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View Full Version : Rant: My car buying experience.



punky
06-16-2007, 09:46 PM
As most of you have known I have been asking about buying a high km car. (here (http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?s=&threadid=180005))
That's because I found something on Autotrader, and the seller is Brado's Truck and Import (Located in edmonton).
After looking at the details its a 2001 Maxima, 240KM, for $4880.00.
I was thinking wow, what a good deal. So immediately i went to beyond and ask for everyone's experience.
Next day i decided to call them and asked about payment, conditions, etc... At the end I asked him to hold it for one day, and he immediately agree. I went through all the preparation, and gather all my cash together. The next morning i drove to edmonton. I got there at around 2:30PM immediately i saw the car, but someone else is looking at it.
I walked in and said, "hi"
The guy replied "Are you the guy who called me about the maxima yesterday?"
I told him, "yes".
So he told the guy who's holding the key to let me have a look.
So i went outside and look, the interior isn't the greatest shape, very dusty, and smelly.
Looking at the engine, first thing i noticed was the hood was bent ( must've been hit).
Checked the engine oil, did not look clean, but it was leveled.
Also checked the exhaust for smokes like advised by people on beyond.
Started the car, nice soft start, icy cold AC blowing.

I told my brother to tell him i'd like to have a drive, and my brother returned telling me to give him my Drivers.
I did, but when he return he told me that the guy is selling the car to the other person.
I was pissed outa my mind, i walked in and told him I had this car on hold and i drove 300kms to get here.
And immediately he told me "sorry, but i'm not sure who you talked to, because i wasn't aware of this" (recall: first thing he said to me, "were you the one who called me yesterday?")
I said, "wtf, you just told me it was you on the phone."
Then he went off, "I'm selling the car to these guys and that's that".
I was pissed out of my mind.
So he told me,"i'm sorry for you, go to my other lots and i'll find you a better deal, i'll be there when i'm done here"
So i drove the the lot, there were 2 maxima, one was old, and other was new, but it was cloth seat and lower model.
I told the guy there that this wasn't what i'm looking for, and the other guy was much more understanding. He looked around, but as i expected, there were no other deals remotely close to that. 15mins later the guy did not show up at all.
So i decided to go to WEM to make the best of my day.

I'm just writing this to get it out of my head, and warn fellow beyonder to not waste ur time and effort with this place.
More information on them.
http://showrooms.canadatrader.com/2411/2592
Brado's Truck and Import
8419 - 118 Ave.
Edmonton (Alberta)
T5B0S6

katana9x4
06-16-2007, 09:57 PM
I've never really heard of places holding vehicles without a deposit

especially if there is somebody else who wants to buy it

punky
06-16-2007, 10:01 PM
I never heard of a place saying they would hold a car for you and sell it to someone else right in front of you.
If they asked me to deposit and I did not, then there would've been nothing to talk about.
I mean if they asked i would've put one down as well. I said to him, i just wanna make sure the car's there when i arrive and not sold. and he said it'll be there.

katana9x4
06-16-2007, 10:12 PM
yea, i guess that is kind of unprofesionel of them to say the least

well thanks for the heads up anyways

punky
06-16-2007, 10:16 PM
Really, the car itself was not meant to be for me.
That i can really accept, if its not meant to be something bad will probably happen if i buy it anyway.
Its just driving 300Km for something like that is just totally unbelievable.

BoS_DC2
06-16-2007, 10:28 PM
What a waste of gas to drive back and forth empty handed. Very unprofessional like. :whipped:

aeroes
06-16-2007, 10:52 PM
If that happen to me I wont it end it just like that. I should at least talk to the manager or the dealership owner about it...


Its freakin 600km + gas + effort! you were totalled right there man!

punky
06-16-2007, 11:31 PM
I'm pretty sure the guy is the owner.
Its called Brado's ... and his name is Brad.
There is only one other guy, and his name is Kris, and he is "apparently away".

BlackArcher101
06-17-2007, 12:40 AM
At least the vehicle was there when you got there.

I've travelled with a friend to see a use vehicle, even calling ahead telling them what time we'll be there, only to have the vehicle not there. But they sure did want to show a comparable one! Said it wasn't in an accident to boot, but you could see overspray on the trim.

