It's never a good sign when you're at the dealership, bargaining in good faith, and then you have to say something like, "I negotiate regularly with felons and other attorneys, so you're not going to win a word game against me." But that was the case for one woman whose car saga has spanned three TikToks, about 131,00 total views, and plenty of righteous indignation.
BMW Loyalist Wants to Switch to Audi
Attorneystara (@attorneystara) usually posts legal content. As a defense attorney, she has insight into the legal system and often weighs in on trending topics (she's got some things to say about the Sean Combs/Curtis Jackson situation).
Her recent car-buying experience was so "traumatic and horrible" that she took it to TikTok.
She's been a loyal BMW driver for about 20 years, but this time, she considered Audi. At the Audi dealership, she alleges she was bait-and-switched and bullied. They allegedly promised a price match but didn't honor it, and couldn't even provide her with a price for the car care package she was interested in purchasing.
Yet they kept texting her.
"Just Take The L, Man"
Under an on-screen banner that reads, "The Car Purchase Epilogue An[d] A Note on the BMW SERVICE and Tire and Wheel Protection Package," Attorneystara provides more context for her experience.
This second video has over 12,000 views. She alleges that even after the Audi salesperson confirmed that he couldn't honor the monthly payment he'd initially offered, he sent her a follow-up appointment confirmation.
She had no intention of following up with him based on a comment he purportedly made at their previous appointment.
"When I was telling him I didn't want to spend this much on the car, he was like, 'But really, isn't it about what car you like better?'" she reports.
Her reply: "No, actually, if it was about what car I like the best, I would've driven myself across the street to the Aston Martin dealership. But I didn't do that because I'm not an idiot."
Sexism at the Dealership?
Then she says that pressuring her and ignoring her budget felt rooted in sexism.
"Because really, where it's coming from is the idea that, as a woman, I'm not making my decisions based on finances; I'm making them based solely on aesthetics," she says.
She acknowledges that buying a car is partially an aesthetic decision and says she's lucky to be able to afford a car that she likes (the Audi sticker price was $87,000).
However, she says looks aren't everything. "So no, I'm not going to make an $87,000 purchase based solely on aesthetics," she says.
She's Not Alone In Her Discomfort
The comments section reads like a roll call of annoyed women dealing with patronizing car salesmen. All the greatest hits are here, from "let me talk to your husband," to "the add-ons are mandatory."
"I didn't like the car salesman at the local dealer for various reasons … went to another dealer who treated me with respect and bought the exact same car," said Beccasto. "Told sleazy salesman we bought elsewhere and he proceeded to berate me for 'lack of loyalty' I instructed him to never contact me again and had a long conversation with his manager."
Goygirl shared her experience, writing, "My guy lied to me and told me certain add-ons were mandatory. I asked someone else and found out he lied. He promised to take the cost off, then when I was with finance, I saw he simply added it on in a miscellaneous column. Just utter trash humans."
Then Mr. Boring recalled an experience his mom had: "A salesman once asked my mother if she should call my dad before buying her Audi. She laughed in dudes face…walked out of the dealership after that and got the exact same car at another location for cheaper."
What's Up With the Bullyish Tactics?
Though the consumer public is more savvy and informed than ever before, Forbes reports, salespeople still sometimes resort to high-pressure tactics. The problem with this is that urgency needs to have a reason. Without one, it's just a transparent sales tactic.
Bully tactics, too, often backfire, because customers find them "insulting and get turned off immediately," notes that same article.
Why continue to use these strategies?
It's something of a psychological dance, says Consumer Reports. It reports that salespeople are trained to create a sense of urgency to shake the buyer's confidence. They'll also advertise low prices online, only to try to load you up on pricey extras.
Finally, one of the disarming methods used is the "Four Square," which seems transparent (trade value, purchase price, down payment, and your monthly payment), but is designed to part you from more of your money, notes Consumer Reports.
"Salespeople will write in big letters, turn the sheet over, and write over and cross out numbers to make it as confusing as possible, all in an attempt 'to wear you down and make you sign,'" the site says.
So, how do you avoid being taken advantage of? Research, begin negotiations before you step into the dealership, and if you don't understand something, say "no."
Incidentally, Attorneystara went with the BMW. She says she's very pleased.
Motor1 reached out to Attorneystara via her TikTok direct messages and to Audi via its media email. We'll update this if either replies.
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