I am writing this to express my complete and utter frustration with the experience I've had here. This place has been a nightmare and I absolutely REGRET ever purchasing anything from this location. I have had to make SEVERAL (~8-10) trips to Universal Toyota, and it seems I will have to make even more trips since I purchased my vehicles there in the span of 4 months time. None of it was for services to my vehicles. I live roughly 30-35 miles away so it has been a HUGE inconvenience for both me, and my wife. We have better things to do than to constantly drive back and forth to your dealership because of your errors. First of, I was apparently given the wrong license plates for my Honda by you. Seems that they switched the license plates that I've had on my vehicle with another vehicle, and I had to return them IMMEDIATELY. Mind you, I had been driving around in that vehicle for over 3 months time at that point. Imagine that... it took them 3 months to realize they had given me the wrong plates. This was only because the other customer complained about it when he noticed the error. I had an argument with a Bobby Garza at Universal Toyota because of this. Bobby told me to bring the plates back so he can return the wrong plates because the customer needed them as soon as possible. Why? Was my "correct" plates ready for me? Did that other driver already "immediately" returned HIS incorrect plates? No. What was the rush then? Was this other customer so much more important than me that I HAD to return the plates immediately? Did he spend more money there than I had? Was that the reason? No reason was given. I just HAD to return the plates immediately. My argument with Bobby Garza escalated because apparently I was wasting his time, and because he believed that I was only looking for something for free. I mean... excuse me for wasting HIS time, and for not cooperating as I should because of your error here. I finally agreed to return the plates because Bobby agreed to top off my gas tank to compensate me. He lied. I drove off MAD. A few days later, I received another phone call. I was informed the plates I returned, and was demanded by, by Bobby Garza was incorrect. So NOW... I had to return the plates on my wife's car. Imagine the frustration growing even more. ANOTHER trip to have this corrected. I had to wait an additional month before I even got my original plates back for my Honda because what's a month when you were given a temporary plate that lasts only 10 days. Additionally, we never received the spare key made for the Prius we bought (~4 months now), per Bobby Garza. Why? Probably because you bunch at Universal Toyota do not care in the slightest for your customers at all. It took over 3 months just to get the spare key for my pre-owned Honda. Robbie Vasquez was our salesperson, but he was the least helpful guy once you signed off on the vehicles. You never could seem to reach him. Texting, calling, emailing... nothing got through. I finally got my spare for my Honda after 3 months of waiting. He had promised to have it mailed out multiple times, and each time broke that promise. I asked him to mail out that spare key prior to us coming in again, and he stated he would not because we were going to be there again anyway. Rude, right? Should I be surprised anymore at this point at how bad Universal Toyota's customer service is? I shouldn't, but I keep getting surprised at how bad they are each time I am mistreated. I even spoke with a "Shauna Sewinkski(?)", another high ranking individual there at that location, and was promised to compensation for all the trips in the form of a gas card. Guess what? No gas card. Lied to AGAIN. Voicemails and messages go un-responded, and emails are returned because the email address I was given was incorrect. You guys were rated highly. That was the reason why we made the initial trip out there, and bought 2 vehicles from you there at Universal Toyota. I am EXTREMELY disappointed in the service and the lack of care that I have received from you all. At this point, I just want all of this to be over. Unfortunately, that is not the case because there is ANOTHER trip we have to make in the near future to correct being talked to the Supreme Maintenance plan because it will cover "ALL MAINTENANCE at ANY LOCATION owned by Red McCombs including oil changes". ANOTHER LIE. You lot are DESPICABLE, and should be ashamed at how you treat people. I want the spare key to our Prius, I want the gas card I was promised, and I want NOTHING more to do with our salesperson, Robbie Vasquez, Bobby Garza, or this "Shauna Sewinkski(?)". Your salespeople there seemed like they are only in it for the sales, and that was it. Once we signed the papers, and are now the owners, they're done with you EVERYONE NEEDS TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS DEALERSHIP!! read more

