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Dealer Disaster! AVOID THIS DEALERSHIP!

5279 Views 17 Replies 11 Participants Last post by  MattieLex
I am posting this thread based on two merits. 1. So that I can help get the word out to anyone else from making the same mistake I did by choosing this dealership. 2. To hopefully impact this dealership where it hurts the most by it's reputation and it's bank account!

So after reading this forum for weeks and speaking with my own local dealerships I understood attaining a CT Premium with Fire Agate & Carmel Interior w/ Nav was going to be next to impossible. Especially lieu of recent events with Japan and the gas hike toppled with the successful launch of the vehicle...yeah take a number!

However this past Friday I discovered that Newport Lexus here in Southern California actually had my particular CT en route! The sales assistant Ashlie verified this, and said that the car would be at the dealership any day. She went on to say that if I was serious I should consider purchasing this vehicle as soon as possible. I indicated to Ashlie I was very interested, and just needed to secure selling my current vehicle to a potential buyer over this weekend. I said we'll be in touch.

I spoke with the potential buyer for my car Friday Night and he said warranting a positive inspection and test drive Sunday he'd love to buy my car at full asking price. I called Ashlie back first thing Sunday morning and left her a message. Ashlie returned my call while i was with my buyer test driving the car and I said I would have an answer about purchasing the CT in about 30 min. Ashlie said great and the CT had arrived at the dealership today..perfect!

20 min later I shook hands, signed over the paper work and keys, then waived good bye to my faithful Scion XB. I call Ashlie back at Newport Lexus and told her lets close the deal on my CT! She said great we'll get started on this right away! I told her I had to work all day Sunday in my office and the earliest I could be at the dealership in Newport Beach * I live in San Diego * was Tuesday morning. She said no problem that her or the Salesman Tom would be happy to email or fax me the paper work to start working on the deal right away.

1 hr later i arrive at my office and return the application to Newport Lexus via e-mail. Tom the salesman calls me and we discuss the specifics that I want added to my CT. He said he had everything, and he would fax me some more paper work soon.

6 hours later and about 4 emails back and forth between myself and Ashlie his sales assistant about some general questions I had about the car. I told Ashlie I appreciated all her correspondence and that I was nervous doing this transaction over the phone and email. I also said to her so far so good and hopefully no snags onward from here and to keep up the good work. It's now 6 p.m. and no word from anyone at Newport Lexus. Concerned I called Tom and asked that if he couldn't return my call by the end of the day to please call me first thing today * Monday Morning*.

Fast forward today-Monday- and 11 a.m. no call from anyone at Newport Lexus. I call the dealership and ask to speak to Tom. Tom answers and say's that another salesman named " Mark " was actually given my file at some point yesterday afternoon and that he would now be taking care of me. He said he'd tell Mark I called and Mark would return my call.

At this point I'm pretty pissed off and feel like I'm either being given the run around or being stalled. In any event piss poor customer service so far.

1 hour later now 12 p.m. no call from Mark. Aggravated and concerned I decide to email Ashlie again as seeing this was the only form of communication that was working yesterday. 30 minutes later a get an email from her that made me fall out of my seat at work. " Steven sorry shortly after you sent in your paper work yesterday we sold your car I'm so sorry we meant to tell you yesterday "

I almost transformed into the incredible hulk at work! Enraged I email her back and demand that the manager call me immediately! So I get a call from " Tony " the sales manager. Tony says he is so sorry. He said that apparently Tom had sold this car 3 weeks ago and didn't put the deal into the computer and he didn't know about it. Tony said he was aware that I called the dealership Friday night with interest in the car and was also aware that I called Sunday morning. He went on to admit he was the one that authorized that the CT be sold to me and to get me the paper work via e-mail or fax asap. I call BS and said how could that be when " Tom " called me Sunday at 1 p.m. and was working on deal on this same CT with me yesterday. How or why the @#$%@ would Tom put two deals together for the same frigen car!!

