Worst dealership/salesman experience?

When I got my lift done, I had the dreaded needle bearing vibration. I found a TSB for that part and brought it in to my dealer (Chester Berg Toyota) and explained the problem. They took it in and fixed it with no mention at all of the lift. Didn't cost me a dime and they handed my keys back with a smile. I couldn't believe it.

 

Oh hell no..................not reading that I will need glasses after that. Paragraphs AR your friend

 

I stopped dealing with the dealers long ago. Too many bad experiences. I only buy from a broker. (RC Auto here in phoenix) No hassle like with stupid salesman Dealership experiences. The last couple vehicles I call RC Auto tell them what I am looking for, they find it tell me how much it will cost, I go down sign papers and drive away. Just Bought my 2020 Tacoma from them. Of course I do my homework ahead of time and I know exactly what I want and how much the going price is. There price is always below any Dealer out there.
I cant believe the typical stupid dealership experiences with salespeople is still going on in this day and age. There are easier ways to buy a vehicle just do your homework.

 

Lol. It was about 40 years ago when I was around 20 years old. I remember they were embarrassed and apologized a lot. I guess I just assumed they would give me the car with enough fuel for a 5 mile test drive. I've looked ever since tho.

Oh, and welcome to TacomaWorld. Nice first post, lol.

 

I hate shopping for new vehicles, but once i haul myself to a dealer....can't help messing with the sales people. I've always ended up in the sales manger's office.

 

haha, thanks brah. My GF test drove a car and left it in neutral, rolled out of the parking lot down a hill and into a tree. Could be worse.

 

I go in prepared with comparables, so my buying experience is always pretty straight forward. Match this model and price, or I'll drive a few hours and buy theirs instead. With my Taco, I compared it to a demo unit in Niagara Falls than had the factory Tonneau. I got the Tonneau for free, saved the freight (since the demo was 'used') and got the demo price (A few grand cheaper than MSRP) for my new Taco. All in all I saved somewhere in the 8 grand range.

My worst experience was trying to buy my 2015 WRX in the summer of 2014. They were sold out everywhere, and the sales person didn't think I was serious about buying one so he kind of treated me like a kid who was just window shopping. I simply went to the other local dealership, and ordered my car. Received it 2.5 months later and everything was great otherwise.

 

Can't say I've had any really terrible experiences with sales folks. I suspect that folks that feel they were treated badly allowed that to happen. The buyer can always walk away. I have done at the first sign of BS.

Now at to dealerships, specifically maintenance department, yes.

In 2014 I got a new Tundra for a work truck. Six days later the tailgate would not open. There is a plastic clip that connects the linkage. It broke. No problem stuff happens. I just disconnected that side and all was happy until I could get to the dealer for repairs.

At the dealer they told me they had to order parts. Again, makes sense, how often could this happen.

The parts came in and I arranged with the service writer to bring it in that afternoon. When I sowed up the service folks said they couldn't do and I had to make an appointment. Mildly miffed I tracked down the service writer. He was, according to him very busy, but said that since I already knew how to take off the tailgate panel I could do it myself and offered the parts to me.

Now I am just a bit more than miffed. As in purely pissed off. So I took the parts, walked back out to the service writer area and proceeded to make the repairs myself. I took my time and everyone that walked by I advised that this is what Carson Toyota considers great service on a new truck.

Several people from the dealership up to and including the head honcho came by to tell me I had to leave. Several threatened to call the cops and have me removed. I invited them to do so.

I finally finished and left.

Lo and behold, the very next day the clip on the other side broke. Now I am considerably more than angry. I went back to the dealer and told them to either fix the damned thing or I'd see what a lawyer would have to say. They sent out a Service Technician (note these guys aren't repair folks, they are parts changers). He at least was honest. He told me that the "new" clips were shorter and thicker to prevent this problem.

Parts were ordered again (why didn't they do both sides the first time?) and after about three weeks of dealing with this I finally had it all taken care of.

I cornered the same service writer and ask him to explain why if Toyota had enough time to identify the problem, design, manufacture and distribute the "new" parts was the vehicle not fixed before it was sold. I found out later that they were indeed supposed to be changed before the truck was sold. The dealer just decided that if they didn't do it the odds of having the failures was small enough that they might never have to do it on most of the trucks they sold.

Toyota corporate did make the appropriate noised when informed. I doubt anything was done but at least they made it sound like they would.

Never went back to Carson Toyota and have informed everyone who asks to avoid them like the plague.

 

My worst experience ever was with Boyce Garcia the manager at Toyota of Victoria, TX.