I'll never buy something off a used car lot. Too shaddy.

punky
06-17-2007, 12:09 PM
yeah i know what u mean.
Actually my current car (95 maxima SE) i got from a used car lot in calgary( Jim Patterson). Its a world of difference, they're professional, the car is cleaned inside out. They said the car is in good condition, and it was. Unlike Brado's they said the interior is in good condition, and it was totally disasterous, not to mention it smells. Oh by the way, the engine check light was also on, there were bents on the hood, and obvious damage to 2 of the doors.
So year, totally recommend Jim Patterson, and warning about Brado's.

GTS Jeff
06-17-2007, 01:15 PM
Do you call Safeway ahead of time and expect them to hold a carton of eggs for you? No, it's first come, first serve.

They're running a business, not a charity, and the world doesn't revolve around you and your needs. And yeah, it sucks that they said the car would be held for you when it wasn't, but you're naive to think a used car salesman wouldn't screw you over given the chance.

kongaj
06-17-2007, 05:08 PM
I feel for you buddy. Waste of time.

But I think you are better off. Dusty, smelly interior. Bent hood. Shitty oil. High kms

Its not like it was a stellar deal. There are more cars out there.

Mangina
06-17-2007, 05:23 PM
Lesson: Don't go to Edmonton

punky
06-17-2007, 11:17 PM
Lesson learnt, is it me or edmonton is such a zombie city? i was there on one saturday night, and there were full of people on the street at 2:00AM after the clubs, and its the most trashy people i've ever seen.

Masked Bandit
06-18-2007, 08:40 AM
I've got a similar story about Lethbridge Toyota. I found a truck in the auto-trader and called the sales manager to discuss. We negotiated a price conditional on me seeing the truck and all was good. I stopped at the bank and got a money order done up. This was all on a Friday afternoon. I told him I would be driving in from Calgary on Saturday morning. He said no problem. I called him Saturday morning to confirm....it's all good. So I load up my wife and our two week old baby for a drive to Lethbridge. I hit the edge of town and call him for directions and the dick told me the sold it to someone else 1/2 an hour ago. He offered to buy me lunch for my troubles. Dick.

Lex350
06-18-2007, 08:42 AM
Originally posted by Mangina
Lesson: Don't go to Edmonton


hahahah...I was thinking the same thing.

punky
06-18-2007, 02:50 PM
Originally posted by Masked Bandit
I've got a similar story about Lethbridge Toyota. I found a truck in the auto-trader and called the sales manager to discuss. We negotiated a price conditional on me seeing the truck and all was good. I stopped at the bank and got a money order done up. This was all on a Friday afternoon. I told him I would be driving in from Calgary on Saturday morning. He said no problem. I called him Saturday morning to confirm....it's all good. So I load up my wife and our two week old baby for a drive to Lethbridge. I hit the edge of town and call him for directions and the dick told me the sold it to someone else 1/2 an hour ago. He offered to buy me lunch for my troubles. Dick.

and you'd expect business to have some kind of honor to their words. I guess thats the difference between paying for a brand new car.

alloroc
06-18-2007, 03:09 PM
Short and sweet don't make agreements on the phone with dealerships.

If you do not wire them a deposit. You are SOL because they can (and will) sell the car 'first come first serve'.

If you don't like what you see when you get there ... kiss your deposit goodbye (you are SOL)

GTS Jeff
06-18-2007, 06:15 PM
Originally posted by punky
Lesson learnt, is it me or edmonton is such a zombie city? i was there on one saturday night, and there were full of people on the street at 2:00AM after the clubs, and its the most trashy people i've ever seen. Edmonton is just as shitty as Calgary. If you live in either, you have nothing to be proud of, so STFU.

punky
06-18-2007, 06:18 PM
woah, must you bitch at everyone and everything?
its my opinion, u dont like it, thats ur problem.

mekeni
06-18-2007, 08:33 PM
lots of car out there.... so don't worry about it.

ricosuave
06-18-2007, 09:17 PM
yeah, i also had a shitty experience with brado's - wont go into it, but needless to say, the car was majorly misrepresented, and the guy was clueless and a prick to boot - glad i never got him a deposit, which he was demanding

stay far far far away from that shyster

punky
06-19-2007, 09:49 AM
yup, the guy was a total dick.