Mazda $500 Customer Loyalty Issue

[iheartmypitbull]

I have a feeling the dealer I bought my CX-5 from is screwing me over on the $500 loyalty. When I bought the car, I provided a copy of the registration for the Mazdaspeed6 I'd just sold. It was in my boyfriend's name but we live together and the loyalty applies for the whole household. Plus my name was on the insurance, all the service records from that very same Mazda dealership, etc. However, they told me "oh we're going to have to send this in to Mazda and then you'll get a $500 check in the mail."

I didn't think much of it until a month later when I bought another CX-5 for my mom from a different dealer and they discounted the $500 off the price of the vehicle on the spot! I told them what the other dealer had done and they said that's not right at all. So I called the first dealer and asked them why they didn't give me the discount when I bought my car and they gave me some BS about "well we've gotten in trouble with Mazda in the past for giving the loyalty discount to people who shouldn't have gotten it." Um, that's not my problem. But my problem is that I still don't have the $500 that I am owed, multiple calls and emails to the dealership and to Mazda HQ have given me no resolution, and I am at my wit's end. It's left a really bad taste in my mouth.

Is there anything I can do? I just don't know where to go from here and I'm really bummed out about it due to the irony of me being one of Mazda's MOST loyal customers ever. Not only do I buy Mazdas exclusively but I also persuade friends and family members to get them. Yet I'm getting screwed out of a $500 customer loyalty. Any advice or help would be really appreciated.

 

[banjos-n-beer]

Yup. You got hosed. I got the loyalty discount on the spot even tho our Mazda at the time was in my GFs name.

I don't have any advice but wish you luck in getting your money. Please keep us updated.

 

[paris1]

So let me see if I've got this straight. You had already sold the MS6 which you were not on title to and the first dealer balked at giving you the $500 loyalty rebate. If memory serves, the terms of the rebate are that you must currently own a Mazda and provide proof by means of a title with your name on it. That is why the second dealer gave you the rebate on the spot (as is common practice in these cases), because you currently owned a Mazda product and could provide proof by means of a title with your name on it. Sounds like the first dealer is on pretty solid ground if you ask me!

 

[Dimcorner]

My sales guy told me not to sell the Mazda3 to CarMax before I got the CX-5 in order to get the $500 rebate.

 

[iheartmypitbull]

So let me see if I've got this straight. You had already sold the MS6 which you were not on title to and the first dealer balked at giving you the $500 loyalty rebate. If memory serves, the terms of the rebate are that you must currently own a Mazda and provide proof by means of a title with your name on it. That is why the second dealer gave you the rebate on the spot (as is common practice in these cases), because you currently owned a Mazda product and could provide proof by means of a title with your name on it. Sounds like the first dealer is on pretty solid ground if you ask me!

The terms of the offer, according to the Mazda website, say that it is transferable within households and I had only sold it the day before so the registration I provided them was still current. Here's the wording: "The offer is transferable within household (buyer must live at the same address). Must present dealer with a copy of current registration or title, driver's license or other proof of residency at time of purchase"

I provided them with all of this.

 

[finch204]

I also think the issue is that the car was sold before the purchase. Even if a copy of the registration was provided, it was still already sold before the purchase. That's probably why they wouldn't give the discount on the spot.

 

[piotrek91]

I also think the issue is that the car was sold before the purchase. Even if a copy of the registration was provided, it was still already sold before the purchase. That's probably why they wouldn't give the discount on the spot.

If that was the issue, the dealer should have told OP.. sorry you've sold the car you won't get loyalty discount.

Instead the dealer told OP "we'll send this to mazda and you'll get a $500 check" which sounds like it may have been a lie and OP is owed $500.

 

[iheartmypitbull]

If that was the issue, the dealer should have told OP.. sorry you've sold the car you won't get loyalty discount.

Instead the dealer told OP "we'll send this to mazda and you'll get a $500 check" which sounds like it may have been a lie and OP is owed $500.

Exactly. They told me it was no problem I had sold the car hours before. In fact, it was the dealer who brought up the loyalty to me. I didn't even know about it and I mentioned to the sales guy that I had just sold my MS6 the day before and he said "great, you'll get an additional $500 loyalty!". Then when I was doing the paperwork with the finance guy he did not apply the discount and said I would get a check in the mail from Mazda. I feel like he either did something sketchy or made a mistake.

