Ted Russell Ford Izuzu Ted Russell uses bait and switch Maryville, Tennessee

how Tori was SCAMMED at a Ford dealership when she went to buy a car, right?

I kind of understand your pain and I kind of don't. It is a cutthroat world out there and there are alot of people out to get you. Each and every one of us has to take some responsibility for what happens to us, at least in a case like this. I don't know how old your daughter is, but if this is her first experience with buying a car, you should have gone with her. But since you didn't, she should have listened and asked more questions about the maintenance package. Nothing is free, even if they say it is. And she should have listened to what he was saying during the signing, instead of thinking about how she was going to be so cool going to the mall in her new car. I think you are too quick to believe her story. It is possible that everything was spelled out to her but she just wasn't listening. I know this sounds harsh, but how could she sign on the dotted line with so many bad vibes or unanswered questions? Yes, I know, he had said he was pitching it in. That is not a binding agreement that it was free. He was just trying to get her a loan, which he did. In the future, maybe she will have learned from this mistake and not blame others for her own mistakes.

I believe I said in the report that yes she should have paid more attention ! She was not thinking about how cool she would look going to the mall. She is a single mom with 2 kids who spends all her time working or taking care of her kids. Yes she was excited to be getting her first car and did not pay close attention but when someone says they will pitch something in and makes no mention of a price, most people assume it is free. If you are sitting in front of a salesman and he is on the phone with someone and turns to you and says "I'll pitch this in, is that ok ? ", then he spends another 20 minutes on the phone, while filling out paperwork and asking you more questions, I think he was deliberately distracting her. Then when he got off the phone he never mentioned a price for the package, never went back over it with her or anything. And no, my daughter doesn't lie. He knew this was her first car, knew she was inexperienced and took advantage of it. Anytime someone sells you something they are supposed to give you a price on it. He never told her a price for the package. He made her think it was being pitched in for free.  Yes she signed the papers, no she didn't read them thoroughly but that doesn't excuse him from taking advantage and deliberately misleading her. And she is not the only one this has happened to. I have talked to two other people who said they did the same thing to them. They ended up being charged for a maintenance package they were led to believe was free.

I'm afraid that your daughter just learnt a painful lesson. Assuming it went as she said, she is still at fault for not reading the contract. I'd sit down and read the whole thing as many times as I'd feel I need, and then I request a copy of everything I sign. Always have done so since my signature makes me liable to lose money, freedom, or both. 

"In addition, with this report you damaged a company in a way that is hard to recover, and all because your daughter didn't read what she was signing."

  I'm a big fan of personal responsibility and think that ultimately the OP's daughter will have to take this as a lesson.

   But your statement above is just too much.   He "damaged" the company?   They're the ones that deliberately pulled the wool over his daughters eyes.   That they did it successfully does not do them a lot of credit on a consumer oriented website.  The sleazy tactic of padding the final contract (and hoping the buyer doesn't notice) is the stock in trade of every slimy finance guy that ever inhabited a showroom.   Exposing that kind of behavior does nothing but inform future customers what they'll have to watch out for.

  

You know David , I know several used car places back where I used to live , that I would feel comfortable sending anyone to them and know they would get an good honest deal. You didn't have to worry about watching every move they made. And you know, I think there are still plenty of those places around. This just isn't one of them.  A company's reputation is only as good as the way they treat the customers and who wants to deal with a company that you have to try and translate every word they say and look for hidden meanings ? This guy deliberately rushed her through the paperwork. He knew she was inexperienced and I know that doesn't excuse her from the fact that she should have not let him do that, but on the other hand it does point out the fact that this is one of those places where you can not feel comfortable letting your guard down. This is a major dealership not a used car lot on the corner but I really feel like she probably would have gotten a better deal if she had gone to a little used car lot, those guys do rely on repeat customers and usually treat them right.  The bottom line for Ted Russell is... you can not trust them ! If you go there to buy a used vehicle, triple check what they promise and say. This is not one of those lots where you can feel comfortable sending a friend and just know they will be treated right and get a fair deal.

What really makes me mad is the fact that he didn't ever, not once, give her a price on the maintenance care. He led her to believe it was free by saying he would pitch it in. If he HAD told her it was going to cost 950.00 she most definitely would have told him no and that's why he never gave her a price. When he was going over the paperwork with her and having her initial everything she said he was pushing more papers to her to sign before she had even finished signing the ones she had in front of her. He was deliberately rushing her.

