Nissan South of Morrow

I was appalled by a recent encounter with one of your employees - someone whom I hope is not representative of your company as a whole. When you hear what transpired, I am sure you will agree. When I visited your dealership location to request for a lock for my car tires that I had purchased, I approached the counter and was stopped by an employee whose name tag I didn't read. The employee asked if he could assist me. After telling him what the issue was, he then said, "I will get you help," and proceeded to the office area to get help for me. After waiting for a short period of time, he returned stating someone will be out. He then prompted us to the parking lock with keys in his hand.

I soon observed a loud man upstairs hollering to someone downstairs as I sat and waited. This individual soon approached me and asked if he could assist. I then told him the issue at hand, but he had no concern except to sell me a car. I said to this employee that I didn't want another car and I'm happy with the one I have, but he kept on trying to sell me a car. He asked why. I stated I just bought a new car from Nissan Sutherlin in Duluth. Mr. ** continuously harassed me into buying a car after saying no several times. At this point, I told him I'm good and I wouldn't buy from Nissan South. He asked why. I then told him it's because the way I was treated about two weeks ago. I explained to him how I and my son was in the lot looking at cars while some of the employees were just walking around as if we were not there. But when two white Coopers approached, help was precipitously rushed to them. After 5 minutes of listening to Mr. ** trying to sell me a car, I asked if he could get a manager for me. He said he's a sales manager/finance manager. After still saying no, he then proceeded to get the manager (Mr. **).

When Mr. ** returned to the counter at least five minutes later, he began to speak to me in a brusque manner. He stated that, as per the manager, he was not going to replace no key for a car that was brought over two years ago. I then asked if that is the final answer. His reply was, "Yes." I reminded him that I had brought the car from Nissan South and that I had already paid for the car's wheel lock at the time of purchasing the car. I then said, "Rightfully, the tire locks belong to me." Attempting to explain that I had never changed the tire until now, but prior to this I had called the service department and they had told me it would be a fee of $65.00 to do the services. Mr. **'s reply was, "You are loud. We do have other customer in the lobby." I repeated again, "Is that your final answer?" His reply was, "Yes." At this point I started asking for names. Mr. ** gladly brought his name out. When asking for the manager for his name, his reply was as per Mr. **, he was to give her **'s and another person's name (he said it so fast I could get the two names), but I'm not sure if those were the correct names.

At this point, the receptionist said, "I don't have any cards for them. We're out." Then as Mr. ** was saying the manager's name (he said **), I then asked for his name and to include the spelling. I asked the receptionist to spell **'s last name. After writing down the name, Mr. ** stated in a very rude tone, "You're in your car to Nissan Sutherlin, where you brought your other car and got them to change your lock in front of other customers." Imagine my shock that Mr. **, an alleged professional, would make a statement such as this that may reflect upon the treatment of a customer in a well known organization as Nissan. I'm quite sure that the Nissan franchise family would look down on this as one of the most disrespectful, unacceptable behaviors in a professional customer environment. Imagine how I felt as a grown professional woman being belittled in a degrading manner, with tears in my eyes, just to get what I previously had purchased and didn't receive because of a mistake (my lock).

I then walked away and stopped at the service department to request where I could file a complaint on how I was just treated. The service department didn't attempt to persuade me not to file a compliant or hesitate in not helping me, but they spontaneously asked what the problem was and immediately assisted me. I felt the presence of presidential treatment of priority to be served and solve the problem. I was mortified and I am embarrassed to say that I was so dumbfounded by the employee's rude behavior that I then left the area and service by the services department. I find it hard to believe that you would knowingly employ such a forgetful, abrasive, and unprofessional staff. I must say in the most a very respectfully way that I'm very impressed by the way the service department made me feel after crying. I have no idea what has happened to my receipt, but I expect to complete my return for cash. I also would like an apology for how I was treated. Please let me know when I should come back to the store so things can be set right. I look forward to hearing from you.

