Help – I am being ripped off by a GM Dealer
Question:
It sounds like the dealership ordered the vehicle as if it were part of their regular order, not specifically for you. You mentioned that you tried to cancel the order, but they wouldn’t, but have you asked for you money (GM earnings) back? Just cancel your deal with them based on the fact that they were going to locate a car for you, not order one. They aren’t out anything, because it’s just another unit coming in. The $1800 in GM Earning, what exactly is that? Points from a GM Credit Card? Try going through the company that these earnings are through so they won’t honor the request for payment from the dealership. Like others have said here, unless you have a purchase agreement that says you were ordering the truck, there is no deal, just get your money back. Good Luck and let us know how it turns out. Keith >Hi everyone, > On December 5, 1998, I went to Mahwah Pontiac/GMC Dealer in NJ >to order a new 1999 GMC Jimmy Envoy. ….<big snip>…. I plan to file an
official complaint to – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->NJ Consumer Affairs in two days, but I would like to know all my >options first. >- Wild Fire >P.S. Please don’t reply to my e-mail address, it doesn’t exist.
Response:
Wolverine, Since you work with this system on a daily basis, can you check it for me? Order Information: Vehicle order number: BGRB33 (the 4th char. could be an "8") Division: GMC Order Type: SRE-Retail Sold Allocation group: JIMENV Dealer assigned number: CHAIS Model year: 1999 I would like to know when was this order placed from the Mahwah Pontiac/GMC dealer in NJ to GMC? You can either post your reply here in this group or send me an e-mail message at address before sending). Thank you, Wild Fire – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >You mentioned that the Dealer faxed you a copy of the order information. On >that sheet there should be an order number onthe top left of the document. >Call customer service with that number they should be able to give you a >status. Keep in mind that this system of ordering has only been around since >August of 1998. The system is called VOM’s (Vehicle Order Management). >I work with this system on a daily basis and believe me they have a long way >to go. The status dates are not very accurate yet because of the >reorginization of GM Jan 1st. If you never signed anything that stated you >were going to order a truck than the dealer hasn’t got a leg to stand on. >Sounds like they have some internal problems as well. >Good Luck >Wolverine >Thank you for the suggestion. >I have the order document. The sales representative indicated "locate >order" on the paper clearly. I think I can sue them back. I put a >down payment of $1,800 in the form of GM Earning. They can’t get it >until I pick up the vehicle. I am filing a complaint to NJ Consumer >Affairs today. If I have to buy this car, I will make sure that this >will not happen to anybody else again. >Is it true that GMC Customer Service can’t look up car order >information for me? I hope I don’t have to get a court order to see >it. I am curious why they refused to tell me. It makes me wonder >even more. If GMC plays a part in this scheme, I will sue them too. >By the way, I maybe missing a fine print somewhere. When I logged on >to GMC website, they said satisfaction guarantee! Can anyone point it >out to me where on their website did they exclude helping pre-purchase >customers? I was about to buy a second new car. Now I am excluding >GMC cars from my options. >- Wild Fire >>You seem to have a typical old school dealer… Shady. >>Do you have a bill of sale? Is there any conditions on it? Send the >dealer >>a registered letter informing them that the sale is cancelled. Do this >now >>it won’t hurt. You may have to sue the dealer for your deposit back, but >>you can probably bully him with the media to return it. If no deposit, no >>worries, just send the letter. >>>Hi everyone, >>> On December 5, 1998, I went to Mahwah Pontiac/GMC Dealer in NJ >>>to order a new 1999 GMC Jimmy Envoy. The sale representative agreed >>>to locate the car for me. He said it would take a couple weeks. 2 >>>weeks later, I made 3 unsuccessful attempts to contact him. The >>>fourth attempt, I finally reached him, he said the car has been >>>special order to GM which would take 2 more months and hung up the >>>phone. So next day, I faxed in an order cancellation letter. His >>>sale manager called me back and told me that the order could not be >>>cancelled. He then faxed me the order information that he placed to >>>GMC. According to the order document, the car is scheduled to be >>>built in February 8, 1999. >>> I contacted GM Customer Service who even refused to look up >>>the order status or information for me. But after I hung up the >>>phone. The sale representative called me back stating that he >>>received a phone call from GMC. Yeah, right. GM can’t look up order >>>information for me but can contact dealer in seconds. Something is >>>not right here. I expected to have the car with 2-3 weeks, not 2-3 >>>months. Besides, I agreed only to have the car be located, not >>>specially built for me. When does the dealer has the right to make >>>this $35K decision for me? What I don’t get is since the car hasn’t >>>been built yet, why can’t this car order be cancelled? Everyone >>>starting from the sale representative, sale manager to general manager >>>are refused to cancel this order. The funny thing is I asked other >>>GMC dealers in Northern NJ, they all said this is just an ordinary >>>order and can be cancelled. >>> So what I would like to know is what else can I do? Any >>>suggestions are appreciated. I plan to file an official complaint to >>>NJ Consumer Affairs in two days, but I would like to know all my >>>options first. >>>- Wild Fire >>>P.S. Please don’t reply to my e-mail address, it doesn’t exist.
