how was your experience at the dealership?
02-06-2005, 06:44 PM
#41
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Location: Hartford, CT
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Mine's allocated 
I actually chose to do it that way because I won't have my full down payment until the end of February. So I went in exactly six weeks early to put my order in since I knew that's how long it would probably take for a special order. It worked out perfectly
I actually chose to do it that way because I won't have my full down payment until the end of February. So I went in exactly six weeks early to put my order in since I knew that's how long it would probably take for a special order. It worked out perfectly
02-07-2005, 06:39 AM
#43
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Re: how was your experience at the dealership?
Originally Posted by RacerZack
Originally Posted by tC_kevin
im going to buy a tC in a couple of months and i'm just curious about how ur experience at the dealership was?
I didn't know anything about Scion, but a friend in the Miata Club just got an xA and she suggested I look at the tC. OMG, I was in love at first sight. What I didn't know was how in-demand they are and how difficult it would be to find a 5speed.
Since I couldn't wait the typical 90-days that most dealers were quoting me, I had to go looking for what I could find available "on the lots" or at worst coming on a truck within a week.
Wow, some Scion/Toyota dealers are scum. Scion of Hollywood wanted TRIPLE the deposit of any other dealer and they explained how they had "rules" I was supposed to follow. WTF!? Rules? I'm pre-approved through TFS for way more than what I want to buy, I have cash in hand for the tax/registration/fees, so basically I can walk into a dealer and drive away in a new car. I'm supposed to follow rules? Sheesh!
Power Scion in Tustin/Irvine was also annoying. They had some 5-speeds but they order all their cars with 18" rims which are then chromed, making them a $2,500 add-on. Sheesh! I have been an import tuner for a while now, so I know what $2,500 in rims should be... and those boat anchors are sure NOT it. No insult intended to anyone who got them and loves them; they just were not what I wanted. Since the dealer only orders cars with the 18s, I basically had no choice. Take the car with the $2,500 mark-up or go elsewhere. I chose the latter.
Karim @ Northridge Scion was the first dealer who actually wanted to help me find a car. He offered to do an inventory search across all of Southern California for me. While he was doing this, I got a call from Miguel @ Family Scion in San Juan Capistrano. He didn't have any manual transmission cars, but offered to find me one and do a vehicle swap with another dealer. Miguel won; he is swapping an automatic on his lot with a 5speed BCP tC from some other dealer. In the end, I didn't have to turn away Karim as he left me a voicemail saying his search hadn't been successful.
Nonetheless, both of these dealers stand out for actually working to help me get the car I wanted. All the others didn't really care, and a couple (Power, Hollywood) were extremely negative experiences.
Oh... I did find that all the dealers were using scion.com to get the pricing. The only options which had non-Scion mark-ups were options that the dealer cooked up (like the chromed 18" rims). As long as you are configuring a car based on what you can get online, the price is the price. No haggles, no mark-ups, no nothing. If you have your own financing, or apply online from scion.com for financing through Toyota Financial, then the dealer can't do anything to somehow monkey with the deal to increase their profits. Just pay attention to what you are doing, too. The finance guy @ the dealer is supposed to sell you crap like the extended warranty or "paint protection" or whatever.... don't get them no matter how good they sound. You can always buy that sort of thing within the first month after you have had a chance to get out of the little stuffy room and think about it.
My tC was $18,901 before tax and license. That is a base of $16,000, dealer prep of $515, and I added ground effects, pedistal spoiler, subwoofer, b-pillar applique, blue led lights, floor mats, and a cargo net. TL&R is usually about 10% in California.
02-07-2005, 07:25 AM
#44
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Location: Chicago, IL
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I bought my tC from Bredemann Scion in Park Ridge, IL (near-north suburb of Chicago). Dan Rosen got me the car I wanted quickly and never pressured me in any way, whether it was to do business with his dealership or to buy more accessories. The finance manager was a bit of a dick, but he did get me financed for the car, so it was all good overall. I would definitely recommend this dealership to any of our Chicago members.
I would not, however, recommend Northbrook Scion. I ordered my tC from them originally. They told me 10 days' wait, worst case. 12 days later, I called them back. They said, "Sorry, there's a problem. 10 more days' wait, worst case scenario." I asked them if that was the worst case, what was a realistic guess? "10 days." I went to Bredemann and drove my new tC home that day.
