Anyone notice that some dealers are gaming the carguru ranking system?
Asked by Tony Oct 04, 2014 at 03:43 PM about the 2014 Audi A7 3.0T quattro Premium Plus AWD
Question type: Shopping & Pricing
Anyone notice that some dealers are gaming the carguru system using bait and switch
techniques? This Audi dealer claims that this car is not available when you inquire about
it. "Sorry, you just missed it. But take a look at this other car (that is not priced very
well)".
It continues to show up highly ranked as a "good" deal.
http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action
?
cgLocale=en&entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=t51765&zip=32901&sourceContext=Pr
iceCalculator_false_0&showListingId=93242506#listing=93242506
5 Answers
Tony you are not alone. Dealers do it all to often, and make this site look bad when it's out of the control of the CarGurus Admin. For the record, I am just a guy that tries to help folks-- when I can-- with their car problems and in no way affiliated with the CG Admin, and/or operators of this site.
MJ_AUTO_SALES answered 8 years ago
CarGurus makes an effort to provide pricing information that allows a person searching for a great deal and get a very good deal on their next car. They cannot control exactly what each dealer does and what poor ethical choices some dealers make. However, there certainly are times when a vehicle has a great price, sells quickly, gets removed from the inventory listing as quickly as possible, but is seen by another person who contacts the dealer before he had time to remove it from the listing. Sometimes we just need to understand no system is perfect and there actually are some honest dealers who sell vehicles quickly at great prices and can't get them removed from the listings fast enough. I personally am frustrated when it happens to me and I have already sold a vehicle that gets another request for information and have to tell them that it is already sold.
The problem seems to be the dealer says they cannot remove the listing until financing has gone through. That was 5 days ago. Their email responses also strained credibility. If this listing stays up, I would like to flag this dealer for deceptive practices. http://www.melbourneaudi.com/used/Audi/2014-Audi-A7- ce8bc4c40a0a006436771383780b0d7a.htm
Also sometimes a Dealer will have one specific, particular car 'on sale', which is a real car with a real price, legitimate all around. They attract attention to their Dealership with that car, a one-time deal, and there is nothing wrong with that. It's not a bait-and-switch because that car does exist
Tony watch for an email from CarGurus asking you for a Dealer review. It will come in about a week, be sure to check spam, then you can write your experience for the world to see Some Dealers DO bait-and switch, Comment NOT directed at MJ Auto Sales, but have seen it happen. But a car is really not 'sold' until it's paid for, i.e. until financing goes through. Some Dealers allow the buyer to drive away with the car, usually only when their credit is good and wait for payment. If it falls through they take the car back.