Response:
You mentioned that the Dealer faxed you a copy of the order information. On that sheet there should be an order number onthe top left of the document. Call customer service with that number they should be able to give you a status. Keep in mind that this system of ordering has only been around since August of 1998. The system is called VOM’s (Vehicle Order Management). I work with this system on a daily basis and believe me they have a long way to go. The status dates are not very accurate yet because of the reorginization of GM Jan 1st. If you never signed anything that stated you were going to order a truck than the dealer hasn’t got a leg to stand on. Sounds like they have some internal problems as well. Good Luck Wolverine – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Thank you for the suggestion. >I have the order document. The sales representative indicated "locate >order" on the paper clearly. I think I can sue them back. I put a >down payment of $1,800 in the form of GM Earning. They can’t get it >until I pick up the vehicle. I am filing a complaint to NJ Consumer >Affairs today. If I have to buy this car, I will make sure that this >will not happen to anybody else again. >Is it true that GMC Customer Service can’t look up car order >information for me? I hope I don’t have to get a court order to see >it. I am curious why they refused to tell me. It makes me wonder >even more. If GMC plays a part in this scheme, I will sue them too. >By the way, I maybe missing a fine print somewhere. When I logged on >to GMC website, they said satisfaction guarantee! Can anyone point it >out to me where on their website did they exclude helping pre-purchase >customers? I was about to buy a second new car. Now I am excluding >GMC cars from my options. >- Wild Fire >You seem to have a typical old school dealer… Shady. >Do you have a bill of sale? Is there any conditions on it? Send the dealer >a registered letter informing them that the sale is cancelled. Do this now >it won’t hurt. You may have to sue the dealer for your deposit back, but >you can probably bully him with the media to return it. If no deposit, no >worries, just send the letter. >>Hi everyone, >> On December 5, 1998, I went to Mahwah Pontiac/GMC Dealer in NJ >>to order a new 1999 GMC Jimmy Envoy. The sale representative agreed >>to locate the car for me. He said it would take a couple weeks. 2 >>weeks later, I made 3 unsuccessful attempts to contact him. The >>fourth attempt, I finally reached him, he said the car has been >>special order to GM which would take 2 more months and hung up the >>phone. So next day, I faxed in an order cancellation letter. His >>sale manager called me back and told me that the order could not be >>cancelled. He then faxed me the order information that he placed to >>GMC. According to the order document, the car is scheduled to be >>built in February 8, 1999. >> I contacted GM Customer Service who even refused to look up >>the order status or information for me. But after I hung up the >>phone. The sale representative called me back stating that he >>received a phone call from GMC. Yeah, right. GM can’t look up order >>information for me but can contact dealer in seconds. Something is >>not right here. I expected to have the car with 2-3 weeks, not 2-3 >>months. Besides, I agreed only to have the car be located, not >>specially built for me. When does the dealer has the right to make >>this $35K decision for me? What I don’t get is since the car hasn’t >>been built yet, why can’t this car order be cancelled? Everyone >>starting from the sale representative, sale manager to general manager >>are refused to cancel this order. The funny thing is I asked other >>GMC dealers in Northern NJ, they all said this is just an ordinary >>order and can be cancelled. >> So what I would like to know is what else can I do? Any >>suggestions are appreciated. I plan to file an official complaint to >>NJ Consumer Affairs in two days, but I would like to know all my >>options first. >>- Wild Fire >>P.S. Please don’t reply to my e-mail address, it doesn’t exist.
