Melody Toyota

Reviews 3

DA

Dan Lyon

This review is for the used car sales department. My family and I recently purchased a used car from Melody. We were directed here by an ad on AutoTrader, which, interestingly enough, listed the car as having about 12,000 fewer miles than the free CarFax report provided on the cars listing page (they would later claim it was a clerical error). This was okay, as the car was within our price range, and its actual mileage was still below the average 15,000 per year. I called into the dealership; the guy I talked to was friendly enough, and after calling me back to verify that the car was still there, I agreed to come in to check it out. The cars exterior was in pretty good condition, though the interior was definitely in need of some cleaning. A second salesman, who assisted us when we arrived, assured us that the car would be cleaned up at a later point (apparently it had just come from their "detailing center"), and after demonstrating some of the cars features, including its moonroof and keyless entry system, we went inside to negotiate a price. After reaching a price we felt like we could live with, with several preconditions including a few absolutely essential repairs, the previously mentioned interior cleanup, and the provision of the cars mechanical inspection report (which had been provided for us upfront by every single other dealer wed visited in our search), we paid for the car and left. To make an already long story short, after picking up the car a few days later, we realized on the way home that we didnt get all we had agreed to. First of all, the inspection report was not provided with the cars paperwork (more on that later). Second, the car had not been cleaned AT ALL, not even a quick once over vacuuming. Lastly (we hope, at least), the automatic locks, and thus the keyless entry that the second salesman had made a point of showing to us, didnt work (though the panic button works. Yay?). Thats fine, I realize that these things are sold "as is," but it seems pretty dishonest to make a point of showing us a feature of the car that apparently never worked in the first place. Oh, well. Next, when I asked about the missing inspection report, I was told to call back the next day and talk to the "used car manager." Turns out it this was just a major league blow-off. Luckily, another family member had some free time the next day and was able to head over to the dealership. After making her wait around in one of their offices, apparently lying about speaking to me the previous day, and acting like she was trying to pull their teeth, they provided what I can only guess is the full report. I still cant figure out why this was so difficult when everywhere else we looked provided it upfront without any hassle. Needless to say, this left me confused and with a bad taste in my mouth. So, in review, they were nice enough before they got our money, but were oddly dodgy after our check cleared. They didnt clean the car like we had agreed. The very simple inspection report we had requested at the time of the purchase was, mysteriously, very difficult to obtain in the end. Ultimately, Im happy with the car (which, now that I think of it, doesnt really have much to do with them anyway), and they did at least perform the essential repairs they discussed, but if you choose to shop for used cars here, get everything you can up front. Unless youre insistent, they wont go out of their way to help you out as soon as they have your money.

CH

Christopher Diez

Wow! What an epic fail I experienced at Melody Toyota yesterday. I guess I should have expected it since the lack of service started right from the beginning when I made the appointment to have a routine service. Then, most everything from start to finish yesterday was a total disappointment. In the end, I dont even know what they did to my car...if they did anything at all. But they made sure I paid my bill before they gave me my car back. Ill go into more detail below but I would caution anyone who is considering Melody Toyota. With so many issues, it will take them a long time to improve their service to a point that would be at least respectable. I, for one, will never go back. Now for the details. I started by booking my service appointment online. During the process they ask you if you would like to have an advisor contact you before your visit. I said yes; I wanted to get an idea of what the cost would be. No one ever contacted me. I showed up at my scheduled time. I waited and waited and waited for someone to help me...wondering why do we schedule an appointment if they are not expecting us? My time is just as valuable. It seemed like they had few people working and urgency didnt appear to be a concern. Finally, the advisor took my car, gave me my paperwork and sent me on my way. He never asked me if I had any issues or questions. A few hours later, someone (not my initial advisor) called and said my car was ready. When I arrived to pick it up, no one seemed interested in helping me. My advisor was nowhere to be found. I stood there for 15 minutes as employees walked past me, ignoring me. Couldnt someone have just asked if I was being helped? Eventually another advisor tried to help me but he couldnt tell me anything about what was done to my car. He just shoved the paperwork at me and told me to go the cashier. I have no idea how my brakes were, if my tires were rotated, if the treads were ok, if there were any issues I should be aware of. These are the usual things they tell you. There wasnt even a sheet attached to the paperwork that showed what they did or their results. I went to the cashier to pay and she asked me if everything was explained to me. I said no. She seemed a bit surprised to me but didnt do anything. She just processed my payment, handed me my key and told me it was somewhere in the parking lot. I walked to my car to end this horrible experience with one last disappointment. The "complimentary car wash" they advertise and so proudly display on the wall of their service center wasnt done. Heavy sigh. I literally drove away wondering what I just paid for. Did they just reset my maintenance light and collect their money? It sure felt that way. Needless to say, given my experience and with so many things wrong with their service, I cant recommend them and will find somewhere else that can treat me with the respect and appreciation I deserve. Im sure there are many other places that would be happy to have my business.

LO

Lori Abreu-Bennett

Meera Lal, Sales Consultant for Melody Toyota and her Sales Manager, Ron Edwards, depict what professional car salespersons should be, Honest, Knowledgeable, Sincere and Respectful. My daughter was in the market for a Hybrid Camry SE. We started out at Livermore Toyota. After 3 and 1/2 hours of "this is our best offer" and "this is how much we are going to help you" I decided to make a few calls to find a car to meet her needs. Livermore Toyota said they were unable to search or trade with another dealer and that we would not be able to find the car she wanted. They more than insisted the car they had met her needs even though it was NOT the color she wanted. Having bought and sold 22 cars over the last 40 years, I wasnt having it. I have never felt more pressured or disrespected than I did at that dealership. Thank goodness I stepped out. Using Edmunds, I searched for her car and found that yes, in fact there was a Ruby Flare SE available with Black interior. I told the salesperson at Livermore and he said " I guarantee you they do not have it" My call into Melody Toyota gave me Meera Lal. I was desperate and cautious after being told Melody just wanted to get us there and would sell us something else. Meera assured me that she would make sure they had the vehicle and would double check and call me back. She did just that, and as I had asked, she let me speak with her Sales Manager, Ron Edwards. He too was respectful, considerate and knowledgeable. I explained what had happened at Livermore Toyota and I just wanted someone I could trust and believe. Ron also assured me they had the vehicle. One week later, Saturday, June 20th, my daughter was driving off in her new Camry Hybrid SE in Ruby Flare and Black interior. The experience with Melody was what I believe all dealerships should be. My daughter got an excellent deal. Meera took her through the car and went through the Manual and the basics so she felt comfortable in driving off. Im going to say this, dont think a fancy building and showroom is a sign of a successful dealership. Dont judge a book by its cover. I truly believe that the dealership is only as good as its salespeople. Honesty, follow up and follow through, and if you dont know, say it, but say I will find out and call back. Thank you Melody Toyota for hiring people like Meera and Ron. Youve restored my trust that there are honest, caring salespeople out there. FYI, we still have 2 of our Toyotas, 250K miles on one and 200K on the other!