Juan Deaux

Here's the story so far:

At the end of July I went to my local Acura dealership and test drove a 5AT TSX. It was OK but I was more interested in a 6MT. A couple weeks later one came in, I drove it and liked it. The salesman told me they had a NHB/Ebony TSX coming in. Said it had been ordered and it usually takes 2-3 weeks to get here. He told me that in order to lock in a good lease rate I needed to sign the lease by the end of the month which I did, assuming I would take delivery of the car within a couple weeks.

Now, here it is the second week of September and I still don't have the car! That's irritating enough but what really pisses me off is that I am now getting bills from the leasing company for a car I don't have. When I agreed to this deal, I assumed my payments would not start until I got the car. The salesman didn't tell me anything to the contrary. I asked the rep at the leasing company if he had ever heard of anything like this. He said he hadn't.

Has anyone else run into this situation? What did you do about it? Did the dealer offer anything to make up for it?

**BTW, I am leaving out the name of the dealership until this matter is completely resolved.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Uh...this is kinda your own fault. You never sign a lease until you see the car.

But now that you're stuck in this situation, first, did they give you a specific arrival date of the car? Did they guarantee you no payments until the car arrives and is in your hands? If so, then you can call Acura customer support and speak to the regional manager and tell them what happened. They'll find a way to anull the contract since this technically would be a breech of contract on their part.

Juan Deaux

I agree, I shouldn't have signed the lease. And, no they didn't give me a specific date. However, I had to wait a few days for my last car (2001 Audi A4) and had no problems whatsoever. I really wasn't expecting this...

Jim Holloman

> by the end of the month

There's the key to what happened.

If you were in the USA, I would suggest sending a certified letter to both the leasing company and the dealership demanding (state it as a demand) that the agreement be annulled and all monies paid be fully refunded.

Then, if they do not do what is right, and ethnical, it is probably time to talk with an attorney. Get the certification slip from the post office before sending the letter and reference the number within the letter.

DEVO

i think you mean ethical and not ethnical...

Jim Holloman

A better legal term is "rescinded".

Thanks, DEVO (I don't always say what I mean -- and it is always good when one can laugh at themselves -- LOL)

iamhomin

Take the payment papers to the salesman and literally shove it in his face. Make him resolve your issues.

It just doesn't make sense to make a payment on a lease when the vehicle hasn't even arrived!

LannyM

Does the paperwork that you signed list a VIN#? I can't imagine that the dealer would be able to write a contract through a leasing company without it. I would also think that the leasing company would not want the dealer to pull a scam like this..........

The dealer has a list of the cars that he receiving; typically they get the VIN# about 10 days before the car gets there. Now, if he had the VIN# back in late July and the car is still not there, then there is a problem.

What does the dealership have to say about you receiving this bill?

Juan Deaux

There is a VIN# on the lease paperwork. I did ask several times about when the car was actually shipped and never got a straight answer. The sales manager told me "We just sell 'em. We have no control over shipping." I asked him to refund the payments made prior to receiving the car. He hesitated and then said he would cut me a check when I take delivery. He said the car would probably be here 9/6. That conversation was a week ago and the car is still not here. Meanwhile, I had to make a payment yesterday to the leasing company to avoid a late charge.

ianS

It is crazy! complaint to Honda Canada, local press...etc.

biker

Ask for the demo 6MT until your car arrives.

gfxdave99

SHiit man, wheres my MOTHERF&(@&@(CAR, Yall betta hook a brotha up before I CAP YO ASS!

crisco

Hold on one second...if you're in Canada, how are you getting a NHB with ebony interior?? I thought they only come with parchment up here....

Juan Deaux

I am not in Canada. I am in the US at present.

observer

Nice to meet you, Juan! I like your name . . . is John Doe your cousin?!

JeffTSX

I feel you man. I almost fell for the same situation as well, but I've asked the sales rep to change the date to when the car arrvies. His words were "Oh yeah, opps sorry!!!"
But yeah, you should call up the dealer and talk to them. Tell them you're unhappy and I'm sure they will arrange something.

Colin

Rates and residuals vary each month. If last months rates were were better (they were) you were saving money by signing early. Of course it reaches a point where the money saved is not worth the lack of a car and the payment made for that month. Lets say you saved $10 bucks a month by signing early. On a 48 month lease that's $480. If your payment was say $450 it would take around a month before you started "losing money"

IMO at this point you should request thay provide you with a loaner. It doesn't sound to me like someone has specfically promised something and not delivered. It sounds like a case of too many assumptions on both parties. The sales consultant was probably trying for some month-end thing, but at the same time he was trying to offer an honest price savings for you. I have been in this situation and I feel its a "win win" as long as both parties fully understand that we have no control over when the cars actually arrive. I can assure you that his commission is being held till your car is delivered and he wants you to have it as much as you do. Stay calm and work it out. Good Luck.

gt0279a

A leasing contract is not valid until you physically drive the exact VIN # car as stated on the leasing paperwork. I know this is a fact if you lease w/ American Honda and other Dealer owned financing companies, not sure if you leased through another company.

I found this out the hard way.

A couple years back I went to lease a Honda Pilot and signed all the papers after I thought I had a good deal. Dealer had to trade for the car, so I didn't take delivery that night.

Couple days later they told me they couldn't give me what they had offered on my trade (like $2000 less) and offered a $1000 discount on the Pilot.

At first I said no way, but the sales manager informed me "I had signed the papers" At that time I felt there is no way they can change the deal like this and just hose people all day long. and they had my car sitting in their garage so I didn't know what to do.

Anyway, I went back to the dealer when the Pilot came in, test drove it, and decided I didn't want it. After more arguing with the sales manager, he then said I didn't have to buy the pilot, but "I was legally bound to buy a car from him" So I had to buy a car off his lot, any New Honda or any used car he had.

I Decided to leave the dealer and think it over. Luckily, I had been in contact with a salesman when looking at a few Acuras, and decided to call him up about this whole deal. He explained that the deal is not binding until you drive the car off the lot. At first I thought he was justing saying that to get me to come in and buy something from him, but I then called American Honda and got the same info.

Anyway, went back to the orginal dealer and chewed out the salesmanger in front of everybody (highlight on this experience) Got my car back and learned a valuable lesson.

Colin

Sorry I didn't mean to imply that legally the sale is binding since you haven't take delivery of the car yet. I only meant to say that if you want last month's rates and residuals, you need to have the contract dated as such.

jcg878

This is not true. My dealer kept sending me emails on the location of my car up until it was delivered (e.g. "it just arrived in San Diego", "it's in transit to the SE regional distribution center, having just passed through Tennessee", etc.). We had agreed on a price, but I didn't give him one penny until the car arrived so he had incentive to keep me interested.

Juan Deaux

Update:

I still don't have the car. The salesman called me last week and told me it was delayed and should be here 9/16. Today he e-mailed me and told me it is held up again. I am really tired of this game. I am going to the dealership today to return their loaner car and ask for my money back.

I will post later with another update.

TdotSSTSX

Well, it's too bad you're not in Canada, where it is illegal to enforce payments without possession of the property.

I had to wait 6 weeks AFTER signing the lease agreement, but didn't pay anything except for my deposit until the car arrived. They even gave me a free loaner while I waited for mine to arrive....