Memo to those that are looking for a lawyer to sue Van Chevrolet: I don't practice that kind of law. But I know lawyers that do that kind of work. Let me know.

Just when I think I should take down this web site, I get one of these bits of literary genius:

Here’s what’s bugging me . . . . deceptive advertising by car dealers!  I’ve attached today’s ad from the Dallas Morning News promising $50 Visa Gift Cards for test driving select vehicles at Van Hyundai in Carrollton between 9 and 12 a.m.  My wife, Bev, and I went to this dealership today around 10:30 a.m. and looked at a Santa Fe.  Our daughter is driving a currently dependable 1995 Corolla, but we will want to replace it as she finishes at TCU in 2009.  So, as we met with Joel, the sales rep, we shared a copy of the ad and our intent with him.   We drove the Santa Fe and it is a good vehicle, but we don’t intend to buy immediately.  We told Joel this and enjoyed the test drive.  When we returned to the dealer, Joel took some information from us and began to bid us farewell.  I reminded him of the gift card.  He asked us to fill out some additional paperwork on credit and contact information in order to attain the gift card.  We complied and turned this paperwork in to Joel.  Joel departed and we waited and waited  . . . . approximately 20-25 minutes.  When he returned, he told us that our credit information was fine, but he pointed out the “see dealer for details on the test drive” very, very, very fine print in the ad.  He said that since we “were not planning to purchase within the next 72 hours” that we did not qualify for the $50 Visa gift card.   We left very disillusioned about the integrity of this dealership.  I even mentioned to one of the other sales people my feelings that this card offer was deceptive and she seemed sympathetic.  I’m guessing that if we did plan to buy in exactly 72 hours that we would have been denied since it wasn’t within 48 hours.  Very deceptive!

This evening, I thought I’d give Van another opportunity.  I went to their on-line website and found that I could IM them, which I did.  I was connected to a salesperson named Mike Walters.  He IM’d me asking who I was and how he could help me.  I told him who I was and I summarized my experience and my concern.  He responded to say that he would step away briefly to see what he could find out.  I waited 40 minutes and there was no response, so IM’d him with my phone number and asked that he call me if there was any response to be given.  He has not called.

We will buy a car, not today or tomorrow, but within the next year.  It won’t be from Van Hyundai, even if it is a Hyundai vehicle.  Why in the world do car dealerships have to work this way?  That’s what’s bugging me.

I found your website while I was searching for the phone number to Van Chevrolet in Carrollton, TX.  Unfortunately, I found the website too late and am now in much deeper than I know how to get out of.  I received a letter one afternoon from Van Chevrolet telling me they were willing to pay top dollar for my 2002 Chevrolet Impala because they were needing to load up there used inventory with this popular vehicle.  Out of curiosity, I got up on Saturday 10/15/07 and decided to check it out.  I went down there and started looking at a couple of things that might be worth trading the car in on and still eat up the inequity in the Impala.  As our discussions progressed, I decided that I wanted to trade in both of my cars on a Trailblazer for my wife and get myself a bicycle since I live so close to work.  This would put us in a scenario to save some money on a monthly basis and pay off our debt quicker.  He offered me some cash back out of the deal and even the amount if I was willing to pay extra into the deal.  After doing the math, I decided it was a good idea and we were ready to close on the deal which included the VIN window etching on the car and a tire care package all rolled up in a 12000 mile lease.  They went to financing and the price came back slightly higher and I said OK.  We closed on the deal and had to wait over an hour because they had to wash it, take off the side steps and swap the wheels .  By this time my daughter was screaming and I will readily admit that I was in a hurry to get out of the dealership since I had been there since 10 and it was already 4 PM. 

As the car was delivered to us, we noticed that the antenna was not attached and commented to the sales person on it.  They said they would have to check on it.  We transferred all of our items out of the cars to the Trailblazer and left.  On Monday, I got to looking everything over.  We noticed that the On-Star manual that was supposed to be delivered with the vehicle was missing, the owner's manual was never given to us, and the floor mats which were listed as part of the package the car came with were also missing.  I also the finance documents and to my surprise, I had to pull out my Spanish language skill to make anything of the document considering they gave me the Spanish copy.  As I reviewed the document, I noticed that the packages that were supposed to be included in the deal were specifically excluded and the lease was a 15000 mile lease instead of a 12000. mile lease. I called them up and explained to them what was wrong and was told that they would have the antenna, the floor mats (which they said had to be ordered?) and the owners manual for me the next day if I could stop by and pick them up and sign the new documents at the same time.  We did.  I also asked them about the cash back we were supposed to receive and was told that I would need to wait until the lease was funded. 

