In our Luxury Motors saga so far, I have encountered:
1. Bait & Switch Where I came to look at 1 vehicle was switch to another that was supposedly a better deal only to discover it was not, and had some problems.
2. Hiding Damage On the way home I discovered (too late) the sun roof was essentially unusable since every time it was opened masses of a tar like substance covered the glass and took hours to remove.
3. Misrepresented title condition I discovered in trying to rid myself of the problem by trading it that I was not the 2nd owner as represented, but the 4th. I also had 2 different dealers refuse to even consider accepting a trade based on where I bought it.
4. A close call In a later subsequent visit to Luxury Motors to get a feel for what they had available and see if they would entertain taking the car in trade I found it took everything I had to get out of there without signing papers for a car I test drove, it took forever to get the keys to my car back after they took them to appraise it, but after a 5 minute test drive and 3 to 4 hours of resisting their tactics and waiting for my keys, I narrowly escaped. I should have move to another state.
5. The Hook that sets the trap I get a follow up call from the manager of another Luxury Motors store and find out it was the salesman who sold me the car I was having problems with. He invites me to stop by to see if there is anything he can do to help make things right. They end up anything but right.
6. The Trick and the Trap With the hook set, several days later I stop by the other Luxury Motors store hope to start to get thing made right, only to be tricked into trading 1 problem for another problem against my intentions and to make matters worse, get put into a very bad trap.
7. Murphy's Law What ever can go wrong, will go wrong! Problems with another Luxury Motors car, a transaction is delayed, more snow and stall from Luxury Motors people where I don't see the trap they set that I walked into, and didn't notice the noose being put around my neck.
As the events of the past 3 years continue to unfold the story gets to be very interesting and very telling.
Not a pleasant experience so far, and it gets worse, much worse.
Other parts of the saga are:
8. The trap snaps shut
9. A possible solution
10. An end in sight
11. Light at the end of the tunnel
12. Is it daylight, or is it a freight train?
13. The ultimate insult & the leopard shows its spots
My objective in bringing these facts to light is twofold; 1. On the chance (slim) that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, I would like to give the dealership a final opportunity to step up and make things right, which I have been unable to accomplish through normal channels over the past 3 years. And 2, I hope to give others the benefit of learning from my mistakes hopefully avoiding the same mistakes.
In the event a reasonable resolution can be made, I am willing to update this report to that effect.in the event my worst suspicions are true, I hope to have some role in reducing the number of customers that fall victim to Luxury Motors, and if the absolute worst of my suspicions are true, see them either go out of business, or be put out of business before hurting too many others.
I am in the process of finalizing arrangements to have a charitable trust pay a Rebate to anyone who buys a car anywhere EXCEPT at one of the Luxury Motors Stores, kind of an extra incentive to find a dealer that will treat you right and earn, rather than take, your business. So far it seems that we are in agreement in principal on the following:
1. A rebate will be offered to anyone who purchases a used or new car from any dealer EXCEPT one of the Luxury Motors dealers.
2.in order to have some impact, a total of 1,500 to 2,000 rebates will be offered initially. Options are being explored to increase the total quantity.
3. The amount of the rebate will be between $50.00 and $100.00. A tiered rebate structure is being evaluated.
4. To earn the rebate a consumer will complete a rebate form and be asked to fax or email it to the trust.
5. Rebate will be processed and paid to the consumer.
The objective of the rebate program is to significantly reduce the number of consumers who fall prey to the Luxury Motors tactics. One of the reasons the Charitable Trust is entertaining funding this campaign stems from the fact that I had petitioned them for assistance in helping me out of my Luxury Motors dilemma, and they had agreed. After agreeing and setting aside funds to help me, the Luxury Motors stall tactics have cost the Trust approx. $20,000 in lost interest income. Stay tuned for details as the arrangements are finalized.
In the meantime review the information and learn from my mistakes. Go anywhere except one of the Luxury Motors dealers to buy a car for the best chance at keeping your sanity and not being taken advantage of.
Check the BBB rating, consumer complaintss and other consumer forums. Don't make the same mistake I did, check those first, not after. A complaint is not necessarily a bad thing. Some complaints have merit, some do not. Look at the pattern of complaints and their resolutions. Ask yourself if what you see demonstrates a firm that tries to do the right thing by their customers. Building great customer satisfaction is a much longer way to success for a dealership, but it is the permanent way.
Look for signs of repeat business, anyone can market, advertise, and pressure their way to high sales volume. There are plenty of dealers out there who subscribe to the philosophy brought out in the great book on the car business Customers for Life, other who just run another ad rather than wait for repeat business and word of mouth. Check the CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) if you can. With some dealers CSI is a score, the higher the better, with the best dealers it is a state of mind that carries through and is evidenced in all their dealings with customers.
I am taking the time to lay things out as I am to give the reader a basis for understanding that I am not a raving lunatic who makes unfounded accusations, but a reasonable and rational person, who in spite of being rational has made some mistakes, one of which was misplacing trust and being too understanding and too willing to give the benefit of the doubt, and as a result has been taken advantage of.
