I just found this website, but I wish I would of found it 3 years ago. I also was a victum of Bill Heard not once but twice.
I purchased a 1999 Rodeo on September 15 (Sunday). I had a 2001 Tacoma with 7,385 miles to trade-in. I needed a SUV to transport my Greyhounds around. There was no sticker price on the Rodeo it said "See dealer for price." I spoke with Bill Readling (saleman, he said he could get me in this SUV for what I could afford. After asking 2 times what the price was on the Rodeo, I was asked in return, "What can you afford?"
Anyway, he came back from the finance department with $412 a month. Six hours later, I asked again, what the price of the Rodeo was with no response. I looked over the papers and signed at 7.8% which I thought was alittle high for a beacon score of 685. On Monday, September 16, I got a call saying I forgot to sign something.
So I went back in that night and spoke with Maria Ramirez (finance, who informed me since the bank was closed on Sunday, I could not get the interest rate I was promissed. She gave me another contract with a 13% APR which would bring the payments to $461.63 (I still have my first contract on hand for when a class action suit is brought against them.) I was agree and asked for my Tacoma back. I told her "I will not pay 13% with my credit being so good!" I was told that my Tacoma was already sold since it was in such good shape and no longer on the lot.
I just sat there for a moment to figure out what to do. I could not believe what was going on. I signed, I had no choice since my Tacome was not there anymore. I can not believe they sold it on Monday, one day after I traded it with it not being paid off yet.
On May 17, there was a big tent sale at the Mall of Georgia advertising we'll give you $3000 over blue book value on any trade-in. My company told me I needed a truck to do business in since I built houses. I went up to look at what they had. I spoke to this 18 year old kid who didn't even have facial hair yet, who wanted to put me into a new truck, which I saw a F150 I liked. He didn't even look at that truck.
We went to the showroom across town because he said he had one I would like. I would've left him hanging on the way to the dealership if he would give my licence back to me. At the dealership, he showed me a new silverado (basic model) no power anything. It was the only thing I could get into he said. I said no it isn't and demanded my licence and car keys back. He refused to give them back to me so I yelled at the top of my lungs. I got my keys back.
On the way home I had to pass by the tent sale again and I remembered Keith Perkins (Sales Manager) from the first time I was at Bill Heard. So I stopped by to let him know what I was just put through back at their dealership. He was polite and willing to help. He gave me another salesman, Mark Shannon, who wanted to know what I wanted to buy, Which was great to me. So I ended up buying the F150 I was eying the whole time.
They gave me a key and said to come by the dealership and pick up the other key and remote tomorrow. After 11:30 P.M. I drove my truck home. I went by the dealership the next day for the other key and Mark told me the key must still be at the tent sale, he will call when he finds it. After 2 weeks, I called to talk to Mark, after about my key and after 6 messages I was told Mark was no longer with them. So I talked to Joe Johnson about my problem. He was no help and told me that the keys were lost to go the a Ford dealership to get a new one.
Ford wanted $80 for a programable key and $50 to program it to the truck, plus another $150 to get another keyless remote. I called Joe back to get them to pay the $280 it will cost to replace the key and remote that Bill Heard lost. I was told no because I did not have a WE OWE ticket at the time of sale.
On April 17, I went to yet another Bill Heard advertised sale. Well, I was told the dealership had a whole new staff. Talked to Chris Martin, who seemed more interested in another customer. I was looking at a new Trailblazer when I started to leave (Chris was on his cell phone). Chris came from behind my Rodeo (yes, the same car bought 2 years earlier from Bill Heard) to tell me he could work out something to get me in the Trailblazer.
He took my keys and appraised the Rodeo. I have already told him I have bought 2 cars here and I am a repeat buyer. He was gone 10 minutes before he came back to have me sign a paper that I was willing to put $1000 down and wanted the new SUV. After another 10 minutes he returned and said I owed too much on the Rodeo. (I wounder why!!! 13% maybe) I had the advertisment with me to show him they had $8000 off. He coment was "that's if you want a $50,000 Tohoe or Suburban. I walked out right there and then..
I thought about it and decided to write an email to Bill Heard. I got a message on April 29th, 5 days after the email, from John Bradlin. I returned his call that night, and on May 5th. He finally called back and wanted to pull my file and get back with me. I got another call the next day from a Frankie who sounded like he was laughing with someone in the back ground. I returned his call that same night and on the 7th with no response again.
On May 11th I called John again and left a message that no one has returned my calls. This is May 14th and still no response. As a homebuilder, if I ever treated a customer like this I would lose my job and most importantly a returned customer. Our rule in our 50 billion dollar company is all calls returned within 24 working hours. I will just have to go to Kevin Loncher in Columbus, Ga. And then go higher and higher. I will not let this one go like I did the 2 previous times... I have paperwork, the ads from the newspaper, every call written down, and a witness of their deceptive sales practices.
Kelly
Buford, Georgia
U.S.A.
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