Ordering from Mark Dodge Or Koons Really That Easy?

[deeve]

Hello,
For those who have purchased from the large-volume dealers, such as those from Mark Dodge or Koons, do you have any complaints? Was it that easy? Curious if there was anything funny with financing or delivery? Did they try to bump up the interest rate or sell you on things? Their posts say nothing like that, but you never know.

Thank!
Dave

 

[jimothy]

This was four years ago, mind you, but yes, it really was that easy ordering my 2021 Longhorn from Mark Dodge.

I submitted my build sheet from the Ram site, they gave me a complete price, I added an affiliate (Tread Lightly) discount, and we locked it in with a $1,000 deposit. I was also able to lock in Chrysler financing, which at the time was 0% for 72 months.

When the truck was ready, I flew to Lake Charles, and they picked me up at the airport. I took a look over the truck and completed the paperwork. The only thing they offered to sell me was an extended warranty. The price was reasonable, so I accepted, but they didn't pressure me and I could have said no. They didn't do the usual dealer tricks of adding on overpriced tint, stalking GPS tracking or protection packages, or any of the crap most dealers do.

The price was exactly what we agreed to at the time I put the deposit; incentives and finance were locked, so if either got worse, or if MSRP was increased, I would still have gotten the contracted price. (If incentives went up, I would have gotten the better incentives).

Yes, it really is as easy as you've heard. Maybe even easier. I understand being skeptical; car shopping is usually a huge pain. I did get a local dealer to price match MD, but it would have required going with their financing, and I likely would have faced the usual games when it came time to pick it up. The 1,300 mile round trip to Mark Dodge was well worth it to avoid those hassles.

 

[Driver]

Deal with Anthony at MD. He'll get for you every discount possible and a lowet cost than Koons, plus Koons dealer processing is 3x higher.

I had my vehicle delivered about 1200 miles away for about $900 and that was well worth it, because the big local dealer wanted $3000 more than MD.

You can't go wrong with MD. They are the Gold standard.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I ordered my 2022 Laramie through Mark Dodge and it was a very simple process. Don’t overthink it and just go with Mark Dodge. You won’t be disappointed.

 

[Jmac509]

I ordered my truck through MD in 2023. I sent them the build sheet and they asked for $1000 deposit.

When the truck was delivered they called me on Zoom to go over the financing. They explained everything in great detail. Everything added up and made sense. The gentlemen I spoke with was very patient and took the time to answer all of my questions in detail to my satisfaction. There was ZERO games and ********, and I never felt rushed or pressured. They offered me the extra warranty and when I declined we immediately moved forward, there was no hard sell or pressure for extras. The communication from the time I placed the order to the time I picked up my truck was Excellent.

I flew in, and they picked me up from the airport. Once we got to the dealer they handed me the keys and told me to take as much time as I wanted to look over the truck and come in to sign the papers when I'm ready. I looked over the truck and went for a drive around the block to ensure everything was perfect before making the 1500 mile drive home. I walked in and signed two pieces of paper and left. My total time at the dealer was probably 45 minutes and the majority of that time was me looking over the truck for any potential defects and a test drive. There was zero problems of any kind.

I'd buy from MD again just to avoid the typical dealer ********.

Do not give your money to a shady dealer that isn't up front or honest with the prices.

 

[deeve]

That’s all. I appreciate you all sharing.

 

[theeuroguy]

24 Laramie, perfect transaction, drove my down from DFW, picked up the new one drove home. Will NEVER use anyone else!

 

[boogielander]

did my order with Mark Dodge back in 2022.
yes, it is as easy as eating dinner.

it is so easy that as soon as I convince myself I don't need more than 350 mile range on a 33 gallon tank I am placing order for a Power Wagon through Mark Dodge again.

 

[disarm]

I purchased from Koons almost two years ago and it was just as simple as everyone else has already said about MD... quote within 15 minutes of sending an email, money down to order, traveled from CT to VA to pick it up and drove home. It was by far the easiest car purchase I've ever made, and no dealer near me in CT came even close to matching the price. I saved almost $14k by buying out of state.

As for price, Koons charges a higher fee than MD, but the prices were otherwise very similar, and it was cheaper overall for me to fly to VA and drive home than have my truck shipped all the way from LA to CT.

 

[scottmoyer]

I was contacted by Anthony when I was looking for my truck in 2020. I posted on this forum what I was looking for and he texted me with available trucks he had that matched what I was looking for. He gave me a price on the one that was too good to be true. I asked if he was adding in rebates that I wasn't qualified for to show me a low number. His response, "Your mother can walk in to buy this truck right now, and this is the price she'll pay, unless she has other discounts available to her."

I asked for the buyers order and had it in about 10 minutes on my phone. I asked them to send me all docs to be signed, they did via online forms and signatures, I signed all in less than 30 minutes.

The next day, they asked if I was coming to get it, or if they should ship it. They gave me a quote to ship and said they had a carrier coming thru that day. The carrier delivered my truck to my front door 2 days after I bought it! Can it be any easier?

Oh, and no dealer in Florida came even close to the price. They were all at least $2500 more and had a dealer fee on top. The shipping cost to my door was less than the dealer fee. I will only buy a CDJR vehicle from Mark Dodge from now on.

 

[deeve]

Thanks! I think I will be ordering through Anthony. He has been very responsive and seemingly transparent with everything.

 

[Jmac509]

Congratulations on ordering a new truck! I'm sure Anthony and his team will take care of you. The number one thing I valued working with Mark Dodge was the transparency with everything. You will have to share your experiences with us once you take delivery.

I see your signature is a 2022, what's your reasoning for moving into a 2026?



I added a Bonus rant down here feel free to skip it.
As Scottmoyer mentioned, I had also gotten quotes from several local dealers and when I showed up in person and looked over the paperwork the "out the door price" they gave me over the phone included thousands of dollars of rebates I didn't qualify for and other fees he "forgot to mention". My favorite line item was me putting an additional $5,000 down that was not discussed to bring it down to that "out the door price" given over the phone and was written down and given to me upon my arrival. So the actual out the door price once I took the time to drive over to their dealership and test drive the truck was actually $8,000 more than what was told to me the entire time before seeing the actual sales paperwork. I immediately walked out after realizing I wasted my Saturday looking at a truck under false pretenses.

I'm sure many of us who have purchased a car through a typical dealership have experienced something similar. After experiencing Mark Dodge I refuse to give my money to dealerships who use dishonest tactics.

 

[Riding Deacon]

The largest RAM dealer (by volume) is Kernersville CJDR (31Dodge.com) in Kernersville, NC. I've purchased my last two RAMS from them. Zero issues.....they paid for my airfare, picked me up at the local airport, bought me lunch, topped off my new truck(s) with fuel.....and drove away. Best dealer in the country.....by my standards. Ask for Mary.....tell her Steve from MA sent you. You won't be dissappointed. And they have every single model and trim lines, ready to go!! Wheels down!!! Worth a look!!!

 

[deeve]

I see your signature is a 2022, what's your reasoning for moving into a 2026?

Hey @ Jmac509, I am unhappy with how the eTorque behaves with stop-and-go activity. I also like the idea of a more powerful engine, possibly better fuel economy per HP.