Skip to content

Sometimes it's difficult to buy local

Buy locally? I tried. As I was in the market for a new car, I thought I would support local business and buy in St. Albert as I have done twice in the past. I went to the local dealer, expressing what I wanted in the car.

Buy locally? I tried. As I was in the market for a new car, I thought I would support local business and buy in St. Albert as I have done twice in the past.

I went to the local dealer, expressing what I wanted in the car. The dealer did not have this model in stock but ‘found’ one south of Calgary. A price (including my trade-in) was settled on with the salesperson.

The handwritten figures went to the business manager and returned as a printed contract. The total due turned out to be more than $2,200 over what I had seen the salesperson figure out. I noticed the previously individual lines (New car price — manufacture rebate — my trade allowance + the outstanding amount from the trade-in loan) were now listed only on a single line. I questioned this but was told it would need to be reviewed by the now-busy manager. I was amazed someone could change the figures so much and not be able to offer an explanation. I left without signing the contract.

That night the salesperson called me and offered to cut the amount due by $1,000. Verbally I agreed but thought about it over the evening. In the morning I called an Edmonton dealer who, as it turned out had the exact same vehicle in stock!

I immediately drove to the Edmonton dealership and told the salesperson this may be their quickest sale ever. I gave them all the same figures as the first handwritten bill and told them unless my math is way out of whack the first dealer was actually attempting to take $2,200 from the manufacturer’s rebate for themselves. Twenty minutes later they came back with the figures I had seen the first time and we signed the deal including them taking the trade. Additionally, their administration fees were cheaper by almost $100.

In this one instance I ‘saved’ over $2,300 by driving 10 kilometres into Edmonton. Now I wonder how much this dealer took me for on my previous purchase.

Dan Merritt, St. Albert

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks