LARRY H MILLER HONDA - BOISE , ID --- DECEPTIVE 'BAIT and SWITCH" tactic Boise Idaho

1-27-18 

‘BAIT and SWITCH’  deceptive  practices by  “ Larry H Miller” [ LHM ]Honda – Boise ,  ID

for self financial interests and gain related to it’s  ‘ Total Care Auto’ warranty plan product.

First, allow me to explain LHM  self interest and gain factors.

            In an  ‘Automotive News ‘ article dated  january 14, 2015 by correspondent  Jim Henry .

CEO  of the Larry H Miller [LHM] Group of Companies , Greg Miller, named Bryant Henrie 27 yr veteran

with LHM Honda as president of  ‘Total Care Auto” ( TCA ) powered by  Landcar Insurance Services which

is an ANCILLARY [ owned and operated ]  ‘Finance & Insurance’ product of  LHM group. 

‘ Total Care Auto’ is an extended warranty plan for new and used vehicles. LHM group also offers their own

‘Anti-theft etching’ product along with other ancillary  products. ‘Total Care Auto’ website; http//landcar.com/about ,

will show their management team with photo, Bryant Henrie , President.

            In this article, Henrie discussed the new strategy move with correspondent  Jim Henry and

Henrie was asked , “ Do LHM  group dealerships have to use the  ‘Total Care Auto’ products or can they

Choose?” Henrie replies, “ They are not allowed to choose. They may all use our products, but we pride

Ourselves on being cost-competitive, product by product, with the market. And our service fare exceeds

What anybody else can provide.”  Henrie goes on to later say, in the article, that ,”… you don’t become the

10th largest auto chain in the contry by happenstance; you do it by selling cars, and the ancillary businesses that

You own and you have control over, those are crucial to the success of a car dealership these days. You know

What our stores need, you know what’s being asked for.” 

Additionally Henrie will continue to serve as  president of  ‘ Prestige Financial Services, Inc. another

Ancillary  which was created  in 1994 by LHM group In order to serve the  LHM  group of dealerships exclusively offering subprime auto loans for its Franchised dealerships to customers.

            Now let me explain the ‘BAIT and SWITCH,

            As with any parent, we all want to give the best education and experience to our kids for the their first time experience. My son had just come to the end of  his 2015 honda sport co-signed 3yr lease and now we were going to buy out the lease for purchase in his name only as his first self made purchase experience – he was  Pretty excited about this. The vehicle miles at the time were 36151 [ 151  over factory warranty ]

Our salesman was Sean and During pricing negotiations they always come out with a preliminary pricing on

Paper with total  months and  pricing totals. But in that pricing I noticed that there was a cost of  $299.00 for

‘Anti-theft Device” [ the ancillary product mentioned earlier] automatically included in the preliminary

Pricing and I pointed this out to Sean and told him to remove this from the price shown and to advise the finance manager of this removal. Sean said he would and returned to have my son and I follow him to Brian’s office [ turns out that Brian is the name of the finance manager and  I found out later that Justin was the name

Of  finance person who assisted my son and I with his transaction- yet  Justin never corrected me when I addressed him by name of  Brian several times while in his office  with him]. During our  finance meeting with Justin  he discussed numbers and when he drew up the contract I noticed that the  $299.00  ‘Anti-theft Device’ pricing was still included and I once again told him that I had told Sean to have you remove this pricing. Justin hesitated with a look of surprise and then printed up a new contract which lowered my sons  monthly payment  compare to his lease.

            Then Justin goes on to say,  “ ..your credits great, your incomes there, your buying out your lease, I mean so, I’ve done this forever, you know, just sign right there… Honda will be paid for ….ok, I’m going to go over a few things with you, the rest I’m going to breeze right on over ok?....the vehicle your buying came with a 3yr / 36k mile manufactures warranty pretty much covered everything…we know your out because of years and time –k,  the vehicle also came with a 5yr/60k mile powertrain warranty consist of engine , transmission, your buying a Honda , ok?….the least of my concerns is the engine…..the thing that SCARES  me are electronics and computers.. extend warranty till vehicle has 6yr or 100k miles that will cover EVERYTHING on that care except MAINTENANCE items…back-up cameras, blue tooth , audio controls, engine, trany, transaxles, starter, fuel pump, injectors,  I mean the whole shooting match except maintenance  items ok.

Maintenance items are tires, batteries, brake pads, rotors that sort of stuff  ‘k. “ Justin then stated he would need to inspect

car prior to applying warranty. He gave an example of making sure  no prior damage for coverage such as radio

busted or hole in floor. Based on  Justin’s recommendation and importance of the warranty product as he stated

my son and I agreed that this would be a good safe guard for repairs. Unfortunately , once he signed the papers

and we later reviewed the document, “ Total Care Auto “ powered by ‘Landcar’, fine print of warranty at home, none of the items mentioned by Justin were to be covered such as; blue tooth, rear camera, radio, audio controls and a lot more exclusions noted. We both felt Justin’s sincere emotion, honesty, and transparency expressed in selling our need for this warranty for vehicle protection. We both felt betrayed and I as a father, very upset for what my son will now have to face.  $1897.00 contract price with a $100 deductible on repairs for 6yr / 60000k mile added to purchase price of  vehicle which means he will also pay over $2000.00 in interest on this warranty alone.

            Then on 1/30/18 I go back to LHM  Honda , Boise and find Brian Ogilvie, the finance manager, and

Explain my frustration with this tactic used by Justin to get my son to purchase their  “Total Care Auto” warranty product and contract. Brian says I need to express my concerns with  “Total Care Auto”  and that I have the right to cancel. He then denies and supports the ethics of   Justin and only offers to lower the

Deductible to  $50 and he  would waive the $75.00 policy change fee [ I then thought to myself, the $50 deductible option was always there and we didn’t know- but the dealership would get $100.00 from customer

In addition to covered cost repairs reimbursement from “Total Care Auto” warranty ] 

            Now to cancel the “Total Care Auto” warranty contract would only be the cost and the estimated interest

Is already in contract signed and a week has passed now and the said bank to finance hasn’t received papers yet

And when I told Brian to cancel contract he flat out denied this request due to bank processing loan. I called bank in question on 2/2/18 and they had yet to receive papers and the bank had stated that in this situation they would not be able to  Amortize  the loan – the dealership would have to do that.

            This ‘BAIT and SWITCH’ allowed  Justin to make another commissioned sale for himself and the LMH group. This type of practice should never be allowed when all consumers truly rely on the words, knowledge, and transparency of  all those within an auto dealership in the purchase making process and options available in order to create a sense of possible future loyalty and trust for all to expect.

p.s.  Justin’s meeting was recorded to preserve accuracy of  statements  made .