Our initial impression of Terry Lambert Hyundai of Noth Augusta's customer service was one of admiration. However, this perception was shattered when we realized that what we thought was excellent service was, in fact, a well-orchestrated scam.
In early 2023, we purchased as 2023 Sanat Cruz and a 2023 Sonata with an extended warranty from Terry Lambert Hyundai on the same day. We were excited to experience the dealership's excellent customer service. In fact, we were so impressed that we sent a friend to the dealership to buy a Hyundai as well. After browsing for a few minutes, she decided to purchase a new vehicle. Once her credit was approved and the car was being prepared, she looked online to see if she could find a better deal or an incentive. While exploring their website, she discovered the same car (with the same VIN number) listed for $5,000 less than what the salesman had quoted her. He knew the price he was quoting her was wrong and when caught, agreed to sell her the car at the online price. She left and purchased a new vehicle at a different dealership This experience left us feeling misled and betrayed by the dealership's pricing tactics and embarrassed in front of our friend.
A few days later, the Downhill Brake Control light on our Santa Fe refused to turn off, so we took it back to the dealership. After an hour of waiting, we were told that soda had spilled on the control (NOT TRUE), and the warranty would not cover the cost of replacing the part. We were quoted a price of $750. On the way home, we purchased a can of compressed air and sprayed it on the button, which turned the light off. This incident made us feel taken advantage of by the dealership. The service department could have easily resolved this issue for little or no cost, yet they chose to take advantage of a long-term customer instead of taking care of us.
During our visit for the control light issue, we learned that our vehicle was nearing the 30,000-mile maintenance mark. At our previous oil change in July, the maintenance technician had provided us with a list of potential items and associated costs for the upcoming maintenance, totaling $798. However, when we returned in October, that price had increased to nearly $1,050--a $250 increase in just three months! Realizing we had been misled by this dealership, I contacted Taylor Hyundai in Augusta. The service technician informed me that the maintenance would only cost $298 because the service is complimentary; the only charges would be for replacing filters and other necessary items.
Our experience at this dealership has been marred by a lack of integrity and attempts to overcharge us. From trying to charge us $750 for a piece of equipment that was not required to inflating the cost of our maintenance and attempting to rip off our friend for $5,000, it's clear that this dealership's practices are not above board. This should serve as a cautionary tale for all potential customers. The dealership's representative at Terry Lambert should be ashamed of these shady business practices that put profit ahead of customer trust. read more
