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BAIT AND SWITCH
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My brother and I came here to lease a Kia Optima Hybrid on 2/26/13. Prior to driving the 30 minutes to the dealership, we had done all our shopping in finding the best deal possible and that was for a Zero Drive off and $179+tax Lease Offer. We ended up calling Kia Cerritos and spoke with Dustin (sales mgr). He confirmed the lease offer we were interested and said come on down. We were not naive in thinking this would be a walk in the park. Having purchased/leased many cars in the past, we knew there would be some negotiations. However we didn't know the type of goose chase/bait and switch ordeal we would go through.
When we walked on the lot, we were greeted by Steve Harding. Nice older gentleman who just got started there. We requested to speak to Dustin, but he was with a customer and Steve would help us. Steve showed us the base model Kia Optima we wanted, test drove it, and then to the desk for paperwork. He then went to Dustin to obtain the pricing (Our expectation was the $0 down zero drive off, $195 payment) and right away we were off by nearly 1600K on the down and $50 higher on the monthly payment. After going back and forth for nearly 2 HOURS, we finally got to a down and monthly payment which we were satisfied with $1250 down and $209 payment tax included (granted not even remotely close to what was initially promise *Bait and Switch #1*).
Steve then has to go get the car in a separate location and states the car (and VIN#) we agreed upon is not ready (base model Optima with no upgrades). It needs to be examined prior to being sold. Understandable we thought and said we'd come back tomorrow. He stated he would call us when it's ready and we could come back up, do the paperwork, and we'd be out of there.
Next day comes and Steve calls 4 times to touch base with us and finally tells us to come up on his last call around 1-2. We get up there around 4pm through OC traffic and sit down to do the paperwork. All of a sudden Donald Ramos (i believe another sales mgr) sits down introduces himself and shows us a figure which was the exact same number which we started our negotiations the day before (what a bunch of bullshit!) *Bait and Switch #2* We tell him that is not what we agreed upon and showed him the paper we worked out. Donald looks at it and says he just stepped into the middle of this and needs to sort it out. At this point we are upset and it's apparent. He walks away and then comes back and ask are we interested in this other Optima with a rear camera upgrade in which we stated no. We wanted the base model vehicle with the VIN# in which we negotiated and agreed upon.
At this point both Steve and Donald get up to go look for this 'supposed' vehicle. We now believe either this vehicle doesn't exist or they are about to reneg on their offer to us. 5 minutes later they say that they prepared the wrong vehicle for us and the one we wanted still wasn't ready and wouldn't be that day *Bait and Switch #3*. They told us they would call the next day and let us know when it's ready.
Let's all sort this out:
1. We have agreed on a vehicle (price, color, etc..)
2. This vehicle was supposedly not ready to be sold and needed to be examined
3. We get called to drive up as the supposed car is ready for pick up.
4. We arrive to be met with a higher down payment and higher monthly
5. The vehicle that is ready has an upgrade and doesn't have the correct VIN#
6. Car we're supposed to grab isn't ready and they will call....
...and they still haven't called. It's been 3 full business days and not one update about the car. What that tells me is the car was never available (to us) and they only agreed upon a down and payment so they could try to bait and switch us again. They thought we would wear down and buckle and just accept what they offered us. WRONG and WOW. There are single bait and switches in the world, but this takes the cake. Not only did we experience what I feel were 3 different bait and switches, but to disregard our time like that...to make us go on a wild goose chase....to call us back in knowing all too well they weren't gonna deliver the goods...and in the end completely dick us over is unscrupulous, shiesty, and completely fucked up. Why didn't they just say no to us on the first day? We're big boys and can handle not geting what we want. But to spend 2 hours negotiating and then willing to pay a down payment and higher monthly payment and not get the car. Now that's about as low as it gets.
I thought going to a dealership was so I didn't have to deal with 'Used Car Salesman'. If I wanted that I would have went straight to Ugly Duckling Used Cars. At least then I would be expecting more of this type of 'professionalism'.
So BUYER BEWARE. Best part is they displayed a 2011 Customer Excellence Award. Really?!? Who gave that to you...Ugly Duckling or some trophy shop out of Santa Ana?
Thanks for nothing.
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