If you're looking to get scammed and have your time wasted, this is the dealership for you…read more
We contacted Car Lux Inc. after finding a vehicle we were interested in. We told our salesperson, Maximus, that we had the money ready and would be driving down from Northern California within about a week to purchase it. Instead of simply holding the car, he immediately used pressure tactics, claiming it would likely sell unless we put down a **$500 refundable deposit**. Once we paid the deposit, the dealership marked the vehicle as sold and removed the listing, CarFax, and all of the vehicle information from their website. When we later asked for the CarFax again, Maximus suddenly became "too busy" to respond, despite previously replying almost instantly.
Before making the trip, we specifically asked if there would be any issues paying with a cashier's check on July 4th since banks would be closed. Maximus told us to send him a photo of the check several days in advance so he could have it verified beforehand. We did exactly that, and he confirmed everything was good to go.
After driving several hours to the dealership, everything fell apart.
First, the vehicle was nothing like it had been represented. We were told it had new tires, yet the front tires had a 2012 manufacture date. The car was filthy, covered in scratches and paint chips, had faded paint, broken buttons, rattling mirrors, suspension issues, exhaust problems, and cheap aftermarket parts. Based on its condition, it likely needed close to **$10,000** in repairs.
After spending hours test driving the car and completing paperwork, we were suddenly told our cashier's check had **never been verified**, despite Maximus previously confirming that it had been. The only option they offered was financing, which conveniently came with numerous undisclosed fees. Maximus repeatedly insisted he had verified the check until the finance manager called him out in front of us for lying and told us he would be **firing Maximus because this wasn't the first time he had made this kind of mistake**. Whether that was genuine or just for show, it was incredibly unprofessional.
Read every line of the paperwork. The contracts included several undisclosed fees and add-ons, including a vehicle tracker we never requested. We believe many of these practices are deceptive, and **we will be filing complaints with both the FTC and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).**
To make matters worse, getting our refundable deposit back became another ordeal. After we decided not to purchase the vehicle, they repeatedly stalled and told us to leave, promising they would send the refund later. We refused to leave without our money and informed them that we would involve the police if necessary. The moment law enforcement was mentioned, our $500 refund was processed within minutes.
This was, without question, one of the worst dealership experiences we've ever had. Between the misleading description of the vehicle, high-pressure sales tactics, contradictory information, questionable contract practices, and the difficulty getting our own money back, I cannot recommend Car Lux Inc. to anyone. Save yourself the time, money, and frustration, and buy your car somewhere else.
