Lamont Stevenson | Page 6

Thoughtful customer service I traveled about 250 miles to check out a hard to find car they had in stock. Upon arrival Lamont recognized my out of state tag and greeted me by nam I traveled about 250 miles to check out a hard to find car they had in stock. Upon arrival Lamont recognized my out of state tag and greeted me by name. He also, thoughtfully directed me to the restroom before anything else. That stuck me as being very customer focused rather than trying to lay a sales pitch as I stepped out of the car. The salesman I worked with, David, was very personable and relaxed so there was little pressure. Although the car was not the right one for me I can genuinely recommend these folks to anyone just based on the 30 minutes I was there. More

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Mixed product experience, but overall great people! I'm a firm believer in rewarding hard work, especially when it comes to helping the vitality of a business through word-of-mouth advertising and custo I'm a firm believer in rewarding hard work, especially when it comes to helping the vitality of a business through word-of-mouth advertising and customer testimonies. McKinney-Salinas Honda has had a lot of that same feedback over the years, as is evident from their excellent rating here on Dealer Rater. Now, I can see why! They have a relatively low-volume sales department, so in order for the business to thrive, they have to develop a top-notch service department, while fostering repeat sales and referrals from excellent customer service on behalf of their salesmen. At the end of the day, they do just that! Fantastic people. I recently purchased a new 2014 Accord Sport through them, and have had a poor experience with the product received, but an overall great experience with the service and sales staff. Originally, I was planning on buying a new-er used car (3 to 4 years old), and that's what initially attracted me to their dealership. Being a local Gastonian, I wanted to support a local business if they could match the prices I had been getting from other Charlotte area dealerships. I found a lightly used 2014 Accord Sport which fit my needs perfectly. Unfortunately, they couldn't come down on the price at all, However, they were able to offer me a lower price on a nearly identical new car! Sometimes year-end clearances are advantageous in that respect. Not being a high-volume dealer, I wasn't able to get them to match the prices I had been offered in Charlotte, but the fact that they were local and had invested time in me as a customer made it worthwhile. One thing that set them apart from some of the 8 or so dealerships I've worked with over the last month, was the sales manager's (Roger Hoyle) willingness to deal directly and transparently with me as a customer, instead of sending a salesman back and forth to negotiate pricing. Being able to judge his character, and his reactions during the sales process was a key element in sealing the deal for me. I felt that the deal was thoroughly explained, and that I was valued as a customer. The new car I was considering had a few on-the-lot issues with the paint, and a problem with the door closing completely. As a mechanic and engineer, I knew that the door closure issue alone, while not too uncommon, could indicate that further hidden problems existed with the car. If a shift at the Marysville, Ohio manufacturing plant was underperforming for one reason or another, issues could easily make it past quality control that would turn the car into a money pit after the warranty expires. The staff was tolerant and accommodating with my request to do a thorough inspection of the automobile, and to compare certain potential problem areas against another. I bought the car late that evening, contingent on the door being properly repaired quickly, and the staff was happy to stay past closing hours on a Friday (I would imagine some dealerships could get grumpy about it, even if they did make a sale). The finance manager, Angela, was extremely helpful and accomodating. My co-signer decided to purchase an extended warranty, which I did not support (based on the hard facts and monthly payment I'd be paying down the road), but in no way did she pressure us in making that decision. In the end, I was correct about the car, as it did have several other initial quality issues aside from the door closure. However, my initial inspection had not turned these up, and instead found them after buying the car and using it over a period of two to three weeks. Since they are still in the process in resolving these issues, and for the sake of their reputation (since this is the fault of Honda Corporate), I won't go into detail on the rest of the problems. As with all mass produced goods, cars come with certain problem areas that will need adjustment or replacement from time to time. Mine just happened to come with a few more than average, and is not what I expected from a brand like Honda. I am now in the process of sorting out those other issues, and so far my experiences with the dealership's service department have been mixed. I have also had quality issues with a few dealer installed accessories, and will need a few items replaced. Thus far, two visits were spent at the service department where the technicians could not fix items on the car, for various reasons. Also, I directly requested to speak with the 3rd party contractor doing my dealer-installed tinting 3 distinct times, but never met the man in the end. Now, I'm questioning what he did with my car! Frank, the salesman that helped us primarily, has recently become a great liaison for me with the service department, making sure they understood my needs. He has invested time in me far beyond the sales process, which means a lot. I met with the service manager earlier this week, and will be getting the issues addressed in one large go sometime next week. He is a great guy, a former detailer, and all-around quite experienced with automotive service. He seemed genuinely eager to get the issues properly fixed and to help with coordinating the process. Due to the lapses of customer service quality in the service department, I am only giving the dealership a 4/5 for overall customer service, but I would change that to 5/5 if I continue to receive good experiences in the future. Since I have had several issues with poor accessory installation and initial product quality with the vehicle, I am only giving the dealership a 2/5 for servicing, vehicle delivery and product quality. However, I would raise that to a 4/5 if all is completely resolved to my satisfaction in the coming weeks. Just to clarify, no major integrity issues, like the dealership hiding accident repairs or the like have popped up, only quality of work on repair and installed accessories. To be fair, I likely notice more quality issues than the average customer, but the fact that they were not repaired warrants the rating. Overall, the dealership deserves a 5/5 for friendliness, as everyone has been more than welcoming and friendly. You feel like you're appreciated after the sale, and that goes a long way. You won't "just be a number" at this dealership. Price receives a 3/5 (or average) rating, as the out the door price was decent, but not at all what I could have gotten by visiting dealerships in Charlotte. Their accessory and warranty prices are extremely high for the product received, but it is a major source of profit for any dealership. I would suggest going to a reputable 3rd party for Non-Honda accessories. To be fair, they were losing money on the deal, but so are all other dealerships this time of the year. Regionally, moderate sales over the months of July and August have led to a buyer's market, so I tried to take advantage of that fact. Since I am paying for the car (mentioned a co-signer earlier), and am living on a limited student income, I needed the best deal that I could get. So far, for the quality of product received, I feel that I overpaid. Overall, my experience at McKinney Salinas has been a good one. Generally speaking, the people in the sales department are hard-working, honest, friendly and transparent. They are willing to stand behind their products, and make sure that customer needs are properly addressed. They have earned my trust, so hats off to them! Based on my firsthand experience and knowledge from primary sources, the service department is average for a value-brand car moniker, but I would be willing to rate them higher if the follow-up repairs go favorably. More

