Sean
Savage,#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, January 06, 2006
i used to work at atwerpen for an entire year. they dont call the banks.they put you in the car they want to put you in its called bumping. they say they cant get you done with the money you have down so they "work" them or "walk" them. its a tatic they use so they can make more money overall on the sale. they put 5000 over what they paid for the car in most cases (used) so all they do is crack your head or highball a price because none of the prices are on window stickers. the management is horrible and they have no tact or customer relations experience at all. the place sucks and im glad im up out of that sneaky group of spiderwebs
Christa
Fort Meade,#3Consumer Comment
Mon, March 08, 2004
I noticed that you live in Baltimore and I saw something the other night that you might try. It's called Fox 5 investigates. Maybe you have seen it already. I am sure they would be interested in your story because we all know how the media loves a scoop. Anyway, I hope it helps. Here is the website and you can follow up from there. Fox5DC.com , Like I said look for Fox 5 investigates and send your story into them. Maybe they will be able to put a little fire under these people to return your money.
Bob
Columbia,#4Consumer Comment
Tue, February 17, 2004
After having one phone conversation with a representative of the Antwerpen I relaized they were trying to pull somthing and looked them up on "rip-offreport". Sure enough your story convinced me to go elsewhere. Thanks!
Karen James
Austin,#5Consumer Suggestion
Sat, December 13, 2003
Just simply sue them in small claims court. It is easy to do yourself. Also send letters and make calls to every single media outlet within 100 miles---newspapers, radio stations, TV investigative local reporters, etc. VERY IMPORTANT: Send and bring in letters to every business on their block and within 10 miles of them. (just say "hi--I want to rop off an info flyer as I feel its important"--they'll likely find it very interesting and appreciate it or get a kick out of it) Just drop off the flyer and leave and dont bother them. Word gets out very quick that way. Also send letters to the local city govt offices--many of tem to as many local officials as you can find. Soon, once word gets out and it spreads like wildfire---noone will buy a car from these people. (or of course a lot less) If you are lazy---nothing will happen. That is YOUR choice to be lazy or to teach them a lesson. The following is critical: Send letters or flyers also to all the big employers and PTA groups and civic groups like Kiwanis, Lions Club, etc. Their name will be mud with all their neighbors on their street(businesses)---and with the city govt and the press and the major companies/employers and the local people. Then you start doorhanging homes and apts here and there. Ask them in the flyer to tell ALL their nieghbors on their block. This way you just have to hit one or two per block. Also send the letters/flyers to all the credit unions in the area so the manager and the employees dont send any of their people there. Also post it on all the university and community college bulletin boards so none of the students go there. (they are the easy mark for them because they dont know better and this is a big market for the dealers--trust me) Pass them out at kids soccer and baseball and other leagues. Remember: You can put flyers up on peoples doors without bothering them in several neighborhoods. You'd be shocked---one person can quite easily with some work totally destroy the reputation of a company. You just have to understand one simple rule in life: word gets around if people talk, (and certain people talk to lots of people--THOSE are the people to get to)--- so you have to cover a lot of the bases and the people/entities that talk to or are exposed to lots of people. (some people and groups are just exposed to more people and can make a difference--its fact) Dont forget the state attorney general's office and of course the BBB. Also call the national news mags--you never know. But MOST IMPORTANT---do the word of mouth destruction part above---and also the small claims court. Trust me, a rodent could do both of them and so can you. You were bright enough to do this---so you are bright enough to take them utterly apart doing the above. Some people have guts and conviction in life to do these things against potential evil and some dont--those that dont allow these things to continue to happen to folks like you----what you do represents what YOU are. Most have no conviction in their souls. Whoever started this ripoff report had some conviction. If I had time Id post this same thing to every report so people would have a guide and how to destroy a potentially evil or crooked company. I wish this guide was on this site. Trust me--in a moderate city, its easy to do this. Unfortunately its tougher with the national companies. Understand, you wont totally kill their business---but I can assure you that you can cut off 75% of it and ruin their name forever by simply sending and distributing and doorhanging and walking in flyers to the groups and individuals with "tentacles". You have every right to exercise your first amendment rights to free speech so dont let them or their beast lawyers scare you---they will lose if they try to sue you for slander as long as you are truthful---bank on it---and if they ever tryed that---they would then REALLY bring the media against them and cause all sorts of people to get involved if they do that. (and that would be the end of their business effectively on any profitable basis) Noone likes to see a big company Goliath try to destroy the free speech of tiny David. (or especially a woman) Its simple---be lazy and have no conviction--- or take them to small claims court (cheap fee--easy forms)--AND most importantly do the stuff above so it doesnt happen again. If you arent willing to tell ALL those groups of people to help prevent this in the future---then why should you have deserved any better. Good luck. And by the way "door hanging" and bringing flyers around to businesses and homes and apartments and universities and credit unions and realtors and city govt--- and sending not a ton...but a bunch out isnt that difficult. (and can be good exercise) (Ive done it for years!)
Tiawana
Baltimore,#6Author of original report
Thu, November 13, 2003
After having Antwerpen submit my application for financing for a period of SIX months. They could not get me financed for some reason of their own. Needless to say my $$$$$$5000.00 FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR deposit was not refunded to me. I was not told why my car was being reposes. I was not issued any paper work concerning the matter. Mind you I have the car registered in my name and I made three car payments to the dealership that have not been refunded.
Walter
Eugene,#7Consumer Suggestion
Thu, March 06, 2003
Dear Tia, I, also have learned the hard way. There are 3 Kelly blue book prices, #1. What the dealer would charge for a checked out ready to go car: #2 What a private party to private party price would be appropriate, and: #3what the dealer would give you in trade. (Having, hopefully, to inspect, repair, and prep the car for resale.) Before ANYBODY agree's on a price, please check these prices. You can access them online at Google, kelly bluebook, or thru your bank or credit union. This is so important to determine if you are even in the ballpark for a price for a particular vehicle. BOTTOM LINE!! Get a reasonable estimate for what you should be paying from a reliable source. There are variables, of course, such as mileage, conditions, options. Please do some homework. It's not that hard, and can save you THOUSANDS of dollars. Walter