Where to start with my experience at Marina Dodge... Everything started off pretty well - our salesman was brand new (started 4 weeks prior), so he was a little green, but very motivated, friendly, and eager to help. On the first night, I was told by the salesman and the used car manager that the dealership would write me a check to pay off my final two lease payments. We "signed" a deal that first night (on a handwritten line, no actual contract or agreement) and put a down payment on the car - no major complaints. The next day, I called the used car manager with some questions regarding how much I need to finance (because I wasn't given a purchase agreement), left a voicemail and never got a call back.
The next week, apparently the car is ready to be picked up, but I still don't know how much I have to finance. Call the salesman and he tells me he can't tell me a final price until I meet with the finance director. But I'm not financing through the dealership... Few text messages later, I finally get a number that included taxes, title, and other fees. Apply for the loan through my bank, bank gets back to me that the purchase agreement the dealership sent over was $2K higher than the number I was told by the salesman. What happened? Someone "accidentally" added in a warranty that I did not approve or agree to. Get back on the phone with the salesman and says the first number he gave me "did not include taxes, title, and other fees." Now that's interesting. Few heated minutes later, all of a sudden "there's an error" and he realized the warranty was added on. Get that taken off. New purchase agreement is sent to me to review before it goes to the bank. Why is the final vehicle price still $490 higher than the retail price of the car? Because instead of giving me a check for my final two lease payments like I was told and "paying off your loan" like they advertise, they're going to roll those last two payments into the financing amount. So they're not actually doing anything for you and now you're paying interest on those payments. FYI used car manager still hasn't called me back at this point.
Now we have to go to the dealership to sit down with the used car manager and the salesman in person and try to get this straightened out. The used car manager is one of the most unprofessional people I have ever worked with. Very rude and seriously lacks customer service skills. Kept aggressively pointing to the paper I signed on the first night and instead of calmly explaining why there was confusion just kept saying "but you signed, this is your signature, you signed this." Yeah bud, I know my signature, but the lease payoff was not explained correctly and was purposefully misleading. On top of that, he added, "why would we do that" referring to paying off my lease. Um maybe because that's what you told me what you were going to do and also what the entire dealership advertises.
After feeling so frustrated at this point and almost pulling the deal, I finally go to pick up the car. I'm told to be there at 4:30 to meet with the finance director to sign the final papers and after waiting 50 minutes for the guy we finally sit down to sign everything. Wouldn't you think they would have everything printed off and ready to go before you arrive? Apparently, that's not how they do business. Oh, and they only put a half tank of gas in used cars before you go home? Cool.
Despite all of the frustration and issues, the salesman has a lot of potential and could really thrive at a different dealership.
But never, ever will I refer anyone to do business at Marina Dodge. read more