Dishonest dealership!
SOUTHERN FORD (Owned by Joe Catania)
17717 SOUTH FREEWAY
MANVEL, TEXAS 77578
At around 10:30PM on April 30, I completed a deal for a Ford Escape XLS, with NO added features, or services.
I had contacted the dealership over the phone and spoke with a saleswoman by the name of CJ. I explained that my car had quit running and I needed to buy a vehicle that evening, that I had excellent credit and there would be no problems with the financing. I told her I needed an Automatic Transmission, Air Conditioning, PowerWindows, PowerLocks, PowerSteering, 4Door Escape, and it had to be in stock and ready to go. I didnt care about the color or any additional features. I told her I had seen the SOUTHERN FORD Ad Quoting: $14,995.00, which included a rebate from Ford for $3,000.00 and a Discount from the Dealership of $1,790.00.
I asked if this was correct and if so then I needed to purchase one. CJ told me she would double check and make sure they had it in stock with my features and if I could get it for this price.
When I again talked to CJ, she put me on the line with a saleswoman by the name of Megan.
She told me that it was monthend and that they were making good deals at this time.
I again stated my needs to Megan, she confirmed with someone there, that I could indeed purchase a 2007 Escape XLS with Automatic Transmission, Air Conditioning, PowerWindows, PowerLocks, PowerSteering, 4Door for $14,995.00, after the rebates and discounts. I told her to pick one out for me, that I was unconcerned about color.
I filled out the Credit Application online submitted it and also faxed it along with my Social Security Card and Drivers License. I told them I had excellent credit and would put down $3,000.00 They confirmed that everything was taken care of and that I had excellent credit.
Megan asked if I still needed a ride and I explained that I would have to take a cab. She offered to send someone to pick me up at my office. Alton Williams picked me up at my Office. When we got to the dealership I discovered that CJ & Megan had gone, which surprised me.
Alton then took over the sale. He had me physically sign the permission to pull my credit. He acted like he couldnt find the original information on the deal and that no vehicle had already been picked out for me. I told him repeatedly that the agreed upon amount was $14,995.00, after the rebates and discounts, for an Automatic Transmission, Air Conditioning, PowerWindows, PowerLocks, PowerSteering, 4Door Escape.
He had to finish up with other clients and I was kept waiting. He then took me out front to look at several Escapes XLSs, with the basic feature, no extras. I picked out a dark grey and we went back in. He finally took me back to Mr. Singletary, for After Market. He explained about the tinting that they did, and that I needed to have my oil changed at a certain frequency to comply with my warranty. I told him I didnt want any additional services at that time. He then took me to the finance person Shaun? It was after 10PM at this point.
Shaun basically asked me what I wanted my payments at. We came up with around $300.00 a month. I told him I usually financed for a little longer and paid off way ahead. I was putting down $3,000.00, so I knew I didnt have that much to finance. He pulled out a huge stack of papers and started marking places for me to sign. I admit I was extremely tired, just wanted out of there, had a long drive home, and was basically brain-dead at that point in time. I liked the people that I had dealt with, a BIG MISTAKE, and I HAD NEVER BEEN CHEATED BEFORE, so like a fool I did not sit and read anything at the time.
When I really read my paperwork the next morning, I found them to be very inaccurate. I had a charge for $2,500.00 ESP, I did not have a clue what this was and my finance rate was for 9.99%. I called the morning of May 1 and spoke with Alton Williams and told him that my finance rate was wrong and that I had a charge for $2,500.00 that I didnt understand. He told me he would have Shaun call me, I said no, have someone else call me. I was given the name of Derrick Cooper. No one called me. I found out the name of the General Sales Manager, Greg Gottwald, and left several messages and called and several more times and hung up when all I received was voice mail. I left messages for Derrick Cooper. I eventually got Derrick Cooper. He told me that the ESP was an Extended Service Contract. I explained that at NO TIME HAD I DISCUSSED AN EXTENDED SERVICE WARRANTY WITH ANYONE!
He said that was a problem that they could correct immediately; and he would go directly to Shaun and have it taken off of the contract. I told him I had never in my entire life paid 9.99% for anything that I had financed and that I was not going to now. He said that could be taken care of as well. He popped off that I could have just paid cash. (Actually I could have, but he meant it as a slur)! I asked if they just wanted me to return the Escape, he told me he would list it as repossession. He said he would get back with me. I heard nothing else from him.
