Phillipsburg-Easton Honda

I had an unfortunate experience at Phillipsburg-Easton Honda that left me feeling violated, bullied, and misled. I came to the dealership to turn in my lease, and my experience took a turn for the worse w Honda that left me feeling violated, bullied, and misled. I came to the dealership to turn in my lease, and my experience took a turn for the worse when I encountered Al Hernandez, the Manager. Initially, I was greeted by a friendly staff member, but things went downhill when Al Hernandez took over. From the start, Al was extremely hostile. He began listing potential fees from Honda Corporate, including an end-of-term fee, a storage fee (which seemed arbitrary at $300 a day), damage fees (despite his own inspection confirming the car was in good condition), and vague "other fees." My husband and I had no intention of purchasing another vehicle at this dealership; we simply wanted to return our lease. It was evident that Al was displeased with this, and he made passive-aggressive comments like, "Why didn't the dealer where you purchased your new car help you return your lease?" and "If you didn't buy the car here, why are you returning it here?" It's important to note that any Honda dealer should be able to accept the return of a leased car. We had originally leased the car from a Honda dealer located nearly two hours away at the shore. Al's attempt to dissuade us from leaving the car with him reached absurd levels, with him suggesting that Honda would charge us an exorbitant amount (I exaggerate, but it certainly felt that way) to leave the car with him. We had called the dealership the day before and were informed by Patti that no appointment was necessary for the return. However, upon arrival, Al requested inspection paperwork and instructed us to contact Honda Corporate for turn-in paperwork and a payment statement. This was baffling, as this was my third time returning a Honda lease, and I had never encountered such requests. Even the Honda agent on the phone was perplexed by the additional documentation Al was demanding. This is when the situation escalated. Exhausted and frustrated, we requested that Al simply take the car back, and that's when he became openly hostile, raising his voice and asserting his 32 years of experience. My husband stepped in to defend me, all while we were carrying our sick toddler. The situation deteriorated further when another individual named Anthony Sherman joined the fray, yelling in the middle of the dealership, slamming our keys on a table, and ordering us to leave. Honda's representative even called the dealership, requesting that they allow us to leave the car, but Al Hernandez and Anthony Sherman ignored the request. We had no choice but to leave. I want to emphasize that this review is a warning to potential customers. I visited another Honda dealership where I was welcomed with coffee, snacks, a straightforward lease return process, and a courteous send-off. The stark contrast between my experiences at these two Honda dealerships is glaring. Mr. Hernandez's demand for excessive paperwork and the hostile atmosphere created by him and Anthony Sherman were entirely unwarranted. It might be time for Mr. Hernandez to consider retirement if he cannot provide a better customer experience. If you're not planning to make a new purchase and remain a lifelong customer, I strongly advise looking elsewhere. Based on my experience, this dealership is one to avoid. I will soon update my review with a link to a video that captures the hostile encounter. More