Cash for Clunkers;dealers raising prices?

[yorgatron]

my brother wants to trade in a clunker,a 1988 Buick Century.
he's been to several different dealers hoping to find a base model Versa 5-speed,but nobody has one in stock,since everyone drives automatic transmissions nowadays.
anyhow,he went to one dealer and found a 5-speed,but they had crossed out the original price and written (with a ball-point pen) a higher price :mad:
he wants to trade in the Buick,and then pay off the rest in cash,but it doesn't look like he'll be able to do this now.
anyone have any ideas how he can make this happen? :shrug:

[godai]

1. Dealers being dealers, they'll raise the price or give less off sticker.

It's all legal and part of the uncomfortable process of buying a car. You still need to shop around at other dealers for the best overall price. Or, consider the automatic.

[MADem]

2. He should call the White House! And his Senators, if they're Dems.

Price gouging is a bozo nono. He'd better make sure that the sticker wasn't modified because something had been added to the car, though.

He'll need more money to make it happen--he's gotta find a source for some cash. Or he needs to find a better price for the car elsewhere.

Or buy a different car.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Tell him to take 2 big strong guys and a camera back to the dealer,

assuming the sticker price in ink is price gouging...best to look closely at it first.
Best to take a picture so he can "study" the sticker....ya know?

walk over to the price sticker and take several pics of it. to have it for future reference.
If the dealer gets all antsy about that, or about who is going to end up with a copy...there may be room for negotiating.
I never buy a car by myself. Always have tall friends around. Doesn't everyone?

[BalancedGoat]

3. It's not really surpising.

They lowered prices when demand was in the toilet and now that demand is increasing again they'll raise the price back up. I don't know why anyone would expect anything different.

:shrug:

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. I went to a dealership yesterday

and inquired about turning in a clunker on a 2009 leftover.

All I got was puzzled looks, whining about all the paperwork the program required, 100 reasons why I might not qualify, and general complaining about the program.

The salesman said they had 56 cars coming in under the clunker program and they hadn't been paid by the government for any of them. He said the idea was just plain stupid, but when I asked him if he refused his commission checks he just walked away. A month ago these guys were sitting around twiddling thier thumbs - how soon they forget.

[NNN0LHI]

6. Lot of blacktop at the Ford dealer I went to yesterday

That lot is usual full. Now its almost empty. We are nearing the changeover to 2010's next month and hardly no new cars have came in yet. Dealers are not held to the sticker price. Never have been.

Don