Gullo Toyota of Conroe

Can we return to a time where people honored their word? A time when a code of ethics ruled, and a sense of honor and dignity prevailed? I suppose not, as every time we stick our hands out for a handshake A time when a code of ethics ruled, and a sense of honor and dignity prevailed? I suppose not, as every time we stick our hands out for a handshake and believe we both are doing the honorable thing, we later learn that they just smiled back at us thinking "suckers!" I honestly hope that we do not change, but over the years one can only take so many hits before they become so cynical of everyone that we simply have to believe everyone is out to rip you off and if you don't take that attitude towards them, they will get the better of you. I just don't want to become that person. This is all related to our latest experience this past week at Gullo Mazda. As you may have read if my other blog relating to our wonderful GM Malibu Maxx, we were anxious to get out of this. Now my wife is an avid researcher so we, as quickly as we could, began our hunt for some foreign cars. We landed at Gullo Mazda to test drive a few cars to see what we were interested in. We test drove a few Toyota's (these two dealerships are side-by-side) and an older Sienna which the price seemed nice and we could pay cash for it and not have to finance anything. We left for the day and did a bit more research and everything we could find pointed us to the decision that the van was a good price as well as a Mazda 6 that were being advertised at another dealship far far away. So going back up there two days later, we test drove a comperable Mazda 6 and began negotiations on it as we wanted something a bit newer than the van was offering. During this process, we learned that the Sunfire was trading at a price higher than we both expected and decided that trading both our cars in for a Toyota van and Mazda 6 was our best opportunity to get out of both of these cars and use that leverage of buying two vehicles for the same dealership the same day for a better price. We were told by our salesman that the van being a 2000 model with 113K miles on it only qualified for a 30 day limited warranty and because we were buying on site and signing that night, we were told that we could take it to our mechanic and have it looked at for any issues that may not have been seen that evening as they didn't want us to leave without buying. So with those "promises" in place and us being gulible in believing that they would honor their word we purchased both vehicles and drove home very happy. On the second day of ownership, we had our opportunity to drop off the van at our mechanics for a look over and he determined that we needed the following: * New timing belt which also required a new water pump per Toyota standards. * The power steering pump had fluids on it indicating that it was leaking. * Valve cover was leaking oil. * Radiator hoses were dry rotting. All of which we would not know needed to be replaced and was the main reason we negotiated this prior to sale that we would have the opportunity to have this looked at our mechanic. Obviously, if these items were known, they would have been requested fixed PRIOR to sale, but we had our assurances! So I call our salesman up only to get a voicemail which was left on Friday morning. We call throughout the day and I finally ask the receptionist if he is in and was told that he is probably with a customer at the moment. Saturday morning, no return calls. So I call for the manager, and again was forced to leave a message. Again we call throughout the day and again, only voicemails. We did later learn that the salesman left a message on our home phone Saturday morning, but explained "...we have customers that have mechanics check out the vehicle before they purchase them, uah, so you know, basically we really don't feel responsible for any of that stuff..." Once received that message late Saturday afternoon, I first called for our salesman and yet again, voicemail. This time I am not giving up until I speak with someone. So after 5 calls to the operator who first disconnected me, then transfered me before I could finish my request, and finally told her bluntly that I want to speak to a person in charge now and will not stop calling until I get a person to speak with. Also, we were already in the car and decided to make a personal visit if we have too. Finally, she is able to get the used car manager on the line (the one who also worked with our salesman) and I explained the situation. I was told that there is no 30 day warranties on vehicles over 100K and that the salesman just mispoke when he offered that too us during our purchase. Oh that's just dandy and BS! He also stated that mechanics like to drum up business and that their people would have to look at it first. So we had an understanding that the van would be dropped off that Monday morning for a review of what our mechanic found. So we call around 4:00 Monday afternoon as we have heard nothing from Gullo about the van. I call and left yet another voicemail with the manager as we need to know when we might get this back as we are now functioning on one car. Again, no call backs and again I am forced to call them to get the service department who tells us that they see no problems with the power steering pump. The one item that I could possibly hold their feet to the fire as this was a safty issue. We already had to pay a grand for the radiator hoses and timing belt as we knew that they would cover that as part of their "gotcha" campaign They wanted to keep it another day to ensure that it isn't leaking. Tuesday afternoon comes around and again no calls from Gullo. I call the services department first to get a guy who knows nothing about this van and was transferred to the manager only to again get a voicemail. I leave a message. Wednesday is now here and you guessed it, no call backs from my messages left inquiring about a status. I again call the service department, I am pretty pissed at this point and was told that the power steering pump is fine and that there is only "seapage" on the valve cover...certainly nothing that they would deam to be an issue. He also gave me the name of a lady who deals with these types of customer issues. But guess what!....another voicemail. So I explain as best I could and through gritted teeth my situation. Graciously, she calls back within the hour after speaking with the manager and we are told that they are keeping the van until the new rearview mirror is in as part of our original agreement...only we were told on the voicemail from the salesman last Saturday, that it would be the following Monday before the mirror comes in. So I explained my issues with the lack of communication and that we would never leave our car there for over a week while waiting for a freakin' mirror. She offers us a loaner while we wait on that issue. So during our lunch on Wednesday, we drive down there to get the loaner car. Both the salesman and the manager ignore us completely and we get the loaner from another salesman who knew nothing of our situation. The very next morning, we get a call from our salesman that our van is ready to be picked up. WTF? If we knew it was going to be the next damn morning, we would have waited. So during Thursday's lunch we drive down their to get our van with all the known issues that they refuse to repair and we part our ways. Only the battery fries after my wife turned the car off. I call the salesman just because I am pissed and how about that....they guy answers his phone for the first time in over a week! Hmm...I have to wonder that he thought we were gone for good and he could now pick up the receiver. His comment to us is that we are stuck with it. I bitched him a thank you and hung up on him. More

Be careful with them, they go beyond honesty when it comes to their extended warranties. They not only push them too far, but they will resort to less than ethical methods to get you to sign for one of comes to their extended warranties. They not only push them too far, but they will resort to less than ethical methods to get you to sign for one of those and charge you dearly for them. You need to either stay clear or be very cautious with what you sign for, don't be afraid to be rude and ask why and what's being charged in your contract, also examine every paper really well. More

BEWARE!!! These guys are so totally sleazy, I can't even find the words to describe it. They continually found things wrong (they alleged) with the brand-new Camry I bought from them (but since I left Texas find the words to describe it. They continually found things wrong (they alleged) with the brand-new Camry I bought from them (but since I left Texas, I've needed no maintenance on the car beyond routine oil changes). When someone smashed into my car from behind and Gullo's body shop replaced the left rear quarter panel, they screwed it up--I later found a little pond in the spare tire compartment, because these morons hadn't sealed the seams. I can't warn you against these people strongly enough... More