After three visists to Bankston Honda, I cannot, for any reason, recommend anyone ever buying from them. Here is why.

Early last week, I went in and talked to Scott P (rioyellows2k on here) about an '06 S2k. We test drove the white one he had, and chatted about the price of the car. Scott gave me a quote, which I accepted without haggling. I explained to him that I wouldn't be buying the car until 2/6/06, as that is when my escrow funds are to be deposited. This wasn't a problem.

About two days later, I get a call saying that they really want to move the car by 1/31, and could I come in on Saturday (1/28/06). I would need to write a check dated 2/6/06, but they would hold it for me. I said ok, no problem.

Saturday morning I come in with all the paperwork I was asked to bring (checkbook, proof of insurance). We check out the car and go over to fill out the paperwork. I fill out an information sheet and they go off to draft up papers .. or so I thought.

Turns out that no one actually got permission to hold the check, and that they need the GM's approval, who isn't in yet (this was at 9:30a). Scott apologizes, and says they'll give me a call later today when he comes in. WHile I'm there a credit check is ran, without my consent. They suggest I finance the car, then pay it off later, which I had previously said was not an option.

I get a call about two hours later from the GM, saying that because they are a publically owned company, they can't hold a check, not even by one day, and that it will just have to wait until the 6th. I explain to him that the early date was his sales staff's idea, and that if I wait until the 6th, I would continue to shop around. The GM offers to hold the car until the 6th, and I agree to let him know if I find something else as a courtesy.

I find another dealer to get very close to the price Bankston gave me (actually $700 more) and call Bankston back to tell them I don't want the car, I found another dealer to do business with. Scott calls me back within a few minutes to say as long as they have proof of the pending deposit, than they will hold my check and deliver me the car. I tell them on Monday I am getting my HUD statment, and would that work for proof, he says yes.

Monday comes around, and I get my HUD. I fax it to Scott, who tells me he will call me back once he's verified that this form is ok. I call him 45 minutes later to check on it, and he says that he was told it's fine. I specifically ask, "So I am taking the car home tonight?" and Scott tells me, "Yes." I arrange to be dropped off to pick up the car that night.

After work (about 7:30p) I go back to Bankston to pick up the car. Scott has me take a seat as they are drafting the paperwork. After over an hour of sitting around, their business manager comes out and says they need a check, with money in the account. I explain to him the preceeding, and that this was already approved. He said the GM has to approve it, and they can't get ahold of him. I explain to him that this I specifially asked if I was taking the car home today, and was told yes. I'm told that they aren't going to let the car go today, so I tell them to sell it to someone else.

For 30 minutes, he tries to "save the sale" by offering me a tank of gas. At this point I've come in twice, and wasted over 7 hours of time. A tank of gas is almost an insult. While I understand that the business manager (who is not a Bankston employee) is worried that "they are getting nothing in return for giving me the car", he is completely ignoring what upset mein the first place, which was that I was doing what I was told to.

Not once did I suggest recieving the car early, that was Bankston's idea. I was asked to give proof of the income, which I did, and was "approved". BUt in the end, the still couldn't follow through on their word. If they can't follow through on the word during the sale, I certainly wouldn't trust them to work on my car.

As for Scott P (rioyellows2k) I'm a little miffed on how to feel about his handling of the situation. While I would think that after a year of working there, that he would have known the holding of a check wouldn't fly, I also don't really think he had much control in the matter (and that's not a slam on him, its just not his descision to make). The Saturday delivery Scott admitted was his error, and the Monday delivery he got permission and approval before telling me to come in.. So I think roasting Scott is a little bit of killing the messenger. I do feel Scott was just doing what he was told he could do. Scott himself seems like a nice guy, and I have no problem with Scott himself. But Bankston's utter lack of communication is just unbelivable. I can't imagine a sales mager approving something and not knowing that a GM or Business Manager wasn't going to approve it.

To Scott: I have nothing against you, and felt you were very professional throughout the whole thing. I was quite surprised how many times they threw you under the bus, from the fact you're younger, or "overeager" or any of the other myraid excuses they gave, I do feel you did your job and kept your cool well. So nothing I'm saying is attacking you personally, simply your employer.

As for the other dealer, they ended up locating the same car that Bankston did, except while Bankston said they could not ship the car and that it had to be driven (200 miles one way), the other dealer said they couldn't drive it, and would only trailer it. An option that Bankston said they couldn't do.

 

This guy is a car salesman..what did you expect?

 

 

[QUOTE=oakfloor,Jan 31 2006, 08:36 AM] This guy is a car salesman..what did you expect?

 

he was lookin to make a sale before month ended.which btw is best time to buy.

scott played u

www.dealerrater.com

 

This business manager showed me his card, said he was a contractor to the dealership. He also said it was his 2nd day, so maybe he's a temp and the last guy quit. It was the first I'd heard of a Business Manger not being an employee as well. Maybe its an AutoNation thing.

I really don't think Scott intended to "play me" as he didn't try to make the sale other ways. He didn't press for me to finance it, he didn't try to sell me something cheaper, etc. He could be playing me, but I'm a pretty good judge of it, and I'm an ex car salesman as well, and I really think his managers screwed him on this one. I truly don't think it was him. It would also explain why the business manager didn't want me to talk to the sales manager that had "approved" it.

 

This is actually the second time I've heard that Scott had issues stemming from the finance side of things - in another thread he mentioned they're going to new centralized system for the entire Bankston line of dealerships. New rules, obviously some issues to work out.

Having met Scott in a social setting, my impression is that he didn't have anything nefarious in mind - he's getting screwed by the dealer just as much as DJFriar is.

 

I don't understand why you were shopping before you had the money anyway. Or why didn't you leave a cash deposit to hold the car with sale to be completed? Although I don't trust car salesman no matter who they are to do anything right...you can't give them or the dealership the opportunity to do anything wrong.

Imagine if you gave them the check and they cashed it the next day...Oh man would you be in deep shit. I also thought that it is actually illegal to post date a check???

 

Hmm. Thanks for your input. I was expecting such a thread. Those who have met me and have conducted business with me know what kind of person I am. I have sold These circumstances extend to Company Policy and not myself. If I could hold a $35,000+ check for 10 days I would, but our company cannot because of the liability. I personally do not mind this thread, I think it is appropriate given the circumstances since you feel miffed about the time that we've invested. But know that I suggested we accept your check, only if it was good the day you write it. Which we believed it was, since you told us your money was good and you were waiting on a deposit. But later you said that you haven't even closed on your loan. Thus causing even greater hesitation on our part considering that it's not even finalized yet, and funding could still be delayed. I really don't know what to think of this mess but I regret taking up your time. But congrats on your purchase, and thank you for not attacking me personally with any slander. -Scott

 

The way I see it, if he was waiting on a deposit, then any check written wouldnt have been "good" at the time of writing would it? If your dealership had accidentally cashed it then the sh!t would really have hit the fan.

Im still a little confused about this whole mess - why did you (the OP) just wait the extra week until you had the funds in your account?