About 2 weeks ago, we determined that The Wife's car was coming close to death. Time to get a replacement. We went to +Colonial Honda , where the purchase process was painful, and sleazy at best:

1. During the price negotiation, the salesman asked for a credit card to show to his manager. I'm paying cash for the car, but he wanted it to "show we were serious". He went from annoying to sleazy very quickly. What bearing does a credit card have to do with buying a car for cash, I thought I demonstrated seriousness by making an offer? While he was gone, The Wife and I discussed that this was starting to feel shady, and we concluded we would not accept any counter offer.

2. Once we agreed on a price, they asked for a $500 deposit, which is fair. We went to the debit machine, paid the deposit, and the sales-rep handed me the transaction slip: "hold on to that", he said. When I asked for a receipt, he looked at me like I was out to lunch: "I just gave that to you". FYI: A transaction slip is not a receipt. I had to escalate the issue twice before I got a hand written note from the business manager stating I had made a $500 deposit. I was very disturbed that the staff was actively working to get me to leave without evidence that I had made a payment. I was wondering if I was going to be calling the police before I left. 

3. After making the deposit, we were to make arrangements to pick up the car and do the transfer of ownership in a couple of days. When we got home we checked our calendars, discovered a good time, and phoned Colonial Honda to schedule our pick up time. And phoned, and left a message, and called again, and .... It was two days before we got through to somebody, at which point we informed them we were coming in and getting the car: THAT AFTERNOON. They seemed unprepared, I wonder when they were actually planning on giving us the car.

4. The final "screw you" came when The Wife picked up the car. I sent her with a list of things to check: VIN, no liens on the vehicle, the spare tire and jack were still in the back of the vehicle. Basically, at this point I was under the assumption that the sales staff were out to steal any nickel or dime they could. I never thought to check that they filled up the tank, or bothered to screw the license plate on correctly. The final screw-you came when, on the drive home, the wife heard a really bad rattle in the car: she discovered they used the wrong screws to put the license plate on, leaving them about 3/4 inch too long.

In the end, I think we should have walked, but we needed the car quickly. Frankly, any deal you may get, isn't worth the confidence that they aren't going to rip you off (dangerously) somewhere else. Colonial Honda, you got my money, I hope the nickels and dimes were worth it, there is no way I'm trusting you with any future service.

Screw you too, Colonial Honda.

#usedcars