Sometimes, despite our best efforts to believe the best in people, we encounter situations where…read moreopportunities for communication and doing the right thing simply aren't embraced.
Back in October, I purchased a car at a dealership that came highly recommended. My daughter is friends with the owner's son, and I have a mutual friend with the owner. The initial experience was excellent--I received reassuring messages like "let me know if you need anything" and "call me if you don't think you're getting a good deal."
BUT...
I drove off the lot in my cute little whip and IMMEDIATELY noticed my gas gauge fluctuating between empty and full. I texted my sales guy right away--I mean, I had JUST pulled off the lot.
I stayed in communication over the next several weeks. Around Thanksgiving, I took my car to their recommended shop, which confirmed my fuel pump needed replaced. I double-checked that the dealership would handle the bill, and they ordered the part.
December: I'm back in town for Christmas. Wrong fuel pump was sent.
January: Trip canceled due to PA winter weather.
February: Finally back. Fuel pump replaced, but surprise--I'm told I owe $288 for a "deductible and taxes" I never anticipated.
I called my sales guy. No answer.
I called the dealership and got Chad, the owner.
And this is where it goes downhill fast.
I have no idea if someone pissed in his Cheerios that morning or if this is standard behavior. And I rarely play this card, but I genuinely believe had I not been a woman, this conversation would have gone differently.
I wish I could accurately convey the condescending tone of this man's voice. He was rude, talked down to me, and was inexplicably angry.
Chad claims: "If it was the fuel pump, you wouldn't have been able to drive it off the lot."
Reality: This was precisely the diagnosed problem according to THE SHOP HE SENT ME TO.
Then he goes: "I don't know what you people expect. It's only a hundred dollars. Some people are never happy."
Then he HUNG UP ON ME. Like a child who can't regulate his emotions.
My not-so-happy self drove straight to Final Drive to address this in person. Guess who wasn't there? Chad. Guess who was? Justin, who spent the next ten minutes trying to manipulate the conversation by listing everything he'd done for me--fixing the backup camera, calling the warranty company repeatedly.
I asked Justin directly: "If we'd noticed the gas gauge wasn't working before I drove off the lot, would you have fixed it?"
"Yes," he admitted.
"According to Chad, it's 'only $100'--bottom line, are you going to cover that?"
"No."
LESSONS LEARNED
1. GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING. I should have texted Justin to document his response that there would be no out-of-pocket costs.
2. ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT COSTS. Even when someone says they'll "handle it," clarify exactly what that means and what potential costs might still fall to you.
3. DEALERSHIP OWNERS AREN'T ALWAYS ACCOUNTABLE. Chad had an opportunity to listen and communicate effectively. Instead, he chose disrespect. Kindness goes a long way in business, but some people only care about the initial sale.
Don't let this happen to you. Document everything, ask detailed questions about costs, and research dealership reviews thoroughly--especially regarding their after-sale service.
Not that I did any of those things prior to my purchase. I assumed that my second degree of separation through friends who had personally communicated to the owner and his son would have sufficed.
It didn't.
#ConsumerAlert #CarDealershipWarning #CustomerService
