Please pay attention to all of the 1-star ratings on Yelp, BBB, Google, Dealer rater and any review…read moresites on this dealer. Shop at your own risk at VW of Lake Charles!
Normally, I don't write reviews but with my recent experience and interactions with VW of Lake Charles I am compelled to do so. However, I regret I have to give a 1-star rating because my experience was very unprofessional and a bit predatory.
While searching for a manual VW Jetta, I found one of the few remaining models at VW of Lake Charles. I submitted an inquiry to check its availability and was promptly contacted by Business Manager Brittany. She then connected me with Salesman Michael Guidry. On Wednesday, while I was still on a plane, I informed both Brittany and Michael that I had just landed in Florida but was very interested in the Jetta they had on their lot.
Since I live 300 miles away, I informed both Brittany and Michael that I was very interested in purchasing the vehicle. However, I wouldn't be back home until Sunday, August 25, which would mean I could not visit the dealership until at least Monday.
Michael initially did a great job engaging with me and building a rapport as a customer. As an HR Director who values excellent customer service, I appreciated his efforts. Throughout our interactions, I made it clear that I am a businessman and was placing my trust in him, even without having test-driven the Jetta.
However, on Thursday, Michael requested a picture of my driver's license before proceeding with any further interaction, which seemed a bit unusual. He did eventually send me a video of the vehicle, as I had requested, to confirm that it was actually on the lot.
After receiving the video, I informed Michael that I was ready to buy the car and asked about the next steps. He mentioned he would send me a link to complete a credit application. Instead of using his link, I decided to complete the application on VW's Financial page myself, hoping this would give me more flexibility with other dealers if this one didn't work out. However, that's a story for another day.
After pulling my credit, Michael's attitude changed significantly. He became less responsive and evasive, which was frustrating, especially since I was already approved online. When I reached out to him, he made various excuses, claiming he couldn't share my rate due to some Louisiana law about not discussing rates over the phone. Yet, he was able to tell me that I was a Tier 2 or Tier 3--he couldn't recall which. Despite promising to call me before the dealership closed, he never followed through.
On Friday, I sent Michael a follow-up text message and he replied that he was out on a family emergency. However, his boss, the sales manager Matthew shared that he was out for his brother's birthday.
I had a family member visit the dealership on my behalf and offer $1,000 to hold the car. Despite this, the sales manager informed him that they were expecting a potential buyer from Lafayette the next day, Saturday, to view the vehicle.
If they had no intention of selling me the vehicle, I don't understand why Michael would be dishonest and misrepresent the sale. Having me pull my credit, only to have the transaction fall through, was particularly frustrating. Additionally, his flighty and inconsistent communication only added to the frustration. He stated he's been selling cars for 8 years and I guess he learned the BS game quite well.
In either case, the dealership did me a disservice. With VW's policy, once your credit is run at a particular dealer, that dealer retains ownership of your profile. This means you will have to go through the credit process again if you decide to work with a different dealership, complicating and potentially prolonging your purchase experience.
Beware of doing business at VW of Lake Charles. Also, if you're interested in any Volkswagen vehicle, be aware of their policy that ties you to a single dealer for any credit inquiry. My experience was disappointing and now I have an unnecessary inquiry on my credit profile. Thanks Michael Guidry and VW of Lake Charles.