DISHONEST / UNETHICAL Toyota Dealership - Camelback Toyota, Phoenix, AZ

Post#76 mentions Peoria Subaru and, we bought our Outback there in '11 and had the best experience ever. It's still the best car we've ever owned and service has always been outstanding in multiple dealerships across the west.

This thread is so interesting to me as we have just returned to Phoenix after about 10 years. We bought my '20 Taco at Mountain States Toyota in Denver in late '19. This after a friend bought his there before me and liked the experience enough to recommend them. Also, an outstanding sales experience and service as well. So, they're not all so bad. And, mine is currently due for 24K service and I have an appointment with LH Miller Toyota on the west side near the Loop 101 here in Phoenix. Hope they do okay?

I believe Subaru has a culture of customer service and, the management of the dealerships reflects this. I've consistently seen this in four of them. Apparently this isn't true for Toyota. I give good reviews and support for good customer service to encourage that behavior and rail against them when I don't to discourage it. I support OP for lambasting Camelback Toyota. Customer service still matters. It won't be a seller's market forever and complaints like this will haunt them. Best of luck OP!

 

Stealerships not dealerships. It doesn't matter if they are selling a Toyota or a Kia. They are all the same. I worked in several of them in the service department and I only let a dealership touch my car only if it is under warranty. There is so much crap they will pull if you let them get away with it. They love it when they see stupid tattooed on your forehead and you keep coming back. Salesmen are the worst. I've seen them high 5 each other when they really put it to a customer. To them it is a game and they get off on it when they jerk someone over. Its the competition between each other for bragging rights. You'd think they would be ashamed of what they are doing but they are not. Watch out for the salesman who tries to be nice and is your friend. When he is in back with the sales manager they are trying to decide how much more they can get out of you.

 

I wouldn't generalize Subaru across the board. I tried to buy a Subi two years ago and the dealer I went to (first time in a Subaru dealer) was HORRIBLE! I was at Lee's Summit Subaru just outside Kansas City and I'm certain they did not want my business. I had the car I wanted picked out, verified it was on the lot and was willing to pay sticker since there weren't many discounts for STI's at the time. But they said they wanted to keep the car on the lot so they can draw attention from the KC market. Fast forward to three weeks ago, the Mrs was wanting to trade in her Odyssey on a Camry and the same dealer showed to have a low mile 2020 Camry on the lot and they are owned by the neighboring Honda dealer as well so it seemed win win to me. They said that they did not want to sell the Camry because "we wanted an all wheel drive car going into winter" even though I told them we have two 4WD trucks and are going after mileage. They still said we would have to wait until someone was available to show us the Camry and they were too busy selling Subaru's. Sad because I've heard nothing but good things about Subaru's themselves.

 

Toyota Of Borne in Texas is the same way. They pulled a bunch of crap on me, Even to the point of not giving my trade in keys back to me!

 

airforceb2cc said, "I wouldn't generalize Subaru across the board."

Fair enough. I've only shared the experiences I've had and those are several but of course, still limited. We bought 4 Dodge trucks from the same dealer in Phoenix over many years because of good experiences with the dealer and their service department. Moved out of state to Wyoming and then Colorado and it was nothing but pure shit after that.

I will NEVER buy another Fiat-Chrysler product. I would buy another Subaru without a moments hesitation. It's 10 years old and I still don't need too.

Remember what Forrest said about the box of chocolates...

 

I've been looking for a thread like this. Last Friday I went to pick up my Tacoma that I had on order since May 5. As soon as I walked in,my salesman was trying to tell me that I was putting too much money down and eventually admitted they were not making enough money on the financing/deal. So, off to finance and they wanted to jack my interest rate up higher (I have excellent credit) to make more money from the bank. I asked the finance guy why they were dicking me around and his reply was "The sales manager controls the deals and we can sell your truck tomorrow for $10k more than you are paying". I went to get the "Toyota Customer Satisfaction" rep on site and when I walked into the office with her the finance guy said "I got you 2.49%", then the sales manager stuck his head in and told him to "Just do the deal"! So, in the end I got my truck for what was agreed upon, but what a pain in the rear end to get. For anyone curious, my dealership is Ganley Toyota in Akron, Ohio. I have opened a case up with Toyota as well.

