Do used car dealers keep sold cars on their website for awhile?
- Thread starter Whammo
- Start date
Unfortunately yes, at least around here. There are communications involved in maintaining a website and keeping it current, it is common to see "sold" vehicles on a site for up to a week afterwards.
Point two, and this is the dark side of dealers, I have run into website "lowball deals" that are not there at all and they leave them up to draw inquiries in, fishing for leads. You call to inquire on or go into see that shiny SUV listed at a killer price and it's not there but now you are on the carousel.
I don't deal with any dealer that is playing games like that but it's frustrating none the less.
Point two, and this is the dark side of dealers, I have run into website "lowball deals" that are not there at all and they leave them up to draw inquiries in, fishing for leads. You call to inquire on or go into see that shiny SUV listed at a killer price and it's not there but now you are on the carousel.
I don't deal with any dealer that is playing games like that but it's frustrating none the less.
Depends on the dealership. An honest, well run dealership will remove sold vehicles overnight. Some, however, notice a car that drives a lot of traffic to their website, then keeps them listed for a few days/weeks after the sale. It's just a bait and switch. You call/come in on a car, get to the dealership and miraculously it sold earlier that same day, but they have another, similar, car for you to look at. They'll even get you a good deal due to the inconvenience (IE: another way to get you to sit down and show you numbers).
Drives me crazy when they don't even list the car correctly. I frequently see cars listed as being an Automatic but the pictures clearly show a manual gearshift. Always call ahead if you are making a special trip to look at a car to ensure it is still for sale.
Just one more reason I prefer to buy from an individual than from a dealer that tacks on ridiculous charges and has no idea what the history of the car is.
Just one more reason I prefer to buy from an individual than from a dealer that tacks on ridiculous charges and has no idea what the history of the car is.
If they're sleazy before the Internet, they'll be sleazy after the Internet.
Bought a ten year old Toyota Corona (haven't thought of that one in a while) from a classic used car lot in the mid seventies. Owner was just like Rudy Russo (Kurt Russell) in Used Cars. "You're in luck, my father just died a few hours ago but if you come in Thursday before the funeral I'll let you have it for $xxx. Got there and he was hanging around, "Hey aren't you going to your father's funeral?" "Nah, somebody else called."
Actually, I think the car was fairly reliable.
If that guy's still alive, I'm sure his web site's like that. Plus, some of 'em are so small, one guy does it all.
Bought a ten year old Toyota Corona (haven't thought of that one in a while) from a classic used car lot in the mid seventies. Owner was just like Rudy Russo (Kurt Russell) in Used Cars. "You're in luck, my father just died a few hours ago but if you come in Thursday before the funeral I'll let you have it for $xxx. Got there and he was hanging around, "Hey aren't you going to your father's funeral?" "Nah, somebody else called."
Actually, I think the car was fairly reliable.
If that guy's still alive, I'm sure his web site's like that. Plus, some of 'em are so small, one guy does it all.
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If a used car dealer posts a car for sale on Carfax site as an example, and takes it down when it's sold, it's still out there on a lot of other sites. Other sites copy ads from the bigger ones and don't bother taking them down or even checking to see if the car sold. I went to a Carfax dealer about a listed car. They looked at me funny. Then the manager remembered that the car had sold a month previous. He then proceeded to explain to me the above. Guess they figure it generates phone calls.
My experience is they'll keep vehicles advertised for sale on their websites, sometimes weeks after they're sold.
I see it as a marketing tool. Like said, yet another way to get a sales dialog going with you. "Oh yeah, that vehicle JUST sold, but maybe we can find another one for you".
I see it as a marketing tool. Like said, yet another way to get a sales dialog going with you. "Oh yeah, that vehicle JUST sold, but maybe we can find another one for you".
At least they told you it was sold.
Plenty of dealers tell people to come in to see/buy it. Then after driving several hours are then told they sold it but hey why you're here why not look at...
