Need Help - Any Contacts with a Dealership?

[choodock]

Last May I went with my wife to look at trading in our crew cab Silverado for a new Camaro. We had just recently traded her Altima for a Tahoe that I now drive, so we were going to trade the truck for what she wanted. When the salesman came to discuss the trade-in value of the truck it was way low compared to the blue book value trade-in value. When I told them they would have to increase the trade-in at least $5k, he told me they couldn't go any higher on a "fake" truck. I told him I didn't understand what he was talking about. He had the sales manager come over at that point and point out that my truck that I thought was an LTZ was actually only an LT. I bought the truck with 17k miles on it 3 years ago from a local Chevy dealership. The sales manager printed out the build sheet for the truck that clearly showed it is an LT. I contacted Chevy customer service and that emailed me the build sheet for the truck that also showed it as an LT. I took all this back to the general manager of the dealership that I purchased the truck from and he told me three different times that the truck is an LTZ, that he's been doing this for 20 years, and that my information and the other dealership are wrong and just trying to give a lower trade-in price for the truck. I went to an attorney at that point. Someone higher up in the corporation that owns the dealership contacted me and my attorney and said the general manager was wrong and apologized for how I was treated. Now my problem is that I need a written estimate from a dealership on the cost to convert the truck from an LT to an LTZ. The dealership that I originally tried to trade the truck in at that alerted me to the problem doesn't really want to get involved; the service department is really lazy. Do any of you have a contact in a service department of a Chevy dealership that could help me? Whatever dealership gives me a written estimate, we are going to trade the truck in with and use the settlement to buy a new Camaro. Any help or advice is appreciated.

 

[choodock]

Bump. Anyone?

 

[07Burb]

I don't have any contacts at a dealership but no matter how much you "convert it to an LTZ" it's still going to be an LT no matter what. Unless your lawyer can get the dealership that sold you the truck to buy it back from you for what it's worth (a buddy of mine was actually successful at that for a different reason...long story) then you're pretty much out of luck.

 

[soulsea]

^ Exactly ... in fact further modifying the truck might lower its resale value even further.

They sold it to you as an LTZ, the only equitable thing to do is for them to buy it back from you at LTZ KBB value.

---------- Post added at 10:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:17 AM ----------

+ legal fees

 

[07Burb]

^ Exactly ... in fact further modifying the truck might lower its resale value even further.

They sold it to you as an LTZ, the only equitable thing to do is for them to buy it back from you at LTZ KBB value.

^^this....if your lawyer can prove that they knowingly sold you an LT as an LTZ then he/she should be able to press for legal action unless they buy it from you for fair market value of an LTZ with your mileage.

 

[soulsea]

Btw, you could put this dealership in deep shit, especially if you still have pics of the truck when they had it listed ... cause to do what they did, they'd have to willfully and knowingly swap the LT lettering to LTZ. That is flat out fraud.

 

[Freedom Motorsports]

X3^^^

The original dealership should be held accountable and buy it back. There is no excuse for it. Also, in my experience, the burden is on them to know what they are selling, you and your attorney do not have to actually prove wrongful intent.

I ran into this a while back when a buddy (car salesman at a local used lot) sold a guy an 09 Cummins diesel that the previous owner had deleted all the emissions equipment and had the error codes tuned out. When the guy took it to a Dodge dealer for a factory ECM update, everything went all to H*** and the truck wouldn't run for crap. As a result, my buddy's dealer had to make it right. By the laws here in Va, it didn't matter whether they knew the emissions equipment had been removed, it was still their responsibility to fix the problem because they sold the truck with illegal aftermarket upgrades. I wound up helping them out by selling the guy an EFI Autocal with tuning that helped to make the truck run and eliminate the codes, but if the customer had insisted on them replacing the factory emissions eguipment, they would have been obligated by law to do so. Their foreknowledge did not matter, it is there responsibility to know what they are selling.

 

[choodock]

We are filing suit against the dealership for a violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Our issue is determining the amount of damages. There is about a $4,000 difference in blue book value. A $6,500 difference in MSRP when new. However, my attorney believes we could collect as damages the amount it would cost to add the features an LTZ would have. This is the amount it would take to make me "whole". We have no intent to actually make the conversion, because I could never sell the truck as an LTZ. The dealership I tried to trade it in at (that alerted me to the issue) only told me they think it would cost about $12k to add the options. We used this amount to send a demand letter to the dealership. 60 days has since passed and the dealership blew us off and now we are able to formally file the lawsuit. I need a written estimate before we actually file suit though. The local dealerships don't seem to want to get involved or spend the time to calculate the written estimate because they know we are not going to actually do the conversion.

