Sansone's RT 1 Auto Mall ripoff! Changed signed contract, overcharged for advertised vehicle. Avenel New Jersey

1/18/05- Talked with Ziggy, salesman, at Rt 1 Auto Mall. Ziggy showed me the above listed vehicle and said the price was $12,995. After haggling over the price, Ziggy told me he could sell the vehicle for $9038, with tax tags, etc coming out to $10000 even. He said there was absolutely no way they could go lower on the price.

Ziggy produced a contract with ONLY the balance filled out to read $10000. He told me to sign the contract, which I did. Ziggy then left the desk with the contract and went into an office for approximately 5 minutes. He returned, gave me my copy of the contract, the keys, and sent me on my way. The copy of the contract was sent on 1/26/05.

When I arrived home, I looked at the contract. There were portions of the contract now filled in that weren't there when I signed off on it. The price of the vehicle and taxes were now filled in. The price of the vehicle read as $9339.63, not $9038 as Ziggy told me.

I then began researching this vehicle and found it advertised on the internet for $7991 by Sansone's Auto Mall (a copy of the advertisement was sent to you 1/26/05.) The vehicle is the EXACT vehicle, not a LIKE vehicle. The stock numbers and VIN, as well as the picture and mileage are an exact match.

I went back the next day to follow up on these findings. 1/19/05-Went back to Sansone's and talked to Ray, the manager. I advised Ray of the contract discrepancy and told him that things were filled out after I'd signed the contract. He didn't bat an eye, leading me to believe this is a common practice. Ray told me he could probably refund the $301 difference.

I then told Ray about the advertisement I found. He looked at it, and calculated a difference over $1400, to which he said he will 'try to get back' to me, but first he had to see his 'boss.'

Ray went into an office and came out a few minutes later. He suddenly had the 'phone call' he had to take in front of me. The phone call consisted of him 'talking' and asking the other person on the line if the advertisement was a mistake, etc. Of course it was a 'mistake.'

Ray told me that the advertisement was wrong and that he was sorry. I told him that the law stated any advertised price must be honored. He kept telling me it was a mistake and that I was entitled to nothing. He told me that he was willing to take the vehicle back and refund the entire amount, to which I agreed.

On my way to drop off the vehicle, Ray called my home phone and apologized for their mistake. He told me I was absolutely right and I was entitled to the difference in price. Upon arrival back at the dealership, Ray refunded me the $1400+ difference.

Only because I looked at my fraudulent contract was I able to uncover this despicable attempt to steal from me. Although I got the proper advertised price for my vehicle, I can't help but wonder how many other people weren't so lucky. Many people may have given up after being told the advertisement was a mistake, but the only mistake I think I made was going to Sansone's Rt 1 Auto Mall to begin with.

Dave
old bridge, New Jersey
U.S.A.