Why won't dealers respond to calls/emails?

[stacib]

I'm a little frustrated right now. First off, let me say, I love my salesperson, she is very sweet to get the sales manager to hold my Sky until I return from out of town. But it drives me crazy that nobody over there ever responds to emails and sometimes doesn't return phone calls.

I am planning on trading in my Mercedes on the 27th, but my CA vehicle registration is due on 9/8. I go out of town for three weeks on the 4th. So I asked my dealer if they wanted me to let the registration expire (since the new buyer from them will register it as their own anyway), or if they wanted me to pay the registration and then just reimburse me for what I paid. I refuse to pay to register a car that I will turn over custody of without ever driving it under the new registration.

Anyway...I told them I need to know ASAP since I'm about to leave the country, and they haven't responded to me. I don't want to lose my patience with them, because my Sky will be coming in while I'm gone and I truly am grateful to them for holding it for me to return. But it looks like I may have to act without knowing what they would want me to do: so what would you guys do? Would you let the Mercedes registration expire rather than get stuck with paying to register a car you will no longer own, or would you pay it and hope to get reimbursed by the dealer?

P.S. Not the first time this has happened with this dealer, or the other ones I initially contemplated deposits with. Look, I know it is frustrating to have people bugging you about their Skys all the time. But I only write/call maybe once or twice a month. I hardly think it is going out of their way to reply back to us when all of us Sky buyers are paying 30K to them for this car. sigh.

[deluke]

Originally Posted by stacib

I'm a little frustrated right now. First off, let me say, I love my salesperson, she is very sweet to get the sales manager to hold my Sky until I return from out of town. But it drives me crazy that nobody over there ever responds to emails and sometimes doesn't return phone calls.

I am planning on trading in my Mercedes on the 27th, but my CA vehicle registration is due on 9/8. I go out of town for three weeks on the 4th. So I asked my dealer if they wanted me to let the registration expire (since the new buyer from them will register it as their own anyway), or if they wanted me to pay the registration and then just reimburse me for what I paid. I refuse to pay to register a car that I will turn over custody of without ever driving it under the new registration.

Anyway...I told them I need to know ASAP since I'm about to leave the country, and they haven't responded to me. I don't want to lose my patience with them, because my Sky will be coming in while I'm gone and I truly am grateful to them for holding it for me to return. But it looks like I may have to act without knowing what they would want me to do: so what would you guys do? Would you let the Mercedes registration expire rather than get stuck with paying to register a car you will no longer own, or would you pay it and hope to get reimbursed by the dealer?

P.S. Not the first time this has happened with this dealer, or the other ones I initially contemplated deposits with. Look, I know it is frustrating to have people bugging you about their Skys all the time. But I only write/call maybe once or twice a month. I hardly think it is going out of their way to reply back to us when all of us Sky buyers are paying 30K to them for this car. sigh.

I would not register it in my opinion. Your not going to be driving it. I'm sure your car will be here by the time you get back.

But the best thing to do is go down to the Dealership. But if your going to transfer the registration from the other car to the new one then I would say pay it. Sky Spy should know moreof what to do.

Does your dealer even know that you know the car has been made and invoiced ? I would say because of the Holiday weekend your car may be shipped by this weekend.( or tomorrow )

[stacib]

Originally Posted by deluke

Does your dealer even know that you know the car has been made and invoiced ? I would say because of the Holiday weekend your car may be shipped by this weekend.( or tomorrow )

Yes, they know it is coming. That is my other worry. Initially, the saleswoman said, "I convinced the manager to hold your car the extra week until you get back." I was so giddy on the phone I didn't clarify...will he hold it an extra week, or will he hold it until I get back? Because I'm almost certain that the car will probably get there 10-15 days before I return.

I would definitely leave the Benz unregistered if I could be POSITIVE they would hold it for the extra two weeks so I knew for a fact I would be dropping off the Benz and driving home in the Sky on the 27th. But alas, that would require a return phone call or email...

I wish I could drive out there, but they are over an hour away, and unfortunately, I have tons of errands to do today since I leave Monday -- thanks for the suggestion though.

