Re: AutoNation Subaru Scottsdale
15678 N Northsight Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Re: Deceptive Business Practice – “Bait and Switch “i.e. Customer is “baited” by merchant advertising a product at a (written agreed ‘trade’ price), but when customer visits the store for ‘closing’, they discover the advertised (vehicle trade price) has increased by thousands of dollars. In this particular case an increase of $4000.00., resulting in a sale/fail.
CAUTION: I recommend extreme caution for anyone even remotely considering doing business with this automobile dealership!
On June 10th, 2023, Mr.Mueller (sales person) sent to me a (firm) approved price agreement, approval by sales manager Brett Leib (SEE COPY ATTACHED). The stated Autonation price of the new vehicle would be $35164.39, and my trade in allowance would be $24154.74 – with an estimated closing balance due of $12613.15, after crediting my previously submitted $500.00 good faith requirement. I signed my approval signature to the document, and emailed it back to Mr. Mueller.
At the closing appointment date – having waited in the office for over 1.5 hours, Mr. Mueller exited from one of the offices and approached me with the following. “First the ‘bad news’ – your trade value has been reduced by $4000.00, but the ‘good news’ is that we will only charge you an additional $2000.00.”
I was astounded by the news. Mr. Mueller knew I’d never have made that 200+ mile trip to Scottsdale, if the [previously agreed to agreement was changed)! That then coupled with the fact that the Subaru had not even been washed and fueled in advance of the closing appointment, was outrageous. It immediately became evident this entire episode was nothing more than a planned bait and switch designed to have me drive 200+ miles from Sierra Vista, to Scottsdale, then have me sit around for near two hours wondering when we’d get to the closing, followed by then changing the agreement in an attempt to extract thousands of dollars more from me. I asked Mr. Mueller for the return of my key module and said I was leaving. A gentleman, whom I’d never yet been introduced to, followed me out the door and said something about ‘market adjustment’. I told him we’d had a contract – he was quick to say that was not a contract! I just looked at him and figured “semantics at work”, with regard to the interpretation of the meaning of linguistics. I left the premises.
