Reason for Visit: Sales (Used)
I recommend this dealer: Yes
Employee(s) Dealt With: Joe Bauman,
Karen Cole
My Review of Dave Arbogast Buick GMC:
Searching for a solid used car at a reasonable price is a daunting task and I was definitely skeptical when I began my search this spring. As a first-time car buyer, I was very concerned about being "smooth-talked" and ripped off. So it made sense to begin my search by looking at the classifieds and searching private seller websites. I was able to find many cars in my price range, but was immediately put off when I would call the listed number for more information- most people I talked to could not give me the history of the car or were reluctant to provide a Carfax report.
With this in mind, my husband and I made the very reluctant decision to check out dealerships- which we have always felt mark-up car prices to turn a quick buck. After searching many sites, we found a 2009 Yaris which, while out of the price range we had initially set for ourselves, seemed fairly priced for the options and mileage.
When we went to the dealership, Joe immediately greeted us and allowed us to get a look at the car. Within ten minutes of our arrival we were provided with a Carfax and given the keys to take it out for a test drive alone-something that we really valued because it allowed us time to listen to the car and discuss its pros and cons without pressure. It rode well and the options were great; however, there was a slight noise in the underbody, which concerned us enough to let Joe know about when we returned. He seemed genuinely concerned and took it out with us again for another ride. Of course the noise did not present when we drove a second time, but we were still concerned being that it was a used car.
After our test-drives (mind you Joe has invested about two hours with us at this point), he provided us with something to drink and pulled up payment options. We didn't have to negotiate on price because the car was already marked well below what the comps were listing at within a 100 mile radius of the dealership. We left with the idea that we would keep the car in mind but probably check out a few other dealerships.
When we arrived home, we immediately came to the dealerrater.com website to see what others were saying. The skeptic I am, I was a little put off by all of the positive reviews. To me, it seemed like perhaps the dealership was flooding the site with their own reviews to boost their ratings. So, we decided to test all of the positive things we had read about Joe working with his customers and called back later that same day to request that keyless entry be installed on the vehicle (it didn't make sense to us that a car with power locks would not have keyless entry) as well that the noise we had heard be covered by the dealership should repairs be needed. Joe immediately called me back to let me know that he would be able to cover those things for us- which really impressed us.
When we returned to the dealership a few days later, Joe had our (trade-in) truck appraised for us while we further discussed payment options. While the offer was obviously not Blue Book rate, we felt like we got what we needed to aid us with purchasing our car from Arbogast. It is worth saying that consumers need to realize that when they look to a dealership for trade-in, they are not going to receive Blue Book. The dealership is taking care of the hassle of selling your car but they are not doing it for free- they expect to turn a profit. So be realistic when your car is appraised.
After signing our purchase agreement, we worked with Karen in finance, who was very friendly during the daunting task of signing an exhaustive amount of paperwork to acquire our loan and purchase the vehicle. Even though it was getting late, she wasn't cranky and we really appreciated that she was willing to provide us with friendly service. When we left the lot, the car was clean and Joe even threw in car mats, which the vehicle had not originally come with.
We drove the car for a week and the noise in the underbody persisted, though it was very sporadic and hard to identify. It was hard to not have the feeling of, "Oh, no. What did we get ourselves into?" Since Joe was having keyless entry installed for us within a week, I called him to let him know I was taking it to an independent mechanic to have it checked out and expected the issue to be addressed by Arbogast should the issue turn out to be something substantial. When we had it checked out at Grismer, we did have to cover a $30 fee out of pocket, which wasn't really desirable but not a deal-breaker on my opinion of Arbogast. Fortunately, the mechanic (Hank at Grismer- Great guy!) found the issue- rocks caught in the engine mount. He did a vehicle check after clearing out the rocks and it appeared that, at this point, the rocks have not caused a long-term issue to the quality of the car. Knowing that this issue is under warranty with Arbogast for 90 days does provide extra peace of mind. Knock on wood, the issue has not presented since the rocks were cleaned out.
So, finally, I picked up my car this afternoon after Joe personally took the car to an off-site location to have the after-market keyless entry installed. I was very impressed that he took care of this personally and, as of day one, the remotes are working great.
This was a very long-winded report but I felt it was important to be as detailed as possible for skeptical readers like myself. I want others to know that I was not an Arbogast employee or family member and that, for my experience so far, I have been impressed. Joe was a very friendly guy and seems very deserving of the countless "Salesman of the Year" awards that he has received. So, as of today, we are very happy with our purchase at Arbogast and would recommend them!
Thanks for your help!
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