Complaint Review: Keyes Toyota - Van Nuys California

I've exhanged email with one of their salesmen, Basil De La Cruz, and I asked him each time (4 times) to send me a quote for a car that they had advertised on the LA Times. He gave me the run around each time without even sending me the quote. I even advised him that I will be contacting his manager if he failed to send me a quote for the last time and he seemed to absolutely not care.

I proceeded to email Basil's manager and Luis Ponce called and emailed me and told me that their ad is the quote. The ad does not say the Net Price of the car nor does it list the MSRP nor the specs of the vehicle. All it stated was $5000 off MSRP.

It does not surprise me that Basil acted like a complete moron because his direct manager is exactly the same. I'm sure that if I keep going above the chain, I will find the same moronic people.

Stay away from this dealership at all cost!

was involved, correct?

"...As we thanked the sales manager for his time, he suggested to my roommate that she might qualify as a co-signer. Hindsight is always 20/20, I know, but I'll say it anywaylooking back it's so clear how they manipulated the situation..."

The sales manager offering that suggestion (and that's all it was a suggestion) is his job. He did not physically force you to sit down and sign anything. As nice as the deal might have sounded, if it wasn't feasible for you, you shouldn't have done anything but walked out and went to the Jeep store as you planned.

I'm sorry but if a car salesman told me something I wouldn't listen at all. I would read the contact and clearly understand what I'm signing before I blindly sign my life away on some guys suggestion. I don't see how you could fault anyone in this situation but yourself. You can't blame Keyes. I don't know what was said - besides your speculation - but the fact is your signed something with very clear terms.

I hate to drop this cliche bomb on you but if I told you to jump off a bridge, would you?

Yes, I agree car dealers have done some shady things .. but we as consumers allow them. If you saw that your friend was signing on the line that said "primary" and your line to sign on said "co-signer" .... why, oh why would you continue to sign a "legal" document just because someone said "it ok to, it doesnt mean anything"? Let's see .. I walk into a court of law with a binding contract in hand and say "but your honor, they said it meant something else ...".

The very same thing happened to my husband, me, and my mother in law. We went to Claremont Toyota instead though. My husband was supposed to be the co-signer and his mom the primary. They told us there is no difference between the two. So my husband took the guys word for it. He signed the top line and his mom the bottom. They also told us that in a couple of months, his mom could switch it over into her name. This is not what is happening. We still have the car under his name. We keep getting the bills and they keep calling us regarding non-payment. They lied to us up and down. My husbands mom tried getting it under her name, but the dealer talked her into calling her son to co-sign for it. My husband credit is less than perfect. Now we have two car loans on his credit. We tried to get a new car under both of our names and a different dealer, but now we are unable because he already has two under his name. I was wondering what any of you are doing to resolve this issue.

This is my first visit to this website, and all I can say is THANK YOU! I live in Southern CA, and on the radio almost every morning, you hear the Keyes Of Van Nuys commercial jingle. I have been saving money to buy a new car and driving to work this morning, I heard it again and was really excited to go to the location in Van Nuys to check out their used car inventory. The commercial stated that they need to clear their old inventory and it's a special sale, only for the weekend. I was looking up their website online, to get the address and location, and RipOffReport.com came up, obviously I read on. K, you are a model consumer. Because of your report, I am more informed about car dealer fraud practices. I will NEVER EVER go to a Keyes car dealership. As consumers, we do have choices, and 1 bad experience is enough to dissuade me from purchasing a car with them. Good luck, I wish you and your roommate success in getting Keyes to resolve the fraud they have caused. Thank you again!

Bless both of you who have written comments! I have an update but need time to post it. I didn't want to wait, though, to thank you for the amazing information you have left. I will absolutely make good use of it and update this site as I receive responses. Thank you, again, for caring!!!