And since they refused to work with us per our initial demand letter, my attorney said we will press that they knowingly sold me the truck without it being an LTZ (or rather should have known it was not an LTZ) and under Texas law can collect 3 times the amount as damages, plus attorney fees.

I'll be glad to pay someone for the estimate.

 

[soulsea]

Converting an LT to an LTZ isn't a matter of swapping out some moldings and slapping slapping some 20s on. The whole suspension system has to be changed, interior features probably have to be added and reprogrammed. Whatever more it costs to go from an LT to an LTZ on a dealer lot, you can almost double it if all the work has to be done post facto off of the factory line.

Btw, don't forget to report your situation to the bbb, consumer affairs, GM corporate, and any other relevant agency. And make sure the dealer knows you are going to do that.

Once they see your level of commitment and what it will cost them, both financially and pr wise, to fight a case they know they are going to lose, I suspect you will receive fair remedy.

Sob dealers like this are the scum of the earth.

 

[Freedom Motorsports]

The ONLY thing I would say about using the BBB for your situation is that if you want to use them, it is their policy not to get involved if you have already begun the law suit. They attempt to work between you and the dealership in an effort to allow the dealership an opportunity to make things right with you. IF the dealership does not make what they consider a good faith effort to remedy the situation then they will receive a permanent black mark on their profile. Then you go the law suit route. But, you can also skip the BBB and go straight to the law suit.

 

[erikrichard]

Just sue for the market value difference in the trucks, $4k right? no judge is going to listen to some bs estimate to make your truck an LTZ.
Btw, I don't understand how this could happen. A carfax and the title will list the trim level, but more importantly how did you buy an LT thinking it was an LTZ, didn't you do even a tiny bit of research before buying the truck? Whole story seems weird.

 

[choodock]

Just sue for the market value difference in the trucks, $4k right? no judge is going to listen to some bs estimate to make your truck an LTZ.
Btw, I don't understand how this could happen. A carfax and the title will list the trim level, but more importantly how did you buy an LT thinking it was an LTZ, didn't you do even a tiny bit of research before buying the truck? Whole story seems weird.

I never saw the title, but the purchase agreement and the registration only show Silverado 1500. They supplied me with a vehicle history report, but it also only showed Silverado 1500.

I took them at their word it was an LTZ. It is a Vortec Max and they said that was only available on an LTZ. It has black leather with six way power seats. It has power folding mirrors. It is a highly optioned LT. They told me the aftermarket woodgrain was factory. They fooled me. Of the three dealerships I went to, this was the only one with a crewcab that had leather. I didn't do enough research, but that doens't let them off the hook either.

 

[soulsea]

Trim level doesn't show that often on a title, in fact almost never. When I go to pay my DC excise tax on the Yukon or Escalade they actually ask me what rim level it is in order to determine value cause they can't see it on the existing title. I'm obviously always super honest with them.

And not everyone is an enthusiast who can tell the subtle and not so subtle differences between trim levels, and quite frankly they should not have to be in order to make sure that a dealer isn't defrauding them. It takes many of us weeks/months to figure these things out on this forum, and there's still little differences we miss. If I went to a BMW dealer today I shouldn't have to spend days or weeks beforehand making sure that the dealer is selling me the car he is selling me, simply because I haven't taken the time to be on a bimmer forum for a considerable time. A private party seller is a different ball game, but expectation of honesty in trim level from an authorized dealer is reasonable.

 

[07Burb]

Trim level doesn't show that often on a title, in fact almost never. When I go to pay my DC excise tax on the Yukon or Escalade they actually ask me what rim level it is in order to determine value cause they can't see it on the existing title. I'm obviously always super honest with them.

 

[soulsea]

SLE = Denali

 

[07Burb]

SLE = Denali

When declaring our Property Tax they just go by our VIN and call it good rather than even asking us a question like that knowing the answers they'll get

 

[Freedom Motorsports]

 

[SnowBuck]

Just how much is this "attorney” costing? I can’t believe it’s on a contingency basis. There’s only one “winner” in these kinda lawsuits – the attorney.

 

[07Burb]

Just how much is this "attorney” costing? I can’t believe it’s on a contingency basis. There’s only one “winner” in these kinda lawsuits – the attorney.

not always if it results in the dealership being forced to take the vehicle back and the consumer gets a "clean slate".

 

[choodock]

Just how much is this "attorney” costing? I can’t believe it’s on a contingency basis. There’s only one “winner” in these kinda lawsuits – the attorney.

He is taking it on a contingency basis. He gets reimbursed from the dealer for his actual costs plus 20% of the award amount.