I tell Tony I also spoke to Tom this morning and hour and a half earlier and he made no mention about any of this to me and said a salesman named " Mark " was going to be calling me. I tell Tony BS and I both you and I knew I wasn't going to get a call back from Mark. Tony then tells me I'm not making this up that " Honestly sir Tom was embarrassed that why he didn't tell you on the phone". I couldn't believe it! How pathetic a grown man and he doesnt have the balls to tell me he screwed me. I went on to yell at Tony on the phone that thanks to him and his horrible staff I now have NO CAR because I sold mine in lieu of Newport Lexus telling me they had my car available!!

I tell Tony I now have no car, and I can't believe that he himself did not call me when he had found out about this. He said " sir your absolutely right I should have and was going to but I didn't". I also said that I was speaking to Ashlie for almost 5 hours via email and that all the while she and everyone else at the dealership all knew yesterday that they had sold my carnut no one told me.

I could write more telling you all about how they changed their story twice since and still van't get it straight. I could also go on to tell you that Tony even lied to me again over the phone today regarding something else..but I'll save it. I know this because i spoke to two other Lexus dealerships that verified this lie and felt so bad for me.

Tony called me back an hour later telling me he had no cars for me and didn't offer me jack crap. Not even a loaner car so that even I had a car until they could fix this horrible mess I'm in. This is the worst possible nightmare I could have with buying a car. Tony says I swear I'm not lying folks he would give me a deal on a new Ct and he would throw in free car washes for life to make it up to me. Are you kidding me I said this is a joke to make me laugh right? he said no he's serious. I said unbelievable a car wash. I get those free at my local lexus dealership any time as a courtesy here in San Diego. He said oh well we charge for that here.

So folks I'm stranded with no car now. Those a-holes probably had someone there at the dealership willing to sign over a check then and there yesterday and took advantage of me trying to finance it. I'm a two time and current Lexus owner mind you, just having purchased a new GX460 for my pregnant wife 3 weeks ago. If the dealer couldn't get me the 3.5% financing I already had a blank check for up to 60k in my name with a decent 3.75% APR ready to go.

TO EVERYONE BOYCOTT THIS DEALERSHIP!! NEWPORT LEXUS IS A DISGRACE!! Car less and aggravated in San Diego....
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Sorry to hear your experience. Did you leave a deposit? Almost all stores, No deposit means car is available for sale.
I sent over along with my application and ID via email to the dealer. I'm contemplating legal action.
so you put a deposit down on the car or what??? just sending in an application and proof of id isn't a deposit. if so, legal action may be the only recourse to have them honor a deal for you.

i had a dealership do a similar thing to me when i was shopping for a car, but i never put a deposit down. in the end after all was said and done, i was pissed (by myself on my own terms) but i did not blame the dealership at all for selling the car i was going to buy even though we agreed to terms and pricing. basically, i was to go in to buy on a wednesday and they sold it tuesday evening. i didn't have a car for one week.

i hope you get it sorted out, especially if they took your deposit. if not, you don't have much of a case against them.
I sent over along with my application and ID via email to the dealer. I'm contemplating legal action.
Hate to tell you, but I don't think you have anything to take legal action on..

Wish I could help you, but the earliest I would have a CT here in stock is 30 days away for a Base.
^ you know i was just about to suggest that ctsurfer buy a ct200h from you and have it shipped over. but unfortunately, it looks like the situation in japan is going to stall things a bit for everyone. :(
I am sorry to say, I spoke to my local dealer, he has only two CT's on order and will be delivered in several weeks, both very basic premium models without nav. All of their allotment thus far have been sold.

I have bought several cars recently since I lease through my company, but have learned the hard way from multiple different dealers and brands that only leaving a deposit will hold the car for you! If there is no deposit, they can sell the car, whether its right and ethical is another question. Most of the dealers I deal with, honor verbally a commitment for 48 hours, but legally don't have to.

Those are my two cents,..........
I sent them a scanned check for $1000 along with my application and ID. Again, I was not there in person I was at work so I could not get the check physically in hand until Tuesday. I did the best I could.

