sportryder
11-21-2012, 05:40 AM
Since I get asked all the time to post this stuff, here it is.
Keep in mind, this is Jeremy Clarkson's opinion on these dealerships. Don't assume this is generally how they operate all the time. You also have to understand that some people may have a really good experