On April 9 I was in search to purchase a brand new car-a Ford car. My 1999 Ford Escort had finally taken its toll-190,765 miles. I had it for 12 years and she was ready to retire. I searched 3 Ford dealers, Webb Ford being the 3rd.
The salesman Bert who assisted me when I got out of my car, I told him what I was interested in, the Ford Focus, but they had none on the lot. He proceeded to take me to the back of the lot where he wanted me to see the Ford Fiesta. After a few moments, I had determined that the Fiesta was probably the car that would be in my price range.
I looked at the Fiesta's in the back, I didn't like the ones they had, I wanted a certain color, or they were to equipped with "extra features" it made the car more pricey. At one point, I thought I might like the black Fiesta with black interior so I asked him if he would just let me see the inside of the car. Mind you, I had already driven the Fiesta at the 2 previous dealerships. I knew I didn't need to drive it again. Bert went to go get the key for the car.
After he walked away, I'm talking with my friend who came with me. He was going to make sure that I got a good deal and wasn't going to be taken advantage of because of me being a girl. He pointed out a few things about the car and also with the price of the car, I changed my mind about even looking inside the car.By the time I had changed my mind Bert already had the key with him and he say's to me, "Why don't you go ahead and hold the key, and while you and your friend are talking maybe you'll change your mind." He continued to say, "And if I see you drive up to the front in it, I know I made a sale." We all laughed.
My firend and I walked the key back to the front and I was looking for Bert outside and didn't see him and then I saw him inside the showroom. My friend and I walked into the showroom to give Bert the key and to my hopeful eyes, there was the Fiesta that I had wanted. Dark Metallic Gray that looks Blue sometimes, the black interior that I wanted and it was my price range.
I said in a very excited manner, "Bert! This is MY Car! Let's work some figures" Needless to say I, the customer, and Bert the saleman, were both happy. He's going to make a sale and I'm going to drive away in a brand new Ford Fiesta!
My friend and I sat down with Bert and he got the personal information that he needed for the form and the trade-in form, purchase form. We asked hime to get 2 quotes. One for a $4000 dollar down payment and a $3000 dollar down payment. He came back with a quote for the $4000 dollar down payment and a couple of monthly payments with that amount down. My firend and I told him, please get us (me) a quote for $3000. We wanted to know what the car payment would be with $3000 dollar down. When he came back that 2nd time with the $3000 dollar quote, THAT is what my friend and I had decided on.
I told Bert I wanted to put $3000 dollars down not $4000. I had emphsized that amount over again to him (Bert). $3000 down, my trade in they gave me on the Escort $300, and Bert had offered the $500 dollar rebate that came with the new car. My total down payment should have been $3800.
He comes back with an approximate amount of a monthly car payment, we choose one and then were off to see the Finance manager. The Finance manager John, comes off being very nice but he's talking fast. He's a salemen too, in every regards of selling extra warranty coverage and insurance on the car.
He went over what Bert and I and my friend had discussed. He said this is your down payment, this is your trade-in, this is your rebate. Sign here. He continues, this form is for..., sign here. This form is for... Sign here. This form is for... Sign here. But there weren't any figures on these forms. He ran the forms through his printer AFTER I had signed my name. Not before, so I could see what I was signing.
Please don't call me dumb or stupid at this point. I was SO excited that I was able to be buying a new car, financing on my own without my friends co-signature, after 12 years of driving the same car until it wouldn't drive anymore. I trusted these people completely. I was in good faith giving CASH down, purchasing USA GOODS, a USA name, FORD, helping the ecomomy, and giving the sales person a good commission.
To bring this story to an end I got screwed by the saleman and the finance mgr, I believe. 10 days later on a Saturday, I go to pick up my paper work so I can get my license palte transfered and the cashier tells me, "It says on your paperwork that there's a $1000 C.O.D."
I was polite at first, I said, "No, there must be a mistake. There was only $3000 put down as down payment. Plus I was there to drop off my title to the Escort. I couldn't get my paperwork because of the miscommunication about the down payment.
I get with Bert in regards to this and he goes and asks the cashier or title clerk what the deal was and he comes back and insists I had told him I was putting down $4000. We went at it a bit and needless to say I was very upset and getting even more upset because the finance mgr wasn't in. I had to come back on a Monday, leave work early in hopes of seeing the finance mgr before he left for the day.
I walk in to the show room and I'm looking for Bert. He's sitting at his desk and acts like he doesn't even remember what the hell I was talking about. He says, "What do you want me to do about it?" "The contract shows you put $4000 dollars down. I'm trying to tell him, "I never said I was putting $4000 dollars down, I said, " I asked for a quote for a $4000 down payment." I said to him, "When we were ready to make the deal, I gave you $3000 cash and said this is all I wanted to put down." He replied, ok and wrote a receipt for $3000 and nothing on the receipt saying there would be an extra $1000 being owed.
Bert was blaming me, saying "well, the service contract say's $4000 and that's what you told me you were putting down." LIAR!!! He did not want to take any responsibility for the miscommunication between him and the finance manager. No one at that dealership had the right to assume there would be another $1000 given on the car. I gave bert $3000 cash, who the hell is he that he should say such a thing to put me in such a bind like he did??? Can he not count??? One thousand, two thousand, three thousand... THAT WAS ALL THE MONEY I HAD!
I went in to the dealership to pick up my paperwork, (I want my license plate registered.) Come to find out, they didn't apply the $500 dollar rebate, the down payment was staying at $4000 and a $1000 owed. I bitched and moaned at the finance manger over the phone first, before I went into the dealer. He calls me and tells me I can have the $500 rebate but I need to pay the $500. I am fuming at this point.
So I'm in the dealership, Bert will not admit his mistake, the finance mgr is out on his 2 hour lunch, and the general mgr is sitting on his ass not even wanting to address this issue, leaves me out in the showroom area waiting for the finance mgr to come back, from his two hour lunch break. After 5 minutes of waiting I went to the general mgr and asked when John, the finance mgr was getting back. He didn't know. So I started asking him questions trying to get this issue solved and he he arguing with me to no end. So I argued back! And good! The whole place heard me. He was calling me a liar, all this was MY fault, Saying things like, "Oh yea, sure." In a crude voice.
Just so I could get my paperwork, I called Bert over to where I was sitting and cursed him a new, you-know-what. I paid the extra $500 but I told him, "I will NEVER reccommend him or this place for any business. I told him to tell the general mgr, take this $500 and I hope he chokes on it! Then I get the Customer Survey in an email asking how my experience was throughout the whole sale. This is what I told them...
Webb Ford in Highland Indiana has the most rudestand dishonest General Manager, Finance Manager, and Salesman who like to blame the customer for their mistakes during this sale. I am completely dissatisfied with how I was handled as a customer, trying to bring business to their establishment and I get treated without respect and blamed. I will NEVER buy a Ford Product again. EVER!
I have been screwed over by Ford Motor Company twice now, with both my vehicle purchases. Two different dealerships I have given my business to and every time I have gotten a dishonest saleman who doesn't COMMUNICATE the finances (down payments) with the finance manager.
I like my Fiesta but I will never buy from any Ford dealer anymore. The people who work at this establishment in Highland Indiana are crooks and liars and jack up prices on the cars during the financing and cannot be trusted to make an honest sale. This is very disappointing and discouraging to ever want to deal with Ford Motor Inc. I am the customer! I am doing you the good faith deed by buying your product and the webb dealership treats me like this?! Very dishonest business, to say the least.
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