Tried to testdrive 07 Tundra - NOT HAPPY!

[AgTitan06]

I thought today would be the perfect day to test drive the new 5.7L Tundra...Went in to do some work this morning from 7am-3:30pm...On my way home, I stopped off at Don McGill Toyota of Katy. Rolled up in my Titan and got a spot right in the front. All the salesmen were staring at me, but I decided to walk over to the Tundra's first to look around..About 15 minutes later, I was ready to drive one. I couldn't find a salesman anywhere, so I went inside to the receptionist to ask for one. Took ten minutes for someone to finally come help me. I tell them I wanted to check out and drive the new Tundra. I told him I had a Titan. He said "why would you want to get rid of the Titan for the Tundra - the Titan is the only truck that comes close to the Tundra..." - Anyways, I told him I wanted to check out the Tundra..He walked over to the one on the showroom floor (which wasn't even a 5.7L), and just opened the door...So I got in, and sat there expecting him to do something...but he didn't, so after a minute, I asked if I could take one for a testdrive. He said hold on, and I'll see if I can find someone. About 5 minutes later, he came back with the "Tundra-expert" as he called him. He said "What do you want to do?" I told him I wanted to drive the 5.7L Tundra, because I want to compare it to my Titan. He took me out to a 5.7L Tundra and didn't do anything except stand there. He proceeded to tell me the "tundra is the best truck out there", and I asked why, then he took me over to the other side and showed me a sticker that had all the reasons...blah..whatever...He opened the hood, and said it's a 5.7L V8, best in class....that's about it...then as I was looking at it, he took a business card out, handed it to me, and said "When you are ready to buy, call me..I'm really busy today and I have things to do"...he said feel free to stand there and look at the truck as long as I want..I said okayyyyy....then he left, and I drove my Titan home very fast, accelerating every chance I had because I was so ticked!

[kev009]

I'd call him and tell him for being an *** hole you went to another dealer and bought one (yes, those exact words).

[paulphilly]

Wow!! Sounds like to me that they didnt take you serious and thought you just wanted to drive the Tundra for the heck of it. I have had the same thing happen to me in the past where a dealer "assumes" you dont want to buy a vehicle and instead want to take it out and squeal the tires. So, they dont waste their time.

[Cali D]

I have never heard of such a thing. I've never been able to go on any lot and not be attcked by a salesman.
In fact I refer to car salesmen as vultures, because they just kinda hover/circle around waiting for you to step out of your car.
It sounds like to me, that they decided there was something about you they didn't like. I would call the general manager and tell him of the shabby treatment you received, and inform him you just traded in your titan at dealership X for a new Tundra. Also be sure to include the names of the salesmen involved.

[AZCharger]

Originally Posted by AgTitan06

I thought today would be the perfect day to test drive the new 5.7L Tundra...Went in to do some work this morning from 7am-3:30pm...On my way home, I stopped off at Don McGill Toyota of Katy. Rolled up in my Titan and got a spot right in the front. All the salesmen were staring at me, but I decided to walk over to the Tundra's first to look around..About 15 minutes later, I was ready to drive one. I couldn't find a salesman anywhere, so I went inside to the receptionist to ask for one. Took ten minutes for someone to finally come help me. I tell them I wanted to check out and drive the new Tundra. I told him I had a Titan. He said "why would you want to get rid of the Titan for the Tundra - the Titan is the only truck that comes close to the Tundra..." - Anyways, I told him I wanted to check out the Tundra..He walked over to the one on the showroom floor (which wasn't even a 5.7L), and just opened the door...So I got in, and sat there expecting him to do something...but he didn't, so after a minute, I asked if I could take one for a testdrive. He said hold on, and I'll see if I can find someone. About 5 minutes later, he came back with the "Tundra-expert" as he called him. He said "What do you want to do?" I told him I wanted to drive the 5.7L Tundra, because I want to compare it to my Titan. He took me out to a 5.7L Tundra and didn't do anything except stand there. He proceeded to tell me the "tundra is the best truck out there", and I asked why, then he took me over to the other side and showed me a sticker that had all the reasons...blah..whatever...He opened the hood, and said it's a 5.7L V8, best in class....that's about it...then as I was looking at it, he took a business card out, handed it to me, and said "When you are ready to buy, call me..I'm really busy today and I have things to do"...he said feel free to stand there and look at the truck as long as I want..I said okayyyyy....then he left, and I drove my Titan home very fast, accelerating every chance I had because I was so ticked!

