Bait and switch: Red River Ford [LOCKED AND BANNED DUE TO INSULTING BEHAVIOR]

[Teeg404]

Red River Ford in Arkansas gave me a price of 73,500 for a 2022 GTPE. I found the vehicle on autotrader and selected for the dealership to contact me. I was contacted by Michael Tarrants through text and was told that the vehicle was available for sale. I then asked for a out the door price along with a window sticker photo. I received a text. (see attachment) I then called Michael to confirm price. Price of 73,500 before tax was confirmed. I live out of state and asked him to get me a shipping quote and call me back with a total price including sales tax for the state I live in. I received a call a short time later telling me that management has decided to add a 10k markup (see attachment of transcribed voicemail) on the agreed upon price. I then called and asked to speak with a manager and was essentially told too bad too sad we are adding 10k onto the agreed upon price.

This was beyond frustrating. I have been searching for some time for this car and to finally find one with no markup and then for them to pull a bait and switch like this is flat out wrong. There's nothing that I can do, but I wanted to share this to others as a cautionary tale.

 

[nvabill]

Red River Ford in Arkansas gave me a price of 73,500 for a 2022 GTPE. I found the vehicle on autotrader and selected for the dealership to contact me. I was contacted by Michael Tarrants through text and was told that the vehicle was available for sale. I then asked for a out the door price along with a window sticker photo. I received a text. (see attachment) I then called Michael to confirm price. Price of 73,500 before tax was confirmed. I live out of state and asked him to get me a shipping quote and call me back with a total price including sales tax for the state I live in. I received a call a short time later telling me that management has decided to add a 10k markup (see attachment of transcribed voicemail) on the agreed upon price. I then called and asked to speak with a manager and was essentially told too bad too sad we are adding 10k onto the agreed upon price.

This was beyond frustrating. I have been searching for some time for this car and to finally find one with no markup and then for them to pull a bait and switch like this is flat out wrong. There's nothing that I can do, but I wanted to share this to others as a cautionary tale.

So, it says owner has gotten involved, is this a used car?

 

[Teeg404]

So, it says owner has gotten involved, is this a used car?

Nope. Brand new car.

 

[Mrn]

I'm shocked at the price even without the markup. My 22 Select is a wonderful car. It's out the door price in AZ was just shy of 48,900 US dollars. Also, I think that price might nix your chance for a Federal tax rebate under the latest rules.

 

[nvabill]

Nope. Brand new car.

Well, at least you have nothing invested, walk away and find one somewhere else.

 

[nvabill]

Also, I think that price might nix your chance for a Federal tax rebate under the latest rules.

Not exactly, if you take delivery by the end of the year you will qualify for up to $7500 in tax credit. Now, next year all bets are off and nobody really knows.

 

[Teeg404]

I'm shocked at the price even without the markup. My 22 Select is a wonderful car. It's out the door price in AZ was just shy of 48,900 US dollars. Also, I think that price might nix your chance for a Federal tax rebate under the latest rules.

The latest rules apply to 2023. I'm fairly certain this qualifies under the rules for 2022 models. Nothing about this price should be shocking- it's widely known and advertised on fords website. Have you driven a GTPE? What's shocking is the difference between a GT and a performance edition- I can't imagine the shock between a GTPE and a select.

 

[Teeg404]

Well, at least you have nothing invested, walk away and find one somewhere else.

Yes 100%. It's just been a multi week search and I thought I found one. Wait I did, but then I didn't.

 

[Maquis]

So, it says owner has gotten involved, is this a used car?

Dealership owner, perhaps?

 

[Teeg404]

Dealership owner, perhaps?

Yes. Some duesch named Mitch

 

[RickMachE]

I think it's pretty clear, but they didn't voice it.

They got contacted by someone they thought was local, and invited him in to see the car. He turned out to be in California. He's a) not a local customer that's going to come in for service, etc. and b) has a lot of money - because he's in California.

There are dealerships that are not selling the tight models to people outside their local areas, because they feel that their local customers come first. I heartily applaud what those dealerships are doing - a customer states away offers one chance for profit - on the sale - and these cars have no profit.

No idea if that's what happened here. Move on.

 

[Teeg404]

I think it's pretty clear, but they didn't voice it.

They got contacted by someone they thought was local, and invited him in to see the car. He turned out to be in California. He's a) not a local customer that's going to come in for service, etc. and b) has a lot of money - because he's in California.

There are dealerships that are not selling the tight models to people outside their local areas, because they feel that their local customers come first. I heartily applaud what those dealerships are doing - a customer states away offers one chance for profit - on the sale - and these cars have no profit.

No idea if that's what happened here. Move on.

I'm confused by this comment? They knew where I was from right from the start. Salesmen confirmed price. Gave me a price and then changed it. It's literally the definition of a bait and switch.

move on? Excuse me? Kick rocks clown.

 

[RickMachE]

I'm confused by this comment? They knew where I was from right from the start. Salesmen confirmed price. Gave me a price and then changed it. It's literally the definition of a bait and switch.

move on? Excuse me? Kick rocks clown.

So "would you like to come up and look at it", which you posted, was him thinking a person from California was going to "come up and look at" a car in Arkansas? Sure.

This was a salesperson cutting a deal that management overruled, simple as that.

And it's not the definition of bait and switch, Ronald. They didn't advertise it, with the intention of substituting inferior or more expensive goods. The item is available, not swapped out by another higher priced item. That would be "sorry, that car is gone, but here's a $90,000 one".

There are other specifics for legality in bait and switch, Pennywise, none of which are met in this situation. It's a simple situation of a salesperson telling you a price in a text message, and then being overruled by management. It may suck, Krusty, but that's the way this dealership has chosen to be.

I have to go kick rocks now, guess I'll wear my steel-tipped boots.

 

[Teeg404]

So "would you like to come up and look at it", which you posted, was him thinking a person from California was going to "come up and look at" a car in Arkansas? Sure.

This was a salesperson cutting a deal that management overruled, simple as that.

And it's not the definition of bait and switch, Ronald. They didn't advertise it, with the intention of substituting inferior or more expensive goods. The item is available, not swapped out by another higher priced item. That would be "sorry, that car is gone, but here's a $90,000 one".

There are other specifics for legality in bait and switch, Pennywise, none of which are met in this situation. It's a simple situation of a salesperson telling you a price in a text message, and then being overruled by management. It may suck, Krusty, but that's the way this dealership has chosen to be.

I have to go kick rocks now, guess I'll wear my steel-tipped boots.

I mean who are you? I don't know you and you tell me to move on? Bizarre. I doubt you'd be so rude in person, or at least you'd think twice about it. Keyboard Jedi knight

 

[Neil4Real]

The latest rules apply to 2023. I'm fairly certain this qualifies under the rules for 2022 models. Nothing about this price should be shocking- it's widely known and advertised on fords website. Have you driven a GTPE? What's shocking is the difference between a GT and a performance edition- I can't imagine the shock between a GTPE and a select.

Any new car delivered and purchased by 12/31/2022 (or that binding contract stuff Rivian, Fisker, etc. all did) model year doesn't matter...

I don't know... with the 2023 GTPE going to like $78k or something and possibly only getting half the tax credit amount, If you could get this one for $78k and the full tax credit... I'd take it. See if they'll knock a bit more off.

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