After a ROTTEN EXPERIENCE at Red McCombs Toyota (please see my review there.), I went to Universal Scion. I had tested there a few weeks ago and was helped by Gregg Joseph, who was amazing. Gregg immediately recognized me when I arrived there for my second visit and asked if I wanted to test drive again. I was upfront and told him that I was there to buy. Gregg was not able to help at that time as he had another customer, so he passed me to Iker Fernandez. Iker was also incredible. He took me on another test drive and also showed me that the premium audio was already equipped with navigation and didn't need a $1,700 upgrade that Red McCombs had earlier claimed. When Iker took me inside, he wrote down the four accessories I wanted and then went to order it in. Iker returned to clarify EXACTLY which kind of spoiler I wanted and even walked me to different tCs to see the different spoilers available, which I thought was great. After trying to find a car, he returned to me and stated that I would have to wait until the first week of September to get it. I stated that I didn't mind at all. Since he didn't have a VIN of my car, he still went ahead and drew up my numbers so I knew what I would be paying for the car when it arrived. It was EXACTLY what I wanted, nothing else added to it!! I later returned to Universal on 6 September to pick up my car. Iker was again fantastic and had my paperwork ready to go. Except for a small glitch on my end with the insurance portion, I was in and out of the dealership in an hour and a half and had no major surprises thrown at me at the last minute. Special thanks again to Gregg who still remembered me when I returned as well as a nice saleswoman named Ivette. Ivette had met me while shopping the first time I was there and still came by to say Hi the following times I returned. Not bad for a woman who had nothing to do with my sale and it says alot about the culture that Universal Toyota breeds with its employees. My experience in Universal Scion was no doubt what USAA/TrueCar.com intended on me going through and it really says something about the dealership that chose to treat me well without the partnership of USAA or TrueCar.com!! You'd better believe that I will send every friend I know that wants to buy a car to Universal and even tell them which salesmen to go see! I think USAA/TrueCar.com needs to change the preferred dealer to them and drop Red McCombs Scion. Red McCombs does nothing but smear both USAA and TrueCar.com's name. read more

I read all the negative reviews here for Universal Toyota and this is NOT the dealership I have dealt with for 18 years and eight or so new car purchases. The price you negotiate and agree too is the price you "pay" when its time to head to the dreaded "backroom" (ask for Ms. Danielle Venson when its time for finance ... super professional and NO pressure on anything but still makes sure you know all your options ... and just a very nice lady ... I was out of there in less than five minutes). They also feed you, everyone smiles and you can just wander around as long as you like without being bothered (I still can not figure out how they assign customers, they seem to just wait until you come to them). When I negotiated a final price it was no big deal and I have never had a negative experience there. Three cars back I did not have my NFCU voucher to pay for my new Camry and they just let me drive away with all the papers and a promise to bring back the voucher when it arrives in the mail. What really irritated me about the reviews is the negative things said about the service department. These people are really great and top notch professionals who have kept every promise they have made to me about when a repair will be finished and the cost with super communication. For those getting an oil change ... yes ... you will be asked about extras ... it happens every where ... just grow up! When you go in for your oil change know what you need, look them in the eye and tell them "I don't want my filters changed and don't want to see them or anything else". Now that I feel better I can "post" what I came on line for ... a recommendation that if you buy a new car at this dealership that you ask for Mr. Joel Rodriguez or Ms. Yvette Stoliker. They are pleasant to deal with, know what they are doing and will go the extra step to make sure you leave with a nice car at a fair price and will want to come back. I had some other things to say but if this is too long no one will read it. Ask for those two! Vr Tom (I'm a 62 year old bald man with a beautiful new Avalon with an Attitude Black paint job ... that was purchased at a very good price ... go on line and do your homework) read more

