AG's office comes down hard on local auto dealership group

On a more positive note we have purchased 3 cars from Performance Kia in Everett. They have always been fantastic from the initial contact through final sale and now in servicing. Gill was the salesman we always dealt with. Even when we had problems they were willing to resolve the issues openly and very apologetic.

In the age of the internet, and all of the accessible information available, there is no reason ANYONE should allow themselves to be ripped off by auto dealers.

 

In April I purchased a car that I had been researching for close to 8 months.  It took me 4 e-mails in less than 4 hours, and I worked a purchase price that came in less than that recommended price of two different websites.  I was paying cash for the car, so there were no financing hassles.  The one hiccup (and I was prepared for it) was when the dealership attempted to sell me "their" extended warranty.  When I asked about Chrysler's extended plan (this was a Dodge Dealership) the young lady got flustered and told me she didn't know if she could sell it, and would have to speak to her manager.  When she came back and told me she could sell it to me, I told her I no longer trusted her, and I would buy it online.  That ended anymore chit-chat between us.

 

Always have a plan.  If you are not strong-willed, and easily bullied, find a friend to support you....AND DO YOUR RESEARCH!

Not quite as bad as what a big Honda or maybe it was a Ford dealership in Vancouver, WA did to me and my girlfriend at the time.  My gf was buying the car so I didn't have any power over anything.  They would take the trade in keys and then keep you for a long time at the dealership saying they lost the keys and were looking for them.  The attorney general finally nailed them since they had done it to many people.

 

Bellevue Honda did the same crap to me years ago.  They said they couldn't find my key or registration for my trade in.  I was already prepared since this crap happened before.  I had only given them one vehicle key, which I had an extra with me.  I was wanting to leave after not being able to make a deal and my key was nowhere to be found. I told them fine, keep the key and if the cops pulls me over I will tell them you kept my registration.  They found my registration right away and I left and bought a car elsewhere.

It's paramount to come into a dealership knowing you are the one controlling the transaction. It starts with being 100% willing to walk out, having done your research, and refusing to sway from your terms (assuming your terms were fair for both parties). Don't ever negotiate based on monthly payment or you are owned. If you walked in not knowing what you wanted, but find a car you like that day, walk out, do your research, and dont think of driving off the lot that day with that new car. Your purchase, your pace. That being said, this dealership sounds like its run through a complete scumbag with no integrity. Nice to see they have to pay up. Preying on the weak should not be a business plan.

Car dealership I'll never do business with again?  Walkers Subaru in Renton.  I love Subaru (and my car has been excellent) and there are some really great Subaru dealerships in Western Washington, but Walker's has some of the worst salesman ever, blatantly lying to your face about even minor stuff.

 

Although my experience was terrible, the affect on my ability to drive the car was really only minor in the long-run.  

 

I was shown (and test drove) my car with floor mats (the mats were in perfect condition, car only had 18,000 miles on it).  Pretty simple stuff, Subaru fabric floor-mats.

 

When I go the keys for the car and they brought it out to me (the same day, later in the evening), the floor mats were missing.  I didn't notice until I got home.  I then contacted the salesman I had been working with.  

 

Me: "Where are the floor mats"?  

 

Roman, the salesman, said "Oh, the car didn't have any floor mats in it."

 

Me: "No, there were definitely floor mats in the car when I test drove it."

 

Roman, "Are you sure? I don't think the car had any in it."

 

Me: "Yes, I'm 100% sure".

 

Roman, "Ok, I'll get back to you on that."

 

About a week later, I get a call from Roman;

 

Roman: "Yeah, we threw them away."

 

Me: "Ok, can you get me some floor mats then?"

 

Roman: "We don't have any to give you, sorry"

 

Me: "You showed me a car with floor mats that I eventually bought, I want those floor mats."

 

3 more weeks of back and forth with them before they FINALLY gave me some USED (i.e. had cuts in them) rubber floor mats.  

 

Simple thing, floor mats, and yet it turned into this HUGE issue because they wouldn't just give me the dang floor mats that were in the car.  I'm assuming they used them for a different car and sold it and didn't want to admit it.

Really? Car dealerships are dishonest? What a shock. 

 

Another waste of time and tax dollars by our current AGO....Why don't they investigate and DO SOMETHING about utility companies in our state double billing and holding their customers hostage??   

 

Utilities are getting so expensive that people are having a hard time meeting their bills and especially in the winter cannot afford to be without heat or hot water.   When utility bills are more than a mortgage payment, there is something seriously wrong and the state AGO should be looking into it as a matter of concern for the citizens that fund their office.

We bought a truck last year and had the same sort of treatment from a different dealer. Wouldn't tell us the price, wanted our title to our current vehicle, drivers licenses, etc. We had a chat with the sales manager and then walked. It was pretty bad. Wish I could remember what the dealer was.

Why is it that when the state finally takes action against one of these unscrupulous companies, the state gets the money (fine), and the consumer is still screwed, getting nothing out of the deal?

Sounds like the shady "Michaels Toyota"...They sold me a new 35k van than switched the van when it went to detailing....Yeah this van had been in an accident since it was undercarriage you could'nt see it....Feel sorry for anyone that does business here.

Wouldnt it be good journalism if the actual dealerships were named, not just their parent group?  I have no idea who Whitneys Auto Group owns.  But you can bet if I did I wouldnt be shopping there.

First, never fill in any blanks on a form if the information is not needed for the purpose you are filling it out.  If your address is not required, or your SS#, or phone number; just leave them blank.  Do you have children, who wants to know and why?  In this case, if they won’t answer a simple question without you providing personal information, just get back in your car and go.  “Sir, we need you to complete the form”, “It is complete”, No you have left these blank”, “You don’t need that information”, “We must have the form completed”, “No you don’t, you do not need that information to sell me a set of tires”, etc.  It can get fun actually. 

The AG should take a look on craigslist, its full of cars at local dealers who will not tell you the price. They all say call for craigslist special price or something like that, then if you call, they ask a bunch of questions first. Craigslist is a good tool for comparing prices, but be careful about buying from it.

 

Anyway, never buy a car from a parking lot or tent sale. Thats where all the problem cars end up the dealers don't want on their own lots. They bring in outside sales teams who know nothing about the vehicles being sold and if you have a problem, the whole operation is gone in 3 days.

My advice to anyone who wants to buy a car......go to a dealer.  Not some fly by night affair.

 

Just another example of government getting in the way of good business. *

 

 

 

 

* That was sarcasm if you didn't get the point.