My experience purchasing a vehicle remotely with Cleveland Ford in Cleveland, Tennessee was a NIGHTMARE. I do like the used vehicle I purchased, but the service and sales were disorganized, rife with miscommunication, and, frankly, horrible. First, be advised, that they tack on a "safety package," which includes a ceramic coating and pulsing brake light at a cost of almost $1400. I told them I did want it, and finally, they took the charge for that down to just under $800. My salesman, Byron Linley, and I finally agreed upon an "out-the-door" price, plus the fee for "taxes, tag, and title," after I told him I did NOT plan to trade in my car for the low offer of $2000. I told him I would be paying for taxes, tag, and title in Mississippi, so he recalculated, saying it must be added to the price when financing/a lien is involved. I agreed. Ultimately, I was sent a final itemized sales sheet with a pricing breakdown, which was attached to an e-mail as a dark, difficult-to-read photo. I looked primarily at the final price, which is what Byron had apparently gotten approved and we agreed upon. A few days later, I drove over 4 hours to the dealership. Upon arrival, I met with Byron, who told me he had only recently started working in sales after having been shifted from answering phones at the dealership. After printing and shuffling through papers, Byron ventured to the glass booth at the front, and sales manager Chopper Lamar returned to Bryon's desk without Byron. He sat down and informed me that Byron had failed to remove the discount for the trade-in, so I owed $2000 more than the out-the-door price, for which I had specifically brought a check from my credit union, along with my down payment of $4500. I had already paid $500 to hold the vehicle until I arrived. I became upset with Chopper, and he said it was simply a miscommunication and asked if Byron should be punished, considering that he was new at the job. I told him their salesmen needed better training and communication skills--and asked him if I, in turn, should be the one punished for the problem. After some heated disagreement, I walked out. I returned later and negotiated once more. I still ended up paying $1100 more for the vehicle than I had been told. Moreover, I am in the process of getting a new driver's license reflecting my maiden name because I have moved from Tennessee to Mississippi, and my old Tennessee driver's license still shows my married name following a divorce. I have an updated Social Security card and U.S. passport with the correct maiden name, and the lien on the vehicle is also in my correct maiden name, but they INSISTED on putting the title in the INCORRECT divorced name on what is soon-to-be my old driver's license. Byron ASSURED me that my Mississippi clerk's office would EASILY be able to rectify the difference in name, but I have since found out that is not the case. Further, the temporary 30-day Tennessee tag they put on it is not valid in Mississippi after 7 days, and it's apparently going to take the dealership WEEKS to get the paperwork necessary to procure the tag sent to the clerk in my county. To complicate even further, the employee in the Mississippi clerk's office told me that the tax amount paid at sale generally does NOT include the fee for the tag, despite what Byron put into writing, so I may end up paying an ADDITIONAL amount to get the tag. I would never recommend this dealership to anyone, and I plan to do everything I can to publicize widely the highly stressful experience I had here. read more
