I recently had the displeasure of not doing business with City Auto in Memphis, TN. IMHO, City Auto has business practices that are unscrupulous and immoral.
I went there based on there commercials which give the impression that they care about the customer. I found out this was wrong. I found a vehicle I liked (a Toyota truck) and spoke with the salesman (Jim Brannon) and told him what I was able to do. He said he didn't think that would be possible. So ok, I called him back the next day and said I had discussed it with my CU and could do a little better. He said they couldn't do that either. I said fine, I'll keep looking. Well he called back later that evening with a counter offer. I agreed and started the ball rolling to purchase the truck.
I had him (the salesman) sent a buyers order to my CU. I added the vehicle to my insurance and got proof of coverage. I picked up the check from the CU. At each step of the procedure I called the salesman (Mr. Brannon) and let him know. The last time I called him he told me someone else was there to buy the same truck. Apparently, some other salesman was trying to sell it at the same time!
When I was about 5 minutes away, check in hand, he (Mr. Brannon) calls and says the other party was there buying the truck so not to bother coming. I asked how this was even possible and he (Mr. Brannon) stated "that's City Auto's policy, first one here with the check gets it"! Really... I mean REALLY!
If "first one here with the check get's it" is their policy, the that says to me the check is more important than doing the right thing! It's more important than the customer! It's more important than a company's faduciary responsibility to a client or it's moral obligation to protect the customer from deceptive practices and policies.
The salesman (Jim Brannon) tried to tell me he didn't know this was going on? Then he tried to tell me it was sour grapes on my part... That if I would have been the first one there I'd be smiling and the other guy would be pissed off. Really Jim...! I was at another dealership the previous weekend and was a truck that I like, got a buyers order to take to my CU, and then found out they had a contract on that truck from another salesman... With a $2000 deposit! And they were still trying to sell me the truck and would have let me drive it home. But, unlike the salesman at City Auto and City Auto themselves, I do have a moral compass. I tore up the buyers agreement in front of the salesman and said "I won't do business with people that would do that"!
So City Auto, it's dealers like you that give your industry a bad name. I've heard from so many people lately "there's no used car salesmen in heaven"! Now I know why. You ought to be ashamed to treat people like that. But I doubt you care one bit. Pathetic!!! I am seeking legal counsel in this matter but I doubt I have the resourses to take on City Auto. But that's ok because even if I can't win in a court of law for what they have put me through, there is still a higher court... The court of PUBLIC OPINION, and that's where I have a wealth of resources... That's where I can shine.
Of course the highest court is the one I care most about and that's the Lord's court. He knows the truth and whether I ever see it or not... Justice shall be served in the end! Thanks for listening!
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