On Saturday, March 7, I was searching for a used automobile to drive to and from work. I recently sold my car in an effort to catch up on our mortgage payments, and have been transportationless for the past week or so. While online Saturday morning, I came across a car dealership by the name of Auto Showcase of Baltimore (6103 Reisterstown Road).
After speaking and visiting with a salesperson by the name of Nathaniel Burns, he showed me several cars, including what he described as a 2000 Ford Expedition, listed at $11,900. I test drove the car, did an inspection of the engine, exterior, interior, and other things that most people buying cars would look for. After conferring with Nathaniel and his manager, Thomas Tamsiti, we settled on a price of $8,900, a total of $9823 after taxes, etc (last names are questionable, as I did not get the names until AFTER the dispute).
After signing all of the required documents, I began to drive home. 45 minutes into the trip, I received a panicked phone call from Nathaniel. "Hey, you have to bring the car back." After questioning him as to what the problem was, he finally (and hesitantly) stated, "We gave you the wrong car." I am not a spiteful guy. I have made mistakes, as we all have. So I turned the car around, drove 45 minutes back to the dealership, parked the car, and walked into the sales office. When I arrived, three gentlemen were waiting for me. Nathaniel, Thomas, and a third man who did the sales paperwork.
They began to frantically and apologetically explain that they showed and sold me the wrong car. The car I inspected, test drove, and eventually bought was a 2005 Expedition, not the 2000 Expedition that they advertised. I did not argue, nor did I raise my voice. I simply shook their hands, acknowledged that we all make mistakes, and told them to please cancel my $2000 down payment. Thomas, the manager, explained that they can't do that because it takes 48 hours to process. They insisted that I go look at the 2000 Expedition (the one they thought they sold me), but that it was on a different lot a few miles away.
At this point, I was very frustrated and explained to them that I was not interested in going to look at the other car to start the process over, and that I would like them to cancel my payment. I shook their hands, and they stated they would call me on Monday (March 9) and possibly drive the other car to my work so I can look at it. I told them I would think about it, but I would probably not be interested.
Fast forward to Monday, March 9. Nathaniel, the salesman, called me and stated, "Hey, are you going to come pick the car up or should we bring it to you?" He was referring to the 2000 Expedition, the car I have never even seen.
I was a bit shocked by his presumptuous tone, but I calmly stated, "Actually, Nathaniel, I would just like for you guys to cancel the transaction. I can't buy a car I've never seen, certainly you understand that."
He persistently stated again, "Would you like to come pick the car up or should we bring it to you?"
This went back and forth 3 or 4 times, when finally I told him that I've had enough, that I was as nice as I could be after the debacle on Saturday, reiterated the fact that I've never even SEEN the car they are trying to sell me, and that I'd like them to simply cancel my transaction. To this, he stated, "You signed a contract and if you don't come pick the car up, you're going to go into default on the loan and we're going to reposses it."
Obviously, I could not believe my ears. These guys were expecting me to be satisfied spending nearly $10,000 on a car I have never seen or driven because they showed me the wrong car, and were trying to lean on the false pretenses of a contract based on another car. "It has similar mileage so they're pretty much the same."
At this juncture, I am doing what I can to recover my down payment, and eventually the additional $8000 dollars invested in this car that I still have yet to see.
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