Vandergriff Honda, Arlington, TX

Vandergriff Honda, Arlington, TX

I wasn't happy with my experience at Vandergriff Honda in Arlington, TX. I was looking to buy a specific used vehicle and found one at their location. After initially communicating with the internet sales manager, I was passed off to a salesman. I had communicated to the salesman that I wanted to trade in my current Honda for the used vehicle, with the following stipulations: I wanted to keep my account with American Honda Finance Corp (my current vehicle loan), my current interest rate (since I had just purchased 9 months ago), and I didn't want to pay any money down. I was told that it wouldn't be a problem since I was an existing Honda customer. I verified this before I drove from my job in Dallas, to Arlington, and then home to Frisco, a long commute during rush hour. Upon arriving, the sales person had no information on my current account through Honda, even after I provided my VIN upon his request a few days earlier so that he can verify my loan account details. I test drove the car, and then I was told that Honda does not provide financing for non-Honda vehicles, so if I wanted to complete the deal, I would have to get another lender. The only catch was that the other lenders could not get down to the interest rate I was looking for. So, now it's going to cost me more in interest. Now, since I was unhappy with my rate, they suggested putting money down to lower my rate. How convenient for them to make more money immediately. Once in the finance office signing my papers, I was told that Honda Finance could provide financing for me in case the chosen lender decided to back out on my financing. What? I feel that I was cheated into this deal. The things that they were working in their favor was the fact that I really wanted this car, and the fact that I didn't want to drive all the way home (about 50+ miles) without a deal. The sales people should know who can provide financing for which ever vehicle, especially after I specifically requested what I wanted days before visiting the dealer. My initial response to the "thank you for buying from us" email, which is a shorter version from above, to no surprise, went unanswered. I have no problem with Honda vehicles, they are excellent vehicles. When the time comes to buy my next Honda, I will return to David McDavid in Frisco where I bought my other 2 Hondas.

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They did me the same way. Your story sounds alot like my story, but I dealt with Paul Nguyen.

It was an $18,000 Honda Civic, by the time he was done adding on all of this gap insurance, disability insurance, life insurance, exteneded warranty,..etc...It ended up being $38,000..$523 on a 72 month note. He even put in that I came in with negative equity which I didn't. When I called the finance manager a day later, he screamed and yelled when I told him that they scam people and rip people off. I didn't go in there to buy insurance. I came just to buy a car.

I am a single mom with a daughter.

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I have been a Vandergriff Honda customer for several years, and I must say I am extremely disappointed to see the way they have treated this customer. I have had my problems with them at times, and once even had to go to the top service manager to get a headlight bulb replaced, which he finally came out and did himself. Also, once they told me I needed brake pads and I took my car, an Accord 2dr LX, for a second opinion to a family-owned foreign car repair shop who specializes in Hondas and Accuras. They have been in business for over 25yrs, and have done work for my family in the past. They inspected my brake system and informed me that the pads were fine and would only need to be replaced when the system began to make the warning sound for replacement. So, the mechanics at Vandergriff had lied to me and it was several months before the pads actually needed to be replaced. The Vandergriff shop is beautiful, the waiting area comfortable with all the niceties, the service reps smooth, suave and polite (for the most part), but I have had occasion to be distrusting of their integrity and it makes me sad that a company selling and representing such a good vehicle as the Honda car would resort to such low tactics to show more profit. I think in Japan, where the Honda originated, you would not see this as they care about their workers, their customers and their reputation. Their cars are almost always known for quality and service and I would tend to believe their dealers more reputable than in the US. I am so sorry to see such a thing occur in many areas of products and services in our beautiful country.

Sincerely,

Wanda Smith ILami

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My first experience as a new car buyer at Vandergriff Honda in Arlington was also an unpleasant one. To make a long story short, I was told upon agreeing to sign acceptance to the "deal" was that I was going to pay "out the door" $22,500 at a 11% interest rate for a 2007 Honda Civic EX; H(high rate due to the fact that I had little credit.) To my understanding "out the door" meant that it was all that I had to pay for this car (tax, license plate, etc.) I had agreed to put down more than half and only wanted to borrow the remaining amount, which is $7,500 after my down payment. However, when it came down to signing the contract, I had ended up paying for so much more. Walid Cedarbond was my finance representative who had made it very unclear for me to understand about the options and the total amount in which I was borrowing from their finance company. Being a first buyer, I had asked numerous times when he introduced me to the "package plan". He had confirmed numerous time before I signed the contact misleading me to believe that this package was already included in the total amount of the car ($22,500), which I had asked to confirm numerous times before signing. Upon signing, I had payed the first down-payment before driving away with the car in the amount of $2,000 and promised to come back the next night to pay the rest, excluding the $7,500 that I needed to borrowed to pay off the total amount. I was handed the keys but no paperwork. It was not until I was discussing my purchase with my coworker the next morning that it came to my attention that the finance representative did not give me a copy of my signed contract. I was suspicious and came back that night to demand to cancel the "extra package" that I had previous signed for the night before. I had to deal with finance manager and he intimidated me by assertively telling me I had signed the contract (they had it on video tape) and that I cannot back out of the deal. However, he agreed to proceed with the cancellation of the package, in which Cedarbond gave me paperwork to sign for. I left that night, again without Cedarbond handing me copy of my contract. He didn't neglect to hand me a copy of my cancellation paper, in which I was told to just sign at the bottom and he would fill out the rest to process it. I had noticed this when I got home and immediately called him. He told me he would mail it to me and I should receive it in about 3-4 days. If you know your right as a consumer, there is a 2 day grace period in which the deal can be cancelled and refunded. I did not of this but it would have been too late now. I am still dealing with cancellation of the extra package. My car went into the shop no long after purchasing it because it had "things needed to be fixed". To this day the package in which I had asked to be cancelled is still not. And come to find out a few months afterward that Walid Cedarbond no longer is with Vandergriff Honda. I am left with a big debt (total amount of purchased after 60 months will be around $33,300.) FOR A HONDA CIVIC!! Being a first buyer, I am very frustrated with their services, or lack thereof. I am very, very disappointed that they were as cruel as to take advantage of me by leading me on to believe that I was walking out with a $22,500 Honda Civic (which is quite a bit for a Civic!) and neglected to provide me proper paperwork to review the day of purchase but rather via mail. I also do not appreciate the hard time they continue to give me when all I want to do is cancelled what I had requested to be cancelled the second day of purchase. To EVERYONE: I will never suggest going into Vandergriff Honda to purchase your car (unless you know what you are doing because they will screw you over like they did me). I am a 22 years old vietnamese female who assumed to only be in debt of $7,500 in car payment debt now owe $14000. I am very, very unhappy.