Complain about a product or service

Sterling McCall Toyota

Houston

Miguel of Houston TX (07/20/08)
Dealing With me manager at Sterling McCall Toyota was an extremely bad experince, because of the following Dan Minner gave me and My family a very racist and unplesant treat, telling us the understanding that we did not had money and that we were waisting his time, racing his voice in a rude way, argued with me the costumer.

Deann of Houston TX (04/29/08)
Friday 5/25, I went to the dealership with the intentions of purchasing a vehicle. I knew exactly what I wanted as far as color, make and price range. I located the car on the lot and proceeded to purchase. I was originally at a Suzuki dealership in which I was told by Owen Rachal son that I should stop by SMT and speak with his dad because he felt as though he could help me with my purchase. Owen's son called his dad while I was on the lot and told him that I was coming in.

I proceeded to the dealership with high hope that Owen could and would be willing to help me. I needed his help because my husband filed bankrupt on his business but because the car that my husband drives is in my nane, it showed up on my credit report. But I felt as though Owen would try to work something out on my behalf. I didn't want to test drive the car because we have had 3 toyota camrys and they are excellent cars.

I first felt belittled brcause there were about 8 white salesman and Allen was the only black one and this is who Owen hand picked for me to be my salesman. Allen rushed me through some of the features in which he didn't tell me anything about the car being a hybird. My husband is a Ford salesman and he is the one that explained the feature to me. I filled out the application, the entire time all I was being asked was how much money can you put down. My reply was 'let me see what you can do for me.

Allen took the application to Owen and I heard the words just tell her we need $5000.00 down and get rid of her. That was a hard pill to swallow but I did. Allen delivered the message just like it was said but he told me because of the car that was showing on my credit report he needed 5000.00 down or more income. I showed an income of 4500.00 a month, what more did they need. I asked Allen to go back and tell them about the car which my husband is driving. The car is tied up in his bankruptcy. I know it is Texas and community property is the law but I showed a substantial amount of income because I am the joint owner of the company. He still maintains the company but he had to downsize the amount of trucks that he had and he still have to pay 2800.00 a month per the bankruptcy. Allen promised me that he would submit everything to the right person and get me taken care of. He asked me again how much would I be putting down. My words honestly I can do tax, title & license. I asked him how much, he said about $1600.00.

I said to be honest I don't have that kind of money right now because we had a ton of repairs on the trucks and some other things had come up. He said he would try $600 down, then he said he would try $0.00 down. His last words, I will call you back in a little while. Grant it, I went there about 12 Friday and I didn't hear a word from him Friday. I waited all day Sat, then a lady called me for a survey and I told her that Allen didn't attempt to call me back. Sun passed, no call. Monday 2/28 about 12 he called me and his words were do you have any questions.

I am puzzled now why is he calling me asking me such an outrageous question. He didn't bother to ask me how I was doing or anything of that nature. I informed him that I was waiting for him to call me back. He said he got busy and he was going to submit my deal for approval and call me right back. It is now 2:55am Tuesday morning and I have yet to hear a peep from Allen or anyone else at the dealer ship. I couldn't not even rest. I don't understand! I thought a dealership was in business to try to sell/help people get cars. Maybe this dealership caters to only a certain clientale. I now feel as though I'm being looked over and being treated very unfair. I didn't do anything to desire this kind of treatment. All I did was attempt to buy a car. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere!!!

I'm not really looking for an attorney. I feel as though all things should be done descent and in order. The color of the skin shouldn't make you feel as though you are not important. I am 57 years old and I have made a place for me in society so I feel as though I am just as/or as better than the next person. God created man in his image and it doesn't matter who we think we are for if we think that we are something when we are nothing, then we deceive ourself. I leave the end result up to you and I pray that you do unto me what is due me.

Shan of Houston TX (01/01/08)
My wife and I were interested in leasing a 2008 toyota camry. We barely have time for ourselves due to our work schedules. Buying a reputed car from a dealer should not be an issue.

