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Superior Chrysler Jeep Trickery and deceptive business and sales practices ripoff City Of Industry California
My friend Liz and I had been doing two weeks of research on used 03 and 04 Ford Focus's. On the evening of Wednesday, July 5th, 2006 Liz called Sunny at Superior Chrysler Jeep. She asked if a certain Ford Focus that was listed on Cars.Com was still available. Sunny told her it was, and after an additional call to make sure the mileage was still around 50K on that particular Silver 04 Ford Focus, with checkbook in hand we got in the car and headed to Superior Chrysler Jeep in the City of Industry to see and buy that Ford Focus.
We arrived there and met Sunny, he seemed somewhat shocked to see the girl that had called had a male along. Sunny took us inside and cleaned off a table and offered us to sit down. Then without a word Sunny went into a back room for several minutes, and we looked at each other wondering what we were now waiting for. So, when he came out and we asked to see the car. It was at this point Sunny told us that the Focus had been sold but he had talked to his manager and he had two more Focus's and a Chevy he would like to show us and he could make us a real good deal on. We were both rather shocked that we had called to see a specific car, we were told that car was in stock, drove there from Sherman Oaks California, and then found out the car we wanted to see had been sold.
We reluctantly and in a shocked state of disbelief allowed Sunny to show us a two-door Focus which was unacceptable and a 05 Focus Sedan for nearly $16K, which was $8K more than the car we had asked about. Then he tried to show us a Chevy we never requested to see. All the time not really listening to us and telling us he could make a deal on another one of these cars. I asked Sunny for a business card, but he explained he did not have any on him. That is the first car salesman I ever met that did not have a card on him. So either he lied, or he was inept and unprofessional.
At this point we went inside and asked a salesman named Steve to see the manager. Steve pointed out a man behind a raised desk. The sales manager's name was Carlos Avila. We explained being lied to by Sunny, Carlos listened and then made some lame excuses and then said he could make us a good deal on one of the cars on the lot. He did not seem at all perturbed that his salesman had lied to a female customer to get her on the lot. He offered an extremely insincere apology and went back to whatever paperwork he was doing.
We decided to leave and on our way outside we were once again met by Steve. Steve attempted to commiserate with us, and get on our side by acknowledging the dirty tricks of the other sales person and the manager, and asked if there was anyway he could earn our trust He had some great cars and he could make us a deal because you know how those people are. Aghast at the business practices, we got in the car and looked back into the dealership windows we could see all three getting together and laughing.
What was this place, some kind of sleazy car dealership ran by the three stooges?
I am a retired U.S Marine and Communications Engineers with General Dynamics Information Technology; my friend although younger is extremely intelligent woman who speaks three languages flawlessly, graduated at the top of her class from Colgate Collage and is now going to Medical School. Neither of us are what you would call nieve but your these sales people are obviously of low character. It has been awhile since I have felt so mislead, and I have been to many a slimy car dealership outside a military base. We can only assume that Sunny tried to take advantage of a female buyer once he had her on the lot. And those tactics are just despicable and will be reported to all of the authorities I can find and contact.
I have no idea what the ethics of the City of Industry, Superior Chrysler-Jeep are, but I know one thing. It can not be the Believe it on Carlos Avila business card. This manager and salespeople need to be reprimanded and/or fired.
Mark
Sherman Oaks, California
U.S.A.
8 Updates & Rebuttals
Rob
Columbus,Ohio,
U.S.A.
Typical
#9Consumer Comment
Tue, July 11, 2006
I was in the auto business for many years. We used to have people call in about cars that were never there!!! You, unfortunately, are a typical profile customer. First, we loved when a macho guy comes in to show us how to do business so that they could impress their girls!!! We ALWAYS LAUGHED, sometimes right at them in their face and sometimes it was real easy to get the people to laugh also. Yes, we would have them laughing at themselves.
This was at one of the biggest Ford dealers in the USA not some buy here pay here place.
Never, ever think you have the upper hand in a car deal as you never will. If you turn out to know to much or act like a tough guy we will do many things up to and including overpricing the car to make you leave.
We would rather have regular decent people than know it alls and macho guys running around the lot trying to impress others. We would put people, decent people, with beacons of 560 out in a new car at 2-3 points above our buy rate when we could have charged 10 - 11!!
The point is....you don't have no power up front, period. Pricing is on the net everything is open if you don't like it leave. That's the way they look at it in our new globalised society....suck it up and drive on Marine!!!
