I strongly advise anyone who does not fit the stereotype of a privileged male to avoid dealing with these people. They are manipulative and untrustworthy. I visited Toledo Auto Group to purchase a vehicle, but the one I chose must have seemed "too high-end" for what they assumed someone like me should buy. From that point on, I was bombarded with invasive questions about what I do for a living and how I make my money.
When I presented a certified bank check--following my standard practice of not wiring funds directly to dealerships--they scrutinized every aspect of it. While I understand being cautious with money, they were relentless in trying to poke holes in every little detail. The whole situation felt like a case of confirmation bias: once they decided that something must be wrong, they were determined to find a problem, no matter how much evidence there was to the contrary. Despite my bank assuring them multiple times that everything was in order, they continued searching for reasons to reject the check.
The final straw came when one of their employees questioned the date on the check, even though I had already explained that the bank renews it every 90 days, which takes only two to three days. He accused me of holding onto the check for 90 days, despite the fact that I had just obtained it before flying into Ohio. Since it was validated with the code, funds were initiated.
For three days, I jumped through every hoop they threw at me, verifying my information multiple times, only for them to still refuse to deposit the check. Every time they called my bank, the bank confirmed the funds and the validity of the check, but the dealership refused to believe it. The constant doubt and questioning gave me a massive headache--I've never had to deal with a transaction where someone was so determined to find something wrong.
One of their partners, ihab, even lied about visiting the bank. I personally called the 3 banks including the Fifth Third Bank on Central Avenue in which they mentioned they go to, which confirmed no one from Toledo Auto Group had come in... all he did was call in to ask about if someone can stop a check and what were their procedures on someone stopping their check. He never even tried to deposit the check what he told me and they told me they have this conversation on a recorded call. Their only inquiry was whether a check could be stopped, despite my bank verifying multiple times that the check was secure and could not be canceled.
This entire ordeal reeked of discrimination. If I had walked in as a privilege man, they would have sold the car without hesitation. Instead, their biases made them question how I could afford a high cost vehicle, even though this isn't my first time purchasing one. They wasted my time, disrespected me, and refused to believe both my identity and the legitimacy of the funds.
This dealership's behavior was dishonest and discriminatory. I have already reported the situation and if you are a customer reading this review please contact the following entities to assist.....the following authorities:
Ohio Attorney General's Office - For deceptive and discriminatory business practices.
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) - For potential violations in their dealership operations.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - For unfair or discriminatory consumer practices.
Better Business Bureau (BBB) - To alert other consumers about their conduct and record a formal complaint.
I plan to cooperate fully with any investigation these agencies may conduct including paperwork and all recorded communication. Save yourself the trouble and avoid these people--they are exactly what you'd expect from shady used car salesmen. Fortunately, I've found two other vehicles closer to home that meet my needs, and I'm grateful to leave this nightmare behind.
Later on I informed my bank regarding the whole situation and they are also submitting a complaint on my behalf to authorities regarding their practices. Hope they have a good excuse for how they conducted themselves. read more