The next weekend we took the car to have it detailed.  As we waited, we were waived over to the car, by the young man who was drying the car.  He showed us that the car had water spots (which come from the car sitting in the sun for quite a while after rain or being in a sprinkler), overspray (which comes from someone doing work, usually painting, on a nearby vehicle and the wind catching it and spraying it onto the vehicle) as well as what looked like rust spots on two places on the vehicle.  We told him we parked the car solely in our garage and that it hasn't rained since we bought out car last week.  Upset, I called the dealership.  They agreed to fix the issues and that they would bring me a loaner to drive while mine was being fixed.  I was told I would receive a call on Monday to set up the time.  Monday came and went, and surprise. . .no call.  I called them on Tuesday and they said that they would send someone out that afternoon to deliver the loaner to me and pick up the damaged "new" vehicle.  I showed the young man the damages we found and he took the car back.

About a week and a half later, I received a call from the F&I district manager for all the sister dealerships to VAN.  He told me there had been some type of problem with the paperwork (never said what) and that they sent it back.  He discussed the financing packing that was originally put together for us and that he believed he could do a better job by just financing it our right.  He told me he'd call me back with the details.  At this point I informed him that the dealership had my vehicle and that I wanted to know when it would be ready.  He call back and we agreed that it would be a better idea. He said that he would have someone bring me out all paperwork the following afternoon to sign it all and that my vehicle was ready and would be delivered at the same time.  The young man, who was to bring us the paperwork and Trailblazer, called me shortly before coming out to tell me that he went to look at the car to make sure there were no issues and that he didn't think it was ready and he sent it back to the body shop to be finished.  He brought out the paperwork and we signed it (3rd time).  I received a call the next day stating that they had forgotten a paper and would be sending someone out so we could sign that as well.  They said they would be there around 1:30.  My wife met me at work at 1:25.  At 1:35 I received a call stating that the gentleman was one his way and was running late because he got a last minute item to do before he left.  He didn't show up until 2:00.  My wife had her mother with her because it was supposed to be quick.  Instead, we messed up her schedule because of the dealership.

After a full two weeks of being with out our vehicle, I called up the F&I manager and informed him that I was concerned about a couple of things.  First, my wife was getting upset that she didn't have her car and wanted to know when it would be done.  Second, I went over everything that had happened up till this point and told him I had an attitude of, "OK, so what else is going to happen."  Also, I told him that I had already missed two payments (one on each car that we traded in) and was concerned that this was going to go on my credit.  I was informed at the time that I didn't have to worry about it because the dealership had already paid off the loans and was toting them until the loan funded.

About an hour later, I received a call from one of the new sales managers telling me that my car wasn't done yet and that the hood needed to be repainted entirely and would be ready the next day at 12:00 and they would make arrangements to deliver the car.  The car was delivered to us the following day.  Considering everything that had happened at this point, I meticulously went over the vehicle to make sure all the damages were fixed.  Everything seemed good until I got to the driver's side front fender and found an inch long scratch that wasn't there prior to giving the car back to them to be fixed.  Upset with everything at this point, I accepted the car, noting the new damage to the young man, who said it could be touched up when we came to pick up our plates.  Last Wednesday, October 17th, I decided to check on my loans.  Yep, you guessed it, neither had been paid off.  I immediately called the dealership demanding to speak with the GM.  I was told that he would not be in until next week and that I would receive a call. 

Saturday morning at 8 I was woken up by a call from one of my lenders wanting to know how I was going to take car of the missed car payment.  I explained the situation to them and they told me if they didn't receive the payment by the 25th, it would get reported to my credit.  Extremely upset, I went to the dealership in person.  I asked for the GM who still wasn't in and was passed off to one of the new car managers, who had originally helped with the initial sale, and in whom I was less than impressed.  I started at the beginning and explained everything that had happened.  He "sympathized", if you can call it that, with me and told me that he wanted me to get taken car of, regardless of whether I chose to ever come back to the dealership for business, which I promptly informed him I wouldn't.  He told me to think about what I would like the dealership to do for me as reimbursement and he would see what he could do.  During our discussion I mentioned your website to him.  You probably wouldn't be very surprised to know that he told me, "Not that it's an excuse, because it isn't, the reason all this has happened is due to the fact that we had 3 finance managers and 2 sales managers not show up for work one day, and the ball got dropped."  I immediately called him on what I thought was an excuse and said, "It's funny you should mention that because that's the exact same excuse that was handed to the folks on the website I mentioned to you when they asked why their car had never been ordered. 

I told him for starters, I would like to know why the original lease documentation was returned by the bank as well as have a copy of the odometer statement faxed to me at the number I gave him.  He told me that finance was closed until Monday and that he would get it taken care of.  Today is Wednesday and surprise, I have yet to get a phone call from the dealership informing me the reasons behind the returned paperwork and also have yet to get the fax I requested.  Apparently, he wants to help, just not that badly.  Oh, I still haven't received a call from the GM.  I also just got off the phone with the bank who has the loan on one of my old cars and found out that they still have yet to pay anything to the banks, imagine that.