Had 1 dealer try to hide damage to a vehicle I was looking at by reversing one side picture to make it look like the other. Problem is the name on the side was also backwards. I asked for pictures and all I got was "whats your phone number..." and "when would you like to come test drive it...".
Plenty of dealers tell people to come in to see/buy it. Then after driving several hours are then told they sold it but hey why you're here why not look at...
Had 1 dealer try to hide damage to a vehicle I was looking at by reversing one side picture to make it look like the other. Problem is the name on the side was also backwards. I asked for pictures and all I got was "whats your phone number..." and "when would you like to come test drive it...".
yes. standard practice. it drives activity towards them. plus, they dont like wasting time on an activity that is not pursuing leads.
When we were Prius shopping I hit the local dealer website daily. Found "the one" at 0800 on Saturday. Rushed over there and it had sold already. Something (mumble mumble) about the distributor running the website, and listing it when the dealer gets their allocation. Turns out the way to get what you want is to tell a salesman, put money down, and wait a few weeks for the phone to ring.
I've seen a few dealers that appear to use the same software, which is probably tied into their inventory systems. Also this thread reminded me of Ling's Cars. Somehow it works for them.
Depends on software they leverage and how active they keep inventory in there.
Best to call to confirm.
Best to call to confirm.
I've seen it both ways. Some do, some don't. I always asked them for a specific picture of something on the car and I'd be down in today and then they could do one of three things: send me the pic, not write back, or tell me the car was sold. As you would guess, all three happened equally.
Some will some won't. It's part of the business.
Originally Posted by dave1251
Some will some won't. It's part of the business.
I had that happen twice- one was a supercharged Elise and just recently a 440i coupe with a manual, Track Handling Packageand M Performance Power and Sound(can you say unicorn?). On the 4er I called on a Friday afternoon and was told it sold that morning. The car remained on the site for another 8 days; I even emailed them again to make sure the deal hadn't fallen through. It finally was removed.
Some will some won't. It's part of the business.
I had that happen twice- one was a supercharged Elise and just recently a 440i coupe with a manual, Track Handling Packageand M Performance Power and Sound(can you say unicorn?). On the 4er I called on a Friday afternoon and was told it sold that morning. The car remained on the site for another 8 days; I even emailed them again to make sure the deal hadn't fallen through. It finally was removed.
Bait and switch maybe?
We had 2 dealers here that would advertise X car, okay go look and it's not there BUT it ran in the ad's for about 2 months. Turns out they never had it.
GM took over a dealership from a place a few years back due to so many complaints and bad business practice.It changed names a few times yet even today most don't trust it even after GM found someone to take it over.
I used to go car looking, look inside the cars i liked and they we're just filthy !! Sales person say's...oh it just came in and we didn't have time to prep it. Yeah...i'm not taking the bait.
Oh and the usual...fake cars on the lot that are NEVER there in the first place.
For some reason dealers think every buyer is stupid ??
I run a VIN on a car i like and a few times...X car was at another dealers lot for A YEAR then came to local lot BUT miles did not match !
Always run a VIN i tell people, don't trust a dealers vin check report.
We had 2 dealers here that would advertise X car, okay go look and it's not there BUT it ran in the ad's for about 2 months. Turns out they never had it.
GM took over a dealership from a place a few years back due to so many complaints and bad business practice.It changed names a few times yet even today most don't trust it even after GM found someone to take it over.
I used to go car looking, look inside the cars i liked and they we're just filthy !! Sales person say's...oh it just came in and we didn't have time to prep it. Yeah...i'm not taking the bait.
Oh and the usual...fake cars on the lot that are NEVER there in the first place.
For some reason dealers think every buyer is stupid ??
I run a VIN on a car i like and a few times...X car was at another dealers lot for A YEAR then came to local lot BUT miles did not match !
Always run a VIN i tell people, don't trust a dealers vin check report.
They don't keep the online listing up to date for a reason, I don't know how many times when I was looking for my Lucerne I'd see one online, call and get a salesman that would say "no we don't have that one but if you like that car I got......"