Car dealers can and will do anything they want to do to you because they know that many of our AG's in this country will do nothing to them. I hope the below info will help you in some way. I hope that you can use the below info to go after your dealer. California Office of the Attorney General P.O. Box 944255 Sacramento, CA 94244-2550 916-322-3360 Web site: www.caag.state.ca.us If you want to file a complaint go to http://www.caag.state.ca.us/consumers/mailform.htm Fax a good clear copy of your Rip Off Report to all of the below fax numbers. Your car dealer will hate that. Sacramento, CA 95827 Toll free in CA: 800-952-5210 Web site: www.autorepair.ca.gov Sacramento, CA 95814 Toll free in CA: 1-800-952-5210 Web site: www.dca.ca.gov Sacramento, CA 94244-2550 916-322-3360 Toll free in CA: 1-800-952-5225 Web site: www.caag.state.ca.us Bakersfield, CA 93301 Fax: 661-868-2135 Fairfield, CA 94533 Fax: 707-421-7986 Fresno, CA 93721 Fax: 559-495-1315 Los Angeles, CA 90012-2706 Fax: 213-687-0233 Web site: consumer-affairs.co.la.ca.us Martinez, CA 94553 Fax: 925-646-4683 Modesto, CA 95353-0442 Fax: 209-525-5545 Web site: www.stanislaus-da.org Napa, CA 94559 Fax: 707-253-4041 Sacramento, CA 95812-0749 Fax: 916-874-7660 Salinas, CA 93902 Fax: 831-755-5608 San Diego, CA 92101 Fax: 619-531-4481 Web site: www.sandiegoda.com San Francisco, CA 94103 Fax: 415-551-9504 Web site: www.ci.sf.ca.us/casf/ San Jose, CA 95110 Fax: 408-279-8742 Web site: www.santaclara-da.org San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 Fax: 805-781-1173 Web site: www.sloda.com San Rafael, CA 94903 Fax: 415-499-3673 San Rafael, CA 94903 Fax: 415-499-3719 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: co.marin.ca.us/depts/DA/main/index.cfm Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Fax: 805-568-2398 Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Fax: 831-454-2920 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.CO.Santa-Cruz.CA/US Stockton, CA 95202 Fax: 209-468-0314 Ukiah, CA 95482 Fax: 707-463-4687 Ventura, CA 93009 Fax: 805-648-9255 Web site: www.ventura.org/vcda Visalia, CA 93291 Fax: 559-730-2658 West Santana, CA 92701 Fax: 714-568-1250 Los Angeles, CA 90012 Fax: 213-847-0402 E-mail: [email protected] San Diego, CA 92101-4106 www.sannet.gov/city-attorney Santa Monica, CA 90401 Fax: 310-395-6727 Fax a copy of your Rip Off Report to your State's Banking Commissioner. California Commissioner Department of Financial Institutions Fax: 415-989-5310 I want you to also read this info below. Try to get your Auto lender to send you or your Friend who thought she was a Co-signer to get a copy of the credit Applicatin that the lender got from the dealer. You might get a FAT SURPRISE called FRAUD! Read the below. Car dealers are willing to go to any length to increase their profit. There is a fast growing trend of car dealers lying to banks by padding the buyers income, leading the cosigners to be believe they are in fact the cosigner but they have the cosigners sign first. Car dealers want the banks to fund deals so bad they are willing to send all kinds of false info to banks. Problems like car dealers deceptive ways can be stopped by the banks questioning the buyer BEFORE funding any deal.I Feel many don't or will not because profit from the car dealers is much more important to them. To learn more as to what I am talking about go to the below Rip Off Report and Look at this Victim's Credit app. Everything in yellow is FRAUDULENT info that the car dealer wrote on the buyer's credit app behind the buyer's back after she went home. Also scroll down on her Rip Off Report and you will see a big picture of 4 car buying contracts they had her sign. http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff52158.htm I also feel that you should make your sure lender gets a copy of your Rip Off Report. You also should post the name, address and phone numbers of the bank that did this car deal. Make sure they make the Rip Off Report aswel. They need to learn the deceptive ways of car dealers. If they too start making the Rip Off Report and their stock holders and investors start seeing Rip Off Reports maybe they will change their ways as to how they do business with car dealers. Trust me "I FEEL" your Auto lender needs a Rip Off Report. Next: I feel that you should send a email to the following people ar Automotive news. Trust me the BIG BOYS at Automotive news Know all about ripoffreport.com I don't think they know that RipOffReport.com is NOW getting about 8,000,000 hits a day. Hey William C Ford, WAKE UP! I am sure that they will not like the fact that I posted their numbers and email addresses on your Rip Off Report, BUT SO WHAT. They call their company "Automotive NEWS" so here is some AUTO NEWS. Keith Crain Editor-in-Chief 313-446-6001 [email protected] Peter Brown Editorial Director 313-446-1600 [email protected] David Sedgwick Editor 313-446-0376 [email protected] Edward Lapham Executive Editor 313-446-0339 [email protected] John K. Teahen Jr. Senior Editor 313-446-0362 [email protected] Donna Harris knows all about Ripoffreport.com Make sure she gets to read your Rip Off Report. Spend some beer money on a phone call to Donna and ask what she thinks of your Rip Off Report. Donna Harris F&I, Retail Reporter, Washington 1-540-668-7295 [email protected] Charles Child News Editor 313-446-0365 [email protected] Richard Johnson International Editor 313-446-0371 [email protected] Chaz Osburn Industry Editor 313-446-1677 [email protected] David Kushma Retail Editor 313-446-1601 [email protected] Victor Galvan Web Editor 313-446-0345 [email protected] Gail Kachadourian Web Reporter 313-446-1638 [email protected] Mark writes about Toyota Make sure he gets to read your Rip Off Report Mark Rechtin Mazda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia and Premier Automotive Group Reporter & Bureau Chief, Los Angeles 310-739-8009 [email protected] Harry is in D.C. maybe he has some government contacts that would like to read your Rip Off Report Harry Stoffer Reporter, Washington 202-662-7212 [email protected] K. If you want more help or more contact info, just post a request for it. It's my labor of love to be a Rip Off Report Consumer Advocate. Good luck on you mission of exposing! If my memory is correct Bell Road Toyota is a Keys dealer. Read this Rip Off Report. I feel it is good reading for all VETS who served this country. http://ripoffreport.com/reports/ripoff36168.htm Remember K if you want more help, just post a request.