We first met with Indy Lee (Sterling McCall Toyota - Houston, TX) and we did get the car salesman vibe from him but we decided to give him the benefit of doubt and got his quotes.

The next day we took out time from work during the day to shop around. We called several dealers and found the best lease option was $250/mo, no down payment with 12K miles per year. Indy called us and we told him we found a good deal (2008 toyota camry LE, metallic gray, ash interiors for $250 a month no down payment but only 12K miles a year) and we were waiting to hear if our 15K proposal was approved by the other dealer. Indy tells us on the phone that we need to come immediately as the offer is definitely workable.

Being good customers, we decided to go with Indy as he was the first salesman we met with and he deserved preference over the others; of course taking the money factor into consideration as well.

After arriving there, all Indy had to do was ask his manager if the offer we wanted was okay. We brought our printed credit scores with us so they could give us an approximate counter offer based upon our scores since we knew that credit scores are negatively affected after repeated credit checks.

Despite that we had already expressed the offer we wanted and brought our credit scores with us, he kept us waiting for hours. Finally, he brought us with his manager's best offer that was actually the highest offer we had seen so far (including other dealerships and on the internet): $3000 down, $368 a month. For a 36 month lease, the difference was $8,500 for my offer and $16,248 for his. He didn't even change the mileage from 12K to 15K. Neither my wife nor I thought this is what one would consider a workable deal that we needed to come immediately to the dealership to consider.

We were so frustrated as we had wasted another offer that was available to us, lots of our time from our work and life itself, unnecessary credit checks and so much more for the little sly car salesman trying to lure us into one of his traps. Other dealerships just refused my offer over the phone and some even checked with their managers and called me back to refuse my offer. I respect them. People like Indy Lee give car salesmen the notorious reputation of cunning and deceitful human beings and also ruin the reputation of the dealers and the brand they represent.

In conclusion, the printed sheet of paper on Indy's desk stating the importance of customers and how they are right obviously meant nothing but a piece of paper to him. I hope other people are not victims like us and I really hope people like Indy Lee do not represent Toyota and degrade the strong and well matched reputation of the company.

Preston of Houston TX (03/12/07)
Well today 03/12/2007 my son and I went to this Dealership to look at a new Pickup for him.we got there about 2pm parked and no one I do mean no one came to see if we needed any help or had we been helped. We sent an hour walking around the lot then went inside still same results no Help.

Why? I still hate to say this we are BLACK no one asked us if we been helped or been helpd.

This is the way I been treated after I have already bought two brand New Cars from them!!! In the 2000 I purchased a brand new toyota Tundra off the show room floor, Then in 2001 I putchased my wife a brand New Toyota Sequoia. I come back 6yrs later to purchase another vehicle and treated like a nobody. My son said see daddy they just puled up and the salesmen rushed to them as they parked.

Why? Oh they were not Black!!

I don't see why or how I got look over today, it was not a lot of customers ther today and the salesmen were just standing around. Well I guess since I was not in a suit and tie I was not a customer of intrest. Also no one even spoke to us as to say Hello, Hi or we will get some with you in a second, nor ask us can we help you!!!

This was a real bad experience for my son in trying to purchase him a Toyoto pickup.Sterling McCall Toyoto has really let me down as one of the better dealerships in Houston, TX. This is still depressing to go out in todays world and still see trends of the 60's in this time and day. I been send ing them customers for years since I bought my two Auto's there. This will all stop now. I'll let all my friends know how this dealership is!!!

Pat of Houston TX (10/11/05)
I have a 2001 Toyota Tundra Limited V-8 iforce... 2nd owner... had for 3 yrs. I have always thought that the brake shake was the anti-lock brakes that were doing their job... hmmm... My brakes have always shaked, so I just live with it... that would be great if they would recall the rotors...!!

