I took my wife's '04 Camry in for service a couple of days ago at this dealership. While there I wandered through the used car lot and came across a low-mileage Avalon that was very attractive. I asked one of the salesmen, Jafar, what the price was and he went into high gear to work up a deal, taking my wife's car in trade. After a couple of hours they managed to put together a deal I thought was acceptable and I signed the papers. I pointed out that my wife was also on the title and it would be two days before she would be able to come in and sign off on the title and to add her name to the new title. I would make the down payment at that time also. That was OK with them.
My wife was extremely upset that I had purchased a car without her involvement and demanded I return the car and get her Camry back. Since I work a night shift it was the following morning before I could get back to the dealership. (About 20 hours had elapsed.) I was greeted by Jafar and he told me that the deal was done and could not be canceled. I asked how they could enforce the deal without my wife's signature on the release of title and without any down payment having changed hands. Jafar went and got his manager, Mike Duncan. Mr. Duncan said that they had already sold the Camry to a salvage buyer and it was gone; unless my wife signed the release of title we could be forced to make payments on BOTH our Camry trade-in and the Avalon!
I returned home and discussed the situation with my VERY upset wife. She placed a couple of calls to acquaintances, one of which was an auto dealer. He said that for Vandergriff to sell her car without her signature on the release of title was a violation of law and could cost them their license to sell cars. He also recommended a good attorney for a Deceptive Trade Act lawsuit. While I talked with him my wife made a call to the dealership and talked to Jafar. He told her the Camry had been sold to AN INDIVIDUAL and he 'didn't give a damn about her personal problems' and she had 'better get in there and sign the release of title".
Using the information gained from our auto dealership friend, we returned to Vandergriff's and I asked to speak to the general manager. He was not available, nor was his next-in-command. A gentleman named Lee Perrin was assigned to assist us. I told him the situation and pointed out the differing accounts as to just whom our Camry had been sold to and the illegal aspect of selling a car without a clear title release. I also mentioned that I had, at one time, adjusted claims for Motors Insurance Co. And handled Deceptive Trade suits myself and that we were thinking of filing one against them.
He excused himself for a few minutes and returned to inform me that our Camry was STILL ON THE LOT! He called the used car department and made Jafar bring the car up to the front for us. Mr. Perrin came out and apologized to my wife, then helped us move belongings from the Avalon back to our Camry. He told us he would get both Jafar and his manager in his office and discuss this situation with them so it did not happen again. Perhaps. After seeing the other complaints on this site it appears that such behavior is not uncommon for the Vandergriff stores.
I also contacted Jerry Reynolds of The Carguy Show, an automotive show here in DFW and Houston. He said that Vandergriff's had had a reputation for such shenanigans for quite some time and he routinely recommends that his listeners avoid doing business with them. Had they not resolved this he was going to have me on his radio show to tell the (local) world about it. Nice guy.
Until Vandergriff cleans up their act I hope the world stays away from ALL of their dealerships. There's plenty of honest competitors out there.
Dan
Cleburne, Texas
U.S.A.
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