A Kevin Thompson, a Customer Service Rep, finally contacted me (713 653-6232). He told me Greg Gottwald, who had never personally returned my calls, had asked him to talk to me. I explained the situation to him. I again asked if they wanted me to return the vehicle. He said he would like to make this deal right and that they had had a lot of Serious Customer Complaints about this Dealership and that he was trying to get them resolved and that he would get back with me. He finally did the next week.
I went back in on Friday to discuss getting this cleared up. I was there for several hours. Then Kevin Thompson rescheduled me to come in on Saturday morning and to talk to Shaun? And to get the papers corrected.
I came in again, I talked to Shaun? THE LIAR AGAIN!
I told him I wanted the deal that was again in the papers that week for $14,295.00 after Rebates, on the exact same vehicle I had. That they owed me this for all of the trouble that they had caused me. I didnt even get to enjoy buying a new car. It has made me physically ill.
He told me Alton Williams had told him about my call and that I had a problem, but that Alton had told him he had taken care of it. Alton is not in finance! I did not have a problem with his part in this, how could he have taken care of anything! Shaun sat there and told me that the ESP had been discussed with me. That he had in-fact gotten a rate of 8.55% for me, and that was the best he could do, and that he couldnt cancel the ESP on my contract. That I would have to pay the full amount of $16,106.13 off and then a credit would be issued from the Warranty Company. He however danced around about how much I would receive back from the warranty people. This vehicle had been sitting on their lot since September its a four cylinder and has no extras, not even a cigarette lighter. He even told me that they were losing Thousands of dollars on the vehicle and that the ESP and the interest rate was the only way they could make it back. An out and out LIE! They were still running an Ad for $14,295.00 after Rebates, on the exact same vehicle I had.
I had checked with several other dealers that night, I could have in-fact gotten a better deal, but I had already confirmed this one with Megan. I held to the commitment!
Before I left I spoke with a Baker Hughes Employee, I previously worked for Baker, that had been cheated on his deal and was trying to get it straightened out. I told him to write the media like I was going to do, and to contact our Credit Union. I also spoke to another person Saturday that was headed into the dealership, he was going to buy two big trucks for his company, I explained what they had done and he left and went elsewhere. I will continue to tell everyone I meet about this! My sister needs to buy a vehicle for my niece, but it wont be a FORD NOW!
I am going to the News Media on this! I am going to get all of the Credit Unions that I, my family, and friends, HAVE ANY ASSOCIATION WITH, to put you on a NO DEAL BASIS, and they will alert all of the THOUSANDS of other members, THAT THIS IS A CROOKED DEALERSHIP! My cousin is a Texas State Rep, and I am going to ask him to see what the State of Texas can do to stop this kind of crooked dealings. I hold Ford personally responsible because they have let this Dealership continue on in Business.
I should have just driven it back on Tuesday, Morning May 01 and not listened to Alton, Kevin Thompson, or anyone else that they would correct their attempt to cheat me on the contract. I have wasted hours of my time, and hundreds of miles in mileage and gas, trying to get this corrected. I never thought that FORD had become crooked. I had a Ford Truck for over 30 years, still runs well today, and I sold it to a friend. I was a long time Customer, but I wont be again!
I have still been trying to get this resolved without having to go to court. I again made an appointment to meet with the New Credit Manager Dave Davis, I drove out there and he was not there. I have wasted hundreds of Dollars in Gas going out there and sitting and then getting to talk to no one.
I have finally gotten to talk to someone at Fifth Third Bank in Cincinnati, Ohio 45263-0001, Phone: 866 535-6267 www.53.com/wps/portal/personal. I informed them that I did not authorize a loan with them. I had told Shaun that if they, FORD, wouldnt give me a good rate that I was member of: Baker Hughes Credit Union, 1st Service Credit Union, Cameron Iron Credit Union, Bluebbonnet Credit Union, etc. I have found out from the Fifth Third Bank that the interest rate is 8.55% and the payoff is $16,958.06. The bank is very unconcerned that I did not agree to be financed by them or that the amount financed does not match my numbers.
Nothing matches anything that I have seen.
Take a LAWYER if you go to a FORD DEALERSHIP.
V
Houston, Texas
U.S.A.
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