I've been reading this thread start to finish for the last 3 days. Lots of urban legends, embellishments, pure BS, and some funny stuff that is real. Here's a factual story of dealer ripoff. 1963, I'm 22 and dumb, driving a very well abused '60 Plymouth sonoramic. See the new 427 Galaxie in a mag. article and HAVE TO HAVE ONE! Run up to the local small town dealer and put in my special order (at full retail) (told you I was dumb) and wait for delivery. The salesman is a slickster. Every day I'm at the dealership inquiring as to the status of my car. The salesman figures me out real quick and one day calls me on the phone and tells me Ford has raised the price on these cars and he supposes I will probably want to cancel, right? No way! I have to have this car, I'll pay the extra. (I told you I was dumb). So, the car gets there, I pay the price and am having a lot of fun. I am later informed that I got screwed by "tricky Dick" I was kinda pissed but then I found out that the transmission in my Plymouth blew up while Tricky Dick was driving it down to the auction. Sweet Justice!
To add to the above story, a few years later, I was working at that same dealership and one day this family pulls in to the shop in a pristine '59 Ford convertible. They are on vacation from out of state. Seems they had car trouble down the road a ways back and the garage where they stopped sold them a valve job. Now the car is making a rattling sound in the engine. I'm the parts guy so it's not my business, but I'm pretty convinced it is a case of the rocker stand bolts in the wrong holes (FE). The owner is trying to get them into a new car so I'm not going to risk my job by opening my mouth. They end up buying a new car and head out. I'm figuring on trying to buy the puppy and make a minor repair and flip it for a good profit. Unfortunately, the owner of the dealership is as savvy on FE's as I am and already has the whole thing figured out. They made some money that day.
And then there's the day a guy trades in a '62 Galaxie 406, 3X2, 4speed car. The salesman has a '32 coupe with a 312 in it . He pulls the 406 out and we drop it in the '32 and put the 312 in the '62 along with Fordomatic. Someone actually bought it and I never saw it again. When I had my 427, another guy had a 63 1/2 with a 406. One day we pull it in with the tow truck (repo) and the engine compartment is empty and there's a 292 in the trunk.
I don't remember if I shared this one, if I did I apologize. I was hired as the parts manager in a three line GM dealer in the Southwest late '79. After about a month the service manager quits. Son of the owner hires another tech as one left along with the service manager, they were pals from way back. New guy is a local backyard hack from what I hear around. When the new guy shows up with his tools in a hand carry box I knew that this was not going to end well. And he took them home each day with him too...... We got in a pickup truck on trade, needed the usual cleanup, oil change and tuneup but it did run pretty well for a six or seven year old truck. New guy gets it, his first job. Does the oil change. Ok so far. Tuneup, well now the fun begins. He wants a set of wires, cap, rotor, plugs points condenser and fuel filter. All handed out to him. After installing all of these it now will not start. Working on it all day. I have enough of my own mess to deal with, the previous parts manager was a pack rat, upon my arrival I was finding petrified food stashed in bins and coffee cups with mold cultures growing all over. He kept every flyer, jobber catalog sent in the last four years together with each old GM catalog all stashed in three parts bins while parts were sitting on the floor in piles...... So that afternoon the dealer's son asks me to look at the job as the "tech" tells him it will not start and the timing chain is bad. He said that something was not right, it drove fine before. I go out there, he already has the radiator out and the water pump off. I stop him before he pulled the timing cover off. He is now getting pissy with me telling me that I'm only a partsman and that he knows what he is doing. Politely I ask him if he verified the firing order when he replaced the cap and wires. I said "1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2, is that what you used?" He then tells me that firing order is always on the intake manifold and points to a number forward of the carburetor. "And that is what I used" he says. So looking at the number he pointed out I said "OK, two things, since when did Chevrolet make a seven cylinder engine and which cylinder is 9?" Number he pointed to was a casting number. He then storms off to the owner's son's office and quits. Says that nobody will listen to him especially that parts "guy". He packs up his tools and hand carried them out. Dealer's son calls me, tells me what happened and asks me to look at it. I rewire the plugs, guess what, it starts. Next day when the other tech came to work (he was off ill that day) he got a job ticket to reinstall water pump, power steering and radiator and finish the tune up.