 

The only way you will have a bad dealer experience is if you let them control the sale. YOU control the sale from the time you walk in the door. IF the salesman is a dick, walk straight to the sales manager and tell him you'll deal with him or you will walk. Look for a salesman who understands that in order for his family to eat tonight he must sell you a car, and that your family will eat better if he doesn't. Remind him that it is better to bunt your way on base than to swing for the fence and strike out. Most of all, look him in the eye, and tell him, "I DON'T have to buy a car today, but you have to sell one". Then smile. Once you understand how to control a sale buying a car will be fun. And after you have driven them before you as the dust before the wind, and driven a hard deal in your favor, when you drive away from their lot with the car you want at the price you wanted to pay, you want them to watch you fade into the distance like the High Plains Drifter, and ask themselves, "Who th' FUCK WAZZAT!!????

If you haven't had to feed your family all your life by selling something, it would be a good idea to read President Trump's book The Art of the Deal. Some of you are still young. Go sell cars for three months next time you are between jobs. The auto industry will train you well in the art of the deal and most important...how to control the sale. Best training experience you will ever have, INCLUDING college. Then you quit and become their worst nightmare, an educated buyer! You will never again be anyone's fool, and you will never be "handled" again.

 

Back in 1998 I went with my dad to buy my first new truck on my own. I was set on a Tacoma Prerunner V6. Before we went in he laid out the plan, he said if we’re not getting what we want, I’ll kick you under the table and then you say “dad, let’s go look at those Nissans across the street.” Sure enough, the salesman wasn’t budging on something, maybe a free CD Player... (that was a big deal back then) haha that’s when I felt the kick. I said my line and we walked out the door. This was after making the salesman go back and forth to his sales manager 3 times for our requests. We got in my dads car and my dads says “check this out.” The sales manager was running towards us. He leaned in and said,” this is this kids first day, what can I do to make you drive off the lot with that truck today?” “ Throw in that CD player and we have a deal.” “ No problem.” Hahaha

It was amazing. My father was a used car salesman back in the day before we were born. He knew the tricks of the trade. I hadn’t had a Tacoma since then, I missed it a lot. Last year I bought a 19 Pro and I smile every time I get in. It’s what I need, simple and comfortable.

 

Was bored one overcast day and ventured to a Ford Dealer in my 04 Tacoma. Older salesman (50+?) walked out and greeted my gf and I.
I told him I thought my GT was having issues with the clutch and wanted to test drive another to compare.

Five minutes later, I'm behind the wheel of a pre-owned 2019 MT GT with all the packages, salesman and girlfriend in the back and went for a cruise, salesman telling me to send it around the curves to "feel the car grip the road".

Didn't even show my license. I was 19 or 20 lol

 

I had the same issue. 17 WRX in august of 16. I was unsure what I liked but I Told the guy I was interested in a WRX and he let me test drive an Impreza wagon, saying I wouldn’t want a WRX due to insurance costs etc, he stopped answering my emails. I came back 2-3 months later, talked to a different salesman, he had the car waiting outside, took it for a spin and I took it home the next day.

 

In 2001 I was looking at trading my 1994 Jeep Wrangler, Local Honda Piazza, Langhorne. Pa dealership was giving me a hard time, so came time for trade #, and I asked what it was. I then asked if they could do better, so he said, if you can get a better price, then go for it., and I said ok I will

So I left, the Female sales rep was crying and he was telling her it would be ok. I went to Keenan Honda Doylestown, Pa I met sales rep, Asked for best price, don't play games, go best OTD price in 15 mins, plus Keenan gave me 3X the money for trade. set a appointment for delivery, delivery including showing and explaining features to no more than 1 - 1 1/2 hours, Went back to first dealership, and thanked sales manager for sending me to other dealer, he asked me how much I did better, and I said for him not to worry since his pencil was not sharp enough!

 

They do that so you cant jack the car and haul ass over the border

 

Dodge dealer in my town jerked me around on trade-in price for my work truck (4500$) and then told me I was approved for a 2.9% loan on the truck I was looking at. Salesman chased me through the parking lot, manager came out huffing and puffing about how great a deal it was etc. I left and sold my truck for 10k on Craigslist within a couple weeks and bought a Toyota instead.

I also found out that they never ran my credit so that part about being approved was bullshit too.

 

Hmm not sure. They took a copy of my drivers license, my other car is sitting in their parking lot and the salesman was with me. But maybe you’re right.

 

When I was in high school I worked evenings and weekends at a Chrysler dealership and the salesmen there were nothing short of despicable. I remember one young couple came in and bought the biggest POS on the lot probably with their last dime and the next day they came back behind a tow truck. The salesman told them tough shit so they left the car in front of the dealership. The salesman told me to move it across the road and I said forget it! He ended up pushing it across the road and left it there. He was the biggest dirt bag you would ever want to meet. I later found out he had been married five times!

 

Back around 93 i jerked around by a dodge dealer's sales rep when considering a dakota. We worked out the total cost of a new dakota that needed to be ordered. Had everything finalized except signing the papers. While waiting he finally comes from an office claiming how bad he felt not telling me there was an added $750 charge for automatic transmission, and $400 for advertising. This still has stuck in my craw today. I just looked at him and walked out.