Complaint Review: Mattern Automotive

Mattern Automotive, like many other car dealers, utilizes Auto Trader for their online advertising.  For a couple of days I had been looking at particular truck on Auto Trader that was at Mattern Automotive.  The truck was specifically what I had been searching for so I called and spoke to an employee named "Jake."  We spoke at length about the truck, then I ended the conversation by stating I would most likely be by to see the truck in person in a few hours.  Jake welcomed me to stop by. 

This truck was specific enough as to what I was looking for I drove approximately two hours from my home to Mattern Automotive to see it.  Upon arrival, I walked over to the truck and had been looking it over for around ten minutes before any employee noticed me (most gas stations have a bigger lot than this place, I did not realize how tiny this used car dealer was before actually arriving). 

The employee that approached me was "Mike", who I believe is the owner of Mattern Automotive.  He immediately informed me that the truck was already sold.  I then asked when it was sold, as I could only imagine that it must have been within the two hours it took me to drive there.  Mike said it was sold to a Ford dealer, a deal that he'd been doing "from last week."  I informed him that I had just called hours earlier and Jake did not mention that it had been sold during our lengthy conversation.  Mike then responded by saying he was sorry, and that he (Mike) must have been "out to lunch." 

In conclusion, Mike did apologize and it was simply a difficult situation for me, who spent four hours driving on a Saturday for incompetence.  Again, the place is so small, I believe that Mike and Jake were the only two workers there, so I can't figure out how such a communication break-down could occur.  Plus, the ad on Auto Trader was still up even as I checked it later that night.

The moral of this story is "beware," and talk to Mike directly if you call because he apparently doesn't always keep his employees informed.