A California Honda dealer to avoid!

[scott]

I'm pursuing Honda's lease deal as outlined on their Web site.

Hardin Honda in Anaheim is near one of my client sites so I popped in to start the paperwork rolling on one. Went thru the credit check and all; everything was okay just as I expected.

What I experienced were classical reasons to buy online instead of face-to-face at a dealer. Total high-pressure sales tactic. I decided to play along.

Asked for a silver Rideline but all they had was red. I head for the door. "Wait sir, we can get one delivered from another dealership!"

Okay.

After two hours of sitting around I say I don't have the time for this. My salesman enthusiastically tells me "The vehicle will be here in five minutes!!"

Another 30 minutes rolls by and my salesman comes to break the news that the other vehicle supposedly on its way was subjected to prior sale.

I'm thinking, RIIIIIGHT. My next thought is they're going to offer me a "great" deal on a red one right?

BINGO!! I'm told I can buy a red Ridgeline for invoice price because I've been so patient. (When I got home I checked their price against carsdirect.com, and their "invoice" price was some $300 higher than carsdirect's usual price.)

I'm guessing that after seeing my credit file they knew I'd qualify for a loan so tried to sell me a Ridgeline instead of leasing. Legal or not, it's so darn inappropriate. Hardin Honda is why we call it a "STEALER"!!!

[bbnmcas]

HOLY $h!t!!!! When I saw the title to this message I was thinking of the same dealer! I had a similar experience at this same dealership. I was in uniform on the way home from work when I went to check the Ridgeline out. The "sales manager came out to get the deal done. After going back and forth for 45 mins trying to get more money out of me the deal didn't work. How did I figure it out? The "sales manager" stopped coming to my table. He didn't come back and thank me for coming in, he just walked away from me and went to another couple trying to buy a car. Keep in mind that there is a Marine, just back from Iraq, in uniform, sitting at a table, looking at buying a new Ridgeline and instead of showing support for the troops, he blows me off. Way to go Hardin Honda! I bought my Black RTL at another dealer.