RobDeep

I drove one last week, and told the dealer to get me a blue touring model, etc. There was only one in the area, so they said they would trade for it.

It was suppose to be ready for me Tuesday, but then I got a call that it had a "crease", i.e. crack, in the bumper and the entire bumper needed to be replaced. Obviously the car hit something or something hit the car, but they were tight lipped on the details. I later found out it got damaged in the trade while driving it back to the dealer. Low speed rear-ending type deal. I haven't seen the car yet, and I'm not sure I will before it gets fixed. I'm confident they'll fix it it the utmost quality, I'm close friends with the owner of the dealer, and his son is the rep actually selling me the car, but I have to say I'm fairly disconcerted about the whole thing. I realy want the car, but if I'm going to drop this kind of money on a new car, I think it should be in pristine condition. I'm just concerned I'll find some underlying defect/damage in it later if I were to buy it. Plus it's got around a 100 miles on it already, which isn't that big a deal, but it doesn't help my confidence. Before all this happened they quoted me the car at $200 above invoice, which is a great price, but now I'm wondering where I should go with this.

Any thoughts on this?

lane myers

if its just a small crease - and they're going to fix the bumper, and thats all that is wrong, a minor cosmetic crack on the bumper - why be so tight lipped?

something isn't quite adding up to me... if you still want to buy the car, i would make it my highest priority to see the car now before the work gets done.

visionboy

iTrader: (7)

If I was in your situation, I would try to lower the price. I would NOT pay the same amount. Even though the bumper will be replaced, and probably a good job too, nevertheless, you are suppose to be paying for a NEW CAR. Knowing that the bumper has already been replaced would bug me. I would try to lower the car by about 300-500. Good luck

BigMoeTaki42

Try your hardest to get a look at the car before the work gets done, just to make sure everything's fine. You can also try to get them to lower the price since it's been in an accident, but I'm not sure how much they'll take off. Never hurts to try though.

lightforce18

The first g35 the dealer pulled out that was going to be mine had been backed into also. Soon as I saw the little dent and paint chips I told him take it back and get me a diff car. They did.

Im not paying all that money for something thats not in MINT condition

iheartZ

yea just get em to find u a new car....or else...you'll kill them

jackie chan

iTrader: (1)

if the repair is perfect, then there shouldnt be a problem(the bumper cover will be new). The guys are obviously working hard for you and you are firends with the dealer...shouldnt have any probs.

you guys think you dont buy cars that have had the same thing happen at the factory??? ignorance is bliss i suppose

The Brickyard Rat

iTrader: (1)

If this Zzzz is the color & model you want, I'd goooooooooooo for it.

100 miles is not a big deal & the dealer, inaddition to being a friend, told you what happened. Honesty is always a good sign!

I mean how often do you see the words "honesty" and "dealer" in the same sentence?

RobDeep

He better be honest with me! They are really nice people, it's their sales manager I don't particularly trust.

I'm suppose to get a call from my sales rep today so I can go see the car in it's current state (unrepaired). We'll see...

If I don't end up getting this one, I'll probably have to wait for an 06, as the trim level I want in blue is fairly hard to come by in the Chicago area. *sigh*

amallari

I would not get it, ask them to search for another Z. They are out there and tell them to put it on a flat bed in one piece!

gatti-man

iTrader: (2)

Do you people not understand that 50% or more of your cars had factory damage that was either covered up or repaired somewhere along the line????? Atleast he knows whats wrong with his! Get a clue, it happens all the time and no one ever knows. So when you say find a new car you mean find a new car with possibly the same damage! lol Just be happy you know a dealer, are getting a good price and in the color you want. Trust me, your being taken care off. Id say go look at it now and explain to them it makes you feel uncomfortable. Also im sure the sales manager doesnt like you since your taking one of his cars that he can easily make money off of and buying it for little profit.

Look for these things:
Swirl marks, paint chips/unneveness, get underneath the bumper and look at the exhaust and alignment. Oh yeah and always pic up your car at high noon with alot of sunlight to catch any minor issues.

