The Lincoln MKZ received the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles among entry premium cars in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2010-2011 Vehicle Dependability StudiesSM. 2011 study based on 43,779 consumer responses measuring problems consumers experienced in the past 12 months with three-year-old vehicles (2008 model-year cars and trucks). Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed October-December 2010. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.
If you have visited this dealership please take a moment and rate by clicking the review tab.
By taking a few minutes you can let everyone know how well you were treated or you can register a complaint.
If your thinking of visiting this dealer the review tab allows you to read other customer reviews.
The following is the text from a letter being sent to the dealership owner, Maria Smith.
——————————————————————–
Last year I purchased a 2006 Ford Freestyle at your dealership. My credit rating was less than ideal and I was upside down with the existing car loan. Michael Ramirez was helpful, informative and a straight-shooter. I felt respected through the entire process and left completely satisfied.
Last night I received a phone call from “Andrew” who offered to run a credit check to see if I would be eligible for a trade in and an upgrade to a newer and more fuel efficient car. Andrew called me back after the initial run through of my credit information and informed me that there was “not going to be any problem” and asked me to come in this morning to complete the paperwork and to test drive some cars. I fully disclosed to Andrew that I was upside down in the Freestyle loan as well and wanted to make sure that that wasn’t going to create any problems or require any money down. I told Andrew that at the first suggestion of money down, I would leave the dealership and any negotiations would be over. He ensured me that his manager was sure there wouldn’t be any problem.
This morning I met with Andrew and completed paperwork, etc. After the complete credit report was run I met with the supposed financing manager. He initially was helpful in trying to explain financing requirements without equity on the trade in. However, his methods for trying to make friends were less than desirable. He first made derogatory statements about Michael Ramirez, indicating that he wasn’t a smart person. He then informed me that he was now there because you specifically hired him to clean shop because there had been numerous unethical loans financed through your dealership last year. He then continued to tell me a story about “a Hispanic man” who came in the previous week trying to forge a 750 credit rating. Finally he made comments about my single marital status and how I probably missed out on a lot of dates from men who saw me driving my Freestyle and figured I had kids.
The final blow came when the manager said the only car that he could get me in with my negative equity was a Lincoln Navigator which had “almost” as good of gas mileage as the Freestyle. I flat out refused that option. He then asked if I could put money down. Remember, I made it very clear that I would leave the dealership if that topic was broached. I responded in the negative and informed him that I was leaving, that I wasn’t happy to have wasted gas and time and that I had other options available to me. As I left I made my anger very clear and called the entire group of salesmen a bunch of phonies.
As I approached my vehicle to leave another salesman came out without introducing himself and asked why I was upset. I informed him that they had brought me there under false pretenses and that there was no way they couldn’t have known how much negative equity I would have when I purchased the car there last year and they were aware of the financing at that time. I told him my whole purpose for a trade in was to reduce gas costs and yet they tell me the only option is a Navigator. After some discussion he offered a Pontiac G6 which I said would be acceptable. He said he’d return and went inside. I stayed outside for 10-15 minutes and neither he nor anyone else ever came back out so I left.
With the car sales industry hurting as it is you would think that the last thing a dealership would want would be an unhappy customer. Eventually the market will change and my credit rating will continue to improve. My base income has increased by over 13% in less than a year and my credit rating has increased by 100 points. Lincoln Mercury of Bellevue will never be on my list of dealerships to visit in the future.
You need to clean shop, Ms. Smith, or at the very least arrange for some customer service and diversity training. The racist and sexist comments made by someone who represents your company was shameful. And I also wonder if I should be contacting an attorney to determine if my loan was one of the unethical ones done at your dealership last year.