Best Car Buying Experience Ever!!!! I've been buying cars for 45 yr. I've had good experiences but Universal Toyota agent Issac in San Antonio tops them all. My Aztec lasted 20 yr. Bought it with my husband back in 2001 brand new. Since my husband passed in 2003, the car was sentimental to me. As of 2020 it only has 115,000 miles on it. I expected it to go to 200,000 maybe even more. But the transmission went out. Didn't want to spend $3,000.00 on a 20 yr old car. I'm a senior (female)and haven't gone through the car buying process in 20 yr. I was nervous and uncertain as to what kind of vehicle I should buy. I was on a budget too. My friend sent me to Universal Toyota as she has been leasing her trucks there for 10 yr. Issac treated me like a family member. He listened to me and what my needs were . He met my expectations and went over and beyond to put me in a vehicle that met my budget, my preference. There was no high pressure in buying. He thouroughly explained the options and differences in buying used, new or leasing. Every single employee at Universal Toyota smiled, was friendly as I walked through their beautiful 5 star showroom looking at all the cars and SUV's. I brought my 11 yr old grandson with me so he could see the process of buying a vehicle. He liked the Supra, lol($50,000). They have the best popcorn too. Lol. I walked away with a 2020 Toyota Corolla LE, it gets 38 miles to the gallon, drives like a dream. My monthly payments are low, so there's no financial stress and my 2001 Pontiac Aztec is sitting in my driveway till the day I can say goodbye to it. Ask for Issac Galvan at Universal. Don't let the bad reviews cheat you out of a fantastic buying experience. It could be that the person(s) writing bad reviews had poor credit or didn't qualify for a low interest rate and that's not the employee's or dealership's fault. Universal Toyota has the best Customer Service ever!! 10 stars.... read more

I bought my Camry in October after being a "Ford Girl" for years. I went in to just look and was simply tossing around the thought of getting something with better gas mileage. I test drove the Camry and loved it! I was very leery of showing my feelings and didn't feel like being there with two kids for hours on end like I was accustomed to with the Ford dealers I had used in the past. But my sales rep (Chris) was so fast, attentive, and helpful! There are things for the kids to do, snacks, water, etc and I felt like I was important. Chris was even helping two other people and I never felt like I was being ignored. I was in and out in 3 total hours! And that included the detail on my new car. My last vehicle took 6! I thought that was amazing but figured, hey, they wanted the sale. I went back a few months later for my oil change and to get my back window looked at. I pulled up and I had a porter RUN up to my car to help me. I let them know I was there and who my service advisor was and he ran to go get him, came back and helped me unload my stroller and my son and daughter. I arrived at around 10:30 a.m. They had donuts, coffee, and were popping popcorn. I settled in to wait out the estimated 2 hours fully expecting my daughter to hastle me. But instead she was thrilled to be back. She played on the playscape, ate popcorn and at lunchtime, three huge trays of chick-fil-a sandwiches showed up. Right at 12:30 p.m. my car was ready. They helped me load the kids, stroller, and thanked me for my business. I cannot say enough good things about them. I swear, if they offered childcare, I might just move in. I see bad reviews from other people but truely, go to another dealership and see how you are treated. Let me tell you, you'll appreciate Universal Toyota a lot more. read more

Ended up getting a newer used Camry with less mileage than the one we went in for and yet at the same price. Dan Lathers was our sales person. He was very patient, calm and answered all my questions with respect... And yes I am one who asks a question about every thing possible. Very charming and nice young man, and he wen recited Disney Frozen songs to my 4 year old daughter as he has a daughter the same age. That might be one if the main reasons I purchased that very day because he had a connection with my family that most salesman don't have. The best part is I didn't feel pressured, or as if I was his prey, I felt as if I was talking to my brother. He didn't rush me into buying or even make me feel like he was just there to make money off of me. After spending all this time with him, while waiting to sign the contracting he went out of his way and went and got us dinner because we had been there all night. Amazingly after the sale he called a few times to make sure we were happy and to thank us for our business. I usually don't leave feedback but my time spent with Dan was extremely professional and over the top. VIP SERVICE. If you really need someone to take care if you and not feel rushed or judged you really need to go see him. I've bought several cars over the years and never had service like that. When we are ready for our next car, hopefully the new 2015 Camry when it comes out , I refuse to see anyone but Mr. Lathers. read more

