Simple question for those who have used the program... Did you apply from "home" or through a dealership? If through a dealership, did you receive your voucher at your home address, or did it go to the dealership? I ask because the dealership I went to offered to fax the application and accompanying documents for me if I dropped it off there, so I did. I got a voicemail this morning letting me know that the voucher had come in...but I thought it was supposed to come to my home address along with instructions on how to use it and a list of participating dealers I could use it at. I expect the dealership to give me the run-around when/if I walk in and ask them to hand over the voucher so I can go use it somewhere else, which is actually what I plan to do at this point.
I've been wondering the same thing myself, they never made it clear if the voucher would actually be delivered to your home address with a list of participating dealerships. You have to buy a car that is no more than 3 years old though, isn't that correct?
Yeah, 2006 or newer and no more than $25,000 before TT&L. It also has to be on the list of eligible cars , but the list includes pretty much everything. In fact, they even list the Aston Martin DB9. It's a 5.9L V12 that gets about 15 MPG and generally can't be found for less than $85,000 used. So yeah...almost everything qualifies, even if it makes zero sense. Also, the web site does explicitly say the voucher will be delivered to your address...which is why I'm curious about the fact that mine is apparently waiting at the dealership. http://www.h-gac.com/human-services/airchecktexas/default.aspx
Sounds like they might be trying to fleece you then. You have the right to your voucher. Just go in there and demand it back or threaten to start throwing feces all over the place.
Yeah, it does seem fishy. The strange thing is that my family has been buying cars there for 15 years...5 of them to be exact. My dad is on a first name basis with one of the sales managers there, and while we didn't deal directly with him this time, he did hand us off and introduce us to our salesman as longtime customers. We figured we'd be in good hands. However, after negotiating for a while on the car I test drove, I went home and looked on their web site. Surprisingly, the price they "worked out" for me was the same exact price they had listed on the web site for any Joe Schmoe to come along and take. Not even a penny off for being loyal, repeat customers. And as if that weren't enough, the price got cut last week by $1,000. After they told me that they could hardly let it go for the price they first offered me. It's just weird that this dealership that has always treated my family well would start with the shady tactics, considering the management hasn't changed. I'll get my voucher from them regardless, but I'd rather it not be like pulling teeth.
I'd ask them straight up why they lied to your face and tried to sell you a car above sticker that was listed lower online. Sounds like sleazy car salesman techniques. Maybe you or your Dad, or the both of you should go in and talk to the manager directly and ask him if he had any knowledge of this and see if he'll rectify the situation.
That's pretty much what we feel was going on, and that's pretty much what we plan to do. Possibly tonight. The only thing is, it'll be hard for them to right their wrongs since the car I'm interested in now is at another dealer. Not only is the car in question nearly $3,000 less than anything I'm interested in on their lot, but it's also a make and model that they don't have. So, unless they want to lose a nice chunk on one of their cars, I don't really think they're going to be able to make me happy. Time to find a new dealer, I guess.
