Complaint Review: Mercedes Benz of Encino

MB Encino / Encino Motorcars, LLC conducts business in an unscrupulous and dishonest manner.  They sold me a car, accepted a deposit and then broke the deal after using my purchase to "bid up" another customer for the same car, afterward.

MB Encino sells Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) and used cars via online listings in Mercedes Benz' CPO listings, the MBEncino website and via the Auto Trader.  I responded to an ad for an E-series wagon that had been listed for over 30 days, and which had the listing price reduced twice over that period of time.  In direct contact with the listed sales agent, I made an offer that he did not accept, but he agreed to make me a counter-offer if they couldn't sell the car for what they wanted to.  15 days later, the salesman called me, made an offer to sell the car for a set price and I accepted, without condition.  I provided detailed personal information for the processing of title and authorized an immediate credit card charge for a $1,000.00 deposit, per his request.  The salesman confirmed, "you have agreed to buy this car and we have agreed to sell it to you at the price discussed".

It was late afternoon, and I indicated I would be at the dealership in two hours to pay the balance in cash and sign papers, but the salesman put me on hold a moment and then asked that we handle things in the morning as the "financing staff" wanted to go home.  No problem.  Fifteen minutes later, the salesman called to request that we increase the credit card deposit to $5,000.00, and I agreed.  No problem.  

45 minutes after that, the salesman called and indicated, "there is a problem":  the Sales Manager, Patrick Murphy had a customer who'd balked a day earlier than they'd offered the car to me, but had now returned with a co-signer and was willing to pay more than they'd sold the car to me for.  I objected, and asked to speak to Mr. Murphy, who was identified as the General Sales Manager.  Mr. Murphy acknowledged that they'd made me an offer, that I'd accepted it and that they'd received the deposit requested.  However, he claimed that "all cars are subject to a subsequent sale", a position he reiterated to the Better Business Bureau after I filed a complaint.

The BBB reduced MB Encino's rating as a result of their "investigation" of this, and other similar complaints regarding disreputable tactics and behavior by the management team at Encino Motorcars.