My entire experience was pretty laughable and something right out of the best-selling "How to Lose Deals and Alienate People." I had a company 2007 Ford F-150 to sell. Long story short, a contract ended and I had no reason to keep it. The truck was in excellent running condition, but did need a few touchups (a new battery, significant crack in the windshield, some glue on the bedliner, and two minor dings.) I called them after hours on a Saturday, and to be fair, the person who answered was very nice. I explained that I was going to take the truck to CarMax but had to get a new battery first, and possibly a new windshield. The person said they'd absolutely be interested in buying it from me, and to bring it in Monday. So I did.
After arriving on Monday, I was directed to Ron, who for whatever reason didn't seem like he wanted to be there and was generally standoffish. I explained that if they made a reasonable offer, I'd be happy to cut out the middle man and sell them the truck, instead of driving 25 miles to Newport News to sell it at CarMax. Since I was selling a Ford truck to a Ford dealer, I thought they'd be happy to help. Ron begrudgingly walked out to the truck, and started to shake his head and muttered in slight disapproval at the windshield. He continued to give off the vibe of being generally unhappy with the truck, most likely to prepare the seemingly uninformed customer (me) for a ridiculously low offer. We then took it for a test drive, where his silence seemed to indicate that the truck ran better than he would have expected. (It did. It honestly ran great.) Anyway, we got back and went to his office. He clicked on a few websites and flipped through a few papers, making no eye contact or small talk, and continued to give off a completely unfriendly vibe. He then said to me "So, this thing is gonna need a lot of cosmetic work. You know, I do have to sell it after all." I nod, prepping myself for the absurd lowball offer he's about make, despite the fact that I can see the numbers on his computer screen and also that I'd already done plenty of research on my own. He says "I'm thinking in the $6,000 to $7,000 range." I laughed to myself, told him I'd have to think about it, and stood up. Now, right here is where Ron could have made a save. I mean, he didn't even try. Not even a "If that's too low, what range were you thinking?" He just maintained his less than happy demeanor and let me walk out, though he did have the awareness to weakly announce: "Let me know how I can help!"
So, I drove it to CarMax, and within 45 minutes of showing up, sold it for $12,000. The truck needed a good detail and a new windshield, and is probably going to sell on the lot for $17,000-$18,000 in a week.
I debated whether or not to write a review, because the reality is, I'll never buy a Ford for personal use. I do, however, buy 5-6 trucks a year for business, and thought this would be a good opportunity to see if I would want to work with Williamsburg Ford. The receptionist was very nice and helpful, and the person who answered the phone over the weekend was great. The service I received in replacing the car battery was also fine...if for no other reason than they literally just had to replace a battery. But that said, no complaints there.
The bottom line for me is, if a guy like Ron is the sales manager, and is willing to lowball an offer to someone by over 50%, without making a single effort to have any small talk, find out why I'm selling, or what future business I may bring, then I really do have to question their entire organization and business model at Williamsburg Ford. With so many options out there, I see no reason to recommend them to anyone, and will never attempt to do business with them again. It's unfortunate, as they are the closest dealership to my home, but thanks to Ron and his incredibly poor sales skills, I'll take my business elsewhere. read more