Response:
Hi everyone, On December 5, 1998, I went to Mahwah Pontiac/GMC Dealer in NJ to order a new 1999 GMC Jimmy Envoy. The sale representative agreed to locate the car for me. He said it would take a couple weeks. 2 weeks later, I made 3 unsuccessful attempts to contact him. The fourth attempt, I finally reached him, he said the car has been special order to GM which would take 2 more months and hung up the phone. So next day, I faxed in an order cancellation letter. His sale manager called me back and told me that the order could not be cancelled. He then faxed me the order information that he placed to GMC. According to the order document, the car is scheduled to be built in February 8, 1999. I contacted GM Customer Service who even refused to look up the order status or information for me. But after I hung up the phone. The sale representative called me back stating that he received a phone call from GMC. Yeah, right. GM can’t look up order information for me but can contact dealer in seconds. Something is not right here. I expected to have the car with 2-3 weeks, not 2-3 months. Besides, I agreed only to have the car be located, not specially built for me. When does the dealer has the right to make this $35K decision for me? What I don’t get is since the car hasn’t been built yet, why can’t this car order be cancelled? Everyone starting from the sale representative, sale manager to general manager are refused to cancel this order. The funny thing is I asked other GMC dealers in Northern NJ, they all said this is just an ordinary order and can be cancelled. So what I would like to know is what else can I do? Any suggestions are appreciated. I plan to file an official complaint to NJ Consumer Affairs in two days, but I would like to know all my options first. – Wild Fire P.S. Please don’t reply to my e-mail address, it doesn’t exist.
Response:
You seem to have a typical old school dealer… Shady. Do you have a bill of sale? Is there any conditions on it? Send the dealer a registered letter informing them that the sale is cancelled. Do this now it won’t hurt. You may have to sue the dealer for your deposit back, but you can probably bully him with the media to return it. If no deposit, no worries, just send the letter.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi everyone, > On December 5, 1998, I went to Mahwah Pontiac/GMC Dealer in NJ >to order a new 1999 GMC Jimmy Envoy. The sale representative agreed >to locate the car for me. He said it would take a couple weeks. 2 >weeks later, I made 3 unsuccessful attempts to contact him. The >fourth attempt, I finally reached him, he said the car has been >special order to GM which would take 2 more months and hung up the >phone. So next day, I faxed in an order cancellation letter. His >sale manager called me back and told me that the order could not be >cancelled. He then faxed me the order information that he placed to >GMC. According to the order document, the car is scheduled to be >built in February 8, 1999. > I contacted GM Customer Service who even refused to look up >the order status or information for me. But after I hung up the >phone. The sale representative called me back stating that he >received a phone call from GMC. Yeah, right. GM can’t look up order >information for me but can contact dealer in seconds. Something is >not right here. I expected to have the car with 2-3 weeks, not 2-3 >months. Besides, I agreed only to have the car be located, not >specially built for me. When does the dealer has the right to make >this $35K decision for me? What I don’t get is since the car hasn’t >been built yet, why can’t this car order be cancelled? Everyone >starting from the sale representative, sale manager to general manager >are refused to cancel this order. The funny thing is I asked other >GMC dealers in Northern NJ, they all said this is just an ordinary >order and can be cancelled. > So what I would like to know is what else can I do? Any >suggestions are appreciated. I plan to file an official complaint to >NJ Consumer Affairs in two days, but I would like to know all my >options first. >- Wild Fire >P.S. Please don’t reply to my e-mail address, it doesn’t exist.
Response:
First of all, you must have given them some money or they would not have ordered one from the factory. How much? Second, for them to only "locate" one, you should not have given them any money at all. If you did give them money and feel you are in the right, tell them you’ll take them to small claims court which will cost them money and you only about $10 – which they will have to pay in the end when you win. Another thought … did you sign anything? You must have or they would not have placed the order. Suggest you come just over the border into NY where the dealers seem to be a bit better. Mahwah Ford sucks to. But just over the border into rockland county there’s Ted Shultz Ford which is better. Jim Smith Chevrolet in Spring Valley is a good dealership and 15 mins from Mahwah. -DBH – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi everyone, > On December 5, 1998, I went to Mahwah Pontiac/GMC Dealer in NJ > to order a new 1999 GMC Jimmy Envoy. The sale representative agreed > to locate the car for me. He said it would take a couple weeks. 2 > weeks later, I made 3 unsuccessful attempts to contact him. The > fourth attempt, I finally reached him, he said the car has been > special order to GM which would take 2 more months and hung up the > phone. So next day, I faxed in an order cancellation letter. His > sale manager called me back and told me that the order could not be > cancelled. He then faxed me the order information that he placed to > GMC. According to the order document, the car is scheduled to be > built in February 8, 1999. > I contacted GM Customer Service who even refused to look up > the order status or information for me. But after I hung up the > phone. The sale representative called me back stating that he > received a phone call from GMC. Yeah, right. GM can’t look up order > information for me but can contact dealer in seconds. Something is > not right here. I expected to have the car with 2-3 weeks, not 2-3 > months. Besides, I agreed only to have the car be located, not > specially built for me. When does the dealer has the right to make > this $35K decision for me? What I don’t get is since the car hasn’t > been built yet, why can’t this car order be cancelled? Everyone > starting from the sale representative, sale manager to general manager > are refused to cancel this order. The funny thing is I asked other > GMC dealers in Northern NJ, they all said this is just an ordinary > order and can be cancelled. > So what I would like to know is what else can I do? Any > suggestions are appreciated. I plan to file an official complaint to > NJ Consumer Affairs in two days, but I would like to know all my > options first. > – Wild Fire > P.S. Please don’t reply to my e-mail address, it doesn’t exist.