But, I am upset about having to replace all of my oxygen sensors... one of them was replaced a second time within a year. Then my differential was leaking... leaked fluid all over my rear brake pads, my spare tire, aswell as my driveway... I was afraid something serious could happen if that thing locked up on me while driving! Luckily, I had paid for an extended warranty... and forced the dealership here in houston to use that... which they hated...

I feel sorry for those people who didnt have the ext. warr.; I was instructed from friends in the auto repair business not to get it... since the Tundra's had a great record yrs. ago... good thing I didnt listen to them! =o) I still love the way it drives, coming from driving sports cars all my life... C'mon Toyota... you guys are dropping the ball on a great truck....!!!

Rebecca of Houston TX (10/26/04)
First I was promised a 2004 Toyota Coralla for $10K with ttl included. Then Lam did bait and switch to an '03 car and then he tried to sell me a wrecked car. I talked to a man who knows about cars, and he laughed when he heard how absurd this car buying has become for me at Sterling McCall, and he advised me to call and cancel the deal I made today since it is $2000 over trade in value for an '02 Corolla, so I paid too much and to do so within my 72 hr time period. When I contacted Lam to get out of the contract, he told me that there is no 72 hour period to get out of car contracts.

I don't have much money, and I need to budget very carefully for each penny, so paying $2000 over the trade-in value and then the extra loan amount makes a very hard situation for me financially.

Khanista of Houston TX (06/15/03)
Dear Mr. Sterling McCall, I would like to believe that I am one of your valued customers of Sterling McCall Toyota. We have purchased two vehicles from your establishment. We have done all our maintenance on our car at the Sterling McCall auto shop department.

Today my husband and I made a purchase on a Toyota Tacoma truck at Sterling McCall Toyota from one of your Internet Managers Mr Max Dinh. This is our second vehicle we have purchased from Sterling McCall Toyota. The first time we bought are new car was from you, a 2000 Toyota Camry, and we were extremely appreciative of the service that we had received. The sales representative was nice and extremely helpful. We brought the car at the sticker price without any haggling and left very satisfied customers. We were excited to pay off the Camry to we could return and purchase another vehicle from you.

Today we went to look at your trucks. Mr. Max Dinh greeted us and asked if he could help us and I told him yes. I let him know that we were interested in getting a Toyota Tacoma. He asked us what we wanted and we told him exactly and took us to the truck we asked for. The family and I got into the truck to go for a test drive. I was going to sit in the back with the children but he insisted on me sitting up front.

While we were test driving and having conversation he pulled the sticker price off of the back window and started reading us all of the options the truck had. I didnt think anything of it. We went back in to discuss what our options were.

He told us that the truck was $28,000. We thought that was way to much and out of our price range. Then of course more haggling. He convinced us that he was working real hard and got us down to $24,000. He wanted to put us in a lower Toyota Tacoma (Not the Off Road one that we have) for our asking price but we wanted the one we test drove. So he agreed to it. But we would have to take off the Safari Package on it.

When we drove it home we found the sticker to the truck Max Dinh tore off when we were test driving. He ripped off the little corner of the vehicle total. It had the subtotal before discount of $23,820.00 and the after the Extra Value Package Discount of -$570.00 the Total which he removed but its obvious the total is now at $23,250 for the truck we were sitting in. We just paid $24,000 and we were going to get the Safari feature removed too after paying $750 OVER the asking sticker price with ALL of the features that were currently on the truck!

I am so upset that your sales person would try to sell me a car way over the asking price by lying to us and making sure we didnt see the sticker price on the truck. I feel, of course, that this is very bad business. We really trusted that Sterling McCall would treat us fairly and this was a very unfair, unjust way to be treated.

We love the truck, we really do, but can not fully enjoy owning it under the circumstances of how we were lied to considerably about the value of the vehicle. I know that he was just doing his job but he did it unfairly and unjust and sent me home with the biggest feeling of buyers remorse.

