I visited Toyota of Lewisville on December 12 from approximately 5:40pm until 10:10pm. I drove up to this establishment with my wife and was immediately approached by a very nice and professional Sales Consultant by the name of Okeoma Ikpeowo. I immediately told him that we had already visited several dealerships and knew exactly what we were looking for, the payments we were willing to make and for how long.
After test driving a black 2012 Texas Edition Tundra he said he had to work with the New Car Sales Manager by the name of Preston Biard, a man that neither myself nor my wife ever actually saw throughout the proceedings of the night. After quite a few times of Okeoma going back and forth negotiating with Preston, we came to an agreement. I have with me a copy (as does your staff) of this agreement that I was asked to sign in good faith several times.
In the second to last offer, Preston came up with $32,500 total including my 3 trade ins, TTL, with $1000 down, a payment of $780-$785 a month. I clearly wrote as my counter offer with my 3 trade ins, TTL, $300 down, a total of $715 a month for 48 months. Okeoma took that offer back to Preston, who came back with the final offer in which he agreed to everything I wrote down. I did realize that even though we had always discussed the 48 month term, it was not actually written next to the $715 monthly payment amount.
I made sure I stressed that point to Okeoma who agreed that yes, it was always a 48 month term that we were talking about. Just to make sure for a second time that everyone was on the same page, I wrote next to my signature that it was for, 48 months, thats it, total payment of $715/month. After this Okeoma again leaves to speak with Preston and comes back some time later stating that all was good, everything was agreed and he has permission to take us up to a finance person by the name of John Lewis.
Upon arriving in Johns office after 4 hours of negotiating, he starts typing up our agreement and informs us that he cant make the numbers match the payment and terms of the agreement that we spent 4 hours negotiating. At this point I am fed up, and start to leave. I was then offered to sit back down and try for a less expensive Tundra for the same amount we agreed on.
When I asked for an explanation, all I got was, well, Preston didnt know that it was for a 48 month term. I only wrote 3 things, they were $715 a month, 48 months, and $300 down. Please correct me if I am wrong, but his whole job is to read everything that I wrote and counteroffer until we come to an agreement. Preston had already obtained all the information on all 3 of my trade ins and ran my credit report, so he clearly had all the information he needed to make a fair deal.
Why is my signature required after every offer your Sales Manager offers me if he is not required to uphold the same good faith standards that I am? He is the one making the deal, if this deal is not in the best interest of your company, then I suggest you train your people better in researching the deal before he makes it. I was deceived for over 4 hours. When I was told that he made a mistake and thought we were talking about a 6 year agreement, and then, I was told that, it was only 2 more years, I could not believe it.
Im sorry, but only 2 more years of a $715/ month payment is a dramatic difference, a 17,160 dollar difference! Im not sure if this is how you treat female customers, gay couples, or if it is just a standard technique they play with all customers. Either way, I will say this, it is wrong., I feel it is my duty as a good citizen to inform the rest of the community of the way Toyota does business If for no other reason, to find out how often this happens at this establishment and to what types of gender, sexual orientation, or color it happens to most.
Toyota should be ashamed I dont understand why good faith is only meant for the customer. I will be pursuing the issue legally. I do believe that an oral agreement is legal.
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