I would not, however, recommend Northbrook Scion. I ordered my tC from them originally. They told me 10 days' wait, worst case. 12 days later, I called them back. They said, "Sorry, there's a problem. 10 more days' wait, worst case scenario." I asked them if that was the worst case, what was a realistic guess? "10 days." I went to Bredemann and drove my new tC home that day.
02-07-2005, 10:28 AM
#45
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I went to reserve a flint mica last night, took the test drive and everything. He asked me the options i wanted but didnt mention anything about gap insurance or any warranties. He gave me the final price too. I guess i should ask him about it huh?
02-07-2005, 10:34 AM
#46
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Hey RacerZack,
Tustin and Irvine are not the same place. I went to tustin and got their bs about the rims too. I even thought about giving Scion a call or email about that place. Jackholes- Efff that place. Try Irvine, it is down the road a bit. Ask for David or Ali in internet sales. Great guys. No BS. I even got my car w/o having the front bumper drilled. No holes for me.
TcKevin- Irvine and Tustin are not the same.
Tustin = lame
Irvine = superior customer service
Tustin and Irvine are not the same place. I went to tustin and got their bs about the rims too. I even thought about giving Scion a call or email about that place. Jackholes- Efff that place. Try Irvine, it is down the road a bit. Ask for David or Ali in internet sales. Great guys. No BS. I even got my car w/o having the front bumper drilled. No holes for me.
TcKevin- Irvine and Tustin are not the same.
Tustin = lame
Irvine = superior customer service
02-08-2005, 04:18 AM
#48
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Originally Posted by TCAV8R
Hey RacerZack,
Tustin and Irvine are not the same place. I went to tustin and got their bs about the rims too. I even thought about giving Scion a call or email about that place. Jackholes- Efff that place. Try Irvine, it is down the road a bit. Ask for David or Ali in internet sales. Great guys. No BS. I even got my car w/o having the front bumper drilled. No holes for me.
TcKevin- Irvine and Tustin are not the same.
Tustin = lame
Irvine = superior customer service
Tustin and Irvine are not the same place. I went to tustin and got their bs about the rims too. I even thought about giving Scion a call or email about that place. Jackholes- Efff that place. Try Irvine, it is down the road a bit. Ask for David or Ali in internet sales. Great guys. No BS. I even got my car w/o having the front bumper drilled. No holes for me.
TcKevin- Irvine and Tustin are not the same.
Tustin = lame
Irvine = superior customer service
one more thing - was irvine offering base models? or were they selling the cars with some options in them already like scion of huntington beach?
02-08-2005, 09:35 AM
#49
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Irvine is strange in this way. I test drove a SW and it had ground effects and rims. Mine was base with the SRS and Floormats. I didn't want to buy the mats at the dealer but it wasnt a breaking point. Give either David or Ali in internet sales a call. They will tell you what they have, if any, and what is coming in. They are as honest as a dealer can be. The dealership for the most part does not adulterate the majority of the tC's. When I was in the service dept. I saw two other tC's and they looked stock as stock can be.
I even got a call from the service department this weekend to find out how my experience in the service dept. was. That is customer service.
I cannot say enough how much places like tustin ____ me off. Jackholes! King of all jackholes! Bastards! "We only sell tC's with aftermarket rims" FU Co*k Knockers
I even got a call from the service department this weekend to find out how my experience in the service dept. was. That is customer service.
I cannot say enough how much places like tustin ____ me off. Jackholes! King of all jackholes! Bastards! "We only sell tC's with aftermarket rims" FU Co*k Knockers
02-08-2005, 10:51 AM
#50
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 10
I purchased the car through IRA Toyota in Milford MA. I had the best experience. The sales rep didn't pressure me into anything. I told him the most I wanted to pay a month and the accessories I wanted and be made it happen. When I got to the finance, the only thing she said I needed to decide on right away was the gap insurance, which I took. All the other warrenty stuff, I have till 12000 miles to decide.
I HIGHLY recommend them if you are in the area and need a Scion.
I HIGHLY recommend them if you are in the area and need a Scion.
