High Country Toyota, Scottsboro, Al THE WORSTCAR SHOPPING EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME - BEWARE!!!!! FRAUD AND DECEPTION Scottsboro, Alabama

Steve, I have called your dealership twice and my wife has called once in reference to the radio ad you are running on 106.5 FM in Chattanooga and I have been given 3 different answer to my one question, Hi I am calling about your promotion saying you are waving credit checks and waving down payments.

First response, I haven't heard of that promotion where did you hear it? Chattanooga 106.5 FM. No sorry I am not aware of that one but come on in and we can get you into something nice for a low down payment.

Second response, No, that promotion has ended sorry but we do have some great deals.

Third response to my wife this time, What? Everyone keeps calling about this and I have no idea what you are talking about!

I am very frustrated because this same thing happened to me several months ago when you ran the same promo that none of your salespeople knew anything about including your internet salesperson Steve. All I want is some honesty from you and straightforward advertising, not just a gimmick to get people to drive an hour or more to your dealership only to be lied to and conned. I want to come into the lot get a car and actually have my credit check and down payment waived!

My name is Steve Ayers, and I am the owner of High Country Automotive, High Country Toyota and Scion in Scottsboro, AL. I wanted to take the time to respond to this consumer complaint because I care a great deal about how we treat our customers.

For calendar year 2010, High Country Toyota was ranked the #4 Toyota dealer in the entire U.S. in Customer Sales Satisfaction, out of 1,222 Toyota dealers. For the 1st quarter of 2011, High Country Toyota was ranked the #1 Toyota dealer in the nation in Customer Sales Satisfaction.

These scores are based on surveys sent to Toyota customers purchasing vehicles, and are randomly selected by Toyota. Out of a score of a possible 100%, we rank above 99% in complete customer satisfaction in the entire sales experience.

I have read this complaint, and I deeply regret it anytime that a consumer leaves our business and is unhappy. We take great measures to ensure satisfaction, employ a Consumer Relations Specialist, and conduct pre-sale and post-sale interviews with our customers to guarantee their satisfaction, to the very best of our ability.

Having read the complaint, it sounds as if the consumer realized that the vehicle advertised was being sold at a great price, and I think that speaks well of our ability to provide competitive industry pricing. Apparently in this case, there were other people who also realize a great price when they saw it, and consummated the deal before this consumer had made a final decision or commitment. 

We want everyone to know that our business has donated over $100,000.00 to local non-profits, charities and causes since our inception in 1999. Every year for 11 years, we conduct a Christmas for the Kids program here, providing Christmas gifts for over 1,500 children to-date who might not otherwise have received Christmas gifts and compassion.

Again, I am always dissappointed when someone leaves our place of business in any state of mind other than Completely Satisfied, and our goal is always to provide a "world class experience" to our customers. More often than not, our customers come back to us over and over to do business here, and we will continue to work harder and harder to deliver the best sales experience anywhere.

and it's below the $70 price again!!!

you have the time, okay?

There are a million and one reasons to complain about many car dealers, but in this case I can't see what they did wrong.

This may be one of the only cases in history, where they didn't chase a customer trying to sell them something before they walk out.

Perhaps the only thing you were "victim" of, is driving 30 minutes and escaped being ripped off, which could have easily been the case if you read complaint websites.

I wonder if this dealership will respond because I am actually more curious as to why they didn't chase you down in attempt to sell you another car before you got out the door..there is where the real mystery lies.

We read of plenty of bait and switch tactics..but I never heard of bait and sell nothing. How could this business survive that way?

The reason you don't know where to start is you had to try to think how to spin this to try to make yourself the victim. From what you wrote here, you were not.

You say you drove an hour to the dealership (admittedly WITHOUT doing any research on the dealership), where they HAD the vehicle you wanted at what you said was, "...a fair price..." and you had to leave to take ANOTHER 30 minutes to think about it?

When you returned, you were surprised the car had been sold? If it was such a good car at such a good price, why would it shock you that the company in business to sell cars would have done just that? How did they know you would, in fact, return? Even if you TOLD them you would be back, they have no reason to believe you. 

Is it so far out of the relm of possibility that you were not the ONLY person interested in that car that day? If you had said, "I'll take it!" without leaving for your "lunch" and THEN they said, "Oh, sorry. That car was sold after all. Take a look at THIS one, though" it would have been a different story and THAT would have been a bait and switch.

What you experienced was not a bait and switch, nor were you "had". You left, they sold the car, you came back wanting the car and it was no longer available. By your own report, they did not even offer you, "...a more lucrative deal."

You stated they did not want to deal with you after your "lunch", which would lend me to believe that you made such a fuss after finding out you screwed yourself by leaving without the car the first time, that they no longer wanted you on the premises. According to you when you walked away, no one tried to stop you. Clear evidence you were no longer welcome on the lot.

Car dealerships are in business to make money. They are notoriously unconcerned from where it comes. It defies logic that they would sell the car you wanted and then as a "scam" chase you from the lot without trying to make dollar one on you for no reason. Especially after being willing to negotiate the price with you initially.

Oh, and I DID Google High Country Toyota after reading this. The only other complaint I found was about the way they negotiated the deal. You apparently had no such issue. There is no "victims list" to which you should be added. It is my opinion after reading this that you walked away from a good deal to "think about it", and in the interim the car was sold. No rip off. Completely your fault.

mailed to the Mainstream Media in the USA in 2007.