Buying the wrong 4x4: What would you do?

[Ivessm]

DieselFumes - You are a saint.

I don't know what I would have done but color is important to me so I would probably have had them reorder and deliver at the same price. Even if it's a newer year. You would have a newer year, hopefully with fixed problems found in the first year of 4x4 production for the US Market, and got what you wanted.

Well, I wish you luck with your new Sprinter and hope it delivers many many happy miles.

I think you owe it to the readers on this forum to state the dealership that did this. They knew exactly what they were doing and they didn't care so why should you care to protect them. What you report might save the next Sprinter buyer from a like experience.

What if you read this thread BEFORE you ordered your Sprinter and you didn't know it was the same dealership you walked into and put your $$$ down and ordered yours. I'll bet you would be doubly pissed!!!

We as Sprinter owners need to be a united group and fairly report both good and bad dealerships. I deal with Sun Motor Cars, Mechanicsburg, PA, and am very pleased with all my dealings with this dealership from purchasing to delivery to service. I think I'm one of the luck ones to be living in Sun Motor Cars service area.

stew

 

[CheckMax]

What happened to you demonstrates an incredible lack of integrity and honesty.
I agree with previous comments, please disclose the dealership. This kind of behavior cannot be supported. You entered into an agreement for a specific vehicle which the dealer horse traded to make any extra buck. Who knows other what other unscrupulous practices they condone.

MBUSA required deposits for 4x4 factory orders. How can their dealer sell it out from you? I've debt with MBUSA in the past and have found them responsive. Name calling doesn't work but facts are difficult to refute. You dealer should be held accountable for their actions and you should be made whole.

 

[surlyoldbill]

Money exchanged hands to secure a particular purchase agreed upon by both parties, this is a CONTRACT. They broke the contract, pretty simple.

If I were to ever buy a new vehicle instead of a low mileage used one, I would be very particular about the specs and wouldn't settle for less. Unless it was financially expedient, such as a near similar vehicle for much less money, especially if the desired components could be added at a cost less than the factory delivered one. Since I only buy used vehicles, I just look around for a few months until one that is very close to what I want shows up. For my current van, I wanted a passenger 140SHC that wasn't white; red was not my first choice but was acceptable. I still discover things on it that I didn't know about, and I've had it for 9 years. Discovered the ESPAR just a year or two ago!

 

[DieselFumes]

@Ivessm / @ checkmax - you make a great point about reasons for disclosing the dealer name. I owe it to this forum.

The dealer is Wilson Motors of Bellingham, WA and they should be ashamed of how they initially screwed up and how they completely failed to perform any kind of genuine service recovery subsequently. I would never try to purchase a new or used vehicle from them, and I would not trust them for service or spare parts either. Those are strong statements, but I think they are supported by the facts I've laid out in this thread. Don't let the owner's charming English accent fool you. I have one of those too, so the charm doesn't work on me.

I took the new sprinter - OK, let's call it "my" new sprinter - to a mountain bike race yesterday, supporting my wife. She absolutely loved having the space inside to change and the ease of setup/tear down compared to pre-sprinter life. That's before we've done anything to the inside at all.

I can make this van work for me and it's becoming clearer that the opportunity cost of waiting would have outweighed the value of getting the exact items I wanted. That does not let the dealer off the hook. They are still, in my opinion, slimy, self-interested, and ultimately a very bad mark on Mercedes' reputation.

I'm still angry about the situation but I'm moving on. I'll find the dealer survey thread for Wilson Motors and add a pointer to this thread over there too.

Thanks once again for the support you folks have given me through this process. This forum really is a community.

 

[3mbusa]

Diesel,

I am so sorry and shocked to hear that your problem occurred at Wilson Motors of Bellingham, WA. My experience with them has been completely the opposite -- what a shame.

I purchased two new Mercedes from them and they serviced those and three other that I bought elsewhere with fantastic results. I do recall, however, a time a few years ago when their sales force went through a difficult time due to an overly aggressive sales manager; but shortly after that he left the firm. Are you sure you were dealing with Rick Wilson the owner?

Other than short encounters with the sales people during purchases, probably 95 plus percent of my contact has been with Dennis Tell the Service Manager; and I still contact him for advice now that we have moved to Arizona. I have recommended several people to try out their service department, and without exception they have been pleased with their service.

I think, if they are your closest dealership, you should go in and meet Dennis Tell with regard to service for your Sprinter. I am sure you will find him to a straight fellow -- good luck with your new toy!

 

[DieselFumes]

Are you sure you were dealing with Rick Wilson the owner?

Actually, no I ended up dealing with Julian Greening. Must be the manager, not the owner. They are not my closest dealership, and I think if I ever broke down and they were the closest I would pay to have the vehicle towed further down I5 rather than dealing with them at this point.

That's the problem with bad service - it affects all aspects of your business. Dennis may be as wonderful as you suggest, but I'm not ever going to find out now.

 

[3mbusa]

Diesel,

There are some important wheels turning at Wilson Motors right now. I don't know if anything will come of it, but please try to be receptive to at least looking over any offers they might propose -- down deep some place, I personally know there are some good people in the firm. Don't be foolish and cut off you nose to spite your face -- carefully look over what they may have to offer, if anything. Good luck; and again I am sorry you had this problem

 

[DieselFumes]

@3mbusa - I'm glad you had a positive experience with the dealer, but none of their offers were aimed at remediation. Instead, they were all aimed at reducing their losses. Their attitude was that they sold my original van for more money than they'd have made from me, and they could do the same with this one. They did the minimum necessary in their minds to make me go away. I don't think they realize that the problem has left their forecourt but not finished leaving a mark on their reputation.

 

[DieselFumes]

I think you'd WANT the 2nd battery...I would.

The one that came with the van is the additional (under the hood) battery, not the auxillary (under the passenger seat) battery. It's a 100AH unit, so 50AH usable.

I have this thing waiting to go in the back. 700AH, LiFePo. Plans for solar charging. Not really much comparison. It turns the additional factory battery into dead weight, pretty much.

 

[thlevy48]

I would give them two choices, (1) put in the suspension seats and sell it to you for the quoted price or (2) refund your deposit plus the difference between the quoted price and the actual sales price and walk away without persuing "breach of contract" or contacting the state agency that regulates dealers.

 

[3mbusa]

Diesel,

If you haven't heard from them after my "wheels turning" posting, give them a chance -- be patient. You have nothing to lose at this point and everything to gain -- unless, of course, revenge is all you are after?

 

[surlyoldbill]

The one that came with the van is the additional (under the hood) battery, not the auxillary (under the passenger seat) battery. It's a 100AH unit, so 50AH usable.

I have this thing waiting to go in the back. 700AH, LiFePo. Plans for solar charging. Not really much comparison. It turns the additional factory battery into dead weight, pretty much.

I mean I would want the second under the hood battery as a backup starting battery, AND I would add an aux battery bank in the back like you described. Can't push-start a Sprinter...

 

[Julian Greening]

Hello, I would like to respond to the the forum with regards to the very unfortunate events included in the links. The staff at Wilson Motors screwed up and made a horrendous mistake, as the General Manager, Partner and staff member I am truly sorry. It has been suggested that we sold the vehicle from under the customer for more money, that is not true! It has been suggested that I tried to charm the customer, after screwing up at this level what am I supposed to to do? Last but not least I negotiated a deal that cost the Dealership a lot of money to try to put this right, the customer took the deal and drove away in a new Sprinter, I agree that we needed to pay for our mistakes and did. Please be sure to know this about Wilson Motors, we do care and we do screw up occasionaly, but we are not what this forum is being lead to believe.

Sincerly

Julian Greening
General Manager & Partner

 

[wmlog]

Hello, I would like to respond to the the forum with regards to the very unfortunate events included in the links. The staff at Wilson Motors screwed up and made a horrendous mistake, as the General Manager, Partner and staff member I am truly sorry. It has been suggested that we sold the vehicle from under the customer for more money, that is not true! It has been suggested that I tried to charm the customer, after screwing up at this level what am I supposed to to do? Last but not least I negotiated a deal that cost the Dealership a lot of money to try to put this right, the customer took the deal and drove away in a new Sprinter, I agree that we needed to pay for our mistakes and did. Please be sure to know this about Wilson Motors, we do care and we do screw up occasionaly, but we are not what this forum is being lead to believe.

