Beware: Orders are NOT guaranteed!

[firstmethod]

Originally Posted by JonW

I'm not suit-happy by any means, but I think I'd be contacting a lawyer on that one.

I was thinking the same thing. If you have a signed contract have it looked over by a lawyer, reneging on it is a no-no.

[russcook]

I am pretty sure I have a good case. I have a purchase order with the description of the car, purchase price and the deposit listed "Non-Refundable" on it. It is signed by me and the manager. They also took my social security number and ran a credit check and told me I was good to go. I also have the detailed invoice that I signed with my name and address typed on it. I told the manager and the sales representative to have the owner call me Monday February 11. If he does not call I will post the name of the dealership and it's location. I just wish I didn't have to pay an attorney to get this resolved (although any lawsuit will include a reimbursement of attorney's fees and court costs). I just wish Dodge would not let this happen. The customer service representative was stunned to say the least. Maybe if enough people who have ordered cars call Dodge 1-800-992-1997 and complain they will change the policy and no one else will have to go through this.

[JonW]

There's not much Dodge can do. Your contract is between yourself and the dealer.

It sounds like you had the car pretty much locked down. I don't see how they can wiggle out of it. Now if the car didn't get produced, that's one thing, but to give a car that is being produced to someone else is wrong. Find a struggling, hungry attorney

[TBONE24]

Originally Posted by russcook

I am pretty sure I have a good case. I have a purchase order with the description of the car, purchase price and the deposit listed "Non-Refundable" on it. It is signed by me and the manager. They also took my social security number and ran a credit check and told me I was good to go. I also have the detailed invoice that I signed with my name and address typed on it. I told the manager and the sales representative to have the owner call me Monday February 11. If he does not call I will post the name of the dealership and it's location. I just wish I didn't have to pay an attorney to get this resolved (although any lawsuit will include a reimbursement of attorney's fees and court costs). I just wish Dodge would not let this happen. The customer service representative was stunned to say the least. Maybe if enough people who have ordered cars call Dodge 1-800-992-1997 and complain they will change the policy and no one else will have to go through this.

Did they give you the deposit back?

[russcook]

The deposit is my second headache. They said I could apply it to another car but that was it. As soon as I recover from shock, I am going to wear this thing out. It is one thing for the dealer to say you cannot order one unless you bring them a wheel barrow full of money, it's another for the dealer to take your car in production away because someone else brought in a wheel barrow full of money and told them they want your car.

[Cajun300C]

Now you guys know what the Ford owners went thru when the GT500s came out. As stated before, your deal is with the dealership, not Chrysler. Many, many GT500 potential owners were sucked in to renting '04 Cobras with the "Promise" to have dibs on a GT500 @ MSRP when they came out. That didn't go well when the '04 Cobra owners went to trade-in their car in to get a GT500 only to be shot down saying you pay the ADM.....you get the car. That's why I hate and will always hate dealerships. But free enterprise is free enterprise.

[burningman]

yup in my dealings with dealers i can tell you there are a few good ones out there but there is also a lot of slime to work through

[Chris]

Originally Posted by TNCHARGER

.....ditto...have an attorney read your contract at the least....you might own that car yet..

Make sure you let the stealer know right away you are seriously considering a lawsuit. A court battle is likely going to eat up more than whatever the stealership is going to profit from marking up your Challenger. If the stealer knows you're serious, they're more likely to cave or at least negotiate. At the very least, they'll have to hesitate before selling the car to whoever bought you out because they won't know the disposition of the car until the litigation is resolved.

Also, let the dealer know you've contacted local news outlets with your experience. I'm pretty sure the second-to-last thing the dealer wants (after litigation) is to get slammed on the evening news or in the local paper.

And lastly, don't wait and do the dealer favors by not posting their name or whatever. They certainly have already done you wrong; why continue to protect them and let others get suckered? Play hardball with them.

Oh, and JonW is right: Dodge can't do anything here. Your battle is with the dealership. Dodge can't compel the dealer to even sell the car to anyone at MSRP and definitely can't have the dealer restore your position in the waitlist.

[SIX-PAK]

I agree entirely with Chris , above me ! I'd go one step further and knock up Dodge with your intentions too ! If Dodge cares anything like Mazda's customer service department ; they are concerned about the customer and about their image above dealer . If the dealer does wrong and goes against policy , then the dealer privilege of recieving a Chally (like all wil recieve only 1) should be revoked ! Mazda can even revoke the right to own a dealership , so much it is respectable !

I'd like to know what happens to those who ordered thinking that they will pay MSRP , will they really pay this price , or will they pay what stealer wants !!??? Again this type of behavior should be put out in public , if Dodge does not want to correct this abuse of power and outright greed !

[Rambit]

In Canada it's illegal to charge more than MSRP.

Rambit