Anyone else experiencing lackluster dealer communication?

[Venthos]

(This is a long rant, bear with me)

With the exception of one dealer, the other two dealers that I've dealt during my time looking for a 2008 Chally have been lackluster in terms of communication to say the least.

(A long story short, what prompted me to look into an '08 so late was the information that suddenly came to fruition that 2009s would not have Hemi Orange for the SRT8 -- so I went scrambling to dealers with little hope in mind)

The first crappy dealer was the one that I had walked in on 3/25/08 and said I was looking for information on the dodge challenger. The salesman bluntly mentioned there wasn't really any information in such a manner and with awkward following silence as if he was looking for me to just turn around and leave immediately. After pushing the issue I was told there was a simple list (no deposits involved) that I could get in on with just my contact info. The salesman seemed relatively new and mentioned that I would be the first and only person on his personal list waiting for the '08 challenger (further cementing that he was new). He said he'd be sending me a brochure as they were made available and that he'd call me as soon as there was further information. A week later I hadn't heard anything so I gave him a call, no answer so I left a voicemail. To this day I have not heard anything at all from this dealership aside from a form letter thanking me for stopping in by the general manager 2 days after I had initially showed up.

However, my father who had purchased a Jeep at their dealer some long years back has (during this same time) received 3 promotional deal/incentive calls from that same dealer.

I don't want to sound cliche, but I can't help but think the fact that I am 23 had something to do with it and that the salesman thought I was wasting his time.

----

This second dealer seemed VERY promising when I initially went in. The salesman actually knew some basic things about the challenger and commented about the auctions such as for car #43 etc. I was excited. Similar situation with just lists with no deposits, I put my name down and waited. He mentioned that the first of the month he would likely hear some more details. So, like Dealer #1, I called him back a week later (April 2nd or 3rd) and asked. He was fairly short on the phone as if I was bothering him. I didn't think much of it as I doubted he would have much if any information anyway.

I then received a call one day from the salesman and was told they were accepting deposits now for their allotment of challengers and to get down there ASAP to reserve one. I head on down there ASAP and down a $1k refundable deposit and they wouldn't budge on a price of $5k over MSRP. Oh well. He mentions I am 2nd in line for a challenger, their showroom car being first. I feel good about things at this point.

I call back 2 weeks after that date. Goes to voicemail. I call two more times within the span of an hour before finally just leaving a voicemail (at about 11:45am). The day passes by with no returned phonecall. I figure meh, he's probably out/vacation/etc. The next day I call him at about 2:00pm and he immediately picks up. Says nothing about my voicemail I left him. I ask him for the order status of the car as the sheet he had given me said BA status which concerned me, yet him saying I was #2 in line seemed to kind of contradict that. So I was interested in the status code and VIN if possible so I could keep an eye on it. He said he doesn't even really know what the order status codes mean and that any way I could track it would be wildly inaccurate as opposed to the dealer's methods for tracking it and that the sales manager was watching all the cars so he didn't have that info handy.

I ask "Well, could you in some fashion obtain that code and VIN for me just so I can have it?" and he again goes into a long-winded response about the sales manager and accuracy, but that they were having a meeting at the dealership later today and he'd bring it up, and then call me back or leave a voicemail if I wasn't there.

Fast forward 2 weeks, not even a missed call from him. Nothing. I try to call him again, phone rings into voicemail again -- this was this Wednesday. It's now Friday night and no returned phone call.

I wish like hell that I was in a position to tell the guy to cram it, refund my deposit, and I was going elsewhere. However, the dealer has me by the balls in that this may be the only option I have for a 2008.

I do have a $1k refundable deposit at another dealer, and the general manager is personally handling 100% of the challenger sales at that dealer. He is pleasant to deal with and told me all of the information he could. The car there is in C, no VIN (but will call me when a VIN is avail). They have 14 cars ordered and all have vins but two (mine and one other guys). The 2 without VINs were not original allotments for the dealer but given to them by Chrysler on 4/10/08. However, this dealer will not set a price. They want to wait until the car moves into production or is essentially on the lot before they talk price. The general manager did mention, though, that the first car from the dealer is already locked in to the person purchasing for $16k over MSRP.

So, I'm stuck in between a rock and a hard place.

Dealer 1 will not even deal with me apparently. Perhaps believing at 23 I cannot afford the car.

Dealer 2 seems to be quick to ignore me and dismiss me either because they also think I cannot afford the car or think since I've put down a deposit and reserved a car that they don't have to 'work' for the sale anymore and just blow me off. However, I do have a deposit down and a locked in price on the car should it ever arrive.

