Oil Change Leads to New Car Purchase

By Johnny Cat in Everything Else on Dec 1, 2009 at 12:12 pm

It’s a given that when folks take their car in to get an oil change, the lube tech is going to talk them into wipers, an air filter, etc. But when Audrey McKnight took her 2006 Hyundai into the dealer for one, she left eight hours later with a 2009 model. She basically accepted it after being told she could return it the next day; plus, it was the only way to stop the sales pressure.

McKnight said a saleswoman pressured her to “try out” the 2008 Hyundai Azera with promises that she could return it the next day. A sales manager at Holmes Hyundai secretly checked her credit while she waited for service on her car, McKnight said. The sales team also allegedly suggested that she could afford the newer car if she stopped paying on her Medicare supplemental insurance.

McKnight said she owed $7,600 on her 2006 Hyundai, with 21,000 miles. Her $329 monthly car payments are set to increase to more than $400 per month with the new car, and will continue until she pays off the $26,000 she now owes.

Link via The Obscure Store & Reading Room. Photo: Mary Chind

Tags: Car, fraud, sales

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~April
Dec 1st, 2009 at 12:28 pm
I thought with age came wisdom….hmmmmm.
LisaL
Dec 1st, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Lol April

After reading the article…. meh.. I have no sympathy for this woman.
Bonnie L.
Dec 1st, 2009 at 12:47 pm
After living with my 77 y/o grandmother for a time, I have come to realize that people really do prey on the elderly. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen someone come to the door and try to get my grandmother to part with her money for something ridiculous and they seem to only visit the elderly people in the neighborhood (she lives in a neighborhood where there are a lot of older residents). Not to mention the mechanic who tried to tell her she needed over $600 in replacement parts when what was really needed were a couple of cheap hose clamps and some more oil.
Gail Pink
Dec 1st, 2009 at 12:57 pm
She could have said no. Stil I hope she wins her case.
MadMolecule
Dec 1st, 2009 at 1:06 pm
McKnight said she accepted the car because she was tired and wanted out of the situation.

It’s a shame that some people feel too constrained by societal expectations of politeness to simply say, “The answer is no; now shut up and leave me alone.”
Craig
Dec 1st, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Everyone’s a “victim”; nobody is responsible for their own problems.
Alex
Dec 1st, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Spoken like true Internet toughs. Just wait till you get old.

People prey on the elderly for one good reason: they’re easy targets because they get confused/tired/forgetful.

Shame on the car dealership.
Cluck
Dec 1st, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Say I bought my most recent car after taking one in for an oil change. Of course I could afford the new one.
dd.
Dec 1st, 2009 at 2:20 pm
whoa, forreal. Totally unacceptable. They kept her there for 8 hours wearing her down. They deserve incontinence in their old age.
LisaL
Dec 1st, 2009 at 2:40 pm
MadMolecule, that’s exactly it. People are so afraid of just saying No, leave me alone b/c they think they’re going to look rude or hurt someones feelings or something. Screw that noise. I’m a shy person and may seem like an easy target for people, but if a salesperson tries to pressure me… it’s a No from me and that’s that.
Lewen
Dec 1st, 2009 at 3:26 pm
who goes to the dealership for oil changes. bah
Tseug
Dec 1st, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Based on the story, it appears she took out a 5-year loan on the Azera. If she had taken out a 6-year loan, her payments would have only gone up about $31 per month. Not bad when going from an Elantra to an Azera. Plus, what did they give her for her Elantra?
Luna
Dec 1st, 2009 at 4:16 pm
This happens to people all ages and genders. A team of three car dealers did something very similar to me.
Persephone
Dec 1st, 2009 at 4:27 pm
MadMolecule is exactly right, along with all the people who pointed out how the elderly are preyed upon. I’m the type to say, “I’m not interested. Now, f**k off,” if someone won’t leave me alone; I did, in fact, do just that a couple of weeks ago. I’ve very polite and civil to people until they try to take advantage of it, then the gloves are off.