The dealer still has not contacted me today ( jerks ) as I wanted to know if they tried cashing that check electronically or even if they ran my credit just so I know. I was told by my bank that some business can cash a check electronically through digital photographs such as my bank Chase, but that they would put a stop on the check right away, and I would not be charged for this * typically they do but my banker also felt bad for me*

I'm calling a family lawyer tomorrow to see what he says. We spoke briefly and since I have everything documented through email and phone records this typical sucks to be you case might actually persuade a judge to see it my way in court.
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CTsurfer... if you're still ready to buy, contact David Beecroft or John Pak @ Park Place Lexus in Plano, TX: (972) 407-7000. They had several inventoried on Monday... picked mine up this week.

Park Place Inventory: http://www.parkplacetexas.com/web/inventory/all_years/Lexus/CT 200h/all_body_types/New

Also try Chris Parish @ Sewell Lexus: (866) 775-3311

Sewell Inventory: http://www.sewell.com/web/inventory..._models/All_body_types/?max_mpg=50&min_mpg=40

Either one should be able to help you out.
I wish I didn't care about having the LED lowbeam headlamps but I do. My exact car (color and options) is arriving at a nearby dealer first week in April....they asked me if I wanted to put a deposit on it...I am going to wait for my LED's...I still can't see putting the yellowish halogen headlamps on a $30K+ Lexus...I know they tried to keep the cost at a reasonable price but it would have made more sense to make them all with LED headlights and not have used LED running lights
Thanks CT200 tx I'll give em a call. I doubt they have my color combo though. I had another dealer do a nation wide search and the last Premium Fire Agate / Carmel w/ nav just sold today in Shreveport Louisiana. =(

It might be 3-6+ weeks for this car to arrive from Japan. Maybe longer !
Thanks CT200 tx I'll give em a call. I doubt they have my color combo though. I had another dealer do a nation wide search and the last Premium Fire Agate / Carmel w/ nav just sold today in Shreveport Louisiana. =(

It might be 3-6+ weeks for this car to arrive from Japan. Maybe longer !
No sweat, man. Tell them Clay sent you... maybe they'll hook us both up!
ct200 tx I just checked unfortunately they don't have my color combo either. I'm going to call my local salesman " Joel Carlson " at Lexus of San Diego tomorrow and tell him lets just order mine tomorrow and wait it out till it makes it over from Japan...sigh =(

Joel feels horrible even sending me Newport Lexus. He only did so because he knew they had my car and they wouldn't send it as a trade for him down here at his dealership.
Thanks for the "lowdown" CTSurfer. I live in Palos Verdes and Work in Corona del Mar. I was considering purchasing my CT200h from Newport Lexus since they are just down the street from my office. After reading your experience, I will be avoiding that dealership and purchase from Torrance Lexus.
Everybody I know who's been to Newport Lexus has hated it. I don't go there for anything even though its the closest Lexus to me. Theres Tustin Lexus and Westminster Lexus both of which I prefer.
A scanned check isn't a deposit... not really.

To be honest you should never have sold your car unless you already secured the new one... and talking to a sales associate wouldn't qualify as reserving it. You made a mistake but this is a pretty harsh way of paying for it. I feel bad for you dude, this would suck.
Everybody I know who's been to Newport Lexus has hated it. I don't go there for anything even though its the closest Lexus to me. Theres Tustin Lexus and Westminster Lexus both of which I prefer.
I too had a rough go of it at Newport. They really acted like I was lucky to be able to shop there and that I was insane to try and get a better deal. I ended up at Tustin, who treated me very well. I would recommend them in a heartbeat, especially Chrystal in service.

What's odd is that Tustin and Newport are owned by the same group, yet have completely different approaches.
You may file complaint to BBB

I sent over along with my application and ID via email to the dealer. I'm contemplating legal action.
Try filing complaint to Better Business Bureau BBB [http://www.bbb.org/us/]. Most of the business are about he BBB rating they have and willing to settle the problem with you with the complaint. If it doesn't help, you may want to go to small-claim court to get compensation since you need to find a car use before you get the new car.

Hope you can get your CT soon.
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