Avoid Balise Toyota Warwick RI

[McDizzle]

So, I went to Balise auto for Toyota in Warwick, RI today. 1400 post road. Worst experience ever.

First of all, the woman who was helping us out looked like she wanted to be dead, her attitude was miserable. When I told her that I was looking to test drive a car she looked at me like I had 12 heads. She invited me to sit down and started with the questions. About 3 minutes in, she gets up to get the sales manager.

This man was very rude. He came to me and my friend and said "Hey, whats up dudes", as if we were degenerates in his eyes. He let us know that we can't just go in expecting to be able to have "joy rides" in their cars, and that when we were ready to buy we should come back. He ended it with a "thanks for coming, have a nice day". I was stunned, and demanded to speak to anyone higher than him. There was nobody available.

Age discrimination at it's finest my friends. I am 22 years old and so is my friend. Yes, I am young and look younger, but I am no slouch. I have a BS in Network Engineering and I'm very responsible. But that is besides the point, if I am interested in a car I expect to get the same treatment and service as anyone else.

So needless to say I didn't get to test drive the Yaris today. And I am here to warn everyone about this place, I have heard many complaints about and I gave them the benefit of the doubt and tried them for myself. Worst experience I have ever had at a dealer.

All I have to say is that if he thinks that this is the last he has heard about this situation he is sadly mistaken.

Thoughts?

P.S. - The Balise Nissan dealer next door was very kind. The man took about an hour and a half to talk to my friend and I. Very informative and helpful.

[SilverBack]

Join the club. I'm almost 29 but look (and for some strange reason still feel) 21. Being taken seriously is a real problem everywhere. You learn to compromise.

I went to three dealerships looking for my Yaris. The first one was the similar story as yours, except I was just blatantly ignored the whole time (I was being friendly and polite too). A sales rep finally approached me just as I was leaving. I told him I just found out about a better deal and kept walking. The end.

Oddly enough the dealer I finally bought from gave me a much younger sales rep. We got along so well that we test drove all over town and agreed on a deal in only 20 mins. I had a solid offer, and he was under tremendous pressure to make a sale. It was a win-win for both of us.

[yaris-me]

If that bothers you, take a parent with you. Then they will treat you better and you can reject them.

[kac]

Originally Posted by yaris-me

If that bothers you, take a parent with you. Then they will treat you better and you can reject them.

some truth there.... I was getting threats from the financial guy at the dealer where i bought my car saying I needed to get my pay stubs in to him (when i had no way at that time of getting my pay stubs) he said I NEEDED to get them in to him at a time that was not at all possible for me to do so, so I drove down there with the new yaris and my dad with me ready to trade it back for my impala if that was what he wanted, but then he was super polite and apologetic in person when I showed up with my dad...

[ddongbap]

I remember when I was 19. I looked 17. But I was at an Infiniti dealer, walking around with a notebook and pen writing random crap down. Three people started approaching me. They offered me a test drive, w/o asking me my licence. Its all in the presentation my friend.

[AND189]

yeh this is true ddongbap if you can talk it and walk it when i was looking around i had the money and did not need the car asap i had a few months i was just looking at what i could get and most of the sales men are ass holes but try telling them a lame joke or say something stupid and they laugh they are only going to spend there time conning some one who can pay ha ha ha bunch of pricks ay i ended up getting mine from a mate who had just got a job at toyota along with 4 of my other mates who got there toyotas from him ha ha good story
yeh i was 19 back in the glory days ha ha im 20

[advocate]

That place sounds like they pegged you right off the bat as someone who wasn't planning on buying from the start (and clearly they were wrong). If I were in your shoes I probably would've started throwing stuff inside the dealership.

I hope this doesn't turn you off from wanting a Yaris!

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by McDizzle

So, I went to Balise auto for Toyota in Warwick, RI today. 1400 post road. Worst experience ever.

All I have to say is that if he thinks that this is the last he has heard about this situation he is sadly mistaken.

Thoughts?

Why would you bother going back to this place? its obvious they dont care about you..to avoid future negative problems buy the car online then just go pick it up..

[YarisOwnersDad]

Originally Posted by McDizzle

So, I went to Balise auto for Toyota in Warwick, RI today. 1400 post road. Worst experience ever.

First of all, the woman who was helping us out looked like she wanted to be dead, her attitude was miserable. When I told her that I was looking to test drive a car she looked at me like I had 12 heads. She invited me to sit down and started with the questions. About 3 minutes in, she gets up to get the sales manager.

This man was very rude. He came to me and my friend and said "Hey, whats up dudes", as if we were degenerates in his eyes. He let us know that we can't just go in expecting to be able to have "joy rides" in their cars, and that when we were ready to buy we should come back. He ended it with a "thanks for coming, have a nice day". I was stunned, and demanded to speak to anyone higher than him. There was nobody available.

Age discrimination at it's finest my friends. I am 22 years old and so is my friend. Yes, I am young and look younger, but I am no slouch. I have a BS in Network Engineering and I'm very responsible. But that is besides the point, if I am interested in a car I expect to get the same treatment and service as anyone else.

So needless to say I didn't get to test drive the Yaris today. And I am here to warn everyone about this place, I have heard many complaints about and I gave them the benefit of the doubt and tried them for myself. Worst experience I have ever had at a dealer.

All I have to say is that if he thinks that this is the last he has heard about this situation he is sadly mistaken.

Thoughts?

P.S. - The Balise Nissan dealer next door was very kind. The man took about an hour and a half to talk to my friend and I. Very informative and helpful.

Well, maybe if you had left your security blanket at home and had not asked them what time they would be having milk and cookies, you might have had a better experience.

Sorry, just rattlin' your cage.

