Reason for Visit: Sales (Used)
I recommend this dealer: No
Employee(s) Dealt With: Willie, Elias Costianes, Jr., Don Nickles, General Manager, Janet Garrison
My Review of Lexus of Rockville:
“Always tell the truth. That way, you don't have to remember what you said” - Mark Twain.
While looking for a new vehicle one day my wife and I stopped at the Lexus of Rockville which is conveniently located on 15501 Frederick Road in Rockville, MD. And although I really had my eye on a Chrysler 300 we decided to see what they had. After an hour of looking around and test driving a very nice ES 350 we debated for a while on what to do. As we were walking through the showroom floor, what looked like a brand new Toyota Camry caught my eye. It turned out that the Camry was used, but only had 3,000 miles on it. It was less than the Lexus and had everything we were looking for, so we bought it.
Our salesman Willy was very patient with us and as we were working through the paperwork we learned a little about how they ended up with a Camry in their showroom floor. Apparently the woman who bought it decided shortly after that she really wanted a Lexus instead and traded it in. We were given the key and my wife asked if there was a spare. Willy told us that there was not a second key. Either the woman had held on to it, or they had lost it. He told me that all I had to do was go up to the Toyota dealership up the street and buy the transponder and have them cut the key and that they would reimburse us for it – period. Simply bring the receipts back to the Lexus dealership and a check would be cut and you would be reimbursed.
After going to Toyota and getting the key taken carre of I stopped by the Lexus of Rockville to drop off my receipts and get reimbursed. I had the pleasure of meeting Elias Costianes, Jr. the Pre-Owned Manager who was casually sitting in his office having his lunch and checking out what appeared to be a tutorial or review on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (also referred to as simply Modern Warfare 2 or Call of Duty 6) a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Elias was quite surprised at the amount ($500.00)and although I was simpathetic to his concern I let him know what Willy had advised us to do. Elias said that accounting was not in on the weekend and that he would take the paperwork to them and have them cut a check. I asked when and he said on “Monday”. “This Monday” I said. “Yes, this Monday”.
After two weeks of enjoying my new Camry XLE I realized we had not yet received a check from Lexus. I preceded to leave voicemails for Elias without ever getting a call back from him. At this point the thought entered my head that Mr. Costianes may not want to pay us back for this expense. Why wouldn’t he call me back? Maybe he’s out of the office? Or maybe he was distracting by something when I was there with receipts in hand?
Several times I spoke to the receptionist who’s overtly proper English accent gave me impression I was dealing with Hyacinth Bucket, from Keeping up Appearances (pronounced - Bouquet). On more than one occasion she informed me in her royal dialect that Elias was there, but not at his desk and that she would send me through to his voicemail, again.
After going at this for a week I was finally put through to Janet Garrison in Accounting. Janet, I could tell, sincerely wanted to help and for being in the accounting department I was taken aback by her excellent customer service. I had caught her coming back from vacation and after a brief conversation she told me she would get right on my case and help get a check in my hands. That same day she called me back to say that she couldn’t find my paperwork in Elias’ office and that she’d have to wait for him to come back. The next week she called me back and said that Elias had misplaced my paperwork and that they needed me to give it to them again. “We are starting over” I thought. And I knew that wasn’t good. I scanned and emailed the receipts back to Janet and she promptly emailed back saying she had received them. A check should be cut soon! Then…..nothing.
The next week my VERY pregnant wife and I decided to stop at her favorite Indian buffet. Perhaps a dousing of Chicken Masala might prompt her into labor. Realizing that we were only blocks away from the dealership I decided to give them a quick call to check on the status and if there wasn’t a check in the mail then I would gladly stop by and clear things up.
Here’s where we saw the true side of Lexus Rockville.
Our arrival was obviously anticipated and we were hurried to a private office. There Willy and Elias met with my wife and I. We were told by Willy that he only authorized us to have $100.00 of the cost reibursed to us and that he had told us this when he sold us the car. My wife and I couldn’t believe what we were hearing. Both of us would have rather gone with one key rather than spend $400.00 of our own money on another and we both would have certianly asked more questions if this were the case. Here’s one: How much does the key cost? See, we didn’t bother asking because we weren’t paying for it.
I stopped several times requesting to speak to the GM or their superiors and that $100.00 would NOT cut it. After continituing to go back and forth with them Elias finally agreed that they would go ahead and reiburse the full amount promised from the beginning. They asked us to sit in the reception area while they got the check cut.
Queu Don Nickles, General Manager, not to be confused with Don Rickles the hilarios comedian: What I thought would be a kind gesture and quick apology from the finest Lexus has to offer turned out to be another episode in a nightmare Willy and Elias created for my wife and I. Don, a pompous, arrogant sort, began to tell us that they had no intention of reibursing us for the full amount promised. We stated our cases and Don practiced his conflict resolution skills he had apparently digested from his quaint collection of Successful Management and Leadership books stacked behind him. Don’s continuous use of the phrase, “This is bad business” perplexed me which may have been his intent, but I could only rebute that it certainly was, “on your part Don”. He mentioned that by reibursing us for the full amount he would be admitting that Willy lied and that he would have to fire him just before Christmas, and how Willy would have to go tell his wife and kids there wouldn't be Christmas this year. What a pitiful comment to make at the expense of your employee Mr. Nichols.
Don offered to reiburse us for $250.00 of the $500.00 owed. We took the check (which was cut in about 5 minutes) and called it a win. I could continue to elaborate on the differences between getting screwed over by Don Nickols vs. Don Rickles, but I’ve already made this too long.
If you decide to deal with the Lexus of Rockville despite this long, but passionately written story, please be sure to have them put EVERYTHING in writing. Willy is a good salesman, but should have admitted his mistake. Elias was, for lack of better words, worthless. Janet will be getting a call from my accounting department regarding a position. And Don…well, simply put, Don is not a smart businessman.
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