Napleton's Auto Park of Urbana

CAN’T RECOMMEND DEALERSHIP : We cannot recommend the Napleton Toyota Dealership in Urbana, IL, particularly for an internet sale or if COVID-19 restrictions require you to de : We cannot recommend the Napleton Toyota Dealership in Urbana, IL, particularly for an internet sale or if COVID-19 restrictions require you to deal with them remotely. Over the past 20 years, we have purchased multiple cars over the internet. Except for Napleton all have been pleasant and comfortable experiences, where we felt we were dealt with fairly and honestly. Our dealings with Napleton Toyota lacked the experience we suspect most buyers want at any time from a car dealership, but particularly during COVID-19, when face-to-face encounters are not encouraged. Our advice to you – PICK A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. INITIAL INTERACTIONS WITH SALES MANAGER, JESS COLLINS: Our substantive discussions were with the Sales Manager, Jess Collin. These were initially satisfactory but progressed to disturbing. All communications were by telephone and texting after he responded to a request for bids sent from an internet car buying program. We were interested in a 2020 Prius Prime Limited with multiple options. Jess indicated that he would try to locate one and if he found one without the options we wanted, he could likely install them at the dealership. He also indicated he would offer the car to us at invoice price. He found one quickly. One of the options we wanted where the 10-point alloy wheels; he indicated that it had “alloy wheels”, leading us to believe that it had the optional wheels we wanted. He stated that we could have the car at invoice price, $34,790. This included the car base price and upcharges for a pearl white color, all-weather mats, a protective finish for the back bumper and (we thought) the optional alloy wheels. The NADA Guide indicated an invoice price for this package of $34,663. From our point of view, this deal was acceptable, but we asked for a copy of the price sticker from the car. THINGS START TO CHANGE: On inspection of car’s price sticker, we learned that the car did not have the optional wheels we were interested in. Without the optional wheels, the NADA Guide indicated a lower invoice price, $33,994. We texted Mr. Collins about the absent wheels, but he did not respond. One of us finally telephoned him. He first indicated that there were no optional alloy wheels for this car (not true, they are listed on the Toyota website), then indicated that if we wanted the optional alloy wheels, we would have to order the car from the factory at full price. Gone was the offer to add options that we wanted at the dealership. He also indicated there would be no price adjustment for the absent optional wheels. Thus, Jess’s supposed “invoice price” ($34,790) was $756 higher than the NADP guide-listed invoice price ($33,994). These latter interactions reminded us of the stereotypic fast talking, dishonest and impatient, “Slick Willy” car dealer who plays fast and loose with specifications, price and truth. As this car was difficult to find, we decided to buy it. However, the dealership was not done with price changes. There was an upward adjustment at the time of paperwork signing. More on this later. PICKING UP THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP: When we came into the dealership to pay for and pick up the car, we interacted Sam Samet (Sales Consultant) and Lance Roman (Finance Manager). Sam was helpful and accommodating, showing the car, allowing a test drive and reviewing initial paperwork. The only issue with the initial paperwork was an arbitration agreement that he indicated we would be asked to sign. Given our most recent interactions with Jess Collins, we were unwilling to sign this. After consulting with someone, Sam indicated the agreement was unnecessary. All of our interactions with him were pleasant and easy. FUNNY BUSINESS WITH PAPERWORK: ARBITRATION AGREEMENT: As with any car purchase, there was quite a bit of paperwork to complete. Lance offered up some of it with explanation, some without. Multiple times he tried to get us to sign an arbitration agreement despite the earlier agreement with Sam. Shortly after reiterating to him that we did not want an arbitration agreement, he offered up what he indicated was a state form without explanation. In looking to over, we discovered it was yet another arbitration agreement. Catching this, we indicated that it did not seem likely that the state required an arbitration agreement for the sale of a car. We once again declined. INCREASED PRICE AT SIGNING: One of the final pieces of paperwork was sales agreement. These included the itemization of the sales price, sales tax, document processing fee and license/title fees. The amounts differed from those that Sam had reviewed with us earlier. To our surprise, the vehicle price had been increased another $100. When we discovered this Lance indicated that since they could not justify the offered price, they moved around some numbers to make it look better. Our take on this was that people working at Napleton mislead both costumers and the dealership owners. SUMMARY: While we are happy with the car, we felt that the dealership was cagey, deceitful, and misleading on prices, specifications, and paperwork. We know from experience that car buying can be so much better than this. BUY A PRIUS, BUT NOT FROM NAPLETON TOYOTA! More