Many years ago a friend, then in high school was pumping gas evenings at a GM store on the main drag in a small town that actually had gas pumps. Beautiful summer evening and one of our rich buddies [17 minute man] driving mom's shiny new Olds stops in to BS. Parked on the front row of the used car lot is an Olds which is the spitting image of mom's. So they dig up the keys and the guy riding shotgun rolls out of the lot with it, followed by mom's Olds. Just after a citizen pulls in for a tank full. Part way through the fill up he asks buddy #1, who is pumping the gas "what's that noise." You'll see, is the answer. Noise gets louder and louder and all is revealed when the 2 Oldsmobiles, side by side pass the station flat out. 17 MM later did a barrel roll with Mom's Olds. At least it never had any bullet holes in the trunk, unlike her Jag.
Not exactly a dealership story, but I and a friend worked at a gas station in high school (1984) that also rented U-Haul trucks. My friend had a 1970 F-150 4x4 with a beautiful black paint job and a ratty red interior. Then we received a brand new U-Haul truck that was reserved for a customer. Late that night, he pulled his truck into one bay, I pulled the U-Haul in the other bay, and we swapped out the interiors. The next day the U-Haul went on a one way trip to Tennessee, so somewhere out there is a 1984 U-Haul with a ratty red interior. Another time we had a lady rent a 24-foot U-Haul. Back then, all the bigger trucks were granny four speed equipped. Although she claimed that wasn't a problem, she apparently didn't know how to drive a stick shift judging from the way the truck bucked and jerked leaving the parking lot, which was confirmed about ten minutes later when she dropped the driveshaft out of it in the middle of Main Street.
Friend of mine used to work the service department at Saturn in the 1990's and told me about a lady who bought a brand new SL2. Nine months and 20k miles later it showed up on a flatbed with a seized motor and the lady demanding that the car be fixed under warranty. A quick check found no oil in the crankcase and the OEM filter was still on it from new. She never brought it back in for the 500 miles service or any other service for that matter because she thought they didn't require any maintenance. My son and I found a 1992 SL2 on a used car lot several years later that was in pretty rough shape with a $1900 price tag. When we mentioned it to my service friend, he confirmed that it had a rough life, even being rolled over once, and they gave $200 trade in because it was in such hard shape and sent it to auction.
I worked for a Buick /Pontiac dealer in 1965. The owner drove a new Electra 225 back and forth from his home every day. His home was on a lake about 45 miles from the dealership, so with side trips it got about 100 miles a day. When it got to 10,000 miles he had me turn it back to zero and kept driving it. When it got to 10,000 again he repeated turning it back to zero. When it showed about 7,500 miles he put it on the lot for sale. The purchaser would only buy this "demonstrator" if it was turned back to zero....again.
I worked for an Oldsmobile dealer in 1966. Guy comes in with a clean 64 Corvair with an oil leak. salesman takes in trade on a F85. Used car department replaces the oil pressure sender and sells it two days later. Less than a week later it comes in on a wrecker, engine fire, then never cleaned to oil up. So the engine gets pulled, engine compartment cleaned up, repainted, all new engine harness, carburetors, seals ect, it looks brand new. They sell it again. A few days later it's back, another engine fire. This time they clean up the visible stuff, patch up the wire harness and sell it a third time. Back in a few days with a third engine fire. They get it runnable, and wholesale it.
