Anyone have any really good or really bad dealer experiences with purchasing or test driving a Crossfire?

I looked at 2 different dealers in Southern California with 2 very different experiences. One refused to test drive without a credit application being filled out. The other test drove the vehicle, no questions asked. Guess which one sold the car?

Anyone else have issues with Dealers refusing to test drive or talk seriously without a credit ap?

My personal feeling is Chrysler will have a difficult time improving their image as higher end dealers, unless they start acting like one. I have never had a BMW, Audi or Mercedes dealer ask for a credit ap before we had negotiated the deal.

Thanks

 

The Crossfire is a limitted production hot car right now.So some dealers might only be getting a couple cars this year.There not going to throw the keys to every guy who walks in.You might have been the 25th guy looking for a road test that day.If the dealer treats you badly ,buy some where else.But cut them some slack on a limitted production car.

 

The only bad experience I had was at one dealer that wouldn't even let me open up the car to look in it. They were also not accepting any offers below $8,000 over sticker. The dealer I am going to be leasing the Crossfire from, has very good customer service, and they will sell at MSRP, and they are only getting two Crossfires. The only problem is that they have no idea when they are even getting their first in, and I am on the list for the second. It would be nice if Chrysler would let them know when they are getting them in. Evidently a driver who delivered some PT Cruisers there the other day said that at the port there are hundreds of them just sitting there for the past few weeks. It would be nice if they would get some to my dealer.

 

We placed refundable, first-right-of-refusal deposits with two dealers early on. I was in contact with a 3rd dealer by internet. All in Maryland.

As it happened, the first dealer with a delivery was the place we bought our '99 300M ( an excellent dealership). The salesman called me before the car was even off the delivery truck! The car had auto trans, which we wanted and the only color we really wanted - Sapphire. They sold the car at list. They STILL (five days ago) have one - just like mine - except I think the interior is two-tone.

The Sales Mgr @ (internet) dealership said by phone they were "selling the car for $40,000." When I immediately said, "No thanks!", he countered with $37,900. I was glad I had "shopped around"! The other dealer we gave a deposit didn't get a X-F until two weeks after we took delivery.

Our salesman at the dealer where we bought the Crossfire told me that he knew of a dealer who had auctioned one for $49,000 and another dealer was offering one at similar price.

X-FIRE

 

xfiretech - I understood the dealer not wanting to let everyone walk in and test drive the car. The problem was much bigger then I wrote out. It took 2 pages to write a complaint to the dealership owner and Chrysler. Even when I offered to return with my financing contract in-hand, he wouldn't let me test drive without a credit ap from his dealership, even after admitting that he could not beat my rate.

Additionally, he was very rude and condescending to me, because I was trying to decide between a couple different cars. He felt that until I was 100% sure I wanted the Crossfire, I had no reason to drive it. I personally would consider test driving a car, part of the decision process. In my opinion, not the way a Five Star should operate, especially when Chrysler is trying to present an upper end image with this car.

In the end, I ended up buying both cars, but obviously not from that dealership. As for giving him a break...not a chance. They are a professional business and as such, should conduct themselves professionally.

The person I felt the worst for was the Salesman, as he had to watch his salesmanager flush his sale down the drain. I had the ability to just leave and relate my experience to everyone who even asks about the car. The dealership just sold the car to someone else, but the salesman had to loose his commission.

 

I can understand both sides of the coin--no they cannot have people test driving the car all day long, however, they need to balence that with serious buyers and not offending their cust. I would absolutely not buy a car from a dealer making fill out a credit app (I think I know if I can buy the car or not--but he doesn't).

The funny part (and some will say crazy) I never even test drove the car. I was dealing with a dealership 400 miles away and handled the whole transactionover the phone. Flew out to the dealership, drove the car home.

I agree that Chrysler (if they want a piece of this market) needs to step up to the plate in pandering to the upper end buyer. I know from owning a Lexus, that one gets spoiled on good service, and will not put up with bad. At least they are "Making an effort"--free loaner car, priority service--but they need a dedicated Crossfire hotline for customer service, where you can speak to someone that actually cares about your issues and resolves it no matter the time or cost (like Lexus does.)

Loving my Xfire so far...

 

You have to be patient with chrysler the crossfire just came out the pacifica just came out(and not selling well)They need to build a high end customer base first then things will have to change.You don't go from selling neons at PT's one day to selling highend luxury cars the next.The new chrysler LX cars will have rearwheel drive and some MB parts also.The chrysler division will be DC"s high end cars.

 

I disagree. They will only get one shot, and therefore should have had things planned before entering the market. If you want to compete (and charge) the same as brands like Lexus, Infiniti, etc..., you have to play/beat them right out of the gate. This wait and see won't cut it with the upperend crowd. Hey, I own a Crossfire and love it--not knocking DC, just stating that you should have your ducks in a row before entering the market, and not try and figure things out after the fact. You only get one shot with customers.

 

I understand and that is my concern...I have been a Chrysler fan for years. But, my point is you cannot wait for the 'high-end' customer to buy, then change your ways. You need to change your ways before the 'high-end' customer will buy. People used to buying at Lexus, BMW or Mercedes will not put up with much BS from dealers. They need to get the dealers up to speed, in order to get the customers they want.

