BUYER BEWARE: RUN, DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THIS BUSINESS.
What should have been a simple, straightforward cash transaction turned into a huge fiasco, with one lie after another leading to two full days of wasted time.
I live on Oahu but travel to Maui a couple of times a month. I began renting electric Chevy Bolts from Payless at the Kahalui airport, and I fell in love with the car. It was quick, sporty, and free of gas, oil, tune-ups, transmission issues, and potential expenses. So, I started looking for one to buy. That is when I found Kihei Auto Sales, and I wish to hell I had never stumbled across their name!
I found Kihei Auto Sales on Facebook Marketplace, and they had the vehicle that I wanted. I had cash in hand--no credit necessary. Subsequently, I got passed off to a salesgirl (and I use that term very loosely) named Ahnanda, who seemed friendly and pleasant. She offered to send me the Carfax on the vehicle I wanted and some additional photos within minutes. This was a 2:00 p.m.Thursday. I waited and waited for the email from her because I had sent her an email, so all she had to do was reply to my email. Yet nothing came.
At 6:15 p.m., I called Kihei and asked for Ahnanda, but I was told she had gone home for the day. I asked the guy on the phone if he could forward me the Carfax and photos, and he said that he didn't want to "get into her files."
About 9:15 a.m. Friday morning, I called and spoke with Ahnanda, who told me that her work email was "glitchy" and that she had emailed me the stuff the evening before she left. However, she said that she was with a customer and was in the middle of getting their insurance paperwork, but she would get the stuff sent through her Gmail once that was done. At 10 a.m., she texted me asking me if I had received the stuff, and I said no. I never received it, so I sent her another email she could reply to. There would be no possible excuse for her having put in the wrong email address. At 11:05 a.m., I received the Carfax. No photos. At 11:43, she told me she was finishing up with a customer. She thanked me for my patience and told me she would call once they left.
Keep in mind that I only needed to know how to pay my money to them to pay for the car in full. That's it. There was no bickering, stories, or credit checks. It was just a straightforward conversation to pay them over the phone or through Venmo or whatever. Nothing more was necessary.
Now get this... at 1:10 p.m., she sends me a text message and says she is finished doing the insurance and will be calling me soon. Now we have wasted another 4 damn hours doing a customer's insurance paperwork? I call BS! That is when I started looking for another dealer because if they are too damn busy to make a simple call to a cash customer in 24 hours, then they are disrespectful of my time and don't deserve my hard-earned money.
After never hearing back from Ahnanda, I sent her this text message @ 6:22 p.m. Friday evening:
"This is two days in a row that you have left me hanging waiting on you. You screwed up my entire day! I've got cash in hand to buy a car, and I just wanted you to call me to tell me how you wanted me to get it to you.
I don't know how the hell you stay in business treating cash customers this way! "
She responded, trying to make it my fault and claiming that I never gave her respect. I have given you the conversation to this point, verbatim, but here's what she had the gall to reply to me:
"I'm sorry you feel that way. I've been busy all day with customers and have communicated with you about it. We're a small family owned dealership on a small island. We only have 4 workers. I have to help the people that show up on the lot. I'll have my manager contact you tomorrow. I have treated you with nothing but respect. I wish I got the same back. Thanks."
The conversation got ugly after that, and I told her and her boss where they could stick that vehicle. I can't put the language I used in this review, or it will get denied. I was uber pissed.
She wasted two days of my life when I was trying to pay CASH for a car.
She kept trying to message me after I told her twice never to contact me again, so I blocked her. I would bet money she kept messaging me, but I don't care.
This morning at 11:00 a.m., I will pick up my Tesla from a dealer in Honolulu. I have attached a photo. They didn't seem to have a problem returning a phone call or taking my cash.
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