Let me start off by saying the negative reviews here are COMPLETELY accurate. This establishment is at a minimum, subtly unprofessional and misleading. But I definitely blame myself for my experience. I am a fairly intelligent person (2 bachelors; 3 masters) degrees. And I am a retired military officer as well. I read the reviews here and still thought I was smart enough to overcome what I read.... But Javier Cuellar is an exceptional USED car salesman, so he managed to best me. Great job, Sir.
I have been trained facts, not emotions, so here are the fact;
When I arrived, I IMMEDIATELY informed Mr. Cuellar of my financial situation; My credit was horrible due to a recent divorce, but I make a decent amount of money. Just over 80k annually with my salary and military retirement check. I told him I wanted an older, high end vehicle. Preferably a BMW or Mercedes. Mr Cuellar immediately started showing me extremely expensive cars he knew I wouldn't be able to get based off his experience (his words) and the credit situation I INFORMED him existed. But I have been near shady used car lots my entire professional career, so I know what that's about. The bait and switch so they can run your credit. THAT after all is the goal. So I then spent 30 minutes skeptically reviewing high priced cars I knew were in my price range, but out of my credit range. The entire time, Mr Cuellar consistently tried to run my credit with all the tried and true USED car tactics(we have better financing and more banks. If we can't do it, no one else will; We back you as well, so the banks trust us; or the one that got me, so definitely go with it consistently Mr Cuellar, we bundle your loans with thousands of others, so even though your situation isn't great, the bank looks at our volume, and grants a little more flexibility. Again, great line, Mr Cuellar.) So I let him run my credit. And it was exactly where I said it was.
And then came the switch I KNEW was coming. I felt like a cartoon character with an anvil above my head. I saw it but stayed there and didn't move in time. Mr Cuellar came back to the table with my credit application (after needlessly sitting back with the finance manger for 20 minutes. It doesn't take that long in the current technological age). But I understood that was to put some anxiety in my car buying experience, so there was a reason to waste my time at least. I have however been a platoon leader during OIF I, and a liaison to Russia. It takes a little more to make me nervous. Mr Cuellar's attitude completely chilled. He proceeded to show me some Chryslers and Hondas. Now I have nothing against these cars. I had an Accord and it was the best car I ever owned. But it wasn't what I wanted, or asked Mr Ceullar for when I first arrived and accurately told him my situation. I then told him I was leaving having wasted 2 hours I will never get back. He then of course told me the finance manager wanted to speak with me. Because the goal at this point is to get me in one of those Hondas, which was his endgame when I initially gave him my COMPLETE financial picture. I declined and after a couple more attempts he asked me to take his card and told me to have a nice day.
The next day, I get an email from Mr Cuellar which only serves to remind me of my bad experience at his establishment. I had already chalked the experience up to stupidity and "should have known better" on my part. So I sent a reply email asking them to refrain from contacting me further. And wouldn't you know, in spite of my request, Mr Cuellar then CALLS me. And says someone else wants to speak with me. Now, I know what I asked. And my fiancee is an attorney, so I'm legally aware of what I asked. But there came the phone call anyway. And THAT's why I wrote this review on a situation I was leaving alone.
I conclude this by stating even though this establishment has pretty cars on the lot, and a professional showroom, that's where it stops. This place is no different that the hundreds of thousands of lots strategically placed right off of military bases to exploit soldiers. And when I was in command I made them off-limits to my soldiers. I can't do that here, but I can inform the public. And to my military brothers and sisters, take your business somewhere else. You sacrificed too much for this country to come home and be exploited.
Thank you for your time.
****UPDATE
3/8/14
Apologies for the delay in posting my update. Ten days after my post, I purchased a 2009 BMW 3- Series from NorthWest Honda(through their BMW dealership across the street), approximately 3 miles north on Reisterstown Rd. My payments are in the mid $400s which I expected. I am almost done clearing up the negative items on my credit and will refinance in October. Hope this all helps someone. read more