I am hoping for nothing but the best for Chrysler and their turn around. That is why I feel its important for Chrysler to know when a dealership is doing more damage then good to their product line.

 

Chrysler's cars are still almost 10 grand cheaper then most high end cars.So I think the mercedes and lexus and BMW buyers will still buy those cars.Chrysler will probably keep current customers and try and sell them higher end cars.American companys in financial trouble will not spend money on a service program if they dont know the car will sell first.If you dont get quality service go back to Lexus I won't blame you.

 

Well, that is one way to put it. However, the prime market for the XFire is a buyer of the Infiniti G35 ($35K loaded) and Lexus has three models in the mid $30K range. So I think that THIS IS directly in line will Xfire pricing. Hey, I love the Crossfire, the only point is if they want to compete they will have to beat Lexus or other high end car makers at their game, or they will lose--it's that simple. Keep in mind Chrysler is the one wanting to lure customers aways from high end makers with this car, so they need to step up to the plate.

Okay, I'm off my soap box, but I think it's a valid point. Remember I OWN a Crossfire and love IT! :lol:

 

Hey enjoy your car and I hope you don't have any problems!You are correct in saying chrysler should be on the ball and have hotlines and special service for there high end cars.But it takes time to get there 5 thousand dealers inline and train their thousands of sales people and techs.Hey I work for a chrysler dealer and didn't know too much about the xfire and pacifica until they showed up a couple months ago.

 

I'm not sure if this phone number handles customer service, but there evidently is a Crossfire hotline - 1-800-4ACROSSFIRE. It might just be there to help people buy the car, but they might also do some sort of customer service too. I don't know, I've never called it before...

 

I walked into the showroom in Fayetteville, AR- telling the sales person I wanted to "look" at the Crossfire - they cleared the other cars from the sales floor and drove the Crossfire out of the showroom and set it up for a test drive.... all this happened in about 15 minutes. Could not believe they let me drive the car so quickly.
The next day - I bought the car. Black 6 Speed.

 

Gotta love Arkansas hospitality. I was there for a mtg at WalMart corp last week, and I must say they are some friendly people. I can assure you that kind of treatment would not happen in almost any major city.

Love your color car :lol:

 

Crysler is not Lexus or Infanity. Chrysler looks at each dealer as an independent business. The dealer makes his own rules on how to sell cars. Part of Lexus's and Infanity's program is "Customer care" -how the sell and maintain a high level of customer service. Salesman and delaers are highly trained in customer care. Most, but not all Chrysler dealers are small dealerships. They do get training, but not to the extent of the Luxary Makers. Chrysler is the problem. With the Crossfire. Their delears don't know what cars are coming in when. They find out when Chrysler assigns a Vin# to a pruchase order. On the Crossfire no purchase orders, the cars are allocated, the dealer has no idea what they will get and when it will come in. Most know the number of cars they will get,but no other details. This is the system Chrysler uses. I had a very frustrating experience with Chrysler on my 01 PT Cruser and the same on the Corssfire. Chrysler would not give any info, just kept telling me to contact the the Dealer, who didn't know sqwat. My dealer was very helpful and kept me informed as to what they did know. I got lucky and called the day the VIN# came in so I got the car. Since they could not place an order My dealer would accept a deposit unitl thye had a VIN#.
Other Dealers my do it differently. Chrysler is not customer oriented. They leave customer relations up to the dealer. A bad plan when the Dealer doesn't know what is going on. Maybe Chrysler doesn't either.

 

True. I find it hard to believe that Chrysler can't give the dealers more information about when and what Crossfires they will be receiving.

 

I have had a similar experience with my dealer. I have the Vin # and the ship date from New York as July 2 , but they do not know where the car is or when it will arrive. Pretty sad that they can't get a car from the east coast to the west coast within 4 weeks.

 

I don't believe Chrysler doesn't know where there cars are or when they will arriveat the Dealer. I think its more they don't bother to thell their dealers or customers. Why?, I don't know maybe customer service costs too much, maybe it's a trade secret - like the price was, maybe they have a really have a bad tracking system. I really think its the former rather than the latter - Anyway it sucks.

 

We purchased our Crossfire last week from the dealer in Bristol, CT. The whole expierence could not have been better.

We went there looking to purchase a Seabring convertible, but when my wife saw the white Crossfire on the floor, we had to get it.

They offered me the vehicle at list, but I had to sleep on it. The next day we called the salesman and said we would like to test drive it later in the afternoon. When we arrived at the dealership at about 6 PM, the Crossfire was out of the showroom and in the lot "waiting" for us. They took a copy of my operator's license and gave me the keys and said to be back before 9 PM. In those 2+ hours I ran this vehicle. It was great. The decision was made. Upon our return the salesman stayed with us after everyone else went home to complete the paperwork.

We picked the Crossfire up 2 days later. The sales manager and most of the other salemen on duty personally congratualted us on our purchase. Pictures were taken and follow up phone calls were made. It was a very nice expierence buying this car from that dealership.

Based upon some of the comment above concerning dealership policies, Chrysler should use the management of my dealership to run a training course on how to customer friendly.