On Saturday March 25,2006 I visited Infiniti of Fairfield to test drive an FX35, which is a pretty nice vehicle. After the test drive, Mitch, my salesman and I then went inside to begin the credit application process and discussed the terms I was looking for. I told him I would only be trading in my 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer and that the payments of $450.00 a month was all I could afford.
Mitch then asked how high I could afford the payments, from $450 to what. I explained to Mitch $450.00 was as high as I could go. So Mitch runs off to the sales office and comes back with payments ranging from approximately $700.00 to $900.00 a month. At this point I tell Mitch I might as well leave, he says to wait, he will see what he can do to get the payments lowered.
Here I am, in a luxury car dealership playing the How much can we rip the customer off for game. Well Mitch comes back with payments that are lower but still not approaching my requested payment of $450.00. At this point I tell Mitch I would like my keys and insurance card back. He says to wait and off he goes again. He comes back and the payment is a little lower but still not even close to $450.00.
I again ask for my keys and insurance card as I tell him Im leaving. So Mitch leaves again, and returns with closer, who has brought the payments down a little more, but we are still $75.00 away from $450.00. I told him no and to bring me my keys and insurance card. The closer says he will try again, I tell him this is his final chance. He comes back right around $500.00, I tell him no and for the fourth time to I ask for my keys and insurance card. The closer says maybe he can get them lower and I told him no and he heads back to the sales office. I followed him and asked several more times for my keys and insurance card. They still will not give me my keys or insurance card. Here I am in a luxury car dealership being strong-armed. I finally told them to give me my keys and insurance card or I am calling the police.
I had to threaten to call the Police before they finally gave me my keys. I had to request again for my insurance card and they gave it to me. As I am walking to my car to leave these guys do not give up, they are still trying to get me back inside, they followed me to my car. After I get home another manager calls me to tell me hes sorry about the incident and that I left my registration there. He tells me he heard part of the conversation and the part about my calling the police. Now, if I were a manager and I heard a customer saying give me my keys or Im calling the police, I would have went out to the floor to see why a customer was so upset. It must be that they condone that kind of sales tactic and if the dealership condones it then I would imagine that Infinity condones it as well.
Now here I am, Im 63, 250 pound weight lifter, former Marine Staff Sergeant being strong-armed by a car dealership. I wonder what they do to other people, who are less intimidating such as single women and young adults.
I did leave my registration there and I told them to mail it to me, I know I'll never get it as it will probably be thrown away and they will tell me it probably got lost in the mail. I'm just so upset at basically being held against my will that I can't even go back into a car dealership
