I applied online for a car loan from Watson Motorsport and within a few hours I was contacted by "Monica", the stage name for the first point of contact via phone after someone applies online. She told me that a car loan had been approved for the car I was interested in with no money down and told me to "come on down" and pushed me to commit to an "appointment with her. Realizing that what she was saying sounded all too scripted, I asked some probing questions to determine if they were just trying to get me to "come on down", only to waste my time as other dealers have time and time again. (I have some bad credit clearly)
I asked her if she was the sales person and she replied saying yes, that I would infact be dealing with Monica during the entire sales process which I knew was not correct, this person was clearly a telemarketer, and a poor one at that. So at that point I knew I was at best being lied to about that. I decided to forget the idea of visiting that dealership until a few days later another person, William, contacted me from Watson Motorsport. I could tell this guy was probably a salesperson and not a telemarketer. William told me that if I put $1,000 down I could certainly "get into" the car I was interested in. (Now keep in mind, I have, at least been lied to twice by these guys, once from the telemarketer lady telling me that she was a person that would handle the entire sales process, but now what "Monica" originally said about zero down...well clearly that was a line to get me through the doors too!) I talked to William for roughly a week over the phone and after feeling like I was comfortable enough in believing that he could get me into the car I wanted with $1,000, not $2,000 or $5,000.
I stressed to him that I had dealt with dealers that say similar things over the phone but once you get there they want 5 times the down payment and a co-signer, and I insisted I didn't want to waste my time if this was the case, and that I had no co-signer ect.
When I went in I waited for over two hours for them to call in the loan, even though he clearly told me that he had the loan approved before I got there and even said that I would not have to wait around for them to call in the loan. After about two hours I pretty much knew I had been suckered. They came back asking for a co-signer or 3 times what I had clearly, TIME AFTER TIME, made my salesperson aware what I had to work with as far as a down payment.
In the end These guys wasted 4 hours of my time, 1/4 tank of gas and my respect. Funny thing is, now they are sending me postcards saying that "Monica" would like to speak to me within 48 hours, before my "approval expires"...
These guys will tell you anything they think you want to hear to get a potential customer to "come on down". it's clear that this is how they train their employees.
-Me
Chicagoland, Illinois
U.S.A.