Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Stevens Creek Toyota Verbally Abuses Customer!

Although this happened in 2005 I am seeing if this blog will be resurrected if I edit the post.
 
If you are simply fed up with how auto dealers treat you keep reading. I am so heated at Stevens Creek Toyota it is pathetic!

I know everyone is apprehensive about walking up to a car dealer to purchase a vehicle. From the salesperson, to the "floor manager" and finance person; all are suspect to shady dealings. You would figure; that if a person is pre-approved for a loan from a credit union, and knows somewhat what he wants, and for a specific price, he should be able to walk onto a lot and get a "Yes" or "No" from a dealer. NOT at Stevens Creek Toyota.

"Can I get that car for this price?" should be answered plain and simply with a "Yes" or "No". You would think anyway.

At Stevens Creek Toyota in Santa Clara CA you WILL NOT get a "Yes" or "No". You will get;

"You don't deserve to be my customer!"

"Expletive!"

"You don't deserve to own an Audi!"

"Expletive!"

"You don't know the value of a car!"

"Expletive!"

"Get off of my lot!"

"Expletive!"

"Go home, and don't come back!"

"Expletive, expletive, expletive!"

Here is the story:

I went to Stevens Creek Toyota in Santa Clara CA and met a salesperson who humored me with about 6 test drives, between three separate lots, over a period of about 45 minutes. I found the car I was willing to buy at the Stevens Creek VW lot (that is owned by the same people) but the price was just a little high for what I wanted to spend on it. I told the salesperson I will pay "this" for "that", can you do it?

He sat me in a room, took my license and pre-approval letter from my credit union and disappeared for 30 minutes. I assumed; wrongly, they were writing up the paperwork for the purchase. He came back and relayed a question to me from my credit union. I gave him the answer and re-inquired; "Can I get that car, for this price?" I was met with a "We are running the numbers right now".

After 15 more minutes he came in with a credit application; which confused me. Since I had already secured a loan for what I was willing to pay for a car why did he need to run my credit? When I told him I would not allow it he continued trying to convince me he could get me a better rate. I told him no, 3 more times before he left the room.

After another 15 minutes I was informed that we had to drive from the Stevens Creek VW lot over to the Stevens Creek Toyota lot to complete the deal. I told him; "If someone does not let me know if I will get that car for this price within 5 minutes of arriving at the Stevens Creek Toyota lot I was going to walk. After we arrived, and before we went in the building, he told me I could get it for $1,000 more than what I was offering. He knew this before we even got in the car to drive over to Stevens Creek Toyota. I threw up my hands in frustration and started to walk away, "Thank for wasting our time and I am now severely frustrated" was my comment. He said that "It was not set in stone and we still could get the deal I wanted"

After 10 minutes at the Stevens Creek Toyota lot the salesperson said we had to drive BACK over to the Stevens Creek VW lot because they would have to charge me more if I purchased it at the Stevens Creek Toyota lot. At this point in time I should have just walked away, but I am a true glutton for punishment.

On our way over to Stevens Creek VW I again stated, "If I do not get a yes or no on the deal I want within 5 minutes of arriving I am going to walk". When we arrived the salesperson went into the dealership for about 10 minutes. (I hope you understand.....at this point, I have invested HOURS in this whole operation and just wanted to either get the deal I asked for or just go home). BUT, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. The so called "Floor Manager" came out and sat me down on the bench outside and started going over the wholesale, retail, Blue Book, etc... Value of the car in question.

I stopped him and asked AGAIN, now for the 11th? 12th? 13th? time. "CAN I GET THAT CAR AT THIS PRICE"? He leaned back in his chair and said NO.

AFTER 2.5 HOURS, DRIVING BACK AND FORTH FROM LOT TO LOT, ASKING AND ASKING AND ASKING. TELLING THEM IF I CAN'T GET THE DEAL I AM GOING TO WALK ETC... They now tell me NO. I stood up in frustration, asked the salesperson to drive me back to Stevens Creek Toyota (where my car was at) and said, "We could have saved each other a lot of time if you would have answered that question an hour and a half ago."

Then the verbal abuse began.

"You don't deserve to be my customer!"

"Expletive!"

"You don't deserve to own an Audi!"

"Expletive!"

"You don't know the value of a car!"

"Expletive!"

"Get off of my lot!"

"Expletive!"

"Go home, and don't come back!"

"Expletive, expletive, expletive!"

When I tried reasoning with the "Floor Manager" stating,

"Why do you have to make this so hard?"
"Why are you treating me this way?"
"I can not believe you are treating a customer this way"
"How can you do business like this?"

He replied by yelling at me "Get off of my lot".

If you have suffered through my ranting and raving, suffered through my suffering, and feel compelled to speak out against tyranny (heheheee, dramatic I know). Please send emails to Stevens Creek Toyota and Stevens Creek VW in Santa Clara CA letting them know.

"We are not going to take this anymore!"