So today after class i decided to take a trip to one of the local scion dealers (Northway Scion) to check out the tC get and some more info on buying one. Keep in mind this was my first trip to a dealer and as a college student i'm looking to buy my first new car. After my brief conversation w/ the sales guy about the tC spec package (if they had any, wait time to get one etc.) and after that he asked me if i had anymore questions and I told him i would like to test drive the car so i can re-affirm my decision to purchase it within the next few months and see if it lives up to what i've read about it and my image of how it should feel and ride. he then gave me a very quick "no. that would be a wait of our time and your time. you'll forget how it handled by then. come back a month before you plan on buying it and then test drive it." well genius if the wait time that you told me for the tC spec is 2-3 months i would want to order it soon and probably within the next month or two so i can put my foot down and say this is definitely the car for me or if i really dislike it start looking for something else and check out the aftermarket offerings for that car so i can order most of the parts before i pick the car up at the dealership so im ready to go. also i don't think i'll forget how it rides/handles.

so i was wondering is this how most dealers handle potential customers or was it because i'm a freshmen in college? needless to say i'm not getting my car from that dealer and will seek out one of the other local dealers for my car purchase.

 

No, that should not be acceptable. If I were you I would notify Scion with a nice and polite telephone call and submit a compaint.

 

i went into a scion dealer with a buddy of mine and the salesman was more than happy to let me test drive it. i also told him i wont be buying it for a few months too.

Thomas Wong @ melody scion.....great guy. He did not pressure me one bit

 

the guy i talked to put some pressure on. when i told him when i was going to buy it he said "why so long?" my wait obviously has to be for a good reason or else i would've bought one today. my dilemma is that i've been saving for 2 years for a new car and just need a little more $$$ and most of all parental approval (which blows). they said i can't buy it till its absolutely necessary or i have to pay the same amount the car cost for college

 

yeah screw that...go to another dealer

 

my boy took his tc in for an oil change. i spoke to the sales person an told him i was going to by my tc in a few months .. the handed me the keys.. an me an my boy to the tc for a test drive while they sales person attended to a other customers.

 

that just kind of makes me laugh

 

Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience. I dont think it is really worth writing to scion about, but I would choose a dealer that seemed to appreciate your potential business more than that.
As for getting a Spec package tC in the summer, from what I have heard, I dont believe that they will be available then. I havent recieved one in quite awhile and I would be surprised if I ever got another one. It was a fairly limited run, and as I understand it, not a particularly successfull one @ that.
I only have one left and it is in my showroom @ the moment. Good luck!! Once you do find somebody that will let you take a spin in one I bet you'll be counting the days till you can get one!! Later~ Dan

 

That is not a normal experience. My sales person went out of his way to ensure that I was comfortable with the entire process.
Good luck!

 

what the "i should have it by summer part" or my planned upgrades? as you can see i'm stoked about getting one (eventually) and i like to figure stuff out well in advance. i do it so i can budget accordingly, make sure i've researched everything thoroughly to make certain that they're good products and the ones i should buy and put in my car.

 

that experience shouldnt have been like that. I dont think I ever had to ask for a test drive, the sales people always offered me the keys...

 

aah thats not cool. worse comes to worse i guess i'll just have to fork out an extra $1,400. hopefully i'll be able to find one

(would/could a local dealer get one from another dealership?)

 

I'm just guessing, but it seems a lot of people think it's silly to list all that in a sig.
Makes no difference to me, I just ignore that stuff.

 

I don't know if this helps but for the diferences between the spec and the regular I would wait a little more so I can get the full package. As for the experience it was not normal and if you decide to go with a Scion find a dealer hwere you receive the a good service and you feel comfortable with how they treated you. Just for that experience I wouldn't step foot on that dealer again. Just my opinion.

PS the planned mods sound great hope that when you get them you enjoy them since that is the most important part.

 

If there are any left @ that point there is a chance. Unfortunately for you, Toyota & Scion are not like domestic car companies. They plan there inventory well so that they only make what they need.
I remember back in 1996 when I bought my first new car, a Mustang. The 96's had been out for almost 6 months and they still had a couple 94's on the lot!!
If you want (or remember) shoot me a PM when your ready for one and I will run a search to see if there are any left.

 

well you are right with your first assumptions.. No, it's not normal. The guy couldn't make a sale off of you that day, so he felt that you were wasting his time.. Typical salesman attitude.. Find a different dealer!

 

awesome, thanks man

 

tC spec is really for hardcore people... skip it and get the regular tC. if one dealer treats you badly, reward them by shoping else where.

 

When I went in for a test drive, the salesman I'd been working with was with another customer, so he tossed me his key and his dealer plate and said "The black one should have a half a tank."

Of course, he *is* my brother-in-law. And he better at least get me the mud spats for Christmas.

 

I visited 4 dealers before I bought my tC, twice I had to ask for the test drive and twice they offered but either way they let me test drive them without a problem.
I would call the owner of the dealership first and then call Scion 2, you know work ur way up the chain of command. But yeah, definitly make a complaint.