Sales deal went bad at the dealership -- what can I do differently next time?

Smart move Marnet. That car was damaged goods no matter what was said. Sometimes those demonstrators can get wrung through the wringer pretty hard especially if you get a testosterone filled young salesman behind the wheel of a car he doesn’t own or has to pay for.

A salesman at a dealer where I worked took a demonstrator off one weekend and didn’t show up for work on Monday. The dealer got a call that the car was broken down in Tulsa, OK and had to be towed to OK City.
Once there it was found that 2 wheels were broken, the manual transmission was wiped out along with the clutch, windshield broken, steering wheel broken, right front fender caved in along with front of the hood, likely suspension damage, a dozen smaller assorted issues, and from the looks of the car it appeared the guy went mud bogging in a 2 seater convertible.

It was bad enough that the new car with less than 300 miles on it became a parts donor.

They were trying to really hurt you financially by collecting twice for the same car. If they were trying it, they may be having rough times and will be forced to close soon. No honest dealer would try that.

My dad hated typical car buying. He had particular contempt for the various bait and switch tactics.

He taught me that a good salesman finds out what the customer needs and then helps the customer buy appropriately. He sold cars for a couple years just that way and outsold the other salesmen on staff who all used more typical car sales tactics. Later, as sales manager of a company of a different industry he had 80% of the U.S. market for a particular product, all from abiding by that philosophy. He said never to cheat, wrong or defraud anyone nor knowingly allow others to do so.

One thing the OP could do to pressure the dealer is to open a complaint with the BBB. At least it would warn others about the tactics of this dealer.

The BBB is useless.

Many years ago in upstate NY the head if the BBB was the owner of a large dealership. Everyone I knew said that place was a sleaze…yet the BBB didn’t have one complaint on file…Gee I wonder how that happened???

You don’t need to ask the question “What should I do differently next time?” The salesman, the sales manager and the owner of the agency should ask themselves the question “What sbould we do differently next time?”. My guess is the service after the sale is just as bad. You have found one dealer to stay away from.

“A cashiers check can be checked out in a few minutes. Same goes for a personal check.”

Yup!
While it is true that cashier’s checks can be faked, and–of course–people can write personal checks on closed accounts or accounts with insufficient funds, a simple phone call to the issuing bank would clarify the situation IF the dealership really wanted to sell that car to the OP.

The main thing (or perhaps the only thing) that the OP needs to change is to avoid that particular dealership in the future.

I have never been turned down due to writing a personal check at a dealership. That was true in 1972, when I bought my first new car (student) and this year, when I bought a 2014. Typically, the dealer does not send you the necessary sales paperwork for about a week after the sale, in my area. That allows time for the check to clear and allows the dealer to retrieve the car if necessary. In my case, the check always clears and I can properly register the car well within the 30 day time limit.

One Sales Manager at a dealership south of me flatly said that the larger checks usually don’t bounce; it’s the smaller ones that give the dealership trouble.

Patience and finding the right dealer for you is key. Keep plugging away.

I don’t know what’s wrong with that dealer.

I haven’t financed a vehicle in over 20 years. When we first started paying cash was before the time of instant verification. I gave them the check…when they cashed the check and it cleared I was then allowed to take my vehicle home. Took no more then 2 days.

You did the right thing. They need you more then you need them.

Whether personal checks bounce or cashiers checks are forged is of no particular concern. Just don’t pick up the car until the check clears. If they refuse, the the dealer didn’t want to sell the car to begin with.

The OP found a dealer that requires payment in gold bars, apparently…

Years ago, my parents traded at a little gas station that also sold groceries. The proprietor posted a sign that read "We do not cash checks. Banks do not sell groceries"
I think I would have asked the dealer whether he was,a car agency or a bank.

.Many years ago (1966), I bought some furniture at small town furniture store on the 90 days–same as cash plan. We were just starting out and the store owner said that this would help us establish credit. The store carried the note–we paid off the furniture and all was well. In 1977 I bought my first color TV at an appliance store on the 90 days same as cash. That store sold the note to a lending institution and I got a payment book in the mail. I immediately went down to pay off the balance and the lending institution tried to sell me a loan. I did pay off the balance but anything I buy I pay cash on the spot.