This dealership engaged in unethical behavior, repeatedly misled me, and caused severe emotional distress, including anxiety and high blood pressure which I have never experienced before.
1: Summary of Deceptive Practices & Misinformation
February 17, 2025:
•Vehicle Reservation & Wheel Locks Agreement
— I visited the dealership with my mother to reserve a 2024 Toyota RAV4 XLE.
—The salesman, Tony, and floor manager, Angel Garcias, handled the negotiation.
— Initially, Andrew refused to include complimentary wheel locks, but when I stood up to leave, his attitude changed immediately.
—He asked me to stay, went to confirm with the desk manager that day, and returned saying:
(Okay, we will include the free wheel locks. We will make sure everything is installed before you pick up the car.)
— Based on this promise, I agreed to purchase the vehicle and paid a $1,000 reservation fee.
•Deceptive Interest Rate Offer
— On the same day, the floor manager, Angel Garcias, attempted to mislead me into accepting a 5.99% interest rate on my loan, even though it should be 4.99% APR.
— When I questioned this, he initially hesitated and did not provide a clear answer.
—Only after I pushed back and requested further clarification was the correct 4.99% rate applied.
—This raises serious concerns about this dealership’s financing practices, as it appears to be an attempt to overcharge me on interest payments unnecessarily.
February 21, 2024 : Vehicle Pickup & First Breach of Agreement
—Tony called me in the morning to confirm pickup at 1 PM.
—After finalizing the contract and payment, I reconfirmed that the wheel locks were included.
—However, I discovered that the wheel locks were NOT installed, despite the dealership’s previous written and verbal commitment.
—Tony then claimed the parts were “not available”, but assured me they would arrive by Monday (Feb 24, 2025) at 1 PM.
—When I requested a formal confirmation in writing, Tony assured me that my original agreement at reservation was sufficient.
—I trusted the dealership and left, expecting installation as promised.
February 24, 2024: Stalling, Avoidance & Blatant Deception
•1:00 PM: No call from Tony, despite his promise to update me.
• 2:00 PM: I attempted to call him multiple times, but he ignored my calls and sent me straight to voicemail.
•2:30 PM: Tony finally answered saying:
“I just arrived at the dealership, I will check and let you know.”
But he never followed up.
•3:00 PM: I called again multiple times with no answer.
•3:30 PM: After more attempts, Tony finally answered but changed his story again, saying:
“The manager has to approve it.”
When I reminded him this was already approved at the time of reservation, he continued to avoid giving me a direct answer.
Throughout the afternoon, Tony verbally assured me three times over the phone that the wheel locks would be installed that same day(2/24/2025). Each time, I was given clear confirmation that they would be done today(2/24/2025).
•4:00 PM: Frustrated, I drove to the dealership in person.
At the Dealership —Further Avoidance & Lack of Resolution
• Upon arrival, Tony immediately distanced himself, saying:
“Someone else is helping me.”
•I was told that Raul would handle it, but he ignored me for 40 minutes despite me seeing him passing by my table multiple times.
•When Raul finally spoke to me, he tried to charge me for the wheel locks—despite the written and verbal agreement stating they were complimentary from Angel Garcias, the floor manager, on the day of reserving the car.
—When I asked for clarification, he did not provide any answers or attempt to address the situation.
—I then approached Tony again, who AVOIDED eye contact and did not stand by his previous promises.
Dismissive Treatment from Management
• As I attempted to get clear answers, I was met with more resistance and dismissive behavior.
•At no point did any manager acknowledge the written agreement or attempt to correct the issue. Instead, I was met with contradictory information and further avoidance.
•Eventually, desk manager Tyson intervened but did not provide a resolution.
•After discussing the situation further, Tyson acknowledged that the wheel locks were supposed to be included but stated that installation would have to be scheduled for another day.
•This directly contradicted what Tony had told me earlier in the day, when he assured me three times that the wheel locks would be installed that same afternoon.
•At this point, I was asked to wait for Tyson to text me about a future appointment.
2: Emotional & Physical Distress Caused by This Experience
The way I was treated at this dealership has severely impacted my emotional and physical health:
•I have experienced stress-related high blood pressure and heart palpitations for the first time in my life.
• I have developed severe anxiety from the way I was misled, ignored, and dismissed.
•The entire experience of being pushed aside, pressured, and treated unfairly has left me mentally exhausted.
•This dealership’s behavior has caused severe emotional distress, which no customer should have to endure.
3: What I Am Requesting from Toyota Corporate
I am asking Toyota Corporate to take immediate action, including:
1) An internal investigation into this dealership’s dishonest and unethical business practices.
2) Official intervention from Toyota Corporate to hold this dealership accountable for:
•Deceptive negotiation tactics
•Breaching a written and verbal agreement
•Dismissing a paying customer instead of resolving an issue
3) A response from Toyota Corporate outlining what corrective actions will be taken to prevent this from happening to other customers.
4: Why This Complaint Matters
This is more than a minor miscommunication. This dealership deliberately misled me, stalled, and then invalidated my concerns when I tried to hold them accountable. No customer should have to endure this level of dishonesty, mistreatment, and emotional distress over a simple, agreed-upon accessory.
I request that Toyota Corporate take this matter seriously and ensure that this dealership is held accountable for its actions.
Please confirm receipt of this complaint and provide an update on how Toyota Corporate plans to address this matter.
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