I usually do not issue complaints; however, the way my family and I were treated in your dealership last weekend, March 26th and 27th, was totally uncalled for. I do not appreciate the way we were spoken to, treated, and disrespected. Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the final salesperson we were dealing with. There were a total of five different salesmen, and I only know the names of Clinton ** and Manny, who were very nice but not completely honest or knowledgeable regarding your products. We were at your dealership with cash money to purchase a car; however, we did not have to have a car that day.

On Saturday, my husband and I arrived at Nissan South about 4:30 PM, where we were greeted by Clinton. We explained that we were shopping for a basic car for my elderly mother with A/C and a radio, and we had a trade-in of a '95 Olds Cutlass Ciera with 153,000 miles. We were doing the legwork as she does not like the process of purchasing cars. My husband asked to see the Versas. While looking, I also liked the Sentras. Clinton said there was a big sale going on, and we could probably get a Sentra for about the price of a Versa with the rebates being offered and the sales price. He also said several times that we should not concern ourselves with the price on the window stickers because they were making much better deals. Clinton explained to me the keyless ignition of the Sentra.

However, we found that he did not know the difference between the "S," "SL," and "SR" models. We asked if there was a demo Sentra that we could drive, and we did so. I liked the car and asked for a price. We went inside and waited a little while, as the showroom was very busy, and I understand that. Clinton came out with another salesman with a price on the Sentra of $18,9XX. This was a Sentra "SR". I asked about the rebate, and was told that the rebate did not pertain to the "SR" models. That price was entirely over our price range. Salesman Number 2 suggested we take a look at the Sentra "S" and Versas again as they were cheaper than the "SR" model, and the $2,000 rebate applied to the Sentra "S". Back to the sales lot we went. I still liked the Sentra "S" a little better than the Versa; however, I asked for a price on both cars. I told Clinton on the way back in that if it was going to be a few minutes, I'd need to run an errand and my husband would stay at the dealership. He said he would be right back and into the little office he went.

Approximately 45 minutes later, Clinton and Salesman Number 2 came back out with the same paper, with a sales price of $18,9XX. Not a cheaper car, no rebate. At this point, I was upset, I needed to run an errand, and had been left sitting for 45 minutes. I told the gentlemen I was running my errand, and they could get me the price of the two cars while I was gone. Salesmane Number 2 told me I could take the Sentra and run my errand, but I told him I had my own car and that's what I would take. I was only gone for 15 minutes. The place I need to go closed at 7:00, and I got there at 7:09 - again, very aggravating considering we drove 30 miles to get to your dealership.

Upon arriving back at the dealership, my husband said they again had presented him with the $18,9XX price for the Sentra. He told them "no." The salesmen came back out with the prices for the Sentra "S" and Versa. The price on the Sentra remained the same $18,9XX, which I did not believe was correct, and I told them so. The price on the Versa was $14,873. This was still a little more than we were looking for. We were looking for it to be between $13,500 and $14,000, less our trade-in. The salesmen came back out and had written on the paper, "Okay, you win! Let's roll $14115.72." Then they brought out Manny. He offered a $300 rebate from another sale from the day where the purchaser did not ask for their rebate. Manny indicated it was the liquidation manager, and he had no emotional attachment to the cars; it was his job to liquidate the inventory. It was a basic black Versa with A/C and a radio. The gentlemen told me to drive the car home overnight, leave a $1,000 deposit, and bring my mother back the next day with her trade-in to complete the transaction.

Manny understood that the deal was contingent upon the price of $14,115.72, less the $300 rebate, less the trade in. I called my mother just to make sure this sounded okay to her. She told me she did not want a dark-colored car. While speaking with her, I looked around the parking lot, and there was a silver Versa, but it was about $1,200 more. I hated to have to tell the salesmen that she was not interested in the black car. Again, she is elderly and feels she is not able to keep a dark colored car clean. The salesmen asked if there was another car on the lot, and I told them about the silver Versa, but it was more. I told them I appreciated their help, and if they would call me when they got a light colored car in like the black one, we would come back in. They checked the lot and the bay to see if there was possibly another car that had not been checked in yet, but there was not.