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The overall buying experience was quick, easy and pleasant! I recently bought a Honda CR-V at McKenney-Salinas(7-3-14). I was really dreading the whole car buying process. I had a really old car and it had been I recently bought a Honda CR-V at McKenney-Salinas(7-3-14). I was really dreading the whole car buying process. I had a really old car and it had been a long time since I had purchased a car. I had saw the cr-v on cars.com so I stopped and took a look at it. I really liked the look of the vehicle. I started into the dealership and Lamont Stevenson met me going in. I told him which cr-v I wanted to drive, he said for me to sit down and ask if I would like a bottle of water, and then proceeded to get the keys so we could go for a test drive. He had such a easy manner about him, he made me feel very comfortable right off. After the test drive, I told him I loved the way the vehicle drove and handled and that I liked everything about it and that I wanted to purchase it. Lamont got the paper work done and faxed it to my bank so that they could setup the loan and I called my insurance and gave them the information they needed. Chris Pressley went over all the paperwork and I signed it. The whole process was easy, quick and pleasant. Lamont cleaned up and gased up the car and put my tag on for me. I had a rental car, so I drove it back to the rental place and another salesman picked me up and took me back to the dealership and Lamont was there waiting on me to shake my hand and thank me before I left. Lamont was very knowledgeable of the car, courteous and professional throughout the whole process. He said if I had any questions about the cr-v, just to call him and he would be glad to help me. He also sent me a follow-up email to see how things were going with the cr-v and to let him know if I needed anything. Thank you Lamont and Makenny Salinas for a pleasant buying experience. Rita Pasour More

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I purchased a 2003 Ford F-150 from Lamont Stevenson and he was great to work with. I found the vehicle on autotrader.com late one evening and stopped by the dealership early the next morning (before busine he was great to work with. I found the vehicle on autotrader.com late one evening and stopped by the dealership early the next morning (before business hours) to see if the truck was still on the lot. Lamont got the keys and off we went on a short test drive. I was impressed with this vehicle but had a business obligation to attend and told him I would be back in a few hours. I called him shortly afterwards and told him I was on my way but when I got to the dealership someone else was test driving it. I left the dealership just a little disappointed fearing some else was about to purchase the vehicle. Lamont called me about 20 minutes later and said the truck was back on the lot and available. I told him I would be there in 10 minutes but he asked if he could bring it to me instead so he could get it off the lot. True to his word he delivered it to where I was. I then took the truck on another test drive and decided this was the one for me. Lamont took care of his necessary paperwork and I was out the door within an hour with my new used truck. Lamont was a pleasure to deal with and I highly recommend his services to anyone looking for a new or used vehicle. More