Rae Carruth

There's a big differance though. The 'wax' line at the factory repairs nicks, scratches, and other things like a missing bolt. This damage came from an accident. Technically they can't sell it as a new car...

Sounds like the guy was giving her hell on the way back, lol. You shoulda went with them to pick it up. Most of the time they will let you drive it back. You need to get a discount on it if your still gonna buy it. I'd say $500 minimum.

RobDeep

Thanks for all the input. Depending on how I feel after I see it, and I still want the car, I'll definitely be pushing for more off the car. I can't see them giving me much push back, but who knows. Gatti-Man makes a good point. It's no skin of their back if I pass on it. They'll just sell it off (with more profit) as "brand-spanking-new" to the next unsuspecting sap.

kpiskin

iTrader: (5)

Yeah but if you sell the car and someone pulls a carfax on it, won't an accident be listed on it and then reduce your resale value?

gatti-man

iTrader: (2)

No probably not, carfax is for major accidents. If the bumper really was cracked as they say this is a minor 5-9 mph accident. Have you seen a Z in a real accident? Rear tailights gone, bumper smashed, exhaust tips bent, quarterpanels mashed. It wasnt a big accident but i would want to see the car before all the same.

Racer Z

**********************************************************

I would recommend passing up on this car and just have them get you ANOTHER Blue Touring Model (Make sure the VIN# ISN'T the same!!) ....If they can't in a timely manner, go to another dealer!

Years ago...I was looking to get a 5 speed Ford Probe GT (Don't flame me on this...It was back in '94 and I thought it was cool looking).

I had a family friend, who owned a Ford Dealership, I told him I wanted a 5-speed in RED or WHITE, He said "I have NOTHING BUT Auto Tranny GT's on the lot...lemme see if I can get one from another Ford Dealer". About 1 week later, he called me and told me "Guess what...I got a 5 speed in from another Ford Dealer!!".

When I got there, He showed me the car...DARK BLUE, a color I TOLD HIM that I didn't want and...supposedly new, but with a REBUILT ENGINE...Of course, he didn't tell me this AT FIRST...It came out later after I grilled him on the car, since it something didn't feel right about the car and the way he was acting.

Needless, to say..I passed on the car AND on the Probe altogether and opted for a sweet '93 Toyota MR2 (One of the BEST car decisions I ever made..IMO).

Moral of this story: Just because the dealer is a personal friend of yours, DOESN'T mean that he won't try to screw you and trick you into buying a car that's LESS than perfect.

Racer Z

+1 DAMN Good Idea!!

tekk

didnt read any of the other replies.. but it seems to me that if you really want to do biz with this dealer you need to find another car.
if you trade in the car theyll see the repair work and even though its perfect itll reduce trade in value. so again id just tell them to get another one

maxpowers

iTrader: (3)

This is true. The guy that fixed my door ding does a lot of business with dealerships. A large portion of the cars that are shipped great distances come with dings, scratches, minor dents etc. They all get repaired before the dealer sells them and nobody knows the difference.

I would ask to see the receipt from the body shop. If all they are replacing is a bumper cover you should be ok, but if they replace stuctural components or those little bumper shocks then the car should be discounted.

DWS44

iTrader: (1)

Reminds me of the Nissan dealer closest to my house. (NOT the one I just bought mine from!)

I'd been regularly going over after hours (so as not to get hassled by salesman) to look over their Z inventory while trying to decide if I wanted one or not. Recently, they got in a beautiful black 35th anniversary model...even parked it outside, up next to the main road. I walked over to check it out...when I walked around to the passenger side, it was impossible NOT to notice that the front quarter had been hit. Sideswipe-style sctatches all the way to the bare material...I mean HORRID scratches...yet they had it out there in plain view like this!

A couple weeks later I went bay again, and it was still there, but they'd obiously ran it through the body shop. Terrible refinishing job with swirls all over the front. I'm sure someone unsuspecting will lay down sticker for it too.