However, Manny insisted that I take the silver car home, and he would make the deal work for me on Sunday. He totally understood that we were dealing on the sales price of $14,115.72, less the $300, less the trade-in. I told them we would go to church on Sunday morning, go home, change, have lunch and pick up my mother. We left the dealership after 8:00 on Saturday evening, with the paperwork with the sales price of $14,115.72. I picked up the paperwork, because the salesmen left it lying on the table with my personal information written on it.

I called Clinton when we were on our way back into the dealership on Sunday. We arrived at approximately 2:30. Clinton met us and filled out the form for the trade-in appraisal. Salesman Number 2 came back out with Clinton and said that the car "I chose to take home the night before" was more expensive because it had a "power package," and they came back with a higher price, and that that "DEM" in the little office was new and had made a mistake the night before with the price. I asked to see Manny, as I did not pick out the more expensive car, but they insisted I drive it home. I knew and they knew it had a higher price, but again, they insisted I drive it home and Manny would work it out. They came back out and said they appreciated us choosing your dealership, and for our time they would give us two HD video recorders - yet another false promise. They asked that since they made a mistake with the higher-priced car, if we would show my Mother the black Versa without the power package, and if she liked it, they would check with their other dealership "8" miles down the road and see if they had a lighter-colored car and have it delivered to us in Morrow.

However, they continued to try to get us to take the black car, and again, they were told she was not interested in the black car. She agreed with a Versa without the power package, and she also liked the hatchback. Clinton did not know the hatchback only came in a 5-speed. Obviously, there was not a Versa at the Union City lot; however, they found one in Gwinnett County. Yet another salesman came out, but had raised the price to $14,6XX, due to a restocking fee. We said no.

They bring out the final saleman, and he talked about banking fees and restocking fees as the reason for the higher price of the car, again trying to get us to take the black car. We said no, we wanted the deal we were promised the night before by his employees. He asked my mother about putting $10,000 down and taking out a loan for the balance, but she said no - she does not owe anyone. He said, "What is $500?" Actually, it is a lot to an elderly person on a fixed income. He asked for two post-dated checks of $250, one for April 1st and one for the end of April - no, she does not want to do that either. Then he looked at me and said if it were his mother and they were just $500 off, he would step up and help her. He had no idea if I was already helping or not, and she yet again told him no. He then accused me in the showroom full of people, of "robbing him a gunpoint."

It took me a minute to realize what he had said to me: "I was robbing the dealership at gunpoint." This was totally insulting and uncalled for. I told him if I was robbing him, he should call the police. By the way, for the record - I do not believe in guns. I told him I had the paperwork from the night before. He asked for it and said he would talk to Manny, as I was not supposed to have that paper. I told him they should not have left it lying around, and would not give it to him. He told us we would not get the deal we were looking for anywhere, and if we did want to come back, he would give us $1,000. I have never been spoken to in that manner, and especially not when I had money and was ready to purchase. I was only asking for what we were told they would do.

We left the showroom to go home. Manny came looking for us in the parking lot and offered to take another $100 off of the black car. I said, "Are you kidding me? What part of 'We do not want the black car' do you not understand? And after the way that man spoke to me, there is no way." He asked what was said, and I told him, "I was accused of robbing him at gunpoint." He shook his head and walked back in. We went home with our money and no apology, no camera, and no car. We wasted seven hours of our weekend.

All the salesman had to say was he could not do the deal they had agreed to the night before, not insult me. Is this the way you allow your customers to be treated? I would appreciate some sort of response from the management of Nissan South. I realize this is an extremely long account; however, I wanted you to know the facts in this completely unpleasant experience. I appreciate your time and look forward to your response. My husband and I have purchased from your dealership in the past.