The window sticker on my new car is WRONG!

[tink_n_pooh]

The sales rep from the car dealership just called and sure enough the "heated mirrors" on my car are non-existant. The sales rep pretty much said that it was a misprint from the manufacturer and there is nothing they can do about it. Of course, I am not exactly happy about this. I bought a car that was supposed to have heated mirrors but it does have them. I also purchased this same car which shows daytime running lights on the sticker - I had to take it in for service to have the daytime running lights turned on. Odd, but at least they fixed it. Now they are basically telling me ' too bad'

I really don't know what the laws are but the finance guy that my fiance sat with to sign all of the papers told him that if it says it has it on the window sticker it either has to have it or we would be compensated for it. The sales rep says no but we could take it up with the manufacturer if we want.

From another message board I frequent I found that someone else is now being compensated for the lack of heated mirrors, however they 'couldn't' say how they were compensated just yet.

It's not even that heated mirrors are that important, it's the principle that I was mislead (I even emailed the sales rep to ask her about the heated mirrors before we purchased the vehicle and she assured me it has heated mirrors). Not only was I mislead but I was told that they won't even do anything about it. Very frustrating.

I'm just wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else? Anyone know what the NJ laws might say about this?

 

[mom2boys]

I would write the owner of the dealership. Tell them exactly what happened and that you expect the heated mirrors installed ASAP at no additional cost to you or a refund for the price of the mirros (if that's acceptable to you). If it doens't happen within a reasonable period of time, contact the local media. The dealship will not want the negative publicity.

 

[Pugdog007]

What the heck is a heated mirror and what would its purpose be?

 

[tink_n_pooh]

I should have added in the OP that I have found out that heated mirrors are not even available on the vehicle. At this point I would like to be compensated either by the estimated cost of the heated mirrors or with another feature that is available.

 

[tink_n_pooh]

What the heck is a heated mirror and what would its purpose be?

The exterior side mirrors should have a defroster/heater built into them so they don't get fogged up or build up with ice or snow.

 

[briar_rose_59]

What the heck is a heated mirror and what would its purpose be?

I've never had em but my guess would be they're to stop the mirrors from frosting up in winter.

ETA: Ah, OP beat me to it!

 

[DawnCt1]

I would pay a visit to the manager of the dealership during a busy time. In Ct. complaints with dealerships and service departments are handled through the Motor Vehicle Dept. I had an issue resolved within one week of mailing the complaint. Check your Dept of Motor Vehicle web site and see if they can help you. If so, print off the material and fill it out. Also, write to the manufacturer. I have to tell you, that didn't work for me with a dealership complaint. I had all of my wheels and tires stolen and the dealership wanted ME to pay for their replacement and kept sending me a bill. I WON!

 

[MareQ]

What the heck is a heated mirror and what would its purpose be?

It's heated so you don't have to scrape the ice off in the winter.

OP - I would write a letter to the dealership, copy your attorney and the Headquarters of GM, Ford etc whatever company it is and indicate that you need to be compensated. They advertised the car with this feature, you bought the car believing it had this feature but did not receive it and THEY need to make it right.

 

[SplshMtn99]

If nothing else works, there's always the route of placing a phone call to the Consumer Dept of your local news station. Good luck.

 

[lsyorke]

Contact the N.J. Division of Consumer Affairs. This is exactly the kind of thing they deal with all the time.

http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/index.htm

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

Do you still have the e-mail that you wrote and that the sales rep e-mailed back.. If so, this is proof that you were lisled. If the dealership will not compensate you, I would take it up with the Better Business Bureau. Where I live, local newschannel that does pieces about this kind of stuff. Nothing gives better good or bad publicity than word of mouth. Let the owner know that!!!

 

[tink_n_pooh]

Do you still have the e-mail that you wrote and that the sales rep e-mailed back.. If so, this is proof that you were lisled. If the dealership will not compensate you, I would take it up with the Better Business Bureau. Where I live, local newschannel that does pieces about this kind of stuff. Nothing gives better good or bad publicity than word of mouth. Let the owner know that!!!

I do have the email with all of our correspondence regarding the purchase of the car - including the heated mirrors. I also still have the original window sticker from when I purchased the vehicle, as well as a record in the dealerships service department that this was reported within a few days of purchasing the vehicle.

I could always call "Shame On You". I kinda feel bad since it is really the manufacturers mistake, although the dealership should know in fact what the vehicle is actually equipped with, and if they don't - they are the ones that need to work with the manufacturer to get a resolve. I work in sales, if I told my customer that the product was equipped with X, Y & Z it better have it, if not I will compensate the customer to fit their needs and work with the manufacturer to have the problem properly resolved. But then again I don't sell cars...

 

[FayeW]

You know what I would do? I would return the vehicle and demand my money back. Then, I would go to a different dealership and buy the identical vehicle (assuming you like the car), but this time you would know what you are buying. You were repeatedly lied to and misled. They misrepresented the vehicle you bought; that is false advertising. Do your talking with your wallet.

