3rd Generation Ram - Non Drivetrain - All Years Talk about the 2003 and up Dodge Ram here. PLEASE, NO ENGINE OR DRIVETRAIN DISCUSSION!.

Picked up our 600 yesterday!

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Old Mar 21, 2004 | 11:05 PM
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Smile Picked up our 600 yesterday!

We went to the dealership at 10:30 am Saturday. We saw our truck sitting out in the sunshine when we drove up.

Beautiful!!!

The one thing that shocked me at first was that it did not have the outline white letter Michelins (LTX/AS). Rather, it had blackwalls. On the website and in the brochure, I believe, it indicated that the all seasons came in white letter like the on/off road Bridgestones. Anyway, long story short, we're keeping the blackwalls.

On to other things. The "regional rep" wouldn't honor the 0% financing, even though on several occasions, our salesman said it was sold-order-protected along with the rebate. Another long story short, we took the $3500 Dodge rebate, and the $500 FB rebate. So, our final price was $4,800 below invoice---not bad, I should say. I'm going to get 3.25% at my credit union for the financing, since they bent me over on the 0%.

There is tape instead of body plugs, but my salesman said he'd order them on Monday. I'm also waiting on the factory service manual, which is free as part of the deal. So there is still some unfinished business to take care of.

Salesman said this is the first 600 they have delivered to anyone. They just don't have the allocation, and he said he thought we were lucky to have received the truck as quickly as we did (9 weeks).

The truck is beautiful. All the paint looks great. Fit and finish gets an A+. No vibration or any other weird quirks that we can tell. LOVE the heated seats! We couldn't be happier.

It fits in our garage with the mirrors folded in, but it is VERY tight. I guess I'll just have to be careful.

Anyway, sorry for rambling on. I'm going to post some pictures as soon as I can find an efficient way of sizing them down.

At last, I can update my signature!
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Old Mar 21, 2004 | 11:39 PM
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Happy to hear about your new truck.

Sounds like you duplicated the GHOST RIDER'S ordered accessories. Ghost Rider is just a 04, I made sure of that!
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Old Mar 22, 2004 | 12:14 AM
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I just picked mine up Friday, not a flaw on her. Drives and rides great. Its got just a slight vib at 70mph but nothin I can't live with and hopfully it will disappear in a few miles. Worked on her all weekend puting the step bars on, billet sport grille, Putco bed rails, tonneau cover, mud flaps and I put some marker lights on the frame under the doors. Looks very cool at night. Also made a cover guard for the condenser to protect the top fins from getting all bent up.

Love it so far..............
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Old Mar 22, 2004 | 05:27 AM
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On to other things. The "regional rep" wouldn't honor the 0% financing, even though on several occasions, our salesman said it was sold-order-protected along with the rebate. Another long story short, we took the $3500 Dodge rebate, and the $500 FB rebate
First, congrats on the truck.

Second, the above is BOGUS! Several on here had had that problem, and called the 800 number in the other thread. Did you call the number?

IF DC IS honoring it, and apparently they are, then your dealer is bordering on fraudulent business practices. I would push the issue further.

We only have $2500 rebates on the HDs in my area. $3500 for 1/2 tons only. Keep us posted.
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Old Mar 22, 2004 | 06:47 AM
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I just checked Dodge.com, and they are advertising $3500 for gassers, $2500 for "non-gas" trucks, so I guess you at least got PART of a good deal.
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Old Mar 22, 2004 | 06:59 AM
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Your right Wexman he is entitled to the 0% financing. I would fight that with DC. They will give it to him if he complains.
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Old Mar 22, 2004 | 10:36 AM
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Thanks guys. The wheels are in motion.

I called the Program Headquarters number and they confirmed what you're saying about the 0%. They said to have the dealer contact them if they didn't believe me.

The only potential snag is if the dealership isn't willing to re-write the paperwork. If that occurs, then the Program Headquarters rep told me to write to an DC address she gave me, and explain the situation. She said DC could force the dealership to redo the deal.

Anyway, the salesman was really friendly about it and said they would re-do the deal. But, as in the case on Saturday, when the finance guy (a real turd, by the way) gets in the picture, the water gets real murky.

So, we're going to have to make another trip to the dealership to finalize the latest iteration of "the deal". And guess what I'll be driving...the Durango--you just never know what they might pull.

Thanks again. I'll post an update once the dust settles.

David
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Old Mar 22, 2004 | 10:40 AM
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Dave -

Good deal! Was the Program Headquarters number the one posted earlier?

Please post that address, or email us privately so those of us still to go through this have some ammunition.

Obviously, the finance guys KNOW, but they think they are getting one over on you. In my business (the mortgage business) what he just did is HIGHLY illegal.

Keep us apprised.

Scott
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Old Mar 22, 2004 | 10:43 AM
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Some dealerships sure have a way of turning a happy event in someone's life into a bad experience. Too bad.
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Old Mar 22, 2004 | 11:21 AM
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Wex, I'm not sure if it's the same number, because I got it through the main Customer Service number. Anyway here is the info:

DC Program Headquarters: 800-227-0757, Option 3, then 1 (I think)

Daimler Chrysler Customer Service
P.O. Box 5072
Troy, MI 48098-5072

You'll have to include your VIN, all the dates of order, arrival to dealership, and customer pickup. Supposedly, you have to pick the truck up within 5 days of it arriving at the dealership to maintain qualification (you may want to doublecheck that). You may also need to include the original Order Worksheet just to be sure.

Here is a tip. Pick the truck up on a weekday, when the Program Headquarters office is open. That way you can have the dealership call on the spot. I would like to have had the satisfaction of smirking when they got off the phone with DC, but I'll take it as it is.

Moopa, you're absolutely right about messing up a good thing. All they'd have to do is do their homework, and double check their assumptions with the right people. Save us all the hassle of having to correct their mistakes. I'm pretty sure they were intentionally trying to screw us over. They're banking on the fact that you're not going to back out of the deal after waiting so long on the order. That emotional attachment hits you as soon as you see that truck sitting there. They have you by the sack then.

It's just a good thing to have this forum as a resource!

BTW, the salesman called back and confirmed that they will re-write the deal for us. We're going in tonight!!

Good luck to all and thanks again!
David
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Old Mar 22, 2004 | 11:31 AM
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Thanks David, that is going to help alot of us here.

Let us know what the look on the finance guy's face is like tonight!
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Old Mar 23, 2004 | 07:28 AM
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Originally posted by wexman
Thanks David, that is going to help alot of us here.

Let us know what the look on the finance guy's face is like tonight!
His face was sallow, unfriendly, and lackluster

We got the deal done in about 10 minutes. $2000 rebate and 0% financing! Saved us over $2000 just in finance charges over the life of the loan!!

Don't you just LOVE free money!!!

Thanks for pushing me to push back!

David
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Old Mar 23, 2004 | 07:31 AM
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Great news!! Now best of luck with the new truck. Enjoy!!
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Old Mar 23, 2004 | 07:52 AM
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His face was sallow, unfriendly, and lackluster
I love it!

This gives the rest of us hope, WHENEVER we take delivery.
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Old Mar 23, 2004 | 09:42 AM
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Originally posted by dcorneli
We got the deal done in about 10 minutes. $2000 rebate and 0% financing! Saved us over $2000 just in finance charges over the life of the loan!!
So this is what you ended up with, after first getting a $3500 Dodge rebate (not $2500? Good for you!), and the $500 FB rebate for $4,800 below invoice with 3.25% financing.

So, if I'm reading this right, you finished off with less $$ back, but will make out better by getting the 0%?

Congrats on the new ride!
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