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I recently purchased a 2014 Honda Accord from McKenney Salinas Honda-Mitsubishi. This is the third Honda that I have purchased new since 1990 with the last two purchases from McKenny Salinas Honda-Mitsubi Salinas Honda-Mitsubishi. This is the third Honda that I have purchased new since 1990 with the last two purchases from McKenny Salinas Honda-Mitsubishi. I decided to purchase my new vehicle from McKenney Salinas Mitsubishi Honda because of the professional and courteous service that I consistently received throughout the years from the Service Department. This same service was recently demonstrated in my interactions with sales representative Lamont Stephenson. Most people dread purchasing a vehicle because of the price negotiations and haggling back and forth. This was not case with my recent purchase. I found my interactions with Lamont and his Sales Manager, Roger Hoyle, to be very friendly, professional, and courteous. Lamont was not pushy in his sales approach but listened to what I was looking for and assisted me in locating the type of car in their inventory. He was upfront and his integrity made me feel very comfortable throughout the entire selection and closing process. Roger answered any questions I had about my purchase agreement and financing. I feel that I obtained a very good sales price on the vehicle I selected. The Honda product sells itself. It is assuring to know that as a customer you are going to receive consistent professional and courteous from sales to service. I would highly recommend that if you are looking to purchase a vehicle to contact Lamont Stephenson and let him assist you in finding the vehicle you desire. You won't be disappointed. The Service Department is excellent also. Lamar Ledford has been with the dealership over 16 years as a Service Advisor. He has been assisting me for the last 13 years with miscellaneous maintenance needs on my 2001 Honda Accord. Now I am looking forward to Lamar and the Service Department taking care of my 2014 Honda Accord. I highly recommend McKenney Salinas Honda-Mitsubishi without hesitation. More

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I was very satisfied with my recent purchase of a 2006 Chevy Cobalt. I wanted to make sure that the dealership know that Lamont Stevenson, was very professional, was able to ask any question about the veh Chevy Cobalt. I wanted to make sure that the dealership know that Lamont Stevenson, was very professional, was able to ask any question about the vehicle. I would definitely recommend Lamont Stevenson and the McKinney Family. Thanks again for everything. More

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First, Jessica helped me on the phone, not only with the car we actually first viewed on-line, but with some other options Honda's offering now for year end. Once at the dealership, Lamont introduced himse car we actually first viewed on-line, but with some other options Honda's offering now for year end. Once at the dealership, Lamont introduced himself, explained options and warrenty info on the used car we'd gone there about, and let us take a test ride. He also explained in further detail the sales specials on the new Civics, and let us test one of those. He was not pushy or too forward; he was very nice, personable and knowledgeable about the car and the dealer's matters like price (a big concern for me), warranty, etc. Needless to say, we went ahead and bought a new model, as when I weighed our options, finances, and the Lifetime on the new one, I believe it's the better car option for our family. He introduced us to Jonathan, did the paperwork, etc., and I enjoyed a nice chat with him as we worked on the deal. He then handed us off to Chris for final paperwork, etc. Chris also made me aware of the extra bumper-to-bumper, and we did go ahead with that also, since I plan on keeping the car for a long time. The payments were able to be kept where I needed them to be also, which would have been a deal-breaker for me. The guys all gave us 100% even though it meant being there past closing time. We had a wonderful experience, and I am thankful to all the employees who we dealt with and made the deal happen. More

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Lamont Stevenson was great to work with! He made the sale quick and easy. This review would have been great all around except for an issue that I had with one of the two keys I was given. The remote entry d quick and easy. This review would have been great all around except for an issue that I had with one of the two keys I was given. The remote entry did not work on one key and this was not explained to me at the time of sale. The dealership did work with me to try to reprogram the key, but in the end, it turned out that the key was a "dud." I was given the option to go in half for the payment of the new key. I felt this was very unfair since I was sold the car under the assumption that both keys were fully functional and not partially functional. I really had to argue this point with Jonathan (Don't know his last name) in order to get the key issue resolved. The arguing and haggling over the key was not necessary and not good customer service. I was also told that the key was never tested. In the end, the dealership finally offered to replace the key w/ remote entry at no cost to me. It was a great experience except for this one set back. More

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This was our third time purchasing a car from McKenney-Salinas, we went back because of the wonderful service we recieved the first two times in dealing with Lamont Stevenson, when we decieded to McKenney-Salinas, we went back because of the wonderful service we recieved the first two times in dealing with Lamont Stevenson, when we decieded to purchase our vechicle this was the only place we came to. We both felt ( my husband and I) that since Lamont had been so kind and helpful the first time we were there, there would be no reason to look elsewhere. And just like the first time, Lamont gave us his attention to workmanship, and detail, listened to what we wanted and then suggested several cars for us to look at. We settled on the Nissan and the paper work was taken care of in a very timely manner. Although it will hopefully be awhile before we need another car, we will certainly return to your dealership first. We have also suggested that our son check out your dealership, when he gets ready for a new vechicle. Thank you Lamont for being the kind of person you are and you can count on our coming back to see you. Mary M. Thompson More

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Great buying experience. Lamont was friendly and courteous. Chris got me a good rate for a used car. No pressure just buy and go. If you want to buy a car without a lot of pressure this is the place courteous. Chris got me a good rate for a used car. No pressure just buy and go. If you want to buy a car without a lot of pressure this is the place to go. Asked question via e-mail. With in minutes Jessica responded. Great people to deal with. Thanks everyone :) More

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