Plattner's Venice Superstore

I would recommend this dealership with a caveat. On first contact via phone the salesman, Robert, was amiable and all. I was asking what the total cost (out the door) would be on an asking price of $9 first contact via phone the salesman, Robert, was amiable and all. I was asking what the total cost (out the door) would be on an asking price of $9184.00 on a 2004 Trailblazer EXT with 77k. The dealer fees, tax, etc. put it up well over $11k! That's around 20%. I said I couldn't accept that, and was told that they weren't making anything on this vehicle as it was (always a lie). I don't like being lied to, and I don't care, it isn't necessary. However, I told myself that this is a used car dealer, and tried to ignore it as a normal sales tactic. When I couldn't get them to budge more than a couple of hundred bucks, I gave up and basically walked. I didn't want to spend over $10k. What do you know, a day or so later Robert called me back and asked if they knocked off one of their two huge dealer fees ($600) whether I'd buy it. Wow! They were willing to lose money just for me! (Riiiiiight). I thought about it. Still over my $10k limit. Still almost $1500 over the advertised price. I told him I'd talk to my wife. In the end I didn't commit over the phone. I was calling FL from Maine. I was flying down anyway. To his credit, Robert had offered to give me a ride to the dealership from where I was staying, but I rented a car instead. I can just imagine the sales pitch if I had been standing there at the dealership without a car to drive off in. The car looked good and ran well. It had a few signs of wear and tear from it's 77k, but overall pretty nice, with the 4wd and 3rd row seats I required. It had had about a gallon of ArmorAll type product slathered all over the place, and new pin stripes, things I would have preferred not to pay for. More sales tactics. I could hardly hold onto the wheel, it was so slippery, and with rain falling on the inner door handle it was getting goopy. Yuck. Worst of all, they wouldn't put any kind of warranty on it, saying that no dealership would because of the year. I checked. Most offered one as part of the sale, either a 90 day power train or a 1000 mile, that sort of thing. Another lie. Then they tried to sell me one for $1600. Very insulting. The real reason I bought it had less to do with the dealer than with my own logistical needs. Of all the vehicles I found that might have fit the bill, this one was the closest to where I was staying. I got a pretty nice car early in my stay and was able to return my rental and not spend my whole time in FL driving around car shopping. I decided that was worth the extra $500 I ended up paying beyond my budget. In similar circumstances, sure, I would buy from Plattner again. I took a risk, though. Without a warrantee, if I'd called them up on my way home with car trouble I'm sure they wouldn't have helped me out one bit. They made their money. Bet this car auctioned for about $5k. More

Our experience from beginning to end was awful. My 19 year old son was out to purchase his first vehicle. He had 2500.00 in hand for a down payment. Plattners sold him a 1998 Cadillac Catera way over B year old son was out to purchase his first vehicle. He had 2500.00 in hand for a down payment. Plattners sold him a 1998 Cadillac Catera way over Blue Book value , and the Radiator cracked two days after driving it. Now, I give Plattners credit in replacing the radiator with little resistance but when we picked it back up at their location a once full gas tank was completely empty and they refused to put enough in to just make it to a gas station. That being said..he was supposed to have had 10.00 in gas put in the vehicle when he bought it which they neglected to do..he also drove away with all of his fluids empty. It is now 4 months out from his purchase and the engine is blown. This is not a case of simply buying a lemon. This dealership knew they were selling him a worthless car and did it with a smile on their faces. I would recommend that if you are looking for a used Vehicle that you head on over to Toyota down the street..they will do you right, as they took this crap car off his hands and put him into something reliable and worth the money. Plattners is lucky we don't stand in front of their establishment with a "Buyer Beware" sign. More