Courtesy Chrysler Jeep Dodge Brandon Chrysler Jeep Dodge Bad paint on new car, shady deal, deceptive sales Tampa Florida

A couple months ago I contacted the dealership about several used cars and was not given the time of day. On a whim after dealing with another crappy local dealer  I stopped in to take a look at several types of vehicles. 

Originally I thought I was getting a decent deal and great vehicle ( 2014 Dodge Challenger ). My Salesman Christopher Chong was friendly and I was comfortable with him. Unfortunately the rest of my experience is rather poor after that.

For one I was not shown any other vehicles on the lot I was presented with a very dirty oak tree pollen and leaf covered 2014 Challenger. I was advised that I could only negotiate the base model even after I told Christopher what I really wanted ( leather seats, rear spoiler, bigger wheels, in general the SXT Plus ).  I was told that that "everything else" was too much money. The deal was worked over a few hours and I was lead to believe that the numbers were not going to work in my favor. 

The real issue:

After having the contract signed and the car cleaned I noticed that the car had hundreds of flaws in the paint. They looked like pin points, pitting and or gray colored drops that were between the paint and clear coat and or penetrated down to the metal. At that time I stated that this is not the car I want to buy because of the flaws in the paint ( which would most likely get worse over time). I asked my salesman to have this taken care of now. Christopher's reply was, "The man you need to see will not be in until Monday". The next day I called to speak to Robert Catlin who worked with Christopher on the sale to advise him of the issues I encountered which he seemed uninterested and advised the same thing.

So another Trip to the Courtesy Chrysler Jeep Dodge on my day off and I meet Mr Slaughter or "Cuff". I asked him if I could trade out the vehicle for another, without the paint flaws and he said "no" that he would have the car repainted. I was there roughly an hour as he documented the flaws and had the vehicle taken to the paint shop.

He advised me that I would get a call in a few days and that they would re-paint the areas of the car and provide a rental car for my use in the mean time. Cuff was friendly, pleasant and professional.

HOWEVER  I am not Happy with the vehicle condition, I mean what reputable dealer sells a car that has $1694.00 in preparation fees and misses the fact the paint is flawed. The additional time involved in fixing the issue or the aggravation of getting railroaded into a base model or the outrageous additional fees associated with this deal. I came in to buy a Dodge Challenger, not a s**t ton of fees, or extras.

The Deal:

The Dealer Tag started at $28,788.00 for a base model with a slightly upgraded sound system. I did not ask for that it was just the car the salesman chose.

* By the way Edmunds .com offers a price tool and this car should start at $25,500.00 *

They offered a decent amount for my trade and Dodge has $2000.00 in incentives which seemed to never factor in until I understood that the deal was based on three other money makers ( and extras / fees ) for the Dealership. Gap insurance ($899.00), The Protector interior and exterior protection ($999.00) and a upgraded warranty ($1620.00).  A total of $3518.00 plus $2,152 in other fees addressed below.

Courtesy's additional fees:

Pulse Braking Tech. This is a $356.00 add-on which really is a small electronic device that retails for under $10.00 on the internet. All it does is make the upper parking brake light blink.

 Nitrogen 2 years owner care for $99.00 which was not explained. I assume when you bring your car in this is to cover the possible loss of nitrogen in a tire rotation or keep the proper pressure up.

 A pre delivery free added to your invoice at $699 and a Destination charge of $995.00 That's $1694.00 just to have the privilege of your vehicle sitting on the lot.

GAP insurance is $899.00 but your insurance company can offer you the same thing for $250.00 to $300.00

Extended Warranty $1620.00 for two additional years and 24,000 extra miles.

The Protector, a warranty for the interior and exterior of the car $999.00

Total $5667.00

In closing It's not about how much "car" they can sell you or if the car is perfect or even if you are happy, it's really how much extra that can be added to line the pockets of the dealership. If you want a fair deal avoid this place.