All I can say is "wow." The confirmed (three times) advertised price on vehicles here is NOT what they sell them for if they choose not to. Example:
Price #1... Autotrader. I emailed to see if the vehicle was still availble. Five minutes later I got a phone call back.
Price #2... Manager. The Manager asked me what price I was seeing on Autotrader then asked me to hold. Next he said they still have it and confirmed the price, and so I told him I would be in the very next afternoon.
Price #3... Toyota of Whittier's own website. Same price listed as seen on Autotrader and as confirmed by Manager.
On with the story. I arrived at TofW the next day like I said I would and asked for the Manager that previously helped me. He looked surprised that I showed up. He said he would get the keys and meet me by the car. Five or so minutes went by and he wasn't around so I walked back to the lobby. He then tells me that another salesman may have hid the keys because of a possible lead on a sale. I wait some more.
When the guy returns he beats around the bush about how he can't possibly sell me the car for quoted price "X" because the fair market value is much higher. I ask how much more... And of course I'm not going to pay a cent more than quoted... And he throws out a price that's $2695 higher! I drove a long way to get there and this guy knew it. He was "willing" to work with me to find a "middle ground" on the vehicle. The only middle ground was me giving up alot more money.
He went on and on about how the quoted pricing wasn't the dealer's mistake. He tried to blame Autotrader, yet could not offer a valid reason for not knowing it was a mistake when he looked at his own documentation that confirmed the price.
I told him bate and switch is illegal and that I am now forced to register formal complaints against the dealership. He tried to offer me a free dinner for my time to make this scam feel a little better. Hilarious!
There is even more to the story with all the stuff this guy said but I'll keep it short I suppose. Basically he was backtracking, sidestepping and shucking and jiving in a feeble attempt to get more money out of me.
If this isn't bait and switch then I don't know what bait and switch is. I do know it's illegal and immoral and I'm glad to be letting you fine folks know what happened here as well as the ower of the dealership, Toyota, the BBB and others.
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