On a recent trip from my home in Montgomery to the Hill Country, I experienced an unexpected detour…read morethat I now know was nothing short of God's protection. Warning lights came on in my SUV, and I felt a strong pull to turn around and head back 15 miles to Brenham. That decision, though inconvenient at the time, turned out to be a divine appointment. I was traveling alone with my six-year-old son, a fully loaded SUV, and two dogs--one of them just an eight-week-old puppy. My husband called ahead to Appel Ford and spoke with Mary, who told him to send me their way--that they would take care of me. What a profound understatement that turned out to be. Mary and the entire Appel Ford team went above and beyond anything I could have asked for. What could have been a stressful, overwhelming, and potentially dangerous situation was handled with such grace, kindness, and excellence. They were busy--no doubt about it--but they made room to inspect my vehicle quickly so I could get into a rental. Mary also reminded me that I had a Premium Care Package I had completely forgotten about, which helped tremendously with the rental process. What touched me the most was the way they cared for my whole family. The manager noticed I was lowering the windows for my dogs and invited me to bring them inside where it was cool, simply asking me to clean up if needed. The staff kindly helped with my son--offering him water, cleaning up when he spilled, showing him the restroom, and even watching him while I moved our things. They greeted and played with my dogs. Their kindness wasn't just professional--it was genuine. But Appel Ford wasn't done. The very next day, after repairing the sensor issue, they called my husband to report that they had heard a concerning roaring noise during the test drive. Upon further inspection, they discovered that the front driver's side wheel was so loose that it literally came off when they removed the hubcap. Their attention to detail and their refusal to dismiss what could have seemed like a minor issue quite literally saved our lives. When I returned to pick up my vehicle, they once again went the extra mile, processing everything quickly and offering to help me transfer all my things back from the rental. It would have been easy for anyone at that shop to say, "We're too busy." It would have been easy to overlook the sound, to do just the minimum. But they didn't. Because of their diligence and compassion, I am here today with my son and my dogs--safely back home with my family. Words cannot express my gratitude. I will be a customer for life. I've already told everyone I know and will continue to tell them--it is worth the drive to Brenham for service like this. I am reminded of Psalm 91:11-12: "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." God's protection was evident that day, and Appel Ford was a vessel of His provision. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus in the way you served me and my family. -- Katherine T.

Extremely Disappointing Experience & Alarming Business Practices -- Especially for Women…read more I typically purchase a new vehicle every 2-3 years and have bought vehicles from many dealerships. This time, my husband was the actual buyer; the truck would be purchased and financed under his credit, while I helped with the negotiation. I initially worked with Will and asked whether there was any flexibility in the price. His response was extremely condescending, making me feel as though I could not afford the vehicle simply because I asked about a price reduction. He told me they would not lower the price further, so I left an honest review about my experience. Shortly afterward, the dealership lowered the price anyway. I contacted Frank, the General Manager, and was willing to give the dealership another chance. Frank was professional, provided an out-the-door price, and offered to remove the additional upgrades. I accepted the price, secured financing, and contacted Justin to obtain the purchase order. I want to emphasize that my entire experience with Justin was great. He was polite, professional, helpful, and responsive throughout the process. He treated me with respect and made everything as smooth as possible. If my experience had been based on Justin alone, I would have no problem giving the dealership a positive review. Approximately 48 hours later, Mike, the General Sales Manager, refused to sell the truck to my husband because of my review. He emphasized his long history with the owner and made it clear that he had the authority to refuse to do business with us based on what I had written. Within a few hours of refusing the sale, the dealership lowered the price again--bringing it within approximately $1,700 of the price I had originally been negotiating for. I cannot say what their intent was, but the timing made the decision feel personal rather than business-related. I contacted Frank afterward. He remained professional, acknowledged that he had heard my original conversation with Will, and agreed that Will's behavior had been condescending. However, Frank also told me that it was the dealership's practice not to do business with someone who leaves a negative review or expresses dissatisfaction with how they were treated. ALARMING BUSINESS PRACTICE I understand that a business has discretion over whom it chooses to serve. However, refusing to sell a vehicle to my husband because I spoke up about how I was treated is deeply troubling. I was not the buyer. My husband was the buyer, the truck was being financed under his credit, and I was simply helping with the negotiation. Yet my review was used as the reason to refuse the sale to him. Customers should be able to honestly review their experiences without worrying that a spouse or family member will be denied business as a result. If the dealership disagreed with my review, it could have responded to it or contacted me to discuss the situation. Instead, according to Mike, it chose to refuse the transaction. ESPECIALLY CONCERNING FOR WOMEN As a woman, this experience made me feel awful. I asked a normal question about price, felt I was treated condescendingly, and left an honest review. I then gave the dealership another chance, accepted the General Manager's price, secured financing, and was prepared to complete the purchase. Instead, my husband was refused business because of something I had said. That left me with a troubling message: If I speak up when I feel mistreated, my husband can be punished for it. This feels like an alarming example of the old "good ol' boy" mentality: speak up, challenge how you are treated, or refuse to stay silent, and you will be punished for it. Women should be able to ask questions, negotiate prices, advocate for themselves or their families, and express concerns without fearing retaliation. No customer should have to stay silent to protect a spouse or family member's ability to do business. My concern is not with every employee. Justin was excellent throughout my entire experience with him--professional, helpful, respectful, and easy to work with. Frank also initially appeared interested in resolving the situation. My concern is with the underlying management practice of refusing business to customers--or their family members--because they leave negative reviews or express dissatisfaction. This isn't about not getting the truck. It's about what happened after I spoke up. Customers, especially women advocating for themselves or their families, deserve to know how this dealership handles people who honestly describe their experiences.