A Swindler and My Car Dealer Did Right By Me

If you have read my last few blog entries you know I have been having problems with my Dodge Dakota Truck. Chrysler has determined that my engine needs replacement and that the problems with the engine are due to the lack of proper maintenance. I will not go into the details here, but I will say that I disagreed with their assessment. Since I do have an extended warranty, I have repeatedly complained to Chrysler and appealed their decision, but reluctantly I was forced to agree to have them order a replacement engine at my expense.

So I waited and waited for more than a month only to receive a call from my local Dealer apologizing to the fact that Chrysler gave them the wrong part number for the engine. They now have the correct part number and they have the correct engine ordered. Unfortunately, I am back at the beginning of the waiting period and it could be another 6 to 8 weeks before an engine becomes available.

About a week ago my Sales Representative at the dealer called me up. He told me my Dodge Dakota truck was, in his words, “very clean and well maintained”. Yes it is, my truck is a pretty sharp looking truck and many people have commented on that. He wanted to make me an offer on my truck in trade for something on their lot. He asked me what I wanted or needed in a vehicle and I told him. I also told him that a Dodge truck does not interest me at this point. Fortunately, this dealer sells Dodge and Ford, and I like Ford vehicles, so a Ford Truck it must be. Off he went to figure out what he could do.

A few days later he called back and made me an offer I found hard to refuse. He offered a full size Ford F-150 SuperCrew (4 door) pickup with a slightly larger engine with similar or better features that my Dodge Dakota. He came by my office at lunch and we took the truck on a test drive. Boy, it was nice. The color was my second choice of color but the color is acceptable to me. I had to remember, the deal hinges on what the Dealer had in stock on the lot. Since trucks are not selling well this fall, he had a good selection to choose from.

I told him I liked the truck and I would like to see the deal they propose. He provided me with the figures and they didn’t look right. They were offering me approximately blue book value (possibly better) for my Dodge Dakota in trade, even with a bad engine, towards the Ford F-150 Pickup. I check the numbers over and over. They deal seemed pretty good.

I checked with friends and family to see where the hole in the deal was. They could not find any problems with the deal for me. We figured the dealer has another deal in the background for my old truck that would make up for the fact I have a bad engine. Regardless of the deal they had, the deal they offered me was pretty good. So, I accepted.

I am now very happy with my Dealer and my new Ford F-150 Pickup Truck. I have been a good customer to this dealer over the years and they appear to appreciate my business. This will be the 5^th new vehicle in a row that I have purchased from them.

The funniest thing about this entire process is my salesman name. My Sales Representative’s last name is Swindler. Yes, “Swindler”. What a name for a salesman. But he is a good salesman and this is the 2^nd vehicle in a row that I have bought from him.

I can say with confidence, I will gladly buy a vehicle from this “Swindler”, again.