VW Corporate offered me a $1,000 credit towards a new VW in response to a complaint letter I sent them regarding my local dealer in Urbana, IL. I went to Matteson Imports and negotiated a price on a new 2005 Passat, not telling them I had a credit coming (it was really none of their business, and I deliberately withheld this info during negotiations—this dealer was entirely separate from the dealer I'd had my initial issues with).
After a price was reached (which included a trade-in), I told the salesman, sales manager, and the finance manager that VW would be contacting them to arrange for a $1,000 credit I had coming towards my purchase. They said that was my business with VW, not theirs. I agreed. Also, I had nothing written about the credit in-hand anyway.
I paid for the car via a down payment and financing through Matteson Imports' bank. I called VW 2 days later to arrange the credit. They contacted the dealer and confirmed they had it all arranged.
After they finally got the credit, which for some reason was sent directly to them, Matteson Imports said that the credit was taken into account in the final negotiated price of the car! How could this be if I had not TOLD them about the credit? I asked the salesman this, and he insisted I told him right off the bat!
They will not divert my credit to the bank that is holding my loan, and they are insisting (the story is more "enhanced" every time it's updated by them) now to VW, who I immediately contacted, that this was all "understood" at the time of the negotiations and that they applied the credit towards my trade-in (what?!?!). This, they said, is why it's NOT ON THE SALES CONTRACT. (Again, what?!?!)
So, yes, the sales contract says nothing about the $1,000 credit they allowed, in any way. Because they did not know about it! By them keeping my credit, they are basically saying that I paid a price that's $1,000 ABOVE the price on the contract!!
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