Share the best buying experience you've had. Really hope this thread can avoid dogging on bad dealers and experiences and highlight the good ones out there.

I'll start: In the height of the 2021 auto shortage, we got pregnant with our 5th and had to upgrade our minivan. Decided on an Expedition Max, but there wasn't a lot of inventory out there. Spent a few hours over a few nights with Google Maps going down random highways to find small towns and look up their local Ford dealers and look at their Max pricing. You get pretty quick at looking through the inventory on the ford sites and I probably looked at 120 locations.

Narrowed it down to 3 or 4 Expeditions that had the best options at the best price. First call was to Holiday Ford in Whitesboro about a Platinum they had. Called the sales guy and talked about the online price and what extras and fees were included. Probably talked for 20 minutes and came up with an 'out the door price' and I told him I'd think about it. Called him back and told him I wanted it, but shipped to me, which added $300 or so. Sent me the paperwork and we were off to the races. Of course, their finance guy wanted to talk about extended warranties and financing, but they didn't push too hard.

I never met my sales guy, and we probably talked for less than an hour total but I was super happy with buying from him. They trailered it about 350 miles to us (I think they made a mistake on the cost to ship due to round trip, but they ate it). And the car was awesome…. For a few days, anyway.

About a week after we got it, a kid blew a stop sign and totaled our car about 200' from our house. Every airbag went off. Wife was pregnant. It was pretty scary, but the Expedition did its job. I never even got to put gas in it. It took a little time to work through insurance, and I called my sales guy for some advice in that process and he helped me a lot. He ended up finding me a King Ranch Max to replace our totaled one. Once again, we probably talked pricing for 20 minutes. He was straight up and there weren't any add-ons.

So 2 Expeditions over a couple months and both great experiences. Thanks Holiday Ford and Shawn for the service!

What you got, AB?

Mine happened yesterday.

I posted on the Keating thread how bad they were with the Keating Auto Group Apex addendums. The Waco Hyundai flat out told me the $1895 Apex and $995 CPO were non-negotiable, so I walked. This was 12/24/24.

Asked for a price at Northwest Hyundai in Houston, not realizing it was a Keating. They also were non-negotiable in their $3997 Apex and $1800 CPO. Stated "we don't remove addendums." This was 12/26/24.

Didn't even waste my time at College Station Hyundai after reading FLATOUT's comments on the Keating thread.


Yesterday, I compared Hyundai SUV's to other makes. I came across a Volkswagon SUV that I liked. I sent a couple of inquiries out in the DFW area as well as Austin.

I had a couple of back and forth emails with Hewlett VW in Georgetown. Requested an out the door price. While hesitant to provide, she stated that "You won't pay for anything you don't want."

Living close by, I decided to visit the dealership. I walked in and test drove the specifiv SUV I saw online. The saleman asked if I wanted it, and I said, yes, let's discuss walkout pricing.

He came back with a price that had addendums, $499 tint, $399 floor liners, $X paint, etc. He stated that these were negotiable. I said remove them and provide an updated price. He came back with those items removed, but was still above what I wanted to spend. Next, I wrote down my "Final Offer" on the sheet. He went to the sales manager and came back and said we have a deal. Sales price minus all rebates plus TT&L. Nothing else was attempeted to be "snuck" in on the contract.

The whole back and forth negotiation process was 5-7 minutes max.

They performed the credit application, cleaned the SUV, filled the fuel tank while I was signing documents. Drove out a short lime later.

Also a recommendation for Tommie Vaughn Ford in Houston. Bought a 22 Bronco Sport in April 2022. MSRP and no markups. Already had financing, and was in and out in 30 minutes.

Hewlett and Tommie Vaughn was a night and day difference from Waco Hyundai and Northwest Hyundai. I will never step foot in a Keating Dealership again.

Tegeler Toyota in Brenham. Handled via text and phone. No BS. Papers drawn up when I arrived, exactly as described. No surprises

Tommy Vaughn with 1ags hookup was a great experience and my first purchasing a vehicle without a parent. Also just got the wifes new ride at Sewell in Dallas and had a great experience.

Tommie Vaughan.

Same dealership. Two people I've worked with over the past 20 years. I won't buy from anywhere else and I'm 3 hours away from them.

I'm a dealer so I I won't comment on my own stores or try to tell you how great they are. I have interacted with the majority of franchise dealers in Texas at one point in time in my professional life.

I love the Kahlig group as a whole (North Park stores). Huffines in Dallas as well but the North Park stores are hands down my favorite.

Repro's stores in Brenham are also very nice people as are Tommie Vaughn.

Tesla and it's not close.

Price is advertised. I configured it how I wanted. Paid the price with my phone via the Tesla app. Car is built. App tells me it's ready. I show up. My car is there. Looked it over and found no issues. I sign "paperwork" digitally on my phone. Phone app turns into the "key" after signing. I get in car and drive off. Didn't have to talk to a single person.

Took all of 5 minutes. It was surreal and how it should be for every vehicle purchase.

You don't need lowlife human garbage like Ben Keating. They are dinosaurs and provide zero value to the purchaser.

1ags contact at Tommie Vaughn Ford.

Sewell Mercedes in Houston was also great. Ordered a GLE in my wife's specs a few weeks before COVID hit in 2020 and it was delayed until Nov 2020 due to a few parts they couldn't source to the plant in Alabama. When we went to pick it up they double this United $1,000 discount that we had on original pricing, tinted windows and then when I asked about coming off their suggested retail price on pre-paid maintenance to what I found online as the cheapest in US with some out of state dealer, they just said they will match it with no real negotiation. Service there is top notch as well.

North park Lincoln in SA is the gold standard in my opinion.

Repro in Brenham is also very easy to work with.

You guys posting about your Ford private cash offers are lucky you caught it. Many times the dealership won't even tell you about it, then effectively steal it.