About to cancel my order
 

I ordered an R/T three months ago. The car has been built, left the factory and is at a holding facility. A truck is on it's way to load the car and then depart for the dealer. It should arrive in the next few days. Sadly, my excitement has been crushed. Here's the situation:
There were three incentives at the time:
1-Employee Pricing
2-Auto show rebate ($500)
3-O% financing with $1000 bonus cash
The dealer told me today the first two items are "Sold Order Protected" but the third is not due to bankruptcy and Chrysler Financial no longer exists. I wanted to pay in full, but ironically they didn't want you to if you wanted the $1000 off. The only way to pay in full and get the discount would be to pay through a credit union, which I don't have.
I'm not someone to pay one penny above the price agreed upon. I will be calling and emailing Chrysler telling them they are in no position to screw over customers at a time like this, especially over $1000 for preexisting order agreements while they struggle with a multi-billion debt. They should cherish their customers and do everything to keep them, not piss them off and alienate them. I'll offer to pay in full if they honor the $1000 bucks and see if they want a sale or to be stuck with another car on the lot having to find a new customer. I guess I'll have to look for another car if they want to be stubborn jerks.

Sounds like” bend-over financing” (and I don’t mean trying to help). I would stick to my guns if I were you, as a deal is a deal and if the dealership’s word is no good….why do business with them. I would try elevating it to the District Manager level (then higher if need be), as it helped my parents many years ago while trying to deal with the dealer they took their Oldsmobile to for servicing. It may help, or it may just become a writing exercise…but it’s worth a try. I still find it unbelievable that Chrysler dealers would continue to act in this manner while the home office is sinking deeper and deeper in red ink.
It seems as if Chrysler has failed to learn that it is their loyal past customers that have kept them in business all these years, and are their best bet to continue into the future…but, it’s the PT Cruiser story all over again…
(Fool me once shame on me, fool me twice shame on me…)

They should honor their agreements with you but dont think the car will be looking long for a buyer long, maybe a day or so and there goes your car! If you want what you ordered, I would take it, after all you get employee price. But I know that wasn't the deal. Depends on how bad you want what you custom ordered! Read other threads, some are paying way over to get one.

Your already getting employee pricing WTF else do you want? if CFC doesnt exist how is it the dealers fault that you dont get the extra 1000.? Maybe you shouldve done a dealertrade and gotten a car that way so you wouldve gotten the CFC 1000. In my 10 yrs in the car business i tell people and sometimes they think its BS 'part of getting a good deal is knowing when to take it' It amazes me how may crybabies there are in this country today.They want to write letters/lawsuits/complain. Let me break it to you like this if you cant afford 33k,you cant afford 32k.

Boy have you got nerve! "WTF else do you want?" How about Dodge not trying to rip me off by $1000! Not the dealers fault? It's not mine either. I'm not paying for Chrysler's poor management of their company to the point where they were forced to file for bankruptcy. "Crybabies" and "if can't afford 33k you can't afford 32k"? Well, since you don't seem to think $1000 is a big deal, you can pay it for me! Affordability is not the point when a company is trying to screw you over. It's not as if I was just taking a salesman's word on it which I would never do. The $1000 cash bonus was "Sold Order Protected" to be paid by Chrysler who should be stuck with it, not me or the dealer. With the billions they spend and continue to beg the government for (which is really our tax dollars), $1000 to them is nothing. Do you think if I went to Dodge and told them I'm in financial ruin and will now pay $1000 less than what I originally agreed to they would go along with it? Of course not! Sure isn't the way to treat customers, and only lead them to buy from a competitor.

Thanks Dads. You're right about it being a risk when you stand your ground. On one hand, the car is very appealing and there are people who just don't care much about pricing and buying from a bankrupt company. On the other, it is well known the company is a mess and buying anything from them carries it's own risks. I doubt the showrooms are bustling with activity. Some of the rebates they're offering for other models show their desperation for customers. I called the rebate center and they said the district manager at the regional business center can sometimes do an overwrite or policy adjustment. I've already left a message with the district manager so we'll see.

Sounds like you really need to buy a Prius-they are all whiners like you. Toyota dealers arent hurting,dealerships are bustling and the next thing you'll bitch about is fuel economy when gas goes back to $3-4 a gallon.

German:
You're another obnoxious member so I won't waste much time with you. When a deal is made and incentives are Sold Order Protected, the company is responsible for the agreement. If they go back on it, that's up to them, but they'll lose customers. It's not the customer's problem if they go bankrupt and can take their business to a competitor who will not try to raise the price after a deal is agreed upon. Since a $1000 isn't a lot of money to you and someone is being a "whiner" who is "bitching" when the company reneges on a deal, then you pay the $1000.

Well, I'm kind of mixed on this one. I would be upset about the $1,000 also, but at the same time you are getting the employee discount. That's a deal in itself. As mentioned above, there are many people who didn't get the employee pricing and missed out. I got lucky. Timing is sometimes everything.

Now on the flip side of this, if you were to go bankrupt and have a credit card company on your butt, back before Bush, you would be able to say goodbye to all of that debt no matter what you owed. You still can now, but it takes a lot more effort. That's what's going on here, they are still giving you deals, so working with you, but they aren't able to give you the full deal even though they are bankrupt. Overall that's not to bad of a deal.