02-08-2005, 03:22 PM
#51
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Location: Naugatuck, CT
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Ok, long story short, I got hosed by Toyota for financing. Well, not hosed, but I had to knock off all of my accessories because they didn't want to finance me that much. I guess that's the price you pay with student loans and a short credit history.
Anyways, I'd like to change my dealer experience to a 9. Yes, it wasn't perfect, but Matt Daubney, the sales rep who sold me the car, was unbelievable. He's very close to buying a tC too, so he was very excited whenever we would talk about the car. He even picked me up this morning on his way to the dealership so that i could have my car as soon as the dealership opened. Otherwise, I'd have had to wait for my mom to come get me at lunchtime.
Jose was a good guy. Seemed a little distant for a manager, but he fought for me to get financed period and I appriciate that. Was always honest and upfront. I like straight shooters.
Peter, the financial guy, was everything I never expected from a financing guy. Nice, quick, to the point, and didn't try to sell me anything above and beyond the car. In fact, I had to request the GAP protection. May have involved my inability to finance more than just the car, but it got taken care of.
I love the car (already put 30 on it this morning alone), and highly recommend Branch Toyota/Scion of Watertown, CT to anyone considering a Scion. Ask for Matt or Jose, and you'll be in good hands.
Anyways, I'd like to change my dealer experience to a 9. Yes, it wasn't perfect, but Matt Daubney, the sales rep who sold me the car, was unbelievable. He's very close to buying a tC too, so he was very excited whenever we would talk about the car. He even picked me up this morning on his way to the dealership so that i could have my car as soon as the dealership opened. Otherwise, I'd have had to wait for my mom to come get me at lunchtime.
Jose was a good guy. Seemed a little distant for a manager, but he fought for me to get financed period and I appriciate that. Was always honest and upfront. I like straight shooters.
Peter, the financial guy, was everything I never expected from a financing guy. Nice, quick, to the point, and didn't try to sell me anything above and beyond the car. In fact, I had to request the GAP protection. May have involved my inability to finance more than just the car, but it got taken care of.
I love the car (already put 30 on it this morning alone), and highly recommend Branch Toyota/Scion of Watertown, CT to anyone considering a Scion. Ask for Matt or Jose, and you'll be in good hands.
02-15-2006, 07:08 AM
#52
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Location: Fullerton, CA
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Power Toyota of Irvine
I recently just purchased my tC last week at Power Toyota of Irvine. I have got to say that is the WORST dealership that I have EVER done business with. The night I went to purchase my tC there were two dents on the driver side door, right on the contour line (which are impossible to get out without a body shop). I pointed this out to them and told them I wasn't taking the vehicle like that. In short I had to argue with the managers the following day. They kept insisting that I took delivery of the vehicle (I never drove off the lot) so therefore they couldn't help me. So finally they agreed with me that it should get fixed. Well I stop by later the following night to see a half a$$ attempt at the dent repair, everybody was pointing it out. I then told them that I wanted the Flint Mica tC on the showroom floor which was going for $20,387 (everything standard on it, plus 17" chrome wheels, TRD exhaust, lip spoiler, tC door sills, and fog lights). I paid the difference of $500 for four great items, as long as they removed those ugly chrome wheels which were going for just under $2300. Upon delivery of that vehicle I found no dents at all whatsoever, but a different surprise, one of the wheels was damaged. It looked like someone had ran it into a curb. Fortunately enough the managers did not argue with me this time as they saw I paid cash for my new vehicle and told me to come in on Tuesday to get my wheel replaced, ok cool. Over the past weekend I notice that my valet key and my other remote key do not work at all. It turns out they belonged to the other Flint Mica tC that was dented and now bought. So I go in tonight to swap the keys with the other owner to find out that he left them at home. He has a full set of keys now, while I am stuck with only one key. His salesman recommended that I drive to his house in Fountain Valley to get my keys (if they are mine that is). While I am walking out of the dealership I am told that I will be getting a phone call from two Toyota reps. One call is for my wheel that is on order (replacemnt wheel is scratched as well), and the other call is from Toyota CSI survey asking me questions about my recent purchase. The dealership told me to give them all fives....Yeah right!!! 
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