I don't know where to go from here though. I contacted Mazda who said I needed to contact the dealer. Sketchy finance guy is avoiding my calls and emails. Sales guy said he would step in but I haven't heard anything back. Does anyone know of someone I can escalate this to? I'm thinking maybe whoever is in charge of the dealership group.

 

[NelsonLewis]

If that was the issue, the dealer should have told OP.. sorry you've sold the car you won't get loyalty discount.

Instead the dealer told OP "we'll send this to mazda and you'll get a $500 check" which sounds like it may have been a lie and OP is owed $500.

Yep, they screwed her just to get the sale thinking it was $500 more off. I signed separate pieces of paper for the rebates, even for the $2k Customer Cash, and it was listed under the contract to buy as "rebates".

 

[jlx21]

Exactly. They told me it was no problem I had sold the car hours before. In fact, it was the dealer who brought up the loyalty to me. I didn't even know about it and I mentioned to the sales guy that I had just sold my MS6 the day before and he said "great, you'll get an additional $500 loyalty!". Then when I was doing the paperwork with the finance guy he did not apply the discount and said I would get a check in the mail from Mazda. I feel like he either did something sketchy or made a mistake.

I don't know where to go from here though. I contacted Mazda who said I needed to contact the dealer. Sketchy finance guy is avoiding my calls and emails. Sales guy said he would step in but I haven't heard anything back. Does anyone know of someone I can escalate this to? I'm thinking maybe whoever is in charge of the dealership group.

Not an attorney (just graduated from law school and studying for the bar), but didn't you come to an agreement on the final sale price with the salesperson before even going into the finance manager's office? And when you went into the office, did the agreed-upon sale price increase by $500? If so, and the manager is ignoring you, I would reach out to any lawyer friends you have (doesn't make sense to hire a lawyer since you might end up paying over $500 on fees...).

 

[yrwei52]

I don't know where to go from here though. I contacted Mazda who said I needed to contact the dealer. Sketchy finance guy is avoiding my calls and emails. Sales guy said he would step in but I haven't heard anything back. Does anyone know of someone I can escalate this to? I'm thinking maybe whoever is in charge of the dealership group.

Yep, at this stage you should go directly to the top. Talk to the GM of that Mazda dealer and ask the GM to resolve the issue. In the mean time you should keep communicating with Mazda North American Operations and ask the rep escalate the case the rep created to a managerial level. Good luck!

 

[jlx21]

Also, it would be helpful if you had anything in writing that stated the price. Oral contracts aren't enforceable for the sale of goods over $500, so the contract that the finance manager presented to you to sign without the discount may end up controllling. Either way, under the UCC, merchants have an obligation of good faith and fair dealing, which the dealer arguably breached.

 

[paris1]

Not an attorney (just graduated from law school and studying for the bar), but didn't you come to an agreement on the final sale price with the salesperson before even going into the finance manager's office? And when you went into the office, did the agreed-upon sale price increase by $500? If so, and the manager is ignoring you, I would reach out to any lawyer friends you have (doesn't make sense to hire a lawyer since you might end up paying over $500 on fees...).

That's not how it works. You agree on a price and then, as NelsonLewis says above, all rebates come off that in finance.

 

[Kaps]

That's not how it works. You agree on a price and then, as NelsonLewis says above, all rebates come off that in finance.

In my case I had an OTD. Everything else was based on it. Infact I did not know my car price until the end. OTD mattered to me. Nothing else

 

[Kaps]

OP has no case here. Verbal agreement cannot be held as proof. If the dealer is this sleazy do you think he will honor the $500. Mazda won't get involved. This 500 has to come from dealer.

 

[NelsonLewis]

In my case I had an OTD. Everything else was based on it. Infact I did not know my car price until the end. OTD mattered to me. Nothing else

OTD is all that mattered to me as well, however, the bill of sale/buy order will be itemized listing everything separately (selling price, rebates,fees,taxes,registration, etc).

 

[finch204]

If that was the issue, the dealer should have told OP.. sorry you've sold the car you won't get loyalty discount.

