I ordered a 328i over the Internet and was quoted a price about $500 less than I could get in the city where I live. I figured the hour and a half round trip to Buena Park was worth $500. I had a 1995 525i with 74, 000 miles on it that was in Fair condition according to the Kelley Blue Book description. The KBB value was $3, 625. I told the salesman, Axel Rodriguez, that another dealer had seen the car and had said he would pay $3, 625 for it (which was true), so I expected the same from Shelly BMW. He said he had to see the car. I told him I understood that he had to see that the car wasn't all dented up or whatever, but once he saw that, I expected the Blue Book value in trade-in. He said, "I'm sure we will be fine."
The new car came in 8 weeks later and I went to Shelly BMW to pick it up. They offered me $2, 500 for my old car, giving as reasons two details that I am sure are already built into the KBB value for a 15-year-old car. Not wanting to start the 8-week ordering process over (a fact they were using to their advantage), I told them I would take $3, 000 for my old car. They said no. I told them the deal was off and started walking out. The sales manager, Brandon Goodermont, came up to me and started "justifying" why they couldn't give me more than $2, 500. I told him he was wasting my time and continued toward the door. He said, "I'm just trying to help you, " which was the all-time dumbest statement of the whole process ("help me" give them more of my money?).
I went out to my car and started it. Axel Rodriguez then ran out with a new offer, splitting the difference, so they would give me $2, 750 and floor mats (which I later found out they throw in on every deal). He showed me some print-out that shows the price of the 328i has gone up $460 since I ordered it--so, he said, they are "already giving me that discount." I told him that was ridiculous--obviously I would be paying the price we agreed to when I ordered the car. On the chance that what he said about the price increase was true (which it seems to be) and because I didn't want to start the purchase process all over, I agreed and bought the car for $875 more than I was led to believe I would pay.
It's not the money that bothers me. It's the dishonesty and manipulation. My husband is about ready to replace hid X5, but we will never do business with Shelly BMW again.