Back in early December, I called Leith Ford to inquire about a 2000 Ford F-150 on their web site (Stock #ZU4122). When I asked about the vehicle he would not answer any information until I told him who I was, my phone number and tried to get other personal information so he could contact me later. When I at least gave him my name and number, he then told me the truck had been sold and started asking me what I wanted in a truck, color, make, model, price, etc... I then told him I needed to go and was interested in the truck they had on their web site and I hung up.
A few days later, the same sales person called back to tell me he has some other trucks in stock and proceeded to start the sales pitch with them. I told him I didn't have the time to talk and would look at their web site to see what they had and hung up.
Later on that day when I checked their web site I found that the original truck was still on listed on their web site. I called the sales department again, this time talking to a different person and asked about the same truck again, thinking maybe it had not been sold originally. He then wanted my contact information again. I told him I did not want to give it to him as I have already been talking with a sales person and I did not want to send his commision to someone else. He put me on hold for about 8 to 10 minutes and finally came back, (I think he thought I would hang up from frustration) and he told me the truck had JUST been sold.
About two weeks later, I checked their website and AGAIN the exact same truck was listed for sale on their web site and AGAIN had same experience as what just happened above.
As of this posting, January 19, the 2000 Ford F-150 with Stock # ZU4122 is STILL listed on their website, a full month and a half AFTER it has been supposedly sold. Now I am wondering if it has even been at their dealership for sale.
Just because their website has a disclaimer stating that any vehicles listed may not be for sale anymore as it might have been recently sold, it does not exonorate them from pulling the Bait and Switch which is illegal. On the Federal Trade Commision website http://www.ftc. Gov/bcp/guides/baitads-gd.htm it states that (16CFR Part 238) Section 238.0:
"Bait advertising is an alluring but insincere offer to sell a product or service which the advertiser in truth does not intend or want to sell. Its purpose is to switch consumers from buying the advertised merchandise, in order to sell something else, usually at a higher price or on a basis more advantageous to the advertiser. The primary aim of a bait advertisement is to obtain leads as to persons interested in buying merchandise of the type so advertised."
Leith Ford has clearly violated this by trying to switch me to another vehicle after they told me the truck in question was already sold. One and one half months is enough time for their IT person to remove the vehicle from their site. I don't believe they will stop this practice anytime soon as the truck is still listed on their website.
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