 

Sorry for the crap you had to deal with. But I will add that I was a little surprised that it was Camelback because they were the only dealer in the Phoenix area that was willing to play ball back at the end of May. The salesman and manager there were one of the few who called and emailed as promised. Lots of other hemmed and hawed or kept pushing other models on me that I didn't want. Some other dealers simply didn't know when they would have trucks available. Camelback said that they would have the truck I wanted on June 1 and made clear I needed to be the first one in to seal the deal. I received a call on June 1 that the truck arrived, so I went in with my checkbook. I had previously pushed back on the phone about the price they charged for their 'protection package' and was told they would be willing to negotiate once I showed up-- much to my surprise, they had already marked down the package to the price of tint as I had briefly suggested as being reasonable. They also didn't charge me for the Tacoma decal that was installed (it was listed on the physical window sticker, but not on what was emailed). They did have a delay in prepping the truck, so they bought me breakfast for the extra hour I had to wait (unfortunately sounds suspicious now that you mention the hitch in your deal).

I ran into an electrical issue a month into ownership and took the truck in to Autonation Tempe, which is closer to me...unfortunately they took forever fixing it, screwed me on a loaner, and scratched up my interior in the process. That's been a headache and a half trying to get it rectified so I feel you on having to deal with a crappy dealer. But it's a crapshoot out there, that's for sure.

 

I swung by Autonation Tempe just today, was gonna inquire about the extra Key that is supposedly available at any dealer. The line of the service department
lanes were like 10 deep each - so I punted and drove around seeing zero Tacoma's on the lot, a few used ones but that was it. I live real close to that place
and if they are ok would take it there instead of up to Camelback.

 

I think the key is finding someone to deal with that's been doing it a long time. They run so many damn salesmen through these dealerships because it's a shit job for most people. They have to work a ton of hours and if they don't sell a lot of cars they make very little money. The turnover is huge so you're usually dealing with someone fairly new that knows less about the vehicle than you do and has a hard time answering basic questions. That's why buying a vehicle is usually a pretty horrible experience.

 

I have been happy with Hendrick Toyota of Apex. I’ve been satisfied with their service department too. Really nice change after years of Volkswagen, Nissan, and Ford dealerships.

 

I was caught in that line today. Every time I go, it's a crappy wait...even upon picking up today, I stood at the valet's door for 10 minutes before someone came around to ask which car I was picking up. Even though Autonation Tempe is just a few miles, I am driving to Camelback for my next service. I haven't interacted with their service at all, but Tempe is sooo terrible I'm not going back. They scratched my interior on a warranty visit back in mid-July and I finally got it fixed today (took contacting Toyota Corporate and tons of follow-up with the dealer). Customer service is lacking, and from the visits I've made it seems they're poorly managed, at least in the service department (sales team was alright, but just super slow in my experieces).

 

I tried like hell to buy a truck there, back when they had like 50 at a time on the lot. No call back, no Email reply....would visit and wait and wait and wait for someone to help me, when they did all they asked was : "Are you ready to buy today" ... wouldn't answer questions, didn't give 2-fks about wanting my business. I had to go to the managers desk and ask if someone there was available to let me test drive one of them...

Every now and then I drive around the lot hoping to spy one of the several sales people I dealt with and wave at them out of the truck. Never could get a single person to work with there it was always someone different each time.

 

Try Chris Lopez at Riverview or Mike Douglas at Precison in Tucson, bought from both those dealers a few Tacomas, both honest, both transparent in a sea of sh*tty Toyota dealers in AZ.

 

It seems like Hendrick may just have a really good company culture, which is good to know.