[Rick Tinley Park]

From conversations with my Sales Consultant and the General Manager at the Saturn Store I use, I have cobbled out this explanation:
The Sales Consultant has to sell cars -- the SKY you ordered needed no selling - in fact was sold before you walked in. The Aura's IONs and other Saturns need sales people. Therefore they have little time to follow the build of your car (often the SCs do not have access to the computer database only the Managers).
Most stores have put one person in charge of the SKYs. Most often it seems to be the General Manager (GM). This way the 10-30-60 people who have bought SKYs have one person to contact; and that person (if they are smart) has a routine that they use EG: One update a week, perhaps email updates. My GM sent the actual GM Workbench report... Sweet! Yet it took seconds as he attached the report and sent it email -- he told me if often took less than a minute. And when it gets close; a bonus report (Its BUILT here is your VIN kinda stuff). This allows your Sales Consultant to sell and service the customers and the GM to Manage the Halo cars that require more hands on during the order/build process than the other models... Once I took delivery my Sales Consultant took over again as my prime contact.

[cerberus]

If this doesn't sound off the wall, it'll at least show how little I know about car sales.
CA has so many rules about the sale process, it would nag at me that maybe it could impact the purchase.
I'd call up different Saturn dealerships until I got a sales manager and ask them what they thought,
just to find out if it's a procedural glitch if it's not registered, or a showstopper.
Anything to get off to vacation without any doubts.
(BTW, I have a hard time accepting that it could really be a problem, but would want to know for sure.)

Good luck. Enjoy the vaca.

[GetAboutRL]

you have a choice ....

1. keep your insurance in force and your plates at home for your vacation

2. give your county motor vehicle office your vanity plates to hold until you return ... and cancell your insurance until your car is delivered and ready for you to take title.
Most departments provide this service so you do not loose your vanity plates because of delays.

[SSC_Summit]

Originally Posted by stacib

I'm a little frustrated right now. First off, let me say, I love my salesperson, she is very sweet to get the sales manager to hold my Sky until I return from out of town. But it drives me crazy that nobody over there ever responds to emails and sometimes doesn't return phone calls.

I am planning on trading in my Mercedes on the 27th, but my CA vehicle registration is due on 9/8. I go out of town for three weeks on the 4th. So I asked my dealer if they wanted me to let the registration expire (since the new buyer from them will register it as their own anyway), or if they wanted me to pay the registration and then just reimburse me for what I paid. I refuse to pay to register a car that I will turn over custody of without ever driving it under the new registration.

Anyway...I told them I need to know ASAP since I'm about to leave the country, and they haven't responded to me. I don't want to lose my patience with them, because my Sky will be coming in while I'm gone and I truly am grateful to them for holding it for me to return. But it looks like I may have to act without knowing what they would want me to do: so what would you guys do? Would you let the Mercedes registration expire rather than get stuck with paying to register a car you will no longer own, or would you pay it and hope to get reimbursed by the dealer?

There is no excuse for not returning phone calls or emails. That said - there may be a good reason. (Unlikely but possible)

As for your registration, that is your responsibility - not the dealers. It is extremely unlikely they will be willing to pay it for you, or reimburse you in any way. Its not the dealers fault you're going to Europe.

[stacib]

Originally Posted by SSC_Summit

Its not the dealers fault you're going to Europe.

Actually, my vacation has nothing to do with it. I would have the same situation facing me if I were staying in town. Registration expiring a week before I receive my car. My being out of the country is irrelevant as far as the registration goes. I'm thinking about what cerberus said: that it may affect the sale of my trade. Grr, I just want all of this mess taken care of. Is it so much to just want to drive my Sky without paying to register a Mercedes I am getting rid of? (Note: I got really funny looks from the guys at Al and Ed's Audio when they removed my ipod kit from the Benz and found out I was trading it in for a Saturn. Guess they haven't seen how pretty the Sky is...)

[cerberus]

Originally Posted by stacib

Actually, my vacation has nothing to do with it. I would have the same situation facing me if I were staying in town. Registration expiring a week before I receive my car. My being out of the country is irrelevant as far as the registration goes. I'm thinking about what cerberus said: that it may affect the sale of my trade. Grr, I just want all of this mess taken care of. Is it so much to just want to drive my Sky without paying to register a Mercedes I am getting rid of? (Note: I got really funny looks from the guys at Al and Ed's Audio when they removed my ipod kit from the Benz and found out I was trading it in for a Saturn. Guess they haven't seen how pretty the Sky is...)

