I had a pleasant experience here in 2018 when I bought my car from them. But about two years into the loan, I started getting their offers to buy back my car. I didn't want to sell my car back, so I disregarded the letters. But a few months ago I received another letter, with a very nice offer on my Hyundai from Colonial. So i reached out to the dealership since my car was 5 years old, and asked if this was a legitimate offer, or just some sort of come-on to get me in the door. Lou Ziegler replied quickly and said the letter was NOT any sort of come-on. He even went so far as to say the value given in the letter is frequently EXACTLY what they'd end up giving me on a trade for my 2018. I disclosed the mileage on my vehicle in an email to him, and he still said that trade offer in the letter could be a little lower or a little greater than what I'd get on a 2023 purchase. He said I would get an INCREDIBLE DEAL (see attachment)
Well here's my advice to you when you receive a trade offer in the mail on your Colonial Hyundai. Throw it immediately in the trash. You don't even have to open it. Just trash can it. Because my letter indicated I would get $16, 849 as a trade. And in reality, the best offer they made me in person was $7000. It wasn't even HALF of what they offered in the letter. So despite what they'll tell you, that letter is ABSOLUTELY a come-on to get you in the door, so they can low-ball you once you've arrived. It is a bold-faced LIE so you'll think you'll get some sort of loyalty deal going back to them. And maybe you'll like their new 2023 vehicle so much, you'll accept their low-ball offer on your trade and take an extreme loss on the deal. The KBB value of my car was between $8500-11000 and they wouldn't even come within $1500 of the low end of that.
The other LIE they told me to get me in the door, what that a vehicle could be ordered from the factory with a different transmission. I wanted my new car to have a 6-speed manual, and Lou said it might take a few months, but it could be done (see attachment) Then once I was in their showroom, I'm advised the bad news that this indeed CANNOT be done.
The only thing I hate more than wasting money, is wasting time. And that's why I told him in my email what the mileage was on my 2018. I told him in another email I wanted a manual transmission. But none of it mattered. Because his strategy was to tell lie after lie so I would show up at a dealership an hour away from where I live, just to be disappointed.
But the end result of this horrible experience at Colonial Hyundai of Downingtown, PA is - They have converted me to being a Mazda owner. I have a beautiful, fully loaded Mazda 3 now (see third attachment) It has the manual transmission I wanted, power sunroof, heads up display on the windshield, lane guidance, three years of free navigation, power everything, 12 speaker Bose stereo system, etc. Heritage Mazda in Bel Air, MD made me a fair offer for my trade, they came down a little on the sticker price of their car, and the follow-up communications with them have been outstanding. My credit score is 825 so the loan was approved instantly, and I put nearly 50% down to keep my payments manageable.
This could've happened at Colonial, if they were honest and up front with people. But despite what they'll tell you (see attachment again) they are not honest. And I can see why they have 2 out of 5 stars with Yelp. If I could give them a zero-star rating, I would have. read more