Needless to say, I will never return to Van Chevrolet because apparently "VAN CAN'T" do much of anything.

Click here to read a letter sent to Van Chevrolet by one ticked off customer

I worked for Van Chevrolet for a short time till I found out what kind of people they were / are.  After a hail storm they were LEASING cars and trucks to people and keeping the insurance money. Never telling the people that at the end of the lease they would be responsible for the damage on the car. They also nver informed GMAC that the cars they were leasing for list price was damaged goods. I asked the General Manager xxxxxxxx about this at the time and was told to keep my nose out of it.

Name withheld upon request.

Okay, my husband and I were working many hours at the time so Sunday was
the only day we had that we could go and look for a car. We should have
known better just because they were actually open on a Sunday. So against
our better judgment we traveled 60 miles to this dealership. We arrived on
the lot and started looking at some "middle of the road" priced vehicles.
We wanted something we could afford...but nice. This very pushy salesman
highly encouraged us to test drive this '03 Durango. It was very nice with
leather and the works. It was more than we wanted our monthly payments to
be but this guy just really pushed. We dealt and dealt with this guy and
finally came to an agreement. It was after 9:00 pm and we still had the 60
miles to drive home. So we are getting ready to leave and he gives us ONE
key and no remote. So obviously we question the guy. I mean COME ON...so
he says he will "find" (that should have tipped us off) the other keys and
the remotes and overnight them to us with our plates when they came in. We
were tired and ready to go home so off we go with a promise from a
salesman. Well, I am sure you can guess the rest of the story. We never
got anything. I had to call and call to get our plates and as far as the
keys and remotes...we NEVER got em. I fought and fought with them. They
told me because we didn't get it in writing that they didn't know what we
were promised. I told them that I NEVER dreamed I would have to get it in
writing that we would get KEYS to our new car! They went as far as to say
that maybe I was lying about the whole thing. So here I go again making
that 60 mile trip thinking that maybe if I was right there in person they
might take me more seriously. No doing...they gave me some piece of crap
remote that didn't even go to our car and told me I could go have it
programmed. Not even that they would have their service dept to program it
for me! Naturally the salesman no longer was there and so we were just
screwed! Van Chevrolet is dishonest and I am soooooo pleased that I found
this website. I know that in the end they will get their's. What goes
around comes around and I hope they are soon out of business. Thanks for
letting me vent! And Van Chevrolet....shame on you!
>TK

I didn’t visit Van Chevrolet. This exact same thing happened to me at Bankston Nissan in Lewisville just right up the road on 35. They had a huge ad in the 7/28 and 7/29 Dallas Morning News listing many cars and trucks for under 10,000. I called the dealership regarding an 01’ Chevy Silverado for 6995.00 and they said they had it. I went to go see it and it was nowhere to be seen on the lot. They were happy to show me other vehicles but never produced the vehicle advertised. How can these dealerships get away with this? 

MH

Darrell,

Thanks for your time!

Pass this on to everybody you know in the DFW Metroplex,

Your probably not going to be surprised, but I am ending my relationship with Van today due to them not 1. honoring a singed contract that they gave me and 2. them not willing to pursue a alternative dealer trade to satisfy me, with 2 dealers.

They are the stereotypical 1970's used car sales tactic professionals, let
me talk to My manger or Inventory Control Mgr or I'll call you back and
never do, just flat out disgusting.......this was definitely a case where
Somebody at Van screwed up in at least one if not two ways. First, someone
missed adding a dealer added $1,200 option on to my contract and or (My
strongest hunch) second, they overvalued my trade in and were looking for a
way out of the deal the whole time and did not have the integrity to 1.
admit it or 2. make it right with the customer. Worst part is they truly
don't think they have any fault in this. "Honest Mistake", even honest
mistakes have consequences for the sake of customer satisfaction.

Unfortunately I do not have deep enough pockets to pursue them with an
attorney, but I will allow you to put my plight on your website as you see
fit. I will be notifying the GM Supplier representative as well as my
company liaison to this program, BBB, probably channel 4 and every human
being I cross paths with for the rest of my life. I am going to Classic
(contact me and I will give you the names of the person that will give you
the best buying experience you've ever had) to buy a truck this afternoon
for more money, and that did not even phase Van. If you have any
suggestions who or what department in Austin may be interested in my story,
please advise.

To add insult to injury, when I picked up my $5k down payment check they
told me Mortiz in FTW had a vehicle like I wanted so I should take my deal
to them and see if they would match it, they just gave up on me, now that's
the kind of Customer Service and Pride we should all avoid in our
professional lives.

SS