Greedy Dealer Sells Deployed Soldiers Demon 170
Well, that’s not a headline any business wants attached to its name. This one is going to live in the Google search results for all eternity.
Mac Haik dealerships are no stranger to viral controversy. They found themselves embroiled in controversy, with their actions sparking viral outrage in 2022. The 2022 incident involved a letter from Mac Haik Chevrolet announcing a staggering $90,000 markup over the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The sheer audacity of such a pricing strategy raised eyebrows, leaving many questioning the ethics behind such a hefty markup.
While Mac Haik Chevrolet’s move with the Corvette Z06 didn’t technically harm anyone, Mac Haik Dodge took a different and more damaging turn. The dealership faced public scrutiny after selling a Dodge Challenger Demon 170 to an active-duty soldier and subsequently selling the car out from under them.
In a sadly familiar narrative in the car dealership industry, customers place orders, only to have their chosen vehicles sold out from under them upon arrival. In this case, the soldier, due to be deployed to Iraq when his ordered Dodge Challenger Demon 170 arrived, had meticulously selected all the features he desired. He even agreed to a substantial markup of $50,000 over the sticker price, a testament to the intense demand for certain high-profile cars.
However, when the vehicle arrived, it was sold to another buyer, a member of a Facebook group to which the soldier also belonged. In fact, we’re told that this is how he found out that the car had found a different owner.
The negative publicity surrounding this incident was swift and widespread, as it rightfully should be. In an unexpected turn, Dodge stepped in to rectify the situation. CEO Tim Kuniskis intervened, allocating one of the cars intended for Dodge’s top-performing dealerships to sell to the soldier at MSRP, saving him from the wild $50,000 markup. Adding a touch of class to the resolution, Jay Leno personally delivered the car on behalf of Dodge.
Instances like these only contribute to the growing sentiment that the traditional car dealership model may be becoming obsolete. With each controversy, the industry inches further away from a world where car dealerships are seen as necessary entities.
Mac Haik Dodge did get the car back at the dealership and now promises to give the original buyer the first right of refusal at the original MSRP. If he doesn’t buy it, the dealership has pledged to wholesale the car and give the proceeds to the charity of the soldier’s choice.
They also claim that other Demon 170 customers have also been given their cars at MSRP as well.
Lastly, the dealership made a lengthy apology, the extent of which can be read below, in which they promised it will never happen again and also announced the termination of the GM, Sales Manager, and Salesperson involved.