But that's just me.

 

[Disney_Dreaming]

Your Attorney General may be able to help you.

http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/ocp/ocpform.htm

Good luck!

 

[eclectics]

I would pay a visit to the manager of the dealership during a busy time. In Ct. complaints with dealerships and service departments are handled through the Motor Vehicle Dept. I had an issue resolved within one week of mailing the complaint. Check your Dept of Motor Vehicle web site and see if they can help you. If so, print off the material and fill it out. Also, write to the manufacturer. I have to tell you, that didn't work for me with a dealership complaint. I had all of my wheels and tires stolen and the dealership wanted ME to pay for their replacement and kept sending me a bill. I WON!

When I bought my last car it seems the sales rep forgot to add some sort of dealer charge he neglected to put on the bill of sale. He actually sent me a separate bill later for almost $200.00 and expected me to pay it, after the fact. I ignored the first two bills and when I got a third, I wrote back and explained you can't add stipulations to a signed contract after all the parties have signed it, and as a salesman, he should have realized that. I suggested he ask Chrysler to pay it! Never heard a thing after that!


To the OP, I hope you get satisfaction.

 

[ChristmasElf]

What the heck is a heated mirror and what would its purpose be?

I imagine people that live in the North use heated mirrors to help melt the ice and snow the better part of the year!!

I have them here but only need to use them when we go on vacation up to the Carolina's in late fall.

 

[DisnyMama]

I have a 2003 Saturn Vue. It was a Friday evening when I did the test drive and it became too late at night for them to get the approval for my financing so they said they would call me back by noon the next day, which they did as promised and all was fine. We had all the pricing and payments figured out.

However, when I went in and sat down with the finance mgr. to sign the paper work I was then told that there was an additional charge of $500 because early this morning they put window tinting on all the "Vue's" out on the lot and they had to automatically add the $500 charge to the vehicles.
I told them I did not ask for the tinting, nor was I told it was going to be put on and I wasn't going to pay for it.

I know that it is something that I really do want but there was a principal at stake here. After an hour of "back and forth" and threatning to "walk" I finally agreed to a compromise that I would pay $100, only. I was able to live with that.

 

[kellyg403]

I don't understand how the car dealership thinks that you should pay for something you don't have nor can you get on your model. That is insane. Seems like going to a store and being charged for stuff you aren't bringing home. I definitly would speak to the manager in charge of the dealership, if that doesn't work going forward with BBB and States Attny. I agree that the dealership should either drop the charge or compensate you with a comparable option you do not currently have.

I would imagine if you have your sticker and can go back to the lot and see other vehicles that are the same as your with the information still on the cars that legally they are in some hot water. They know this option is not available and are continuing to charge people who may not know they are not getting. I can't imagine it is legal, at the very least, to continue to try to advertise or post options that they now know for certain are inaccurate. I would go to the lot, take some pictures and use it as evidence to support your case should you have to go to your State's Attny. The excuse, there is nothing we can do or it is the manufacture's fault really doesn't hold water if they are cont. to try and sell cars with false sales information listed.
Kelly

 

[MareQ]

OP - noticed you are in NW NJ - so am I. What dealership was this - what county? I had a bad experience with Salerno Duane in Newton(Sussex) - Awful people that tried to pull one over on me...

 

[tink_n_pooh]

OP - noticed you are in NW NJ - so am I. What dealership was this - what county? I had a bad experience with Salerno Duane in Newton(Sussex) - Awful people that tried to pull one over on me...

I'm in Sussex County too, Salerno Duane is by far the worst dealership around. I've known several people that have worked there (some still do) and they say do NOT buy a car there no matter what. They are shady. My brother had to lemon law his minivan he bought from there and the dealership was so bad with the whole situation that he was able to get a year newer van from a different dealership.

I bought my vehicle from Franklin-Sussex, you know "2006 Daimler Chrysler Dealer of the Year". I'll admit that they were really great up until this problem. They were the only Jeep dealership willing to work with us and we ended up with what seemed to be a good deal.

As a note, the heated mirrors are listed as "standard" on the window sticker for the model I purchased. Since I purchased the vehicle the window stickers have been corrected and sent to the dealerships (they received them about 2 days ago).

It's nice that they aren't still falsely advertising heated mirrors but they did it to me, and I purchased a vehicle that was to be equipped with heated mirrors. I was assured by the sales rep that I was buying a vehicle with heated mirrors.

The sales rep claims that I didn't pay for heated mirrors since they were never factored into the price (as a standard feature). How do I know they were not factored into the price? My window sticker, the advertisement for what is in my vehicle, says it has heated mirrors - I therefore think I paid for heated mirrors in the standard price of the vehicle.

So if my window sticker said that the vehicle is a 6 cylindar (standard feature) and I actually have a 4 cylindar it must be ok. Grrrr.