I am a young female that needed to buy a new car: pretty much an easy target. I got 2400 out of my car accident, so I needed to buy something under ten grand and has monthly payments of less than 200 dollars. I had been browsing the web and found a few cars. After doing further research and discovering that some were manual and others had no warranty, I finally found ONE:
A 2001 silver Ford Focus, cd player, warranty, for about 7500 dollars. HERE is the link to its page on the auto trader website, if it works. (NOTE: it no longer works so link has been removed). Notice that it's a premiere listing. I thought this was the perfect car. NOPE.
I called the dealership, Mel Clayton Ford, asking if it was in stock. They checked. Yes, it was. I asked if it came with a warranty? Yes, it did. So with that, my father and I were off to check it out.
The first thing as we get there, we notice the dealership is comprised of trailers. Not sales offices, trailers: like in the movie True Lies, at Bill Paxton's dealership. THIS should have told us something, but whatever. Some guy that barely spoke english ran up to us. I explained what we were looking for, and he directed us to what was evidently HIS boss. His boss told him to escort us to the internet sales department.
So we walk there, which is another set of trailors, I am introduced to what is supposed to be the manager of the internet sales department. I show him the paper. He asks who I talked to on the phone, I don't remember. He says "oh, i think it was Troy, he's with some customers. He'll be out in a few minutes."
What was a few minutes turned into 20. Finally, I said that I would come back tomorrow. He insisted that I stay and that TROY would be out in a few minutes. Ten minutes later, this joker comes to greet us and i tell him what i want and show him the paper. He said "i don't remember talking to you. But I guess I'll help you out anyway." Thanks Troy, as*. He takes the paper, looks up the record in his computer, and tells me that he's getting a salesman to help me out. This is the FIFTH person assigned to help me out.
Ten minutes later, some kid that looked about 17 and a black guy came out to help me. First off, the guy checked me out, in front of my dad. WTF? At this point, I'm pretty tired of being jerked around. I tell the guy, "look, I'm here for the Ford Focus on this paper." I then realize I left the paper in the office. But the salesman said, Oh, you don't need it. So you're looking for a new focus?"NO, i'm looking for the one specifically on the paper. I can go back and get it, if you want." Oh, that won't be necessary. Let's walk over to the used car lot. "Ok", i say, and we walk.
We walk everywhere. We see NOTHING. I ask the man to look in his inventory for it. He disappears for TWENTY MINUTES. I searched the ENTIRE lot in the span of TWO minutes. No ford focuses were there, only one from 2003 that was 13,000 dollars.
goofball comes back. "Here's a nice Ford Focus. Let's take it for a test drive." Uh, no, I respond. What happened to the one on the paper?"Let's check out this one." NO. WHERE is the one on the PAPER. "We're not finding it in the inventory. Someone probably bought it a couple of days ago. Now let's take a test drive."
NO. I called you guys within the past hour, they checked and it was here. SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU WERE USING THE BAIT AND SWITCH CRAP?
"Well, I'll drive you back to the internet sales office. I know you don't want to walk in the sun."
I finally surrender. My dad is in the front, I sit in the backseat and we are both fuming. Goofball keeps asking why we're so quiet, and if it's because we don't like him. You think??? This guy doesn't drive to the sales office. He starts driving down the street!
"Uh. Where are you taking us?" I ask.
"Oh, it's lunch hour, I'm just taking another way."
'Another way' turns out to be a ten minute drive. "Don't you like the smooth ride?" I could have rung this guy's neck at that time. But I didn't respond.
He drops us off. We are both so angry that we start walking to our car to go home. When we're almost there, we hear a voice behind us. "folks! Folks!"
Dammit, it's that stupid fraud again. "What if I could sell you the 2003 for the same price as the 2001?"
Hmm. Good enough, so we go back with him.
GUESS WHAT. After he sits us in a sketchy "office" for 20 minutes, he comes back in with some papers. "GUYS! You're gonna love this! I got the car for 12,000"
What!??!? You *said* you were going to get it for the same price as the other one, approximately 7500. But i wouldn't know, since you guys kept my paper. Can i have it back, just to *show* you the price *i* saw???
".. Ok. Lemme go get it."
5 minutes later.
"we can't find the paper.."
You lost the paper? Ok, lemme use your computer and i'll *show* you the ad.
"but monthly payments will be only 268 dollars."
I don't have that kind of money!!!
"what? I pay more than that for my couch!"
Obviously, we STORM out of the office.
As we're halfway down the road...
I notice that the guy took my drivers license.
So, YEP, we drove back again to get it..
And guess who tried to sell us the car, AGAIN.
"I don't understand why you won't buy it..."
My dad says "If you don't understand, you never will" and we leave.
THAT dealership is THE biggest scam operation in town.
So! LET'S REVIEW THE ETHICAL ACTIONS OF MEL CLAYTON FORD
-stole my driver's license
-has a fake ad on autotrader.com to lure customers in
-says that cars are in stock when they really aren't
-refuses to honor internet discounts. Hell, they STEAL the damn paper out of your hands and throw it away!
We go to Sanderson Ford in Glendale after that. They didn't have the car i wanted, but AT LEAST they were professional, courteous and DIDN'T SHOVE SALES PITCHES INTO MY FACE.
We ended up buying from a very professional dealership, Sanderson Lincoln Mercury which I think is in Glendale but might be on the border of Glendale/Phoenix.
Mel clayon. The biggest scam dealership in phoenix!
Ashley
Phoenix, Arizona
U.S.A.
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