In the early 1980's my uncle was in the Coast Guard, and one of his CG friends had a silver Datsun that was nothing but trouble. Spent a small fortune at the local Datsun dealer getting it fixed before getting fed up and trading it in on something else. Fast forward several years later, and my uncle is stationed in Juneau, and his fiance just graduated from University of Maine at Orono and bought a car for her cross-country trip. Had a few break downs along the way that my uncle put on his credit card. When she finally pulled into the driveway in Juneau, he couldn't believe it was that same stupid car! So they decided to trade it in toward a brand new Honda CRX Si, and agreed beforehand that they wouldn't take less than $600 for the Datsun. When the salesman offered $2200 trade in on it, they couldn't sign the paperwork fast enough.
I give ya a 2 fer Many decades ago My Father in law and Brother in law, had me involved in the setting up of a home improvement store. The thing was commanding all my time, My wife, the bargain hunter, found a great deal on a van for the business, at the largest Dodge dealer in the county. I forget the number, but a good one with a trade in Pontiac 4 speed convertible. A window van /318/ three on tree. At the day of delivery she was out of town, so I made the swap, one late evening. The drive home was interesting. The steering was Armstrong style, a quick ratio to boot. About a mile and a half, I stop, get out, and read the window sticker. Hmmm... power steering was listed, A check under the hood showed no pump. It's late they're closed. She is flying home tommorow. Getting home was work. When I called the next day and spelled out the misrepresentation to the manager, He agreed to OWING me power steering. When it had sat on their lot for 6 months, they picked it for parts. I assigned my wife to make the appointment. Next encounter the steering was easy but observing the belts showed enough misalignment to cause concern. They felt that it was good enough. I knew better. My wife then went corporate and contacted some exec from ChryslerDodgePlymouth The result was I had an in person meeting with some regional mgr, while a mechanic worked on the van for like 2 hrs. finally all was well. That is 'til 6 monrhs, having decided to trade it in on a G20 van with heavy duty options. The night before delivery turning right the steering locked a full right. Another week 'til I could trade it on. Next I was taking work away from home. Winter is comming and the wife says she must have 4WD or else. WE spend the day bargain shopping in a different county but even larger dealers. Trading in a sedan for full a size 4x4 in good used condition. About an hour later makes a shifty shift. I mention it to her, she's driving, and too agged to have a Convo. Early next AM I visit a reliable trans guy. Ask him to drive a it while. He returns to say "It's fallin' apart." We hustle back too the dealer tell him what's up. The mechanics don't agree at first, later on they felt what I had. Meantime they pull that crap about 'it's your car not our car' I try to angle for I'll buy a brand new one if "Can we just pretend yesterday didn't happen" We spent the day camping in the waiting room bickering back and forth about who knows what. ( She wasn't happy that I'm going away ) ( yes were still together 4-ever ) Around six PM They approach us with, "We'll just pretend yesterday didn't happen".
Working at a dealership and the salesman was going to show a new Cadillac Eldorado Biaritz and had it idling away at the used car lot. While it was there, someone stole the driver's door off it - did a real clean job. It was nearly impossible to order every single part to replace it but luckily since it was nearing the end of the production year, GM made an entire new door for it with the right color and interior trim.
Years ago, a salesman at the Chevrolet dealer where I work (who had been there long enough to know better) took in a Chevy pickup on trade. When it got run through the shop to see what it needed for resale, I mentioned that you don't see many two wheel drive trucks anymore. The salesman said "It's not! It's a four wheel drive!". I replied, "Not according to the VIN, it's not". Turns out it was a truck that was built like a hot rod; this cab, that frame, this engine, that transmission...which is fine for a Model A rod, but not for a vehicle that's got to be sold from a dealership with some sort of warranty. That one went into the loss column.
