Over the weekend I had heard about the great deals at Hertz. I found the car I like. On Monday I get down to the dealership.
1st encounter. There are 3 salesmen total on the floor. 2 are with customers and the 3rd is sitting at a desk not doing anything. It isn't until I walk up to him and ask if I can receive some help that he acknowledges me. I tell him which car I am looking for from the website. He points to the back wall of the showroom and says the car is in the back and that I can go take a look. Really?! Just point in the vague direction of where the vehicle is. Ok, undeterred I go anyway. I eventually find the car. The car is walled in on each side by at least 2 or 3 cars in every direction. I realize that someone would have to physically move a good amount of inventory if I wanted this car, but I thought this is technically a dealership and if they wanted to make money they would find away. A guy parking multiple cars named Miguel can see me walking around the Charger. He offers to get the key so I can hear it start. I thank him and he comes back a little while later and unlocks the door. He lets me start the engine. Miguel is clever because this has pretty much sealed the deal. I just want to test drive it first. I ask Miguel about it. He isn't a salesperson, but he echoes my sentiments from earlier. It needs an inspection, but it is possible to get it out sooner and tested so I can drive it. If I am interested, I would have to set up an appointment. Which I took to mean that it was too much work to expect someone to do it that late in the day. I did not have a problem with that. When I walk back on to the showroom I ask the sales rep about a test drive. He estimates that the safety inspection is about two weeks out. Because of this I cannot test drive it, Oregon law. I say, "Ok, so you won't sell the car for 2 weeks then?" He says, "Oh no if someone comes in tomorrow and wants to buy, we will sell it to them."
"Ok well, I am fairly sure I want to buy this car I just want to test drive it first. Can we expedite that process so I can test drive before it gets sold?
"Well there are a lot of cars ahead of it on the list and we don't usually skip cars."
"Ok well, I do not understand why the car was on your website, to begin with, if it was not ready."
He doubles down on no test drives without an inspection. "Yeah, I am sorry it is Oregon law"
Confused that he circled back to that point I respond, "What? Well, can you ask your manager about it?"
"Sure, I will ask them tomorrow when they get in."
I say, great, and proceed to wait an uncomfortable 30 seconds before I ask, "Do you want to take my name and number so you can call me with what they decide?"
"Oh yes." I take a card he found and write my info on a card. I ask for his name, Ramon, get a card for him, and leave.
The next morning comes and goes. No call from Ramon or anyone from Hertz. I wait until the afternoon in case they were busy or forgot. Still nothing.
2nd encounter. I decide since no one called me I would go back in. A row of cars on one side of "my car" had been reduced. The car was still blocked and untouched. I cannot find any salespeople this time. I did not have enough time to stay, so I left. When I got back home, I looked on the site to find the number for the dealership. I found a surprise. The car's price went up by 1k. The same car that has a no-haggle statement on the website. The car I wanted to buy days ago but was told I could not test drive. The car that had not moved. I call the dealership. When someone answers I ask to talk to the sales manager. I am put on hold. After holding for 15 minutes the line is disconnected. I call back. This time I tell them what happened with the earlier and ask again to talk with the Sales Manager. They inform me they do not have sales managers. The only managers there are finance managers and they do not take sales-related calls. So why the hell did the previous guy put me on hold if there was no one to pick up the other end. This guy is sidestepping my frustrations. He is aggressively trying to get me to talk about the car. At this point, I ask him his name because his voice sounds familiar. He hesitates and then says, Ray. It sounds like Ramon.
In the current climate and I have to speak up. what happened is not right. I saw a handful of white people getting great service. I could not even get the guy to step away from his desk. A couple of white gentlemen got walked to a car a couple of feet away from "mine" for what appeared to be a test drive. I got pointed in the direction of the car I was interested in. I wanted a test drive I was told no and never received the follow up I was promised. The car jumped 1k in price after I went to look at it. they didn't know anything about me just that I was black. I got the message loud and clear. To those people with melanin, Hertz does not want your money. If you do go just be prepared to be jerked around, and have them raise the price on you. read more