I'll let people decide for themselves in this case but in my book they damaged themselves . I would never send a friend or relative back to them.

And BTW, this car has broken down 2 times already. Once on the way home from the lot, the check engine light came on and she had to pay 130.00 for her half of a new coil pack and right after getting it out of the shop for that, the wheel bearing went out and she paid 230.00 to fix that. She has only had the car a week and has only put 57 miles on it. So be sure and check your car out very good before buying !

I'm sorry if I sounded harsh. The fact is that I don't know whether or not your daughter told you the whole and accurate truth, and you being her father makes you biased towards her.   

FROM THE DEALERSHIP.

David, your quote:

"In addition, with this report you damaged a company in a way that is hard to recover, and all because your daughter didn't read what she was signing."

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Lighten up, will ‘ya?" For starters, the OP’s daughter merely stuck her foot in a trap set by the majority of car dealers. In response to ‘Brownstone" ALSO, one must remember there are tens of thousands of NEW buyers entering car dealers on a weekly basis. Many (most) dealers aren’t really concerned about buyer satisfaction and return business. Dissatisfied customers can be replaced by fresh meat brought in by the extensive advertising we all see. I can remember a quote made by a successful South Bend, IN dealer back in the 70s. "I don’t care what people say about me as long as they KEEP talking about me". Car dealer logic at its best.

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Savvy buyers are aware of all the pages in the dealer’s book of tricks. Unfortunately, first time "green" buyers most often are not. These are the buyers most valued by the dealers. Buyers often attracted by the glitzy TV spots and full page ads. (AKA fresh meat)

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But I digress. My primary motive in this response was addressing the beginning of the statement of David quoted at the initiation of this rant. Quote: "In addition, with this report you damaged a company in a way that is hard to recover". Damage a car dealer? Huh? How can one damage an entity which has, by its own actions over the years, screwed its reputation firmly in the ground?

when she went to buy a car?

Thanks for the link, it sounded like just what they did to my daughter ! They didn't falsify her earnings that we know of but the finance guy did rush her through with lots of papers to sign like in the video. Hopefully my report and the others here at Ripoff Report on this same company will help any future buyers that may go there. This is a buyer beware dealership !

I have bought over 15 vehicles over the last 30 years from Ted Russell Ford.   Some i have paid cash for and some i have financed.  Each and every time i read all of my paperwork before putting my signature on it.   The Ted Russell Ford store has sometimes let me take my paperwork  home before signing it so that i could read it first in the privacy of my own home.   They have always offered me some of their products, and some i have bought and some i have declined.   Overall i will tell you that they have treated me fairly in all of my transactions, and given me great service after the sale.  Heck, if they didnt i would not have been back.   I do understand that your daughter may have been a little naive by not reading her paperwork, but any product she buys can be cancelled.   Has she gone back to cancel her maintenance yet?  In the past i had purchased a warranty on a f-150 truck, and after thinking about it for a week or two, i called them back and asked if i could cancel it.   There was absolutely no problem, and they sent the refund to my lending institution to reduce my balance.  By the sound of it, i would recommend that you try that avenue if you truly dont want the maintenance.  That dealership has been there for almost 40 years and im sure they couldnt stand that test of time if they were ripping everyone off!!!  i checked with the Better Business Bureau in Knoxville, and Ted Russell Ford has an A+ rating.  I would tell your daughter that if she wants the maintenance, keep it, and if she doesnt want it, then cancel it.  Plain and simple! 

Yes she did go back the day after she bought it and we caught it. We talked to the manager and he said since she initialed it she accepted it and there was nothing they can do.  You may have had a good experience with them but you have had enough experience that you know what to look for and ask about. She didn't and they knew that. They did not take the time to go over everything with her. They said one thing then did another and rushed her through the deal.  There are several complaints here at RipOff Report about them and several at Dealer Rater.  I think the bottom line is... if you are inexperienced , beware !! 

Now, with all that said I will add this update...

They apparently have seen my complaint here and of course they are unhappy about it. They called my daughter today to tell her that they would make a payment to the loan company against her loan for the 950.00 for the maintenance care pack. Hopefully the loan company will let all that payment be applied to the principal so she doesn't have to pay the interest on the 950.00. At any rate, we appreciate it as long as they follow through and I will post here to let everyone know if they do or don't.

I will update when we know either way.