Charles Gabus Ford, the worst customer service ever !

[CyBobby]

I hate shopping for cars. I hope that my Saturn keeps running a while.

I KNOW YOUR PAIN BRO...............shopping for a car either new or used is one of the worst experiences that one can have in this life!!!

From Low Life Salesmen to Service Dept's that CAN NOT FIX A VEHICLE TO SAVE THEIR LIFE.....thats not a very pretty picture of the american auto industry...BUT IT IS REALITY!!!!

 

[Cyclonesrule91]

We bought a Honda Odyssey from Holmes Honda last summer and it was a good experience. Of course it helps when Iworked with the salesman before when bth of us were in different careers so I trusted him from the onset. We told him what we were willing to spend and they came back with a number that was quite a bit higher then our number. I thanked our friend salesman and told him to call if something else came up. The sales manager was watching and didn't let us out the door. He came out and came to our number within 5 minutes and we left with a van, which really surprised us that day anyway.

There have been two times where the deal got much sweeter after their first number is out and rejected and their reasoning has been they are getting close to the end of a sales month and want to sell ?? number of cars to make sure they reach their goal. I wonder if there is much truth to that or if that is a good excuse why they came down so much after an initial offer.

 

[ISUFan22]

I have purchased 3 cars from Hummles also. The last one I went in at lunch, grabbed a sales guy, told him I wanted that car, pointed to it, told him I would give him $27,500 (sticker was $31,000), I said invoice is $27,000 even, you keep the holdback, and I will sign it right now. He just stood there amazed, smiled and shook my hand. I was out of there in 45 min. Easiest car buying experience ever.

We're in a similar boat, but the Mrs. has a connection with Nissan through her employer - we get 'em about 3% under invoice.

As long as Nissan is putting out a good product and Hummel's continues to provide excellent service, we won't have to haggle on a car ever again.

Plus, our salesman's name is Bart...gotta love that.

 

[wantapet]

And seriously, the Hawkeye Motors thing, gets me on another rant----why do businesses or owners use a name like that? If it was IC, okay--but in dsm? I seriously wouldn't buy the perfect car from them. Other businesses are like that too---you get owners who are vocal and opinionated and up alienating lots of their potential customer base---perfect example for me would be that fool Tom Coates from Consumer Credit of Des Moines. I don't have credit issues, but if I did he is the last person I would go to. He is a regular guest host on Mac's World (another idiot) on 98.3 and he is just a jerk know-it-all and does absolutely nothing but trash people who don't agree with him. You're a business owner on the radio, idiot, tone it down. Sorry about the rant, I needed it.

I agree, I don't think naming your business after favorite college or pro teams is smart. Having said that, would I be just as ignorant not to use that company JUST because they root for a different team than me.

 

[HILLCYD]

I love the car shopping experience! I get to start looking for a new vehicle for my wife this summer and I can hardly wait. Getting a crappy sales person makes it all the more fun for me cuz whether he realizes it or not, he needs me a hell of a lot more than I need him. I just play bad guy right back and move on to another dealership. I thrive on the research, the test drives, the haggling. SWEET.

 

[drmwevr08]

I hate Gabus...

 

[drmwevr08]

I love the car shopping experience! I get to start looking for a new vehicle for my wife this summer and I can hardly wait. Getting a crappy sales person makes it all the more fun for me cuz whether he realizes it or not, he needs me a hell of a lot more than I need him. I just play bad guy right back and move on to another dealership. I thrive on the research, the test drives, the haggling. SWEET.

You should hire out your services... I have to do it this fall and aside from checking out a different car, I am not looking forward to it. It always seems like I end up wanting some certain outfit and having to get hosed in one way or another to get it.

 

[Cy Heavy]

We are going to buy a Camry hybrid for our next vehicle. There is no way we would deal with Toyota of Des Moines. I have heard way too many bad things about Charles Gabus and his dealerships. I was also offered a job there (not sales) and I thought the whole thing was shady.

As I said earlier, we bought my wife's Camry Hybrid from them and they were great. We bought it last August and when it came in our salesman (ryan) apologized and said there was a change in the car that was delivered versus the car we bought-we got a 2008 Camry b/c there wern't any 2007's in the color and options we chose! It was a great process with zero pressure. They really went the extra mile for us and I plan to buy from them once my truck with 150K miles on it kicks the dust.

 

[Cyclonesrule91]

I love the car shopping experience! I get to start looking for a new vehicle for my wife this summer and I can hardly wait. Getting a crappy sales person makes it all the more fun for me cuz whether he realizes it or not, he needs me a hell of a lot more than I need him. I just play bad guy right back and move on to another dealership. I thrive on the research, the test drives, the haggling. SWEET.

That's kinda the way I look at it too. Knowing the guy I bought our last van through before I was looking for a van kinda put a damper in my usual strategy though.

 

[HILLCYD]

You should hire out your services... I have to do it this fall and aside from checking out a different car, I am not looking forward to it. It always seems like I end up wanting some certain outfit and having to get hosed in one way or another to get it.

