I'm reaching out to bring attention to the frustrating and troubling experience I had with Stone Mountain Toyota, hoping that sharing my story will help others avoid falling victim to similar practices.
My ordeal started in October when I made my first purchase at Stone Mountain Toyota. Despite the bank denying my initial financing at a 17% APR rate, I was essentially forced into accepting a 13% APR on my loan, which was a deal I wasn't comfortable with, but felt I had no choice because Malvin told me "if you don't sign this new contract I'm going to force the 17% contract through". Fast forward to February 28, when I returned to the dealership for an oil change on my 2024 Toyota Corolla. I was pressured into trading my car for another one--promised that the new vehicle was almost identical to my current one, only with different seats, model, and color.
Things quickly escalated from there. I was not allowed to test-drive the new car on the road because they assured me I "would just love it." I was told to park my current car next to the new one and remove my belongings. However, after purchasing the car, I realized it lacked certain features I had specifically wanted. I was never informed about the higher price of the new vehicle until after the deal had been closed. In a panic, I emailed the dealership and called within 30 minutes to request a return, but I received no response.
When I later visited the dealership in person with my aunt, mom, and sister, we spoke to a sales associate named Malvin. Rather than offering any resolution, Malvin insulted me by saying, "If you're still insuring that old car, you're stupid, because you're not getting it back." After this, I asked to speak with the higher manager, but he refused to come in, leaving Malvin to handle the situation. The sales associate admitted that the issue was caused by a lack of communication and said she should have shown me the car more thoroughly, but her manager still refused to accept responsibility and take the car back.
Following that, I filed a complaint with Toyota's corporate office. Unfortunately, because the dealership is privately owned, they claimed they couldn't do much to intervene. I was told I'd receive a call back within one business day, but as of today--three days later--no one has reached out. When I called corporate again, Malvin lied, saying it had been over a week since my complaint, which was not true; my car was purchased on 02/28, and today is only 03/04.
This is a clear case of fraud and unethical behavior, and I believe it's important for others to be aware of the practices at Stone Mountain Toyota. I'm hoping that this story gets the attention it deserves, so that no one else is subjected to this level of disrespect and dishonesty.
Please help bring attention to this issue so that proper action can be taken against Stone Mountain Toyota for their behavior. read more