Sorry man. I sympathize with your situation. Both guys sounded like real tools. The fact that you said you'd like to drive one, and he completely ignored you. What a dick! Anyway, I wouldn't base the way you were treated on the "whole tundra experience." I was screwed over at a dealer too a week ago(sold my promised Tundra to someone else) but I hung in there, although went to another dealer, and had a much better experience. Happy hunting.

[Cooper S]

Don't let your bad experiance with a bad dealer get to ya...in aint worth it. Not all dealers are the same.

[TRDSport]

Sorry to hear about that. My brother and I experienced the same thing when he was looking to buy a Pontiac GTO. We went to a Chevy dealership b/c they had a used one for sale but they basically said they wouldn't allow my brother to test drive it until he signed papers. Some what understandable considering it was two young guys but still bad customer service.

Hang in there and don't get discouraged because of one bad experience.

[Drabon74]

dealer here are aking people to drive them! I told the guy i wasnt looking to buy right now, he told me that it didnt matter, to take it for a spin!

[kev009]

Originally Posted by AZCharger

Both guys sounded like real tools.

I can't think of a better word for a car salesman. In fact, I think it should be considered a synonym.

[f64]

Agtitan,

Your story makes me mad. Alot of Toyota dealers/salesmen are total tools. Toyota dealers in particular are renown for this type of arrogance. I'm sure there are good ones out there, but most of the ones I've dealt with are arrogant snakes. I actually bought my first brand new Toyota truck from a Hyundai salesman that had Toyota fleet connections because I loathed the pit of snakes that comprised one Toyota dealership so much.

My local Toyota dealer has salesmen that look like thugs with tatoos up and down their arms and a few days of beard growth with an attitude to match. I was more than happy to go next door to the friendly Honda dealership. Those guys were great. They were very friendly and would bend over backwards for you. I paid cash for a Honda Fit Sport and Ridgeline RTL. I felt like sending copies of the cancelled checks to the Toyota dealer.

If your young or look young I think many times you get treated like trash because of the assumptions some tools make about your ability to pay. Don't let it get you down. You shouldn't have to be ready to buy to take a lame 1 mile test drive. The test drive is supposed to bait you into buying the truck. Okay, I need to go cool down now.

[butasan]

I don't think AgTitan06's story had something to do with Toyota dealer, but fraud-minded salespersons/managers, and how sales are done generally in this country. Car salespersons/managers are especially plain lowly creatures.

You never ever have that kind of bad treatment at any car dealers in Japan.

I once had a conversation with Japanese salesperson at Toyota dealer in CA.
He told me that he hated those fraud-minded car salespersons, and he would never be able to get a promotion because he takes care his customers by spending lot of time for them(because of this his sales are actually good).

[bennicde]

I drive past two toyota dealers and 100 miles out of my way to aviod dealers like that. Don't get mad just stay away from them.

[edexcsc]

I had similar experience here also with some Toyota dealers when I was looking for my Tundra. One that stood out the most for me was expressway Toyota. The salesman I dealt with didnt even know anything about tundra. He even had the nerv to ask for my Driver's license + credit card in order to pull out their inventory ???? WTF??? He said it's needed because he wanted to make sure I was serious in buying one. Right there and then I left instantly. I almost gave up buying the truck because of that.
Anyway long story short I ended up driving 240 miles to Mike Erdman Toyota to get my truck and I had a completely diffrerent treatment at that dealership + good deal on the truck . I would not hesitate to get back there again when I'm ready to get another toyota vehicle. Sorry for the the long thread.

[jasbus]

Let me start by saying, I think car salesman are the lowest form of dung on planet earth. Hate them, hate buying cars because of them. However, if someone pulls in the lot with a Titan, says he's driving a Titan, and obviously is there just to compare and not buy, I can't say I'd spend any amount of time on them either. Doesn't make it right, just sayin...
I don't expect good service from any salesman, they are scum. That way, my expectations aren't high when I get to the lot. It literally takes me months to buy a car, but I get the deal I want, and sometimes at a dealer I don't like. I consider it more of a necesity of life, and don't expect a lot from them to begin with...
I've been asked to leave, and kicked out a couple of times, the way I see it, if they are @$$holes, I'm gonna treat them like the feces.

[FiveOh]

That sucks!

I just went to my dealer a couple days ago (even before they did their official launch). I went straight in and said I want to drive one. I was on the road in literally 2 mins. He never tried to sell me the truck. (this is why I bought my '06 from them) Today I'm going in to take one for 2 days to see if I like it. ( Won't tell them that I already love it).