I jump at any chance I can get to help out friends. Last summer I went through the whole process with my buddy. He is a pretty shy dude and even got pissed at me a couple of times for the things I said to the sales people who were trying to screw him. In the end he got a great car for a great price.

My biggest peice of advice is to go into the deal knowing that the dealership has to make SOME money. That is what they are there to do. That being said, they don't have the right to screw you. If you do your research and be reasonsable, it should go fine.

 

[wantapet]

You should hire out your services... I have to do it this fall and aside from checking out a different car, I am not looking forward to it. It always seems like I end up wanting some certain outfit and having to get hosed in one way or another to get it.

That's a great idea but the real consumer still loses in the end. You have the pro haggler go in and get the best deal he can on the car for the real customer, then haggles the heck out of the customer for his commisions. The customer would probably end up paying way more for the car than they would of just doing it themselves.

Kind of seems like a Saturday Night Live Skit

 

[06_CY]

I agree, I don't think naming your business after favorite college or pro teams is smart.

Don't forget what the nickname is of the state most of us live in :sad:

 

[wantapet]

Don't forget what the nickname is of the state most of us live in :sad:

I know, but when their Semis or vehicles are black and gold with the hawk head on them it is pretty clear what their intentions are.

 

[jbing]

This is why I have always enjoyed Saturn. I'm not into haggling on prices. I don't like doing it, it makes me irritable and just isn't my thing. They don't do haggling at Saturn. What you see is what you pay and what you pay isn't bad at all for the kind of car you get. Paul is my guy there and is a top-notch guy. They all are really.

To someone that mentioned Stivers in Waukee, back when I was looking for a car, I stopped out there to take the Escape Hybrid for a test-drive. I talked to Scott Pollite (owner) personally and said that I want your best guy. Aside from Scott not being as friendly as he comes off in his commericals, he hands me off to (what I presume is) the first guy he sees. I told the salesman that I wasn't going to be buying today or anytime soon, I just wanted to test drive. He sent me on my way and when I came back, asked how the drive was and then started in on his "So what do we have to do to get you into this car today?" schtick. No joke, he actually said that line. The second he did, I rolled my eyes, and left.
I felt like I was treated like another piece of consumer meat and not someone they genuinely cared about getting business from. Needless to say, I will NEVER visit that place again.

 

[4VR4CY]

I love buying cars! Love it, love it, love it. They always underestimate me as a women.

 

[CycloneErik]

I don't mind shopping for a lot of things but I agree with one of the other replies that I absolutely HATE shopping for vehicles.

I bought a jeep from Landers McClarty in Bentonville. They totally screwed things up after signing and basically shrugged it off. I kept the jeep around two months but was so furious about what had happened that I took it to Hendren just across the state line and bought a mustang and then blasted Landers by email stating exactly what I thought of their dealership letting them know that if you get a good experience you might tell one or two people but if you get a bad experience you'll tell 10 or 12 (and I have).

I don't know why but the dealerships in Arkansas are impossible to deal with. I've bought in Oklahoma and Missouri with no problems. I even bought a truck from a dealership in Ames when I was back there hunting pheasants once and had a decent experience.

It's Arkansas. They do things a little different down there.:no:

 

[CycloneErik]

I know, but when their Semis or vehicles are black and gold with the hawk head on them it is pretty clear what their intentions are.

Gotta raise those bail funds somehow!
Someone's got to pay for lawyers...............................

I'm sure they just do it as a service. :yes:

 

[4429 mcc]

I jump at any chance I can get to help out friends. Last summer I went through the whole process with my buddy. He is a pretty shy dude and even got pissed at me a couple of times for the things I said to the sales people who were trying to screw him. In the end he got a great car for a great price.

My biggest peice of advice is to go into the deal knowing that the dealership has to make SOME money. That is what they are there to do. That being said, they don't have the right to screw you. If you do your research and be reasonsable, it should go fine.

Dont forget you CAN haggle on a rate if it you use the dealers prefered lender. Dealers get incentives from banks "coupons" that can knock your rate down .5%. The dealership I bought my truck from did this when I refused to buy the extended warranty package b/c I had a set payment I wanted to stay at.

I know the extended warranty arent really worth but the wifey and I dont mind a little extra piece of mind.

 

[brianhos]

We're in a similar boat, but the Mrs. has a connection with Nissan through her employer - we get 'em about 3% under invoice.

As long as Nissan is putting out a good product and Hummel's continues to provide excellent service, we won't have to haggle on a car ever again.

Plus, our salesman's name is Bart...gotta love that.

Yep, that is the same guy I bought my last 3 cars from, and probably my next car when the 2009 maximas come out.

 

[Cy Heavy]

Yep, that is the same guy I bought my last 3 cars from, and probably my next car when the 2009 maximas come out.

I heard the ownership of the Infiniti dealership lost their 'franchise' (or whatever it's called) from Infiniti to sell their cars in DSM. They said the service shop would remain open but no cars will be sold until new ownership is located. Anyone else hear this?