Stereotyping is wrong, regardless of whether it involves race, age, manner of dress, or whatever. People should be treated as individuals, and I'm going to guess that many sales have been lost because the salesman made wrong assumptions about the potential customer.

Hey, be THANKFUL for your youth. You COULD be an old fart like me.

God bless.

Tom

[McDizzle]

Originally Posted by jambo101

Why would you bother going back to this place? its obvious they dont care about you..to avoid future negative problems buy the car online then just go pick it up..

Haha, no, I won't be associating with them directly. I have a plan of how I am going to buy my car that will have the dealerships competing with each other, I wont have to set foot into a door until I'm ready to sign :)

He will be hearing of me indirectly. Through his boss and possibly the VP of sales. I want them to know what the ugly face of their dealership looks like and has looked like for years. Just bringing a mirror to the situation if you will

And of course if I can notify someone at Toyota and probably the BBB as well. Should be sufficient to rattle someone a bit

Remember, work smart, not hard

I will still pursue the Yaris at different dealerships. a test drive, then a fightingchance.com email attack and, hopefully, a great deal and a new car

edit: PS - Anyone think it's a bit odd that I would want to "joy ride" a 106hp econo-box? LOL

[why?]

lol some dealerships are just plain terrible. However being in RI you should go up to norwood, ma at least once to look for a car. The automile is pretty darn fun stuff.

[hachi-roku_fan]

Originally Posted by McDizzle

Haha, no, I won't be associating with them directly. I have a plan of how I am going to buy my car that will have the dealerships competing with each other, I wont have to set foot into a door until I'm ready to sign :)

He will be hearing of me indirectly. Through his boss and possibly the VP of sales. I want them to know what the ugly face of their dealership looks like and has looked like for years. Just bringing a mirror to the situation if you will

And of course if I can notify someone at Toyota and probably the BBB as well. Should be sufficient to rattle someone a bit

Remember, work smart, not hard

I will still pursue the Yaris at different dealerships. a test drive, then a fightingchance.com email attack and, hopefully, a great deal and a new car

edit: PS - Anyone think it's a bit odd that I would want to "joy ride" a 106hp econo-box? LOL

Sounds like you have a lot of time on your hands. I understand being upset, but seeking revenge is a bit much, just go buy somewhere else and end it there. I have heard of similar stories though. Me and my friend were at a high end dealership looking at a used G35, the dude was giving us soooo much crap about letting us test drive it until my friend told him his salary lol

2nd story involved my parents when they were looking at buying a corolla. Deal was set and ready to be signed, when another salesman came up and tacked on 300 bucks to the deal. My mom asked what that was for, because everything had been settled including taxes and license fees. His response "Oh, we split that, 100 for me, 50 for that guy etc etc" My mom got up and left, bought her car somewhere else. Funny thing is, at that point in the deal the sales manager was involved and when my brother showed up a week later because his friend was looking at buying a car, the manager spoke with him "Hey, I heard that you didn't leave with the car that day, what happened and who helped you?" Needless to say the salesman got ripped a new one lol.

Point is, go buy it elsewhere

[supmet]

You should have busted out your license, went on a test drive, and held it over their head that they were being douchebags during haggling.. Going to tell regional now isn't gonna help, especially if you buy from a different dealership.

You really can't blame them for stereotyping though... They could have been much more tactful about it, but there are LOTS of people that go to dealerships just to ride in a brand new car, with no intent of ever buying. This costs the dealerships lots of money, and I don't blame them for wanting to stop it from happening.

Oh, and I'm sure they were devastated about you guys walking out and losing their 1000 dollars profit off the yaris while they were making 10 on a sequoia in the back.

[why?]

the odds of a toyota dealership actually having a sequoia on a lot are slim. Plus you speak as if we are having a great economy and dealerships and the car industry is doing amazing.

They aren't.

[supmet]

Originally Posted by why?

the odds of a toyota dealership actually having a sequoia on a lot are slim. Plus you speak as if we are having a great economy and dealerships and the car industry is doing amazing.

They aren't.

http://www.crowntoyota.com/inventory...MODEL_sequoia/

My dealership has 10 (and yes I know online isn't 100% accurate, but they had tons last time I drove by)

I was just trying to point out walking out on a yaris sale isn't the amazing ace up your sleeve some people think it is. A salesman wants to sell every other toyota model before they sell a yaris.

[why?]

Originally Posted by supmet

http://www.crowntoyota.com/inventory...MODEL_sequoia/

My dealership has 10 (and yes I know online isn't 100% accurate, but they had tons last time I drove by)

I was just trying to point out walking out on a yaris sale isn't the amazing ace up your sleeve some people think it is. A salesman wants to sell every other toyota model before they sell a yaris.

10!!! Dang that's amazing. They must sell a ton of cars.

Walking out on any car sale is an "ace," as you put it. The least you are doing is wasting the salepersons time, and getting $400 or so is much better than getting zero.

A salesperson wants to make every sale, and then wants that sale to refer people. A salesperson that is an ass won't be selling for very long, especially when the car industry as a whole is suffering.

[supmet]

Originally Posted by why?

Walking out on any car sale is an "ace," as you put it. The least you are doing is wasting the salepersons time, and getting $400 or so is much better than getting zero.

A salesperson wants to make every sale, and then wants that sale to refer people. A salesperson that is an ass won't be selling for very long, especially when the car industry as a whole is suffering.

I agree with most of that. Using it in haggling is still viable, its just the "you haven't heard the last from me" stuff that I don't think the dealerships or salespeople really care about at all.

[why?]

Originally Posted by supmet

I agree with most of that. Using it in haggling is still viable, its just the "you haven't heard the last from me" stuff that I don't think the dealerships or salespeople really care about at all.

Now that is true. The owner might care if you go to the BBB, but if the salespeople treat you like crap, they aren't afraid of who you might tell.