[eli]

Maybe they wanted to get you on the lot even if the car you wanted was gone.

[awor]

That is definitely not unheard of. The dealers will do whatever they can do to get you to show up.

[cpher]

It's possible, especially given the research available to anyone with a smartphone. They were a big dealership, but the whole experience smelled of a shady used car salesman.

[jusben1369]

Yes sadly the sales guy thinks like this i) Tell him the car is not here they don't come chance of sale = 0%. ii) Tell them the car is here then it's not here but maybe sell them something else = 10%.