This lady is 77, she lives in the Midwest, she is bound to be one of the politest people around. She probably doesn’t return things she doesn’t like to stores because she “doesn’t want to bother the clerk.” I have relatives just like that.

Several years ago, we were looking at leasing a Jetta; it was when they first started doing the $199 a month lease. I was pregnant, our car was dying, and we needed something sooner. My husband and I went to a few dealerships and had decided on this one dealership, that is, until they called to tell us that the payments were going to be over $250 a month. I was surprised, as we had already been told the payments would be about $215 ($199 plus local taxes). We told the dealership we weren’t interested. They actually called us twice, threatening to use legal action, until my husband pulled his hole card, which is the true fact that his mother is a lawyer and he’d be happy to refer them to her for her opinion of their threats. I owe my mother-in-law many times over, because her being a lawyer has gotten so many people to back off or to take care of things by just mentioning her profession.
Mike Schroeder
Dec 1st, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Old broad got pressured to buy a car, afraid to say no, now suing. what is wrong with the fucking world when buyer’s remorse gets on the news and goes to court?!?!?!?!?
Larfin Jackarse
Dec 1st, 2009 at 6:29 pm
It’s rife. I took my company car for a dealer service and they wanted $5,000 to ‘fix’ the brakes. The car is still under factory warranty. I declined and the price became $1,200 quite quickly. I know a little about cars and all it may need is new brake pads, which I can fit myself but they haven’t worn yet.

If I had been old, easily tired, ignorant etc then I might have believed all their scare talk and paid it.

They wouldn’t do it if it didn’t work.
Noelegy
Dec 1st, 2009 at 7:06 pm
I hate it when someone takes advantage of the elderly. That being said, there’s nothing wrong with saying “No,” and well, car salesmen are there to sell cars.
dartef
Dec 1st, 2009 at 10:08 pm
I am 40 now and i have been dealing with this selfish generation who are now our elderly for a good couple decades.

Considering how the selfish generation treated my generation 20 years ago I have no sympathy at how those in the Selfish generation are being victimized now that they are beyond Middle Age and are Elderly.

I saw how this generation treated their parents 20 years ago too.

Remember, this is the generation that invented the idea of locking their elders in a home and not visiting.

When ever I hear an old person complain about being targeted i always wonder what what in the wide world of selfish they were doing 30 years ago when the elderly were being targeted.

Oh that’s right, this generation was voting for Reagan and all his cuts to protection for the elderly, children, homeless, mentally ill, and others.

You reap what you sow.
Fran
Dec 2nd, 2009 at 10:56 am
More than 20 years ago, I was a young 21 (but looked 15; yes, sometimes it’s a curse) the first time I took my car to a dealership for an oil change. Not knowing that my dad was on his way to pick me up and take me to work, the guy at the dealership rubbed his chin and explained “you know that’ll be about $400?” I didn’t, but said ok. I left to go wait for my dad. As we were driving out of the lot, I told him the guy said it would be about $400. I nearly went through the windshield when he slammed on the brakes, threw the car in reverse and said, “come show me who told you that.” People will take advantage of whoever they think they can. Needless to say I’ve grown up a lot since then, and now embarrass my parents with my ability to eventually be rude when harrassed by salespeople.
seefish3
Dec 3rd, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Sheep WILL get sheared, but All sales people are soulless monsters a jackel wouldn’t eat.

Have a nice day…
E. Edsel Edsel
Dec 4th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
I call the engine light on my car the “buy new car light,” because of the pressure they try to put on me at the dealership. I stopped getting the free oilchanges there because I had some service done at another place for less money.

Sure, the guy who sold her the new car got the sale, but what damage has been done to their reputation?
Mo
Dec 15th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
@Bonnie – unscrupuolous mechanics do that to everyone, especially if they can tell that the person (a) has money and/or (b) knows absolutely nothing about cars.

I fall in between the two, so will take my car for “second opinions” and (now) hit the Internet and find a car club for my car and ask questions there.

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