Dealer 3 has been quite helpful from the internet department's swift email responses to dealing with the general manager personally. However, they will not set a price yet and having sold their first car for $16k over MSRP has me worried that it's going to be far more than the $5k MSRP I have at Dealer 2 (which is the absolute most I am willing to pay for this car).

To add to it, I am fearful that if I don't get an 08 that orders for 2009s will have already opened by the time I find this out and I will be in the same situation or worse with an 09 SRT since presumably only 5000 of the 09s will be SRTs. I would also have to settle for an alternative color instead of Hemi Orange (unless the rumor is true that they're opening Hemi Orange back up for 2009 SRT8s)

This whole purchasing and playing the waiting game thing is stressful. It sucks immensely to have to put up with dealers treating you poorly as well since they may be the only shot you have at the car.

Anyway... that was much longer than I had intended. Anyone else experiencing horrible communication/service with speaking to dealers about the Challenger?

[JS29R0B]

...mine checks the status a couple of times EVERY day

[NOTSURE]

I get calls weekly from my dealer and at times daily!
Broshure's,magazine articles and magazines that highlight the Challenger.

I do hope this isnt going to be par for the coarse with dealers screwing buyers out of the cars they have ordered. I had a suspision this was going to happen to damn good qaulified customers all over greed from the dealers longing to show numbers to Dodge.

Im still pissed at what happened to myself as well others.Ill never buy another car from my local dealer as long as I live.

Mr Fredericks will get my orders in the future Im planning on a viper asap this guy is on his game big time and Ive actually had piece of mind since I had contacted him last month.

[Venthos]

At the advice of NOTSURE I spoke with Mr. Frederick about attempting to place a 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 order as a "backup plan" in case my '08 order falls through. He was extremely helpful and flexible in working something out with me so that, whenever orders open, I will have a car ordered through him.

If I had the choice, though, you bet I would've tried and get a 2008 Challenger direct from Mr. Frederick. I've almost lost all of my confidence in my local dealers. You bet that even if my '08 order falls through I will not even be speaking to my local dealers about an '09, Mr. Frederick will be handling my '09 purchase. Too bad we didn't get to become aware of Mr. Frederick until late in the game.

So, worst case scenario, I should be getting a Dodge Challenger SRT8 for sure (hopefully), either an '08 or '09, depending on where the cards fall.

[MonkeyBoy]

Haven't put an order in yet, but that's great info about Mr Fredericks. Will definitely keep that in mind for my future SRT-8 purchase.

[NOTSURE]

Mr fredericks=Mr norms in about 20 years this dealer is motivated by one thing getting the customer what they want,then adding great comm,and customer service.Plus sweet custom dealer packages to turn your ride into a raped ape.Ive known Bob for a month and a half and everything he has shared with me in confidence has come to fruition.
I felt it was my almost duty to help you guys out cause this is a once in a lifetime shot here for these SRT8's.There wont be many made in comparison to the RT& SE by a long shot.We may be talking about 10000-20000 total produced.
I cant trust that to just anyone will to tell me what I want to hear nor should you.

Good luck on your new ride order day soon approaches.

[mopar2ya]

I could only hope for lackluster communications from my dealer... that would be a huge step up from current communications...

[sniper226]

Originally Posted by mopar2ya

I could only hope for lackluster communications from my dealer... that would be a huge step up from current communications...

Heh, that is a good one. Yea to be honest here, the dealers have no problem matching up buyers for their allotment so you are going to see this alot.

I ranted a while back of how I was first on a "list" to buy a 08 @ sticker before anyone was even thinking about it. I got screwed when the salesperson with the "list" left as well as the sales manager. They were then selling the 08's to highest bidder and I walked to another dealer further from my home that we bought a Jeep from not to long ago.

I was told they will sell @ sticker and I was number 13 on this list. Well turns out this dealer succumbed to the greed all the others had and also started selling @ $10k+ over sticker. Some I am waiting to order a 09 and the dealer salesperson in charge of the Challenger folks has not been good about keeping me updated. I even threw him some news tidbits along the way that he had not heard of through the official channels to get on his good grace. I usually get email responses after my 3rd email to him though. It is usually a waste to try and call...

[money2burn]

I gotta say, for the most part mine has been good. I almost always get replies right away and when I don't I get good apologies for the delays. Sometimes I email at night and get a response the same night, so customer-service-wise they're good.

If they stick to the original deal and get me the 08 at msrp as agreed, they will be proclaimed as an awesome dealer! But until she's in my driveway, she's not mine.

[NOTSURE]

Your day will come buddy!