The two people I've dealt with at Dean Team, an older floor manager and a younger sales guy, are not people I enjoyed at all. The sales guy ultimately never responded to a direct question when it must have become apparent my price was not matching theirs and the floor manager guy, wow, I thought I was talking to a "used car lot" low life, not a representative of VW.

Here's their deal: They don't make offers, in fact they don't take offers over the phone either without "a non-refundable $1000 deposit with your offer, which if accepted, will be billed to your credit card instantly" without actually calling you back first to confirm you are still fine with said offer. "If your offer is not accepted, (they) will provide a counter offer and call you back with that amount"

If the above isn't ridiculous enough, here's what game they ACTUALLY play: I called with an offer on a vehicle and provided a credit card number. What did I get? Well I sure as heck didn't get the BS they provided in a timely manner.

24 HOURS later when I call them, they say "your offer was not accepted, would you like to make another offer?" Seriously? I said. Where's your end of the bargain, you remember, your counter offer? "uh, well, we need you to first make a 'reasonable' offer....blah, blah, blah,...." This is where the floor manager started really sounding like he was selling something other than VW's.

Anyway, it only went downhill from their, he argued with me about what they "have in the car" even thought that amount was well above KBB. MY thought is, why is it whenever I've traded a car in, which this one was, do they say "I can't put more into it than I would just buying it from auction" but then it's like they always seems to have way more "in it" than anybody would ever dream of getting on trade?

Upon asking him that essentially, he floundered around and actually then started asking me if I would be willing to pay this or that amount, etc.

What a freakin jerk. Especially the 24 hour crap, right after he said "We'll get back to you in just moments about your offer if you give the deposit"

I'll be more than happy to discuss more over the phone with anyone calling that place.

 

Non of our options are perfect in the area (altho I have no Suntrup experience). I've bought from Dean (GTI and a Passat) when I lived in Ballwin, Auffenberg (GLI) and now Bommarito (TReg).

Auffenberg could've had my business on an Exec TReg. They took a deposit and said they had one of three(!) for me...3-4 days later, they finally called and said they couldn't get a single one of them.

That delay cost me some cash on the 2010 tax rebate...so along with poor communication they really just ticked me off and lost my purchase. Thus I went to Bomm.

They speak car talk over there, didn't know the TReg very well...but they do try. I'll give them that. My Bomm sales guy personally trekked about 700 miles to bring my truck back for me and get the deal done (how's that for effort Auffenberg?).

If you go to Bomm, they were also offering an additional 2yrs scheduled maintenance (or prolly just oil changes). I think of all these shops, Bomm and Suntrup are most likely to help you out on price. Dean Team is pretty much looking for over sticker based on their pinstripe and undercoating, etc.

 

edit: my experience was specifically DeanTeam Kirkwood.

 

Thanks for the info guys!

jwestpro: That's kind of the same story that I've heard about the Dean team. I was at the Ballwin store, so maybe they are better, but who knows. So were you doing the whole deal remotely, or were you living in STL at the time?

I'd probably rather deal with Suntrup anyways, since I do have a little more of a relationship with them, and a few people have recommended them. I might still check out Bommarito and see what they have to offer.

Thanks again!
--Mike