Ingersoll Auto of Danbury

Ingersoll Auto of Danbury responded

Mr. Barnabei: Online, sight-unseen trade appraisals - whether by kbb or any other entitly that offers them - depend on the description entered by the user, and are always subject to a hands-on appraisal by the actual buyer. Your vehicle was described in kbb as having "light scratches, small paint marks, needs polishing/touch-up." Upon actual inspection the vehicle was found to have paint and clearcoat fading over the entire vehicle, poorly repainted front-end panels and a deep scratch on the rear bumper (which also had been previously repainted.) It also need one tire. These issues are not at all surprising in a 20-year old vehicle of this make, but they are certainly not in the "touch-up / polishing" category and any buyer, private or professional, would take them into account when making an offer. Had the exterior condition of the car been described as "poor" online, the kbb algorithm would have reflected a lower dollar figure. Our appraiser was perfectly honest with you - this car is not worth $3,000 in its present condition.

barnabeijim responded

These are the exact reasons why I posted pictures (as requested by kbb) for a more accurate description. Also I spoke with Ingersoll’s internet representative and explained that I was interested in the car but would be driving a long way and asked to speak to someone to get actual numbers. I was told it had to be in person. I thought the price of your car was fair. I was ready to pay the asking price if the appraisal of my car was reasonable. I feel like I was being as up front as possible not to waste my time (or yours). Sorry but I stand by my review.

Ingersoll Auto of Danbury responded

Though we can appreciate the stress of losing one’s car, the accusation in your comments is undeserved. It is true that we could not come to terms on your first visit. Your first vehicle was truly one-of-a-kind. A 2016 with exceptionally low mileage and very nicely equipped. A rare find. The replacement vehicle chosen is 4 years newer than that car – the newest model - yet priced only $2,000 more – which is reasonable. (In fact, we showed you the same model, same year, at a lower price but you chose the lowest mileage car.) Additionally interest rates have increased significantly since your first purchase, which also impacted the monthly payments. The next day, responding to a message from your Mom, who is assisting you, our Sales Manager called with the intent to help and made a price concession on that vehicle in order to make the car affordable. And, in fact, they came to an agreement, and your Mom was to speak with you about it. Later in the day you called us to say you would not be moving forward. If indeed you found an acceptable replacement at a lower price, we’re happy for you. We do care about our guests, and the treatment you received at our dealership was nothing less than professional.

els responded

I am the mom. I spoke to you only after posting a message of disappointment to messenger. Prior to that, you didn’t care one bit that you lost a customer. The fact is that after we spoke, I got to thinking about it. We spent hours working with a salesman that knew our budget. We were confident that because he was showing us these cars that he would wiggle the price a bit. To our sad surprise he did not. He walked away no less than 4 times to talk to the manager to no avail. We begged your sales person to help us. We showed comparisons pricing that clearly showed that your ‘aggressive pricing’ was over aggressive. Were told we should pursue those avenues so that’s what we did.