee Johnson has a markup. I just bought my 2023 Bolt EUV from them with ZERO markup. They told me AND I received paperwork confirming it that they've never had a markup on any of their EVs. I took one of their allocations back in August and paid a $2500 deposit for it. It was promised late September but it finally arrived recently and I was able to take delivery last Friday. A very pleasant experience overall and I would highly recommend them. They offered the usual things like PPF, auto protection, etc...but they didn't push them on us when I declined them the first time.
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Thanks for this info, atomic80. I had originally only phoned Lee Johnson, not actually visited them. I'll visit them in person this time and report back how it goes.
 
I just found out from a friend who called them about getting a Bolt that they added a markup to all future Bolt orders due to supply chain issues. So much for their "promise" that they'd never add a markup because they'd rather foster good relations with their customers according to the salesperson I worked with from there. He lied to me on that too. Never ever trust car salespeople and ALWAYS get things in writing no matter what.
 
atomic80 said:
I just found out from a friend who called them about getting a Bolt that they added a markup to all future Bolt orders due to supply chain issues. So much for their "promise" that they'd never add a markup because they'd rather foster good relations with their customers according to the salesperson I worked with from there. He lied to me on that too. Never ever trust car salespeople and ALWAYS get things in writing no matter what.
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But that $7,500 tax credit is theirs, not yours. :(
 
atomic80 said:
I just found out from a friend who called them about getting a Bolt that they added a markup to all future Bolt orders due to supply chain issues. So much for their "promise" that they'd never add a markup because they'd rather foster good relations with their customers according to the salesperson I worked with from there. He lied to me on that too. Never ever trust car salespeople and ALWAYS get things in writing no matter what.
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OK, here's the story: I called Lee Johnson Chevrolet yesterday and spoke with a salesman. He wouldn't tell me what the MSRP is but said it's "in the neighborhood of 26 and a half, depending on options", and the delivery charge is "included in MSRP" and the markup is $2,000. They do not have any 2023 models on the lot.
I asked if I go to the GM website, order the car online, and tell them what dealership to deliver it to (as I did before with Burien Chevrolet last August). He said, "No, every 2 weeks GM **tells us** how many cars we're getting, usually two or three, and we have a list, and the next people on the list get the cars. The wait time to get your car is 6 to 8 months out. Supply chain issues you know."
It looks as if I can have a Bolt for "in the neighborhood of" $28,500 by November 2023, if I order now. Sheesh. What a way to run a business. Guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and do it their way. I'm 67 and remember how buying a car used to be.
 
$28,500 is pretty good. That's much cheaper than what I paid even with their $2,000 markup. I assume that's for their base model without any options. Mine was around $31k for a LT with leather, heated/cooled seats and a few other options. Make sure you get something in writing this time too and good luck! Let us know how it turns out!
 
First_Bolt said:
OK, here's the story: I called Lee Johnson Chevrolet yesterday and spoke with a salesman. He wouldn't tell me what the MSRP is but said it's "in the neighborhood of 26 and a half, depending on options", and the delivery charge is "included in MSRP" and the markup is $2,000. They do not have any 2023 models on the lot.
I asked if I go to the GM website, order the car online, and tell them what dealership to deliver it to (as I did before with Burien Chevrolet last August). He said, "No, every 2 weeks GM **tells us** how many cars we're getting, usually two or three, and we have a list, and the next people on the list get the cars. The wait time to get your car is 6 to 8 months out. Supply chain issues you know."
It looks as if I can have a Bolt for "in the neighborhood of" $28,500 by November 2023, if I order now. Sheesh. What a way to run a business. Guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and do it their way. I'm 67 and remember how buying a car used to be.
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If the Bolt qualifies for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit in November, it will be a bargain even with the $2K markup--unless Lee decides to jack up the markup by the time it arrives.

I waited a week short of a year for my MINI Cooper SE. There's one little-known benefit of waiting for a car you really want: it slows the headlong passage of time (I'm 6 years your senior, and really appreciated that time-warp).
 
atomic80 said:
$28,500 is pretty good. That's much cheaper than what I paid even with their $2,000 markup. I assume that's for their base model without any options. Mine was around $31k for a LT with leather, heated/cooled seats and a few other options. Make sure you get something in writing this time too and good luck! Let us know how it turns out!
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Just got home from Lee Johnson Chevrolet. Talked to salesman "Thomas", a very pleasant experience. Things went well. He tells me the car might arrive in maybe two months.
Works out like this:
Vehicle = $26,500
L2 Charge Cord = $295
Destination Charge = $995 (they told me at the beginning this was ***included*** in the MSRP. I didn't notice this until just now)
Dealer Markup = $2,000 (They called this a "Market Adjustment" not a "dealer markup". Whatever.)
Total = $29,790
I signed some papers. Credit Application, etc. They ran a credit check (OK). Told them when the car arrives I'll need the VIN for the loan from my Credit Union. (OK). Paid the deposit, got a receipt.
Now a different man shows up, This is general manager Marcus Andrews. Tells me that $29,790 might go up maybe $500 or $1,000.
I tell him "No, we have a contract."
"No, it's not a 'contract', it's an 'agreement'" he says, "GM might up the MSRP and you have to pay it. Onstar's price might change."
"Onstar is an option I don't want."
"It's part of the package."
"Yes, you have it listed here as STANDARD. I won't pay a penny above $29,790. If you bump MSRP up, I'll walk and you can sell it to someone else," I say.
"What if the MSRP drops?" he asks.
"So much the better, eh?" I say.
"So we take the risk, and you don't the other way around?"
"When the car arrives, I'm paying $29,790 and not a penny more."
"Yes, I'd rather end this right here, if that's your attitude," he says. (I only glare at him.) "Fine, then we'll refund your $2,500."
"Yes, all of it."
I go to the Finance guy and put a deposit down of $2,500 on a base model Bolt 1LT EV. It clears immediately. I don't realize until I arrive home that ***I*** signed a bunch of paper, but I don't have a signature ***from them*** other than the receipt. I'm serious about not paying a penny more.
 
First_Bolt said:
"Yes, I'd rather end this right here, if that's your attitude," he says. (I only glare at him.) "Fine, then we'll refund your $2,500."
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I know we're all different, but if a salesperson said this to me, I'd be walking out. There are Chevrolet dealers who don't charge above MSRP and I'd consider checking with every a 300-mile radius. If none, then maybe a little bigger circle. You can have the car delivered to you and it would certainly be a lot less than $2,000.
 
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