Instead the dealer told OP "we'll send this to mazda and you'll get a $500 check" which sounds like it may have been a lie and OP is owed $500.

So it is a shady move by the dealer then. Looks like they wanted to get the sale done as fast as possible and made that excuse. Does OP have proof that they are supposed to get a $500 discount/check? If not, then it will be hard to get that $500. This is why I hate buying cars at a dealership. I might just try Carvana next time I buy a car LOL.

 

[iheartmypitbull]

So it is a shady move by the dealer then. Looks like they wanted to get the sale done as fast as possible and made that excuse. Does OP have proof that they are supposed to get a $500 discount/check? If not, then it will be hard to get that $500. This is why I hate buying cars at a dealership. I might just try Carvana next time I buy a car LOL.

No, unfortunately I do not have proof that I'm supposed to get the $500. They told me I would get it in the form of a check from Mazda after they sent in the paperwork. But Mazda said NOPE that's not how it's done, they should have given you the discount at the point of sale and there's nothing we can do. Very shady.

Finally heard back from the sales guy who gave me the phone number of a lady in their business office (which is at a nearby Volkswagen dealership) and told me to call her to make sure she's working on my paperwork. They're totally giving me the runaround and hoping I will give up. I'm going to go back to the dealership in person and speak to the GM. Tell them I'm changing my Yelp review from 5 down to 1 star unless I get resolution.

On the bright side, I'm picking my mom up from the airport tomorrow in her brand new CX-5 (complete with $500 on the spot loyalty discount) and she's going to be so excited she'll pee her pants. I even made a giant red bow to put on the hood. She's never had a new car before and has only ever driven small cars that are low to the ground and is always complaining that she can't see anything. She will love the CX-5!

 

[Kaps]

No, unfortunately I do not have proof that I'm supposed to get the $500. They told me I would get it in the form of a check from Mazda after they sent in the paperwork. But Mazda said NOPE that's not how it's done, they should have given you the discount at the point of sale and there's nothing we can do. Very shady.

Finally heard back from the sales guy who gave me the phone number of a lady in their business office (which is at a nearby Volkswagen dealership) and told me to call her to make sure she's working on my paperwork. They're totally giving me the runaround and hoping I will give up. I'm going to go back to the dealership in person and speak to the GM. Tell them I'm changing my Yelp review from 5 down to 1 star unless I get resolution.

On the bright side, I'm picking my mom up from the airport tomorrow in her brand new CX-5 (complete with $500 on the spot loyalty discount) and she's going to be so excited she'll pee her pants. I even made a giant red bow to put on the hood. She's never had a new car before and has only ever driven small cars that are low to the ground and is always complaining that she can't see anything. She will love the CX-5!

I think you can get your money back. Just depends on how aggressive you want to be.
Tell them you will put the word out on social media - youtube / mazda forums and FB pages about the dealership and their practices. Tell them that it will probably cost them more than the 500 they dishonestly pulled from you.

Legally - its very hard to prove your case or to get anything done. Check if your state allows you to record phone conversations to be provided as proof later. Make them admit that they lied.

 

[finch204]

No, unfortunately I do not have proof that I'm supposed to get the $500. They told me I would get it in the form of a check from Mazda after they sent in the paperwork. But Mazda said NOPE that's not how it's done, they should have given you the discount at the point of sale and there's nothing we can do. Very shady.

Finally heard back from the sales guy who gave me the phone number of a lady in their business office (which is at a nearby Volkswagen dealership) and told me to call her to make sure she's working on my paperwork. They're totally giving me the runaround and hoping I will give up. I'm going to go back to the dealership in person and speak to the GM. Tell them I'm changing my Yelp review from 5 down to 1 star unless I get resolution.

On the bright side, I'm picking my mom up from the airport tomorrow in her brand new CX-5 (complete with $500 on the spot loyalty discount) and she's going to be so excited she'll pee her pants. I even made a giant red bow to put on the hood. She's never had a new car before and has only ever driven small cars that are low to the ground and is always complaining that she can't see anything. She will love the CX-5!

If you don't get your $500 back after some effort on your part, I would just let it go. Give them a bad review and never do business with them again. I love how you're staying positive with your mom's brand new CX-5!