Car salespeople must be adept not only at sales and negotiation, but are trained in deflection, misdirection, (the magician's secret) and are adept at spin, and turning things around. One big weapon in the car salesperson's bag of tricks is time. The more of your time the salesperson can get you to invest with them, the more likely they are to make a sale.
Most of the Luxury Motors sales and management staff I have encountered are masters at some or most of these skills. These skills in the hands of a professional sales person are not in and of themselves bad or harmful. Employed by a less than professional or unscrupulous salesperson they can be very harmful to your financial well being. Most of the people I have encountered at Luxury Motors can deflect as if they are made of rubber, are as slippery as Teflon when it comes to trying to pin them down for an answer, misdirect like the best of magicians, spin like a master DJ, and are masters at tuning everything around, always in their favor. As a result they are good at getting you to invest so much of your time that you either give in, or give up.
What make the Luxury Motors people I have encountered exceptionally dangerous is at first impression they do not appear or come off as the sleazy people you need to take a shower after talking to, they come off as busy, but sincere. A wolf in sheep's clothing is still a wolf, you just don't realize it until it is too late and you get eaten.
And now our saga continues with:
8. The trap snaps shut
With my transaction being delayed, which is irritating, but normal, and being told not to worry about it, I didn't feel the noose tightening, and didn't realize I just got the kiss, before you get screwed.
Around 2 weeks later I again learned the transaction I would be delayed some more. I notified Tony Preston and was told not to worry about it again.
I suggested we set this deal aside, do something different, and look at it again when my deal closed. I was again told not to worry, we'll work it out. Which in hindsight, I should have seen as the self serving stall that it was.
During this period I was extremely busy trying to get the deal I was working on to finalize. I was also doing some consulting work for an old client who needed some assistance while trying to line things up for the future in preparation for eliminating commercial real estate transactions from my services as the market was getting far too finicky and unpredictable.
In the interim I learned of yet another delay with the transaction I was working on and I again notified Tony Preston, and was again told not to worry about it. I again suggested we set this deal aside, do something different, and look at it again when my deal closed. I was again told not to worry, we'll work it out.
In September of 06 I stopped driving the vehicle as the plates were expiring and without the proper paperwork I could not get them transferred to the new vehicle. Since my trade was sold I could not renew them either. I was also getting very nervous on my deal and did not want to put extra miles on a car I had to return.
The transaction I was waiting on was changed, and although it ultimately closed in September of 06, it was at a reduced price and with the brother of the original purchaser who used my package to obtain financing elsewhere. With the price, lender, and the purchaser of the transaction changed, it had taken me out of the deal and provided no revenue to me.
When I informed Tony Preston of this I told him yet again we should do something different. I told him without that deal I could not afford the car.
He asked if I had an alternate source of funds and I told him I did not. When he probed further I told him I had a possibility of some funds in the future which might enable me to purchase the car some time down the road. I was told my trade was sold but not to worry, we'll work it out.
I suggested we trade for a used vehicle on par with the value of my trade and bring this to a head. Again I was told not to worry, we'll work it out. Which again, in hindsight, I should have seen as the self serving stall that it was.
While waiting for Tony to work it out I was sitting with an un-drivable car taking up space in my garage and without my trade, was essentially without transportation.
In late October of 06 I was called by a person (Brian I believe) from the dealer group and asked to bring the car back until things could be worked out. I was told to see Kam, and told I would be given another car to drive in the interim. Since the car was just sitting in my garage and not drivable without valid plates I gladly brought it back.
I brought the car back, saw Kam, and was given an older (90's) high mile used car to drive.
I asked them to make sure they took the Mercedes in to be fixed as whomever they may sell it to would want it fixed.
I was called 2 days later and told they had sold the car I was driving and asked to bring it back and told they would exchange it for another used car.
I brought the car back and was given another used car to drive.
I was called a week or so later and told they had sold the car I was driving and asked to bring it back and told they would exchange it for another.
I brought the car back and was given yet another used car to drive.
During the entire process, I was not totally passive waiting for them to make the next move but found myself getting sucked deeper into their time game trap where their victims are forced to give in, or give up as the alternative is to have so much time sucked out of your life that dealing with a car become your life's work. I would call and after sitting on hold for 5,10, 15, or 20 minutes give up the attempt as futile. This happened more times than I can count or recall.
I would call, eventually get through, start a discussion to get interrupted with let me call you back, and the call back would never come. This happened more times than I can count or recall. I would call, be told the party was not available, leave a message requesting a return call, which rarely ever came. This happened more times than I can count or recall. I would call, start a discussion, be told to come in so we could see what could be worked out, only to show up and leave after waiting and not being seen. This happened 3 or 4 times.
During this period I was extremely busy trying to replace the deal I lost, or at least the income from it, I was frequently called upon by the person who was to be the original purchaser to assist and answer questions for his brother. I was also still doing some consulting work for an old client who needed some assistance while trying to line things up for the future in preparation for eliminating commercial real estate transactions from my services.
I was called several weeks later and told they had sold the car I was driving and asked to bring it back and told they could not exchange it for another, but that something would be worked out.
I brought the car back, was told I would receive a call, and was driven home by a porter.
I was glad to not be driving one of their used cars and thought we might finally get this resolved and be done with it. Boy, was I wrong!
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