Russel Mazda VW Subaru

Reason for Visit: Sales

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Russel Mazda VW Subaru:
After reading Klasor's and the review from 6/20/04, and after my first (and last) email encounter with Russel today, I'm convinced this place must be nothing more than a front for laundering drug money or financing terrorist activity. No dealership that expects to remain in business (hell, no legitimate business that desires to stay in business) would operate in this fashion.

I sent an inquiry to Russel via their website from the Subaru.com link asking if they could meet or beat the price on a comparably equipped car that is located at another dealership. The car in Russel's inventory is in a color that I prefer. The first response I got back was "buy it from them". This was from someone named Steve Rainey, who listed himself as the Sales Manager on the initial auto-generated "form letter" email acknowledgement. Curious that Klasor worked with a Michael Friend...yet another sales manager?

Anyhow, after being floored and appalled by such a terse response I replied to the "buy it from them" email asking if they could at least meet the other dealer's price. Simple question, and one that I thought would result in something like, "no, while we can't quite match the price you've gotten from the other dealer, we could sell it for $xxxxx. And since the car we have is more to your liking, might we still be able to earn your business?"

But nooooo.....their 2nd response was: "We do not sell cars at dfead cost, what's the point? Mike is one of the managers here at Russel. Good Luck. Steve"

Unbelievable! Also, I have no idea what "dfead cost" means. Perhaps what he was attempting to convey was... "d'Feds are comin'!! d'Feds are comin'!!!" Anyhow, this caustic, thoroughly unprofessional response is amazingly similar to the review from 6/20/04: "...so he went to the extent of negotiating with their manager's too and who instead of making an effort to sell their car, just walk you out and say "all the best in buying a car"..."

In 30 years of new car buying I've yet to have a dealer NOT counter an offer, yet here's a company that's supposedly in business to sell cars telling me, and others, to go buy from someone else?!?! Hey, ATF/Treasury Dept! Pssst! Over here. Something smells in Denmark, and it's not the Havarti...

Obviously, there will be no further "negotiations" with Russel. And I have rated them accordingly. I chose "N/A" in the Pricing category because even after 3 emails, I still have no idea what their actual price is!! Like I said, this place is a scam - they do not deserve anyone's business. Avoid at all cost!

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Reason for Visit: Sales

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Russel Mazda VW Subaru:
Mike, our Subaru Sales Manager, was beligerant and not willing to bargain. If this is his technique to strong-arm people into making a better deal for him, all he accomplished was to discontinue ANY service we and all of our friends do with Russel Automotive. He was rude and uncompromising, and altogether the worst person I have ever dealt with in a customer service role. If there is a score lower than 1 - that is the rating I would give Mike for his unwarranted hostility towards us.

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Reason for Visit: Service

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Russel Mazda VW Subaru:
We bought our VW from this dealer last year and had an aweful experience. We really wonder how a CO. like VW can tolerate dealers which give such poor service. They have the worse Customer Service and when you take your car for service the people there donot even acknowledge your presence. Not only the Sales people are rude my husband liked the car so he went to the extent of negotaiting with their manager's too and who instead of making an effort to sell their car, just walk you out and say "all the best in buying a car". I mean who soes that and is VOLKSWAGEN LISTENING!!!!Pls do not , go to Russel.

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Reason for Visit: Sales

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Russel Mazda VW Subaru:
This is the WORST experience I had with a dealership ever and probably will have for the rest of my life. First, some background. I found my car when searching the web and contacted the dealership listed. When I arrived on the lot, it took forever for them to even help me out. Once negotiations started taking place, they stated the price at $1200 above the listed price on the website AND on the car. After dealing with all of that, I signed the contract and thought all was done. Not the case. I get a call the next day with them telling me they need more money down. I agree to do so IF they'll buff out some scratches on the car. The finance guy agrees to do so and tells me to call him the next day to follow up. Well, two months pass and he's nowhere to be found. When I finally do track him down, he denies ever saying he'd take care of the car. I had to contact the GSM and he got the finance guy to do it. Well, that didn't go well because the guy 1. didn't even take most of the scratches out and 2. created new scratches of his own. When I pointed out his new markings on my car (very noticeable) he denied them (imagine that). The GSM even said that I did it and not him. So, all in all HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. DO NOT GO HERE. Be careful too because VW, Suburu, and Mazda are all in the same dealership. Russel is just very bad news.

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Reason for Visit: Sales

I recommend this dealer: No

My Review of Russel Mazda VW Subaru:
We have had a horrible experience with this dealership. The salesman promised us a certain price (matched a quote from another local dealer) but did not apparently give the same figure to the business manager. We did not catch the price difference (it was over 1000 dollars) during the signing phase. When contacted about it several days later, the salesman &quot;did not remember&quot; our conversation. When we asked the salesman to get the paperwork from the business manager we were told &quot;he was fired and he took all your papers with him&quot;. It is unfortunate that this intentional deception continues in the auto sales industry. <br><br>One more thing. The car we purchased had some recall work done to it which was NOT mentionted until 4 days after the sale when we received a phone call requesting a post-sale signature acknowledging the recall service.<br><br>We love the VW itself but suggest people stay away from this dealership.

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