America Choice Rv of Ocala FL Deposit and contract to hold RV. 900 miles, hundreds $ in travel expenses, RV sold to other buyer Ocala, Florida

On 5 Oct 2012 I contacted America Choice salesperson Mike Croft in regard to a rv they had listed on their website as to its availability and what I would have to do to have this unit held until my wife and I could travel to Florida from Indiana to look at it.  I was told it was available and he would check with his manager to see how much of a deposit we would have to provide to hold the unit.  I was told if I paid $5000 they would hold the unit until the 23rd of Oct.  The deposit was fully refundable if we showed up by the 23rd. 

Between the 5th of Oct and the 20th of Oct, when we arrived at the dealer, Mike emailed me a total of 10 times answering various questions about the unit and how the setup and inspection of the unit was going prior to our arrival.  The last of these messages was on the 19th of Oct when we asked how late they were open on Sat the 20th.  He responded that they were open until 5PM.

We arrived on Sat the 20th of Oct at around 3pm and asked to speak to Mike.  We were told Mike was not there but the manager would help us which we thought very unusual after all the communications we had had with Mike.  After waiting 10 to 15 minutes another salesperson came out and said the manager asked him to show us the unit.  We proceeded out to the lot which I thought unusual as Mike had said the unit was going to be setup for us to stay in.  At no time did anyone ask us what unit we were there to see.  We were taken to a unit in the back of their lot and when I told the salesperson that it was not the unit we had a deposit on he was (or acted) surprised and said that is where the manager said to take us.

We spent the next half hour riding around their lot and campground looking for the correct unit which was not to be found.  We went back to the office and the salesperson excused himself to talk to the manager.  When he returned he said Mike had not checked with manager when he took our deposit and that unit was already sold to someone else.  The manager then came out and said Mike had not followed procedures and he made a mistake, but he would make us "a deal" on any other unit they had.  I told him I had just driven 900 miles over two days at great expense and was not in any mood to buy anything from him.  When I asked for my deposit back the manager said he did not think they took my deposit.  I told him I provided my credit card number and gave him my copy of the form Mike and I had faxed back and forth with Vin #, credit card number and time it was to be held.  They had in fact not charged my credit card but we did not know that.  I asked for written proof they had not kept my deposit which I received.

I figured I spent over $800 in fuel for my truck, two nights in hotels, and meals traveling the 900 miles each way to be told they made a mistake.  I contacted the BBB and filed a complaint and asked for my expense money and after 30 days they still have not responded.  The manager blamed this whole deal on the salesperson, Mike, but it is hard for me to believe that anything went on in this dealership without this manager knowing and approving it, as any good manager should.  The actions of this dealer warrant the unfavorable reputation some "car salespeople" have.

Bill,Terre Haute, Indiana