Sharp practice or just a mistake?

Herzlos

People buying cars online general put the criteria they want, sort price low->high and choose the first one they like, so dealers need to realistically be on the first page of hits for anyone to visit. Add that to the fact that if anyone is interested enough to visit, it may be possible to talk them into paying the high price because it was a mistake, and "that's what it's really worth" but maybe "we can meet in the middle".


Ignore all the dealer patter, decide on a fair price you want the car for, offer them that and take or reject it. I wouldn't be paying a penny more than the online price.

Homersimpson

I went to buy a cheap car (Ford Galaxy) a few years ago and I got there looked it over, test drove, agreed to buy and got to pay and the price had gone up £200 over what it said on the internet, he claimed it was my error so I got up and left, as I went out the door he came running after me and told me I could have if for the original price.

I told him I didn't want it as I don't deal with dishonest people.

I got home checked the internet and sure enough still £200 less that he tried to sell it to me.

Kind of backfired on him and I bought a better one for the same money a month later so it all worked out nicely for me.

reeac

I had the opposite experience once. I wanted to replace my 12 year old 1990 XJ6 with a newer model and pondered for a week or so over an Internet ad by the nearest Jag dealers who had a 1998 XJ8 on offer at £17995. Eventually we went to look at it and the windscreen sticker said £15995. I mentioned this discrepancy to the salesman who said that it had been reduced by £2000 that morning. I agreed to buy it after a rest drive and kept it for 16 years. I also mentioned to the salesman that it had the wrong tyres on the rear. He had a look, consulted his boss and agreed that they would put two new ones on of the correct spec.