Now the credit union is definitely an option. If you don't want to do that, then I say at that point that's your choice and you have no one to blame but yourself. You don't need anything special these days like you have in the past to join a credit union. You can usually open a savings account and throw about $25, more or less depending on the credit union, into it, or pay a member fee, sometimes both, and they'll finance the vehicle for you.

In my opinion, if this is something that you don't want to do because Chrysler promised this to you and it's to inconvenient, or whatever the case may be, then maybe it really isn't the car for you.

Just to give you a heads up though, was just at one of the Camaro grand reveal ordeals they were doing and it sounds that they are going to be just as bad as Dodge dealers. A salesman there said that they will probably be marking up the Camaro's $10k just like the Challengers. And here I thought Chevy wasn't going to bring themselves down to the same level. I guess money talks.

Chuck, it sounds to me like it is the principle more than the money that is leading you to consider cancelling the order. If you will always feel like you were screwed on the deal, it will tarnish the ownership experience a little bit.

Axel had great advice about joining a credit union, which is usually pretty easy to do.

If that is not an option, maybe a manager can do something to meet you halfway. "So sorry, Mr. Chuck, the government made GMAC take over Chrysler Financial, so they can't give you the deal that they had been offering, please select $500 worth of dealer accessories for your new car, and we will give them to you on the house." Or something like that.

If you can get enough of a gesture from them to make you feel respected, take the deal because you're getting the car well below MSRP, and probably not far from invoice.

Are you going to feel worse if you take the deal, as presented? Or if you walk away from a deal that's still probably discounted $3-4K? That's still a lot better than you would be able to negotiate today.
And if you don't buy it, they are going to turn around and sell it for full price to someone else.
So yeah... Chrysler Credit screwed you. Chrysler screwed a lot of people for a lot more money.
But if you go away mad, your good deal (which it still is) benefits the dealer, or Chrysler, and not yourself.
As someone who has been trying to beat on dealers, for nearly two months, for half of the discount that you're getting, I don't have a great deal of sympathy, beyond to say that it sucks.
Butch up. Or forget it and go away.
Having gotten that off my chest, I sincerely hope you don't choose to go away.
Buy your car. You'll kick yourself if you don't.

Edit - Credit unions are not that difficult, as others have posted. Even if you don't have access to one, you may have a family member who does. Usually, any family member of an existing member is eligible.
At least look around. It's worth a grand.

Chrysler credit didn't screw him, the government did...they forced GMAC to take over Chrysler financial.....

The dealer I bought from did something similar...agreed on a price then when I was about to sign they said the dealership owner said the deal was crazy and said the best they could do was a few hundred bucks higher than the agreed upon price. I was mad...not over the money but the principle...so I walked....and they let me. I got a few miles down the road and figured that I was still getting a good price.

Bottom line..if you want the car just get it, the $1000 you have to fork out will be well worth your enjoyment!

Chuck - I was in the same position on my order of an R/T Classic, had all the promos & everything ended 4/30/09 with no car but a deal on paper. I too was very angry and wanted "someone" to do "something" about my loss. (You are getting your order)
But being the son of a principled man who taught all his son's to stand for what we believe in. He also taught us to "carefully choose when to stand & when to compromise for your principle can leave you lonily, cold, tired, & hungry....but you will have your principles my son...so know what it is that you want in life and stand for it"
So guy, it come downs to this - do you want the car? Then get it...they ain't making any new ones for 2009 and maybe never again, who knows?
I agreed to a good deal on the last R/T 6-spd on the lot...just 15 minutes ahead of the guy coming in after me to get it. (yes, I did meet him) (When I went back to pick the car up after the dealer detailing, another guy pulls in, in his 340 duster, coming to get the car.) It cost me a little more than the original deal, but I got the car I've waited decades for... & WOW and I'm glad I'm not on the curb wondering "what if".

Semantics. But yeah. You're right.
The thing to remember is that this is not "business as usual". "Stuff" happens.
Other "stuff" is going to happen. The dealer didn't intend to burn anyone, at least in this instance.
The O/P will still be way ahead of the game if he takes the car.
I bought my car second-hand. I still thank my lucky stars that I found the deal that I did.

hey chuck i feel your pain. i have a b5 classic on order status g the last update i got since the the bankrupcy filing date. I had employee pricing, 1000 dollar cash back and 0 percent fincancing thru chysler financal. Key word had. I am keeping my order even though it will cost me more to get. That was a great deal and is why i ordered mine feburary 19 because i knew i would never get such a deal again. Well they went bankrupt. Sucks for all of us. Chysler financal no longer exists. How can the honor what doesnt exist anymore? If you want to stand on principle that is fine but you will be standing not driving lol.This is uncharted water for everyone and i dont like losing such a great deal but what are the options. No dealer has what i want exactly (which is why i ordered) i could have gotten a car off the lot and that is a good option i would take if my car order status was unclear. You know yours is built .
be happy and patient there are alot of people who dont even know if their order will be built. It will cost you more yes. But if you really want the car like i do you are just going to have to pay a little more. Besides you said you can pay for it in full so just take a different style loan and then just pay it off early. I understand standing up for principle but no one set us up to be screwed it is just what happens when i company restructures things change.

Kinda have to agree with german shepard. What do you want? Cancel your order if principle means that much to you but it wasnt unprincipled people who changed the situation for all of us. THEY WENT BANKRUPT !!!!!!!!!! And as far as not responding to his comments you have to take the good with the bad if you want to air your views here otherwise vent to yourself.