Puente Hills Toyota Salesman Games

A few years ago, I bought my very popular truck via the Internet. It was a great experience, with no gamesmanship and no hassles. Sent out the query, got the prices back, chose one, and was in and out of the dealership in 45 minutes.

Fast forward a few years, and I'm amazed at how well the scummy dealers have adapted. I have had bait and switch, lies about prices, unexpected add-ons, etc. I just won't deal with people who act that way.

But today takes the cake. My email request was very specific, with a choice of three and only three exterior colors, with the dark grey interior. Package 3 only; won't consider anything else. And the offer must be MSRP or less (and I stated the MSRP). I talked to several dealers who had a Package 6 in the color I wanted, or a Package 3 in a color I didn't want. They wasted my time, but at least they were honest.

Puente Hills Toyota (CA) emailed and said "I do have the Silver and Seaside Pearl with package 3 in stock". I called, and Julie Derby was already gone on vacation. I verified that they had the two cars in stock ... they "just came in" ... and that they sold at MSRP ... "yes sir, we don't mark up the MSRP". I left work early, drove 100 miles from Oxnard to Puenta Hills, through LA traffic on a Friday afternoon, to walk onto the lot and see three Prius with chrome wheels ($1,995 extra) and non-factory leather seats (another $1,995).

"Well gee, we always put the leather and wheels on, but we never mark up the MSRP ... you just have to pay for what we give you."

These are scummy car-salesmen games. When I get exposed to these, I know the individuals doing them have no ethics, and have proven themselves to be liars already. How could I trust anything any of them say? They already stole 4 hours of my time from me using a "standing room only" close to get me to drive there, and even had the audacity to ask me why I "didn't like leather" and why I would just turn around after "coming all this way."

Because, I wanted to say, I hate you, don't respect you, and I'll bet your wife is ugly too. But I didn't say that, I told them I was disappointed and I walked away. Seven hours after I began, I returned to my garage with my old car. 7 hours older and a half a tank of gas wasted just to be treated by an "Internet Sales Department" with the same disdain and callousness as the jerks show us when we walk into the showrooms unprepared.

I'm seriously considering other options. Toyota may not get my money this time. The Prius is a great car, but the Toyota dealers are showing their true colors by the way they are treating their customers when they have a "hot" car.