Went in to purchase a new CR-V from them in November of 2015, after speaking to a salesperson on the phone and making an appointment. Left work early with my 2014 Ridgeline and made sure to stop and ensure that it was cleaned meticulously inside and out. Got to the dealer and the guy I made an appointment with wasn't around. I was passed to someone else. I notified that person (as I did the previous gentleman over the phone) that I was referred there by a former employee and was instructed to ask for a specific sales manager.
After a short test drive, I was ready to make a deal. I was trading in my pretty much impeccable condition Taffeta White Ridgeline Sport which at the time was no longer in production and we were heading into winter... Prime season to sell a vehicle like this when no one had any inventory left of them. After explaining that I wasn't going to be putting money down out of pocket I was presented with sticker price for the new car and a low trade offer. Several back and forths with the sales manager I was referred to (who by the way never even came out of his office to say hello the entire FIVE HOURS I was there) I was able to "agree" on a deal that I was mostly comfortable with. I felt I should have been offered a better price given I was purchasing a left over 2015 when they had 2016s on the lot, and was told that they couldn't do better because it was a popular vehicle... So popular that they had over NINETY (90!) of them on the lot at a quick glance of their online inventory as I sat there.
After an hour and a half waiting for finance, I watched as my truck was pulled into the service bay before I even got to the paperwork phase of things. I thought this was odd, but a little bit later the finance guy came to get me. We get to his office to go over paperwork, and I notice that the "deal" I had agreed to with the manager Julian was not what was on paper. We were back to sticker price on the new car. I explained the deal and the amounts for my trade and the new car to the finance guy and he left the office to go speak to the manager. He came back and basically said the manager made me too generous of a trade offer and this was the best they could do.
After the next half hour looking at finance terms and telling them I don't want the accessories or the warranty or the gap coverage I was hounded into making the warranty purchase because it made sense due to the number of miles I drive. Whatever, I can live with that and if I elect not to keep it, I can cancel it. Tried to negotiate pricing on the warranty as I did with my previous two Ridgelines and they wouldn't budge. The last warranty I purchased for my Ridgeline from another local Honda dealer was marked down to about $980 for five years and 100,000 miles. These guys hit me up for a cool $2295.00 for a seven year 100,000 mile warranty (the seven years didn't matter, I drive 20,000 miles a year so a five year 100,000 option would have been better, but they "didn't have that one."
We go over the paperwork, and at this point I had been here so long I just wanted to leave with the new car. After the deal I'm presented with two sets of paperwork for my records, one of which has another $600 charge with no description which I was later told is the McGrath package... Yeah, the one their website advertises comes complimentary with a new car purchase.
I left with the new vehicle and over the next two days the salesperson had texted me asking if I had the factory radio from the Ridgeline (I had replaced the basic factory CD player with a nice Pioneer touchscreen unit with Bluetooth, which the factory one didn't offer) and after informing them I could produce the factory one but I'd want the upgraded Pioneer back, I never heard from them again.
I did receive several calls during the following week asking me to give them high marks on a survey from the original gentleman who didn't show up for our appointment.
This past week I went in to try and get out of the CR-V (that I felt I got hosed on for an additional $1100; $500 added back to price and $600 McGrath package, PLUS a no-discount $2295 warranty and not a single hello or hand shake from the sales manager I was referred to) and I was offered a cool $9,800 less than I paid (before the extra $600 charge and $2295 warranty cost) for the vehicle 6 months ago, without a single scratch or blemish on it. This was roughly $3,000-$5,000 under KBB and NADA values. So much for all those commercials explaining Hondas hold their value more than any other brand.
When I mentioned I did NOT want to work with Julian to multiple employees, none of them were surprised I said that and two of the three dealer employees I spoke with flat out told me they had heard stories like mine from other customers involving the same manager.
EDIT 8/12/2016 - I cancelled my Vehicle Service Contract in person at the dealer six weeks ago and after calling to check status it was NEVER PROCESSED. Total nightmare! read more