Dan Lathers really cares about his customers. You get a real vibe from him that he is there to help you and inform you of your options and not make it feel like he's trying to make money off of you or that your just a customer, he makes you feel like family. Dan also is very knowledgable and doesn't promise anything that he can't uphold. If he says something is going to happen it happens. He also was very good on follow up calls to ensure everything was good. He doesn't call to beg for referals like most, he calls to ensure that I am satisfied and if there is anything he can help my with on my purchase. He is a great guy, he served our country and is very interested in your needs instead of his own or what his bosses say to do. I highly recommend speaking with him if you are in the market for a vehicle. Weather it may be a new Toyota or a preowned vehicle. He treats you right, with honesty and the way you would treat your own family. With all of that the only problems I had was with the finance guy named Matt. If it wasn't for the amazing experience and relationship I established with Dan, I might have gone elsewhere. But Dan appologized for the expierence I had in financing and made up for it.. If you have the same issue in finance he truly will above what he needs to, to correct the problem and make you feel good about your purchase. I highly recommend him to help you with your new Toyota or any of their preowned vehicles. read more

I went here after a horrible experience with a used car lot. I submitted a request for a meeting regarding a vehicle I saw online at Universal Toyota. The very next day a Mr. Paul Garcia responded to my inquiry with nothing but respect, understanding, and honesty. I explained to him how I got ripped off at South Credit Motors and that they refused to take responsibility for their actions of selling such a piece of junk car to me. Anyways, I explained to Mr. Garcia that I didn't have the title yet; however, he was able to pull up information from the DMV database that proved I was already the owner even without the title. Because of this action, we were able to make a trade and strike a deal on a 2012 Nissan Versa. He was able to take off $2500.00 from the price because apparently the vehicle was on clearance and was sitting for awhile. I walked out with a brand new car for my family, drove back home, woke up the next day and felt so satisfied with my purchase. I highly recommend you speak to Mr. Paul Garcia because he is very professional, cooperative, and does not speak down or ill towards you. He really wants to help you. Even after the sale, he would e-mail me asking me how my car was handling and was very appreciative of my business. This is a man that knows customer service and honesty. God bless him and his family. Universal Toyota is a Godsend!!!! read more

I visited this dealership last Friday, planning to browse and return the next day. I was initially greeted kindly by Diego, who showed me some vehicles. I made it clear multiple times that I was in a rush and wouldn't be making a purchase that day, but Diego insisted on running numbers and insisted I appraise my car. I told him three times I didn't have time for that, and I'd return the next day. Despite my wishes, he took my car without permission to get it appraised, claiming he just needed the VIN. My car was parked right in front of the building, and I was told it would only take a few minutes. Fifteen minutes later, I learned from the sales manager that Diego had taken my car for a spin, which was absolutely unacceptable. When I confronted Diego, he brushed it off and apologized only after I made it clear how wrong his actions were. The sales manager also tried to downplay the situation, calling it a misunderstanding, which only added to the frustration. He was to add the most disrespectful and degrading salesperson I've ever dealt with. His demeanor towards a customer and to argue with a customer it's just unheard of The lack of professionalism and disregard for my personal property was appalling. I will not be returning to this dealership. I strongly suggest looking elsewhere if you want to be treated with respect. read more