I had worked for this organization for over 10 years (why i dont know) and it would be no surprise that this is happening (actually it is). I heard and seen many many customers complaining about the things that were going wrong and the way they were treated, and i agree. But i had to keep my shut as i needed the income at the time. When i started (I WAS VERY YOUNG) it was an OK place to work. They had dollar for dollar 401k match (but i was not old enough to participate), Christmas bonuses, Vision care, EXCELLENT Health benefits, profit sharing and more. That was then. They gradually took most of that away from us and the health benefits were cut drasticaly. That was the first sign of things to come. The Vision plan was taken away. Profit sharing was taken away too. No more Christmas bonuses. And the dollar for dollar 401k match was lowered too. I was a highly valued employee (after i left i was asked to come back to work there several times over the years but turned them all down),i wanted to keep my work ethics, moral and dignity, this is why i left and would not go back. By NO means am i a disgruntled ex employee. Let me put that up front to all the readers. This ORGANIZATION (Keyes Motors)is a inhumane place, not only to work, but to do business with. Remember, they have stores at this time throughout the west, including Phoenix AZ AKA Bell Road Toyota and others. Las Vegas NV (Names unknown). CONSUMERS ARE URGED NOT TO SHOP AT THEIR STORES AS YOU DO HAVE CHOICES... Remember, you do have choices. FACT: They at one time (and may still do)use to send their Department Managers to "meetings" of an un-just kind. These meetings were with lawyers who are very well versed in the California Labor Codes and Laws. They would teach their managers how to skirt the law (Keyes was often sued and would settle out). In short, the employees would be treated like trash. And they still treat them this way as i understand. I have a friend who works there at this moment but will be leaving soon as testament to the BS that goes on there (i tried to fair warn him but he wanted to see for himself). Harrasment is a daily thing at this organization. Howard Keyes plays very little part in what goes on inside his organization. He is more involved in his bottom line. Howard spends alot of time in his office. Larry Abrhamson, VP, is one of the better people upstairs and is more involved in this organization. There was one skinny girl upstairs, i dont remember her name, but she is/was a royal b***h. john Lewis, the Parts and Service Director needs to find a personality (They should have kept Virgil Atkins, he is an awesome person!) But we all miss good old Bob Kaminsky! Bob was and is the greatest of them all. He is a past VP of this organization. WE MISS YOU BOB! now... FACT: Keyes Motors Inc use to do unilatteral business with an Exclusive Auto Body Inc (since sold to M2 Collision centers), an automotive crash facility located around the corner from them. Many of the principals and employees at the former Exclusive A/B had/have nothing good to say about the Keyes organization either. I was told by a high ranking former Exclusive employee, "doesn't any ex employee have anything good about that place to say?" The fact is... NO! Keyes Motors (Howard Keyes) is a ruthless company that looks after only itself/himself. It/he has no regard for it's/his employees. Most employees are paid non-living wages and many grumble day to day because of the ruthless enviroment they are in. I feel so bad for these people. I tell you, if you are one of these employees... LEAVE! There are better places to work, not to mention that pay living wages. As for what has happend with the contract, it would not surprise me. CALIFORNIA HAS A NO COOLOING OFF PERIOD FOR CAR SALES. So once you sign, you signed. And Keyes knows this. This is were they and others trap buyers. I could go on and on about this hellhole, but i think you all can imagine. If not... i am very sorry. I have not one good thing to say about this place. They never did me any favors. It is one of the most political places in the valley (besides Galpin Motors, Bert Bochman) REMEMBER, CONSUMERS ARE URGED NOT TO SHOP AT ANY OF THEIR STORES. TAKE YOUR BUSINESS ELSEWERE. THANK YOU.