P.S. I was also in the Corps.
Mark
Baltimore,Maryland,
U.S.A.
No resale value
#9Consumer Comment
Fri, July 07, 2006
The first post says it all. A 2004 on a dealer lot for $8K, nice drop in value. Mike, you bought a 2006 Zx3 SES right? Edmunds.com says invoice with an automatic transmission is 16K, with the average price paid after rebate is $15254. The Manhiem Auto Auction report for Friday June 7th shows 11 of those exact cars went through the sale in PA today, all under 5K miles. All went for between $9,000 and $9300. If you wanted to trade yours to a dealer that is the most you would get, because they can go to the sale and get them at that price. Consumer Reports might rate them higher than a Honda, but the resale value is horrible
Leticia
Anytown,Other,
U.S.A.
Dave....
#9Consumer Comment
Fri, July 07, 2006
I think that you may be off by a long shot about the Focus.
I am going on the fact that my husband HATES american made cars and calls all of the a POS. Except for the newer Ford Focus.
And before you ask, yes he did his homework (except for the fact that we live in Germany right now and it has a safety that forces the car to slow down when you try to go above 107 MPH) and we have had NO problems with it.
Mike
River Edge,New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Dave - Consumer reports
#9Consumer Comment
Fri, July 07, 2006
The Ford Focus ZX4 SES is ranked the 3rd best car under $25,000 right behind the Acura RSX and the Ford 500. It ranks higher than Honda Accord, Honda Civic, etc. I did a month of research on this prior to buying. As for your comments...
"Sloppy build quality"..I guess we'll see over time, but it appears fine to me.
"mismatched interior plastics" By design it has grey plastics on dash, with black stero and a/c controls. it looks great too.
"inadequate storage and cupholders," This is patently false. The glove box is huge and since I have the ZX3 hatch, the seats fold down for plenty of storage. Also, there are 2 cupholders in the console and one in each door. To me, thats more than enough, no?
"2.3-liter engine limited to ST sedan." - So? Most 4 cylinders are 1.8-2.0 (I got the 2.0 which comes standard on the SES model, and it's plenty)
"Not as good as you think, is it. It's designed for the person without a lot of money or credit, it's an entry level car, trying to appeal to the younger driver."
This statement is absolutely ludicris on his face value. Just because you think this car is beneath you doesn't mean that it's a bad car.
Robert
Jacksonville,Florida,
U.S.A.
You forgot one thing Dave
#9Consumer Comment
Fri, July 07, 2006
You forgot to mention the passenger side motor mount that fails to hold up the engine after 20K miles. Then, the engine is left sitting on the frame rail and putting a vibration from hell throughout the vehicle.
You couldn't give me one of these things if my only other choice was to walk. These are right there with the Contour in regards to reliability and function.
Ford should have kept making Escorts.
Dave
Jacksonville,Florida,
U.S.A.
Ford Focus
#9Consumer Comment
Fri, July 07, 2006
Edmunds, the leader in automotive comparisons, has this to say... (Copy and pasted)
"Sloppy build quality, mismatched interior plastics, inadequate storage and cupholders, no rear head restraints, 2.3-liter engine limited to ST sedan."
Not as good as you think, is it. It's designed for the person without a lot of money or credit, it's an entry level car, trying to appeal to the younger driver.
They hold absolutely no retail value.
Mike
River Edge,New Jersey,
U.S.A.
To "Dave", re:Ford Focus
#9Consumer Comment
Fri, July 07, 2006
Dave,
You said:
"However, if you are as 'highly intelligent' as you say, why are you looking for a Focus???? That is the worse piece of crap on the market, and has been since it came out 20 years ago."
I don't know about any Focus's other than the 2006 modle I just purchased, so I can't speak for 2005-below. However, Consumer Reports ranks the Focus as a top 5 vehicle in its class, over the Matrix and other top selling vehicle.
Dave
Jacksonville,Florida,
U.S.A.
It was the old bait and switch
#9Consumer Comment
Fri, July 07, 2006
IF both of you are as 'highly intelligent' as you say, then you would've recognized that scam immediately. But to rag on about it is unecessary. I am sure 'Sunny' wasn't shocked when he saw your lady friend had a man with her. Get over it. It's a car lot. They pull this crap all the time. You leave and go somewhere else. However, if you are as 'highly intelligent' as you say, why are you looking for a Focus???? That is the worse piece of crap on the market, and has been since it came out 20 years ago.