[ericedelman]

In November, 2022, I placed an order with an out of state dealer for a 2023 Challenger Hellcat, Redeye, Standard Body. I agreed to pay a modest ADM since the version of the car I wanted was tough to find allocation for. I gave the dealer a deposit for the car and waited.....
My order was processed in February 2023, and scheduled for production in March 2023 with an estimated ship date before the end of March 2023.
The salesperson got in touch with me today and said that dealership policy was that for the 2023 orders, the dealership wants to get paid once the ship date is available, regardless of whether you are paying cash, financing, or leasing. I confirmed this with the sales manager, who was polite, but firm on the policy. I'm paying cash, but essentially this means that someone financing or leasing could possibly make a payment or two before they even get their car.
Is this the new normal? I have bought a few new cars and done custom orders twice before in 2020 for a ZL1 Camaro and 2015 for Jeep Wrangler. Those custom orders never meant I was expected to pay in advance before the car was delivered.
If I pay, I wonder if I can get the car insured ahead of time in case something goes awry?

 

[SWFL]

Never pay until I sign on the dotted line and the car has been gone over. Never, ever pay before its delivered.

 

[Slidd]

I don't even think that FCA allows a dealer to sell a car that he does not have in his possession, I mean anything can go wrong at this point. What if the car is stolen, damaged or defective when it arrives? As above, never pay a dealer a dime or even sign anything until you have the chance to fully inspect the car and take it on a good test drive not just around the block. This dealer is nuts imho.

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[Jimmy N.]

As above, never pay a dealer a dime or even sign anything until you have the chance to fully inspect the car and take it on a good test drive not just around the block. This dealer is nuts imho.

Well, I generally load them up on a trailer and drive 450 miles back home before driving them, but I sure wouldn't pay for one until the dealer has it.

Normally I pay when I pick the vehicle up.

 

[njsteve]

Tell them you will be financing the car and no finance company on this planet will issue any payment toward a vehicle that doesn't exist yet. It's first year law school stuff here: The Uniform Commercial Code requires the "thing" that the security interest is applied toward, has to actually exist, otherwise the finance company has nothing to file a lein on or repossess if you dont pay.

Request that they provide you with this new policy in writing because your finance company's legal department wants to see it. See what their response is.

 

[KevinL]

What if the dealership is on the edge of bankruptcy, you will lose your money. Sounds like they have financial problems.


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[njsteve]

What if the dealership is on the edge of bankruptcy, you will lose your money. Sounds like they have financial problems.


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Oooh, I like that one. Bankruptcy was a third year law school class. Basically everyone gets hosed except the lawyers handling the bankruptcy. They are the only ones who get paid in full, first.

 

[MrFixitND]

Have them sign a contract stating they deliver the car as agreed and to your satisfaction, by a reasonable date, or they give your your money back + 10%...

 

[ceebydeeby710]

That's messed up

 

[oldjonny]

I sure would not give them anything until vehicle was in hand

 

[Big Swede]

Why do people order cars without having the deal clearly laid out. There's absolutely no way I would be giving them a nickel more until I have the car.

Look up my thread on Dodge is in trouble. I don't know your dealership but we are going to see a bunch of Dodge dealerships going out of business. Then you're out of luck. Don't do it.

 

[Gotgap]

Don’t see a problem what can possibly go wrong

 

[BondJames]

In November, 2022, I placed an order with an out of state dealer for a 2023 Challenger Hellcat, Redeye, Standard Body. I agreed to pay a modest ADM since the version of the car I wanted was tough to find allocation for. I gave the dealer a deposit for the car and waited.....
My order was processed in February 2023, and scheduled for production in March 2023 with an estimated ship date before the end of March 2023.
The salesperson got in touch with me today and said that dealership policy was that for the 2023 orders, the dealership wants to get paid once the ship date is available, regardless of whether you are paying cash, financing, or leasing. I confirmed this with the sales manager, who was polite, but firm on the policy. I'm paying cash, but essentially this means that someone financing or leasing could possibly make a payment or two before they even get their car.
Is this the new normal? I have bought a few new cars and done custom orders twice before in 2020 for a ZL1 Camaro and 2015 for Jeep Wrangler. Those custom orders never meant I was expected to pay in advance before the car was delivered.
If I pay, I wonder if I can get the car insured ahead of time in case something goes awry?

don't do it

 

[Mattm400]

No, No, and No.

 

[Xylander]

In November, 2022, I placed an order with an out of state dealer for a 2023 Challenger Hellcat, Redeye, Standard Body. I agreed to pay a modest ADM since the version of the car I wanted was tough to find allocation for. I gave the dealer a deposit for the car and waited.....
My order was processed in February 2023, and scheduled for production in March 2023 with an estimated ship date before the end of March 2023.
The salesperson got in touch with me today and said that dealership policy was that for the 2023 orders, the dealership wants to get paid once the ship date is available, regardless of whether you are paying cash, financing, or leasing. I confirmed this with the sales manager, who was polite, but firm on the policy. I'm paying cash, but essentially this means that someone financing or leasing could possibly make a payment or two before they even get their car.
Is this the new normal? I have bought a few new cars and done custom orders twice before in 2020 for a ZL1 Camaro and 2015 for Jeep Wrangler. Those custom orders never meant I was expected to pay in advance before the car was delivered.
If I pay, I wonder if I can get the car insured ahead of time in case something goes awry?

What they're asking for is technically illegal. When you do the paperwork, you're in effect signing ownership over to the car. That dealer doesn't own the car to sell until it arrives and they sign the shipping manifest from the transporter. Up until that point, Dodge owns the car and all the liability that comes with it. So, it is not their car to sell until it arrives.

This is not normal, and I'd report them to the BBB and whatever agency it is in your state that regulates their dealer's license... because that's an open and shut case and they can lose their license for even trying to do it. You can charge ADMs and advanced fees, but you cannot legally sign paperwork and effectively put a vehicle in service before it arrives from the manufacturer.

I cannot stress enough, that dealership does not own the rights to that car until it is signed over to them on arrival. They can't legally do anything to it until it's theirs. That would be like you trying to sell a neighbor's car on FB marketplace without telling the neighbor about it and of course, not letting the potential buyer see it, test drive it, or inspect it prior to taking delivery. It would be a totally null and void transaction. By law, the dealer has to make the vehicle available for inspection and a test drive prior to finalizing the sale. They can lose their license for that alone.

 

[Xylander]

What dealership is this? I'll call them, nuke them, and then report them myself. Crap like this is patently offensive to me. I'm a licensed broker and I have to go through the same training and licensing as any car dealer does. What they're trying to do is illegal.

 

[Houston713]

Yes....this "dealer" is engaging in VERY shoddy business practices. Under NO circumstances does one part with his/her money until goods are received in good working order.

To quote Marcellus "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark".

 

[PDQHAWK]

WTF? Never prepay on anything!!! You lose any leverage and take on any and all risk. These are just cars, nothing here is going to change the world. This too will pass when the next best thing comes out!! Where tech is concerned, these cars are already so far behind, they think they’re first!! RIDICULOUS!!!!

 

[Ianwin22]

**** no. I paid a $1K deposit to order the car and that was it.

 

[HP_Addict19]

No F’kn way.