I 'thought' I was looking for an older model 4 cyl pickup truck. I searched all the various places online. Since the small truck was discontinued prety much in 2004 and I was looking in December 2014 it was pretty obvious that I would be buying a truck at least 10 years old and with well over 100,000 miles. Since I had purchased my 2010 Toyota Yaris new from Universal, and now that it was in a salvage yard as a total loss from an accident, I decided to go first to Universal and talk with them. I met and talked with Patrick McNeil in the Pre-Owned Dept. Patrick is a different breed of used car saleman. He actually cared about me and my situation. I'm a single, senior worman and I thought I wanted a pickup. In his sincere way he explained to me what I would be getting, and how in the long run it wasn't really a good idea. I drove away with a pre-owned Toyota Matrix 4dr sdn. Am I grateful for his advice? You betcha. If you are looking for a pre-owned car I strongly suggest you go and talk with him. He has an uncanny knack of matching the right vehicle with the right person - and the best part was he found a car in my price that was exactly what I needed. read more

I am a recent employee of Universal Toyota and as a result of incompetent management I have resigned. The adage of "caveat emptor" is very much applicable in dealing with this company or anyone in management there. I have never seen such incompetence and unprofessional actions in my many years in the automobile business. I am the third generation in this business and have been an owner of a large dealership in North Carolina. I am surprised greatly by the fact that management is so poor there that both employees and customers are likely to be victims of unethical and incompetent actions by the employees of this business. "Caveat Emptor" should be your guide and verify everything you are told if you insist on doing business with them or any of their employees. I am very saddened to be compelled to write my observations on this company and their lack of professionalism but such commentary is necessary as a warning to others who do not deserve to be faced with such unprofessional and unethical actions without notice. read more

DO NOT GIVE YOUR INFO IF YOU WANT SOME SANITY! I submitted a request for more info online on 6/21 and these creeps have called and texted me MULTIPLE TIMES EVERY SINGLE DAY SINCE. I have tried blocking the number but somehow it still comes through. THREE WEEKS OF NONSTOP CALLS AND TEXTS. I never responded to them once after their initial email due to a family emergency and that was not a good enough hint that I did not have the time to talk to them??? They have to KEEP PESTERING ME FOR 21 DAYS?! One of the texts was just the salesman sending me pics of his trophy's - EW!!!!!!! I understand sales environments, and a good rule of thumb is if you don't hear a response after three attempts, THE CUSTOMER IS NOT INTERESTED. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD TRAIN YOUR SALESMAN ON HUMAN DECENCY. I have a 2021 Prius that I refuse to even take for my routine service here because of the bad impression they give here. I live 2 miles from Universal and would rather give my time to Alamo Toyota. They are much less ANNOYING!! read more

Disappointing Service at Universal Toyota - Will Take My Business Elsewhere I recently had the misfortune of experiencing the worst customer service at Universal Toyota, and I feel compelled to share my disappointing experience. As a loyal customer who has always trusted Toyota for their reliability and excellence, I was utterly dismayed by the treatment I received. From the moment I drove into service, it was apparent customer service was not a priority. The staff were not only inattentive but also remarkably rude. When I ask for the Service Manager, she was just as dismissive and accusatory as Carlos the service attendant. I have always believed in the quality of Toyota vehicles, but Universal Toyota's gross unprofessional nature and dismissal of my concerns, left me questioning the dealership's leadership and commitment to its customers. Needless to say, I will be taking my business elsewhere and advising my network to do the same. Dan Santos Major, U.S. Army (R) read more

I went to look for a vehicle and happened to be in a tight spot and needed a car. I CANNOT BEGIN TO TELL YOU how awesome Maribel Soliz was in making what I wanted HAPPEN. She went above and beyond to do her ABSOLUTE best to get me the deal I was looking for. She went back and forth with them to get me an awesome deal and NEVER once did I feel like I was an annoyance; someone she just wanted to hurry up and get us out the door. She helped me to the extent I literally had tears of joy and gratitude for her and her help after I purchased my vehicle. I didn't feel like a customer. I felt like family. People like Maribel are the reason why I still have faith in genuine honesty. I CANNOT BEGIN to explain the help she provided my mother and I. She embodies everything that grade A, top notch quality customer service should. She made what I thought was impossible a dream come true. From the bottom of our hearts Maribel, thank you for everything! read more