Reyna of Houston TX (05/23/03)
first of all my dad does not speak english and when we went to sterling mccall toyota a car salesman started helping us and got us involved in getting a loan my dad started signing papers not knowing what they were about and gave a 10,000 deposit on a toyota rav 4. my dad thought that by doing that the payments would be low but they lied to us and said that after a four year contract the car would be paid off.

later on we notice that the bills mentioned the word leased so i call and they informed us that this was a leased and that we have not bought the car.

we gave 10,000 down payment for a car that will not be ours is just a leased. the people at sterling mccall toyota lied they said that after making the payments fo 4 years the car would be ours and that is incorrect.

they took advantage of us. they said that they could not do anything and that we lost our 10,000. this happened in december of 2001 on a 2002 rav 4 and the monthly payments are of around 375.00. this gives a lot of stress because we feel that they took advantage of us and we are paying for a car that is not going to be ours.

Diane of Houston TX (04/28/03)
The toyota website directed me to them as being nearest to my house. Their web-site said build your car and get msrp price, also fill out finance application and get response in 2 hours. Not once did they call or email me without my contacting them by phone. I had my price and car from net info and Juan said the sticker price was 32,000 not 27500. I told him he was wrong. He also told me I would get 0% financing. I later found sticker in glove compartment-30160.00.

I told Juan I was going to another dealership. Juan's boss Scott called me and apologized for Juan, said he had just been promoted to internet sales manager and he needed experience-in reading or telling the truth? Scott said he would give me his best price, 27773. I said OK.

I got there and all was well until finance man-Pedro, I believe it said manager by his name- then told me financing would be 5.5%. I told him about what Juan said, he called in Steve, he refers to as the big boss, and Steve had trouble with keeping Juan and Scott straight and their current jobs, but Steve apologized for what Juan had told me saying he was mistaken. Then finance man Pedro gives me a lower interest rate if I agree to buy gap insurance, the platinum protection plan, and disability insurance. He said my rate would be 4.75% that way and the money I would save on lower interest would pay for all the necessary add-ons.

I went home the next day and got my calculator out and I am paying about 1000 more his way. Also he added up the price with sales tax of vehicle and when I did it I noticed a discrepency of 385.00. I called Pedro and he said they automatically added that 385.00 to everyones price to cover extra security protection they had added. I am going back over there when I get control of myself.

James of Houston TX (07/10/02)
I bought a RAV4 from Sterling McCall back in 1996. I know this was 6 years ago, but it still makes me angry to this day.

I told them I wanted to buy not lease. They kept pushing the lease and finally they presented it in some way that I accepted the lease. What they never mentioned was the large balloon payment at the end of the lease. I forgot how much but I know it was over $1,000.

I paid much too much for the car I purchased. I was surprised at the end with the balloon payment which I had to finance ending up costing even more money.

They were dead-set on pushing those leases and it ended with my having very bad feelings and resentment against this dealership.

The only positive side of this is that the car is wonderful even after 6 years and over 100,000 miles. This is of course due to great products made by Toyota and has nothing to do with the wretched dealers at Sterling McCall.

Laketha of Houston TX (02/21/01)
On February 3, 2001, I signed a contract and drove off Sterling McCalls Toyota's lot in a stolen vehicle. I was not called back to the dealership until February 12 to inform me of this situation. Speaking with a Sterling McCall representative I was informed that this car was stolen by an employee and later retuned unnoticed. Speaking with an officer I was informed that this car was reported stolen on January 2.

I have also been informed that the vehicle was previously a Hertz rent-a-car. At this point I do not want the vehicle and I'm being harrassed to complete a Title Release Form for my trade-in. I have spoken to five representatives s including the manager of customer relations. All have continued to avoid my concerns and refuse to apologize. They have not provided me with any information related to the status of the vehicle as of now either.

This has been a horrible experience. I have suffered emotional damage. My level of concentration is limited at work and home. I was put in a very dangerous situation

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