Hmm. But I don't want to raise doubts or spook you. I just look at all possibilities.
I'm thinking more about what SSC said. I'd expect if it were kink to the deal, he'd probably mention it, unless he did obtusely.
Why not just keep it registered properly and be safe and done with it.
What's a few hundred to register if it's your responsibility technically anyway?
Just playing devils advocate here (don shoot me...)
Now the doubt is out of the bottle, will it distract you on vaca? Could be cheap insurance in a way.

[SSC_Summit]

Originally Posted by stacib

Actually, my vacation has nothing to do with it. I would have the same situation facing me if I were staying in town. Registration expiring a week before I receive my car. My being out of the country is irrelevant as far as the registration goes.

I see. I am just jealous of your trip I suppose which is why I brought it up.

Look on the bright side, you can deduct it for your taxes.

[cerberus]

Originally Posted by SSC_Summit

Look on the bright side, you can deduct it for your taxes.

Actually, only a portion of the registration fee can be deducted on your taxes.

So, it there any reason why the dealer would care of the car being traded in has an expired registration?

[stacib]

Hey everyone who wrote in, thanks for the advice. I ended up playing safe rather than sorry and just re-registered the Mercedes. You were right SSC and Cerberus, why have one more worry on my trip? (If long flights, terrorist attacks in Istanbul and London, and so forth were not already on my mind).

Thanks again everyone...

P.S. My salesperson just emailed me back so I love them again. (I'm crazy, I know)...

[SSC_Summit]

Originally Posted by cerberus

Actually, only a portion of the registration fee can be deducted on your taxes.

So, it there any reason why the dealer would care of the car being traded in has an expired registration?

True ... and sure - a dealer could absorb that fee if they wanted. On a Sky sale though... not likely

[ykS]

usually, you will have to pay any fees/reg. when you trade a car in; (or, the dealer will absorb the cost, and the next customer who purchases the vehicle will end up paying it in the price of the vehicle); this is usually deducted from the trade-in ACV; somehow, the fees are collected by the DMV, bottom line.

[Crimson Avenger]

Be sure to not just let it expire outright.

There is a fine that will have to be paid in addition to the registration when it's time to re-register it or transfer the vehicle.

What you should do is to put it on "planned non-operation" status.

Here's the link from the DMV site: Reporting Vehicle Status (Registered vs. Non-Operational)

That fee is only $16:

Originally Posted by DMV Fees Table

Planned Non-Operation (PNO) Fee (all vehicles, including OHV) (VC §4604) $16

They are pretty strict about it. Thus unless you plan to park it in your garage, NOT on the street , and have it towed (flatbed?) to the dealership, you'll have to register it as soon as you return from your trip to be able to drive it to the dealership:

Originally Posted by DMV FFVR1 FAQ

What if I Decide to Operate my Non-Operational Status Vehicle?

If your vehicle has a valid non-operational status on file with the DMV and you decide to operate it, full registration renewal fees (and full or prorated weight fees, if appropriate) become due on the date of first operation. These fees must be paid prior to operating the vehicle or penalties will be assessed.

NOTE: When a non-operational status is set on the vehicle record, the registration expiration date is left unchanged.

Be warned that if you do park your car on the street or in a public parking lot (and not in your garage) the expired tags, it may well be towed away by the time you return from your trip, and that would be FAR more expensive than the registration cost.

Based on these DMV rules, it's best just to pay the registration. Given the prices of the two cars, these fees seem like a low percentage issue.

Regarding the responsiveness of your dealer, a visit to the dealership might solve that problem.

------

From the dealer's and subquent customer's perspective, there is no way around the DMV fees. If you don't pay them, you'll pass the fees on to the dealer, and cause the dealer to incur the penalty fees which can be fairly substantial.

Now, if you really believe that the dealer is going to just eat those fees, you're sadly mistaken. The profit margin on the sale of the car is only going to be about double the registration fees. Thus, for the transaction, they will decrement the trade in on your Mercedes by the amount of the registration fee and the penalty fees.

Here's the pertinent section from the FAQ:

Originally Posted by DMV Vehicle Registration FAQ

———BUYER BEWARE!———

If you purchase a vehicle, you will be responsible for past due fees and penalties when you transfer the title into your name, unless:

• Registration is current.
• A non-operational status is on file with the DMV. Fees must be paid before operation to avoid penalties.
• The vehicle was otherwise exempt from these reporting requirements.