Cormier Chevrolet in downtown Long Beach Hello, After buying a pristine 1958 Impala in the fall of 1957, we went back to the dealership for factory warranty maintenance when necessary. They were fine with the rare visits, but, did what they were supposed to do. But, since we tuned and raced the Impala almost every weekend, it took some doing on my part as the maintenance guy to keep it running at its finest effort. So, I spent plenty of hours under the car, in the motor compartment and taking test drives around the block prior to going to nearby Lion’s Dragstrip. Over the time we maintained the Impala from the fall of 57 to 1965, I was the main mechanic for all things tuning and fixing… rare, but there were some small stuff that needed fixing. It never went back to the dealer for anything in those years of ownership. But, in 1964 fall, I bought a new 1965 model of the El Camino. In high school, we knew the son of the owner and of course, he drove a Corvette. It was far and above the rest of our own teenage sedans, but we all knew where it came from, just down the main street from our high school. Cormier Chevrolet in Long Beach 1963 Somewhere in the 1963 movie, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, in the background you will see a Cormier Chevrolet banner. The building behind the actor is the corner dealership. It was one of the premier Chevrolet dealerships in So Cal at the time from 1952-65 in the downtown location. They closed that location and moved to the Carson, CA dealership lot next to the Lion’s Dragstrip entrance, near the 405 freeway in 1965-66. The 405 freeway Carson location is a stone’s throw away from the old Lions Dragstrip. They were the “go to” dealership for parts with the nearby location to the drags. I ordered my 65 El Camino at the downtown location in late 1964 and picked it up in January of 1965, before they moved near the Lions Dragstrip, sometime in late 1965-66. But, before several other Chevrolet dealers popped up in the Long Beach area, it was a short drive to this dealership for parts, accessories, and factory warranty service from our Westside LB house. Plus, later, we drove right by Lions Dragstrip. Leonard L. Cormier, Jr. (1918-1991) operated Cormier Chevrolet almost from the beginning In 1951 the original dealership J. E. Hoover Chevrolet in Long Beach and named it Cormier Chevrolet. Jnaki It was a sad day for Chevrolet fans of Long Beach history. The dealership was sold to another group and thus ended the Cormier name from Long Beach car dealership history. Cormier Chevrolet sign on the 405 freeway was one of the tallest displays along that freeway. They were one of the first dealerships along this freeway corridor. It was one that drew people off the freeway, either going north to Los Angeles or South to Long Beach. The big semi truck is on the 405 freeway South lanes, just behind the Cormier property. But, sometime in 2008-09, they ran into a financial problems, settled and then sold to another owner. That area along the current 405 freeway is a busy dealer row of cars that 1000s see everyday from the busy freeway traffic. YRMV
I worked at a cadillac dealer in the early 2000s. A customer came in and asked to book their 1k service on their new CTS. It was the first year for the car. When they went out the car was missing. He came in screaming that the car was stolen as he left it running with the keys in it. They called the police and sometime after they found the car. The customer left the car in neutral without the e brake on and it started to role. How it made it around the cars in the the parking lot is beyond reason, but it ended up in a ditch at the end of the parking lot.
Well... let me tell you why I hate working for/with body shops. Had one customer in Charleston who would place body orders with 3-4 dealers at a time, then cherry-pick the lot when we delivered it. Actually had our competing dealer's guy with same shipment of parts show up while I was unloading ours. Had another one who I SWEAR was related to Columbo. Get there with an order, needs more parts. Bring those, needs MORE parts. I made three 90 mile deliveries in one day (and, since I was also the counter guy, left the manager tied up with OUR shop). Last one. Big chain shop. Took over as parts manager when the shop had been without one for over six months (yeah; BIG red flag); spent two months clearing up the mess, then a month getting everybody up to speed again. Except one mud slinger who refused every first part as damaged/unusable. Got in a very difficult to find tailgate for a Lincoln SUV. Mudman refuses to work with it; it's too "dinged up". Sent in a new request for another. Ford no longer makes it. No dealer has one to send. Already sent the first one back and it sold the next DAY to a competing shop. Get dragged across concrete by the shop manager and the area manager. YOUR mud man refused it; talk to HIM.
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