Sincerly

Julian Greening
General Manager & Partner

It's easy to say you didn't do this or didn't do that ... Perhaps you would like to explain how someone who custom ordered a Sprinter from your business, lost it when it was sold to another customer. Could you enlighten us? I think we could all learn from you sharing your viewpoint.

 

[GeorgeRa]

My 2012 experience with Wilson Motors was weird and unacceptable. Asking for $10K to be placed in escrow for 1 year after the purchase, wow. I think Costco dropped them from their purchasing process list, at least I hope.

Perhaps they doing something right with good Google reviews, but I would never get a car from them.
https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showpost.php?p=218329&postcount=6

Interesting apology from Julian Greening, sorry but, just sorry would be more sincere and meaningful.

George.

 

[3mbusa]

Diesel,

After waiting so long you were justifiably so very disappointed. I can, therefore, understand your urgent desire to have a van right now. Given your overwhelming desire to have it now, what reasonable requests did Wilson not provide during your latest negotiations with them (at the time you took position of the van)? Were there any other vans available within the area? What else could they have rationally done that they did not do? Did you pay for things you did not get, and did you get things (needed or not) that you did not pay for? As I have learned from life's many disappointments, there are some situations where sorry is all that can be done As a boss of mine used to say much to often, and I hated him for it, "you cannot un-ring a bell". Go and enjoy your new toy; you are going to make it into a fantastic getaway vehicle with tons of hours of fun to come.

 

[NBB]

... I negotiated a deal that cost the Dealership a lot of money...

Calling BS. You made less money, no way in hell did you lose money.

 

[obie]

Haha! Get real! How about the mistake of selling a specially ordered vehicle? Who made the actual sale of the original one, Julian or someone else? And what's 3mb's connection to all of this, besides what's been stated I mean.

 

[CheckMax]

This thread is beginning to border on the absurd.
In the 25+ years of buying cars, whenever I bought new I bought off the lot. Ineherently that should have the best price and involve some.compromise with both parties since availability is limited to current stock.

The 4x4 sprinter is my first factory order. Why? Because I wanted a certain spec and was willing to wait for it as were so many of us. I believe it's unfair to put the onus of compromise on dieselfumes for a situation he did not create.

What are Wilson Motors and 3mbusa trying to communicate here?

One of two things happened here. The first the dealer sold a specially ordered vebicle for a better price - greed - or the dealer sold a specially ordered vehicle to another customer by accident - incompetence. Given that all 4x4 sprinters had to be specially ordered I'm not sure how the latter could have happened. In either scenario the dealer is responsible. The only cost here is oportunity cost incurred by the dealer and the fuzzy math they use to calculate their profits. I find it completely.disingenuous that dieselfumesafter waiting the time he has had to.compromise on what he has ordered. This isnt a debate of what is reasonabe. What's reasonable to assume dieselfumes should accept a vehicle he may have for the next ten years? It's clear from his post he's not happy.with the outcome. Taking advantage of his desire to want to drive the van he's been waiting for with another substitute shouldn't be his decision. I have yet to read a plausible explanation.of what happened.

Wilson Motors should be reaching out to other dealers or their customers and horse trading for a near term factory order that delivers dieselfumes his van. In the meantime let him drive a 4x2 as a demo for those trips he needs it.

That would be exceptional service, taking responsibility for their mistake and commitment to the customer. That's where this forum should be celebrating a dealer correcting its wrong and not making excuses with weak explanations like above.

To those not.involved in this, my apologies for the rant.

 

[obie]

Quit worrying about the dealer getting away with something (selling the van for a higher price). That is why they are called stealers instead of dealers -- they are experts at the game and do it daily to make a living; you will never out smart them. if it is not the right van for you then back away. You will own the van for a lot longer period of time than it will take you to find the right one. And you will always have sour grapes toward it because it was not exactly what you hoped it would be. Don't be foolish and spend 60 grand on the wrong van just because you thought you had out smarted the experts -- they will stick it to someplace along the line. They are in business to make money, not friends.

Funny how the attitude changed.