Response:
Did you sign anything or put any money down? (hopefully no) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi everyone, > On December 5, 1998, I went to Mahwah Pontiac/GMC Dealer in NJ > to order a new 1999 GMC Jimmy Envoy. The sale representative agreed > to locate the car for me. He said it would take a couple weeks. 2
Response:
Thank you for the suggestion. I have the order document. The sales representative indicated "locate order" on the paper clearly. I think I can sue them back. I put a down payment of $1,800 in the form of GM Earning. They can’t get it until I pick up the vehicle. I am filing a complaint to NJ Consumer Affairs today. If I have to buy this car, I will make sure that this will not happen to anybody else again. Is it true that GMC Customer Service can’t look up car order information for me? I hope I don’t have to get a court order to see it. I am curious why they refused to tell me. It makes me wonder even more. If GMC plays a part in this scheme, I will sue them too. By the way, I maybe missing a fine print somewhere. When I logged on to GMC website, they said satisfaction guarantee! Can anyone point it out to me where on their website did they exclude helping pre-purchase customers? I was about to buy a second new car. Now I am excluding GMC cars from my options. – Wild Fire – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >You seem to have a typical old school dealer… Shady. >Do you have a bill of sale? Is there any conditions on it? Send the dealer >a registered letter informing them that the sale is cancelled. Do this now >it won’t hurt. You may have to sue the dealer for your deposit back, but >you can probably bully him with the media to return it. If no deposit, no >worries, just send the letter. >Hi everyone, > On December 5, 1998, I went to Mahwah Pontiac/GMC Dealer in NJ >to order a new 1999 GMC Jimmy Envoy. The sale representative agreed >to locate the car for me. He said it would take a couple weeks. 2 >weeks later, I made 3 unsuccessful attempts to contact him. The >fourth attempt, I finally reached him, he said the car has been >special order to GM which would take 2 more months and hung up the >phone. So next day, I faxed in an order cancellation letter. His >sale manager called me back and told me that the order could not be >cancelled. He then faxed me the order information that he placed to >GMC. According to the order document, the car is scheduled to be >built in February 8, 1999. > I contacted GM Customer Service who even refused to look up >the order status or information for me. But after I hung up the >phone. The sale representative called me back stating that he >received a phone call from GMC. Yeah, right. GM can’t look up order >information for me but can contact dealer in seconds. Something is >not right here. I expected to have the car with 2-3 weeks, not 2-3 >months. Besides, I agreed only to have the car be located, not >specially built for me. When does the dealer has the right to make >this $35K decision for me? What I don’t get is since the car hasn’t >been built yet, why can’t this car order be cancelled? Everyone >starting from the sale representative, sale manager to general manager >are refused to cancel this order. The funny thing is I asked other >GMC dealers in Northern NJ, they all said this is just an ordinary >order and can be cancelled. > So what I would like to know is what else can I do? Any >suggestions are appreciated. I plan to file an official complaint to >NJ Consumer Affairs in two days, but I would like to know all my >options first. >- Wild Fire >P.S. Please don’t reply to my e-mail address, it doesn’t exist.
Response:
WF, Let me just say on behalf of a lot of loyal GM people, employees, customers and the like, it is really sad when one of our potential customers has an experience like this. Why does a dealer or some other representative of GM have to act in a such a poor, inconsiderate manner as to alienate not only the direct customer in question, but perhaps hundreds (thousands?) of others that hear your story. There’s probably nothing I can say to reverse your opinion, but try to keep in mind there are a whole lot more honest, hard working GM people, than there are bad ones. I’ve experienced bad dealers too, and GM needs to rid themselves one way or another of these. Please try to keep an open mind about GM, its people and its products. Thanks and good luck. TD – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Thank you for the suggestion. >I have the order document. The sales representative indicated "locate >order" on the paper clearly. I think I can sue them back. I put a >down payment of $1,800 in the form of GM Earning. They can’t get it >until I pick up the vehicle. I am filing a complaint to NJ Consumer >Affairs today. If I have to buy this car, I will make sure that this >will not happen to anybody else again. >Is it true that GMC Customer Service can’t look up car order >information for me? I hope I don’t have to get a court order to see >it. I am curious why they refused to tell me. It makes me wonder >even more. If GMC plays a part in this scheme, I will sue them too. >By the way, I maybe missing a fine print somewhere. When I logged on >to GMC website, they said satisfaction guarantee! Can anyone point it >out to me where on their website did they exclude helping pre-purchase >customers? I was about to buy a second new car. Now I am excluding >GMC cars from my options. >- Wild Fire >You seem to have a typical old school dealer… Shady. >Do you have a bill of sale? Is there any conditions on it? Send the dealer >a registered letter informing them that the sale is cancelled. Do this now >it won’t hurt. You may have to sue the dealer for your deposit back, but >you can probably bully him with the media to return it. If no deposit, no >worries, just send the letter. >>Hi everyone, >> On December 5, 1998, I went to Mahwah Pontiac/GMC Dealer in NJ >>to order a new 1999 GMC Jimmy Envoy. The sale representative agreed >>to locate the car for me. He said it would take a couple weeks. 2 >>weeks later, I made 3 unsuccessful attempts to contact him. The >>fourth attempt, I finally reached him, he said the car has been >>special order to GM which would take 2 more months and hung up the >>phone. So next day, I faxed in an order cancellation letter. His >>sale manager called me back and told me that the order could not be >>cancelled. He then faxed me the order information that he placed to >>GMC. According to the order document, the car is scheduled to be >>built in February 8, 1999. >> I contacted GM Customer Service who even refused to look up >>the order status or information for me. But after I hung up the >>phone. The sale representative called me back stating that he >>received a phone call from GMC. Yeah, right. GM can’t look up order >>information for me but can contact dealer in seconds. Something is >>not right here. I expected to have the car with 2-3 weeks, not 2-3 >>months. Besides, I agreed only to have the car be located, not >>specially built for me. When does the dealer has the right to make >>this $35K decision for me? What I don’t get is since the car hasn’t >>been built yet, why can’t this car order be cancelled? Everyone >>starting from the sale representative, sale manager to general manager >>are refused to cancel this order. The funny thing is I asked other >>GMC dealers in Northern NJ, they all said this is just an ordinary >>order and can be cancelled. >> So what I would like to know is what else can I do? Any >>suggestions are appreciated. I plan to file an official complaint to >>NJ Consumer Affairs in two days, but I would like to know all my >>options first. >>- Wild Fire >>P.S. Please don’t reply to my e-mail address, it doesn’t exist.
Response:
If you didn’t sign a order, the truck is not yours. Your GM dealer will have to sell the vehicle. If YOUR signature is not on a purchase order, you do not have to accept the car. Same way as if they located the car for you, and you test drove it and didn’t want it. You don’t HAVE to buy it – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Hi everyone, > On December 5, 1998, I went to Mahwah Pontiac/GMC Dealer in NJ >to order a new 1999 GMC Jimmy Envoy. The sale representative agreed >to locate the car for me. He said it would take a couple weeks. 2 >weeks later, I made 3 unsuccessful attempts to contact him. The >fourth attempt, I finally reached him, he said the car has been >special order to GM which would take 2 more months and hung up the >phone. So next day, I faxed in an order cancellation letter. His >sale manager called me back and told me that the order could not be >cancelled. He then faxed me the order information that he placed to >GMC. According to the order document, the car is scheduled to be >built in February 8, 1999. > I contacted GM Customer Service who even refused to look up >the order status or information for me. But after I hung up the >phone. The sale representative called me back stating that he >received a phone call from GMC. Yeah, right. GM can’t look up order >information for me but can contact dealer in seconds. Something is >not right here. I expected to have the car with 2-3 weeks, not 2-3 >months. Besides, I agreed only to have the car be located, not >specially built for me. When does the dealer has the right to make >this $35K decision for me? What I don’t get is since the car hasn’t >been built yet, why can’t this car order be cancelled? Everyone >starting from the sale representative, sale manager to general manager >are refused to cancel this order. The funny thing is I asked other >GMC dealers in Northern NJ, they all said this is just an ordinary >order and can be cancelled. > So what I would like to know is what else can I do? Any >suggestions are appreciated. I plan to file an official complaint to >NJ Consumer Affairs in two days, but I would like to know all my >options first. >- Wild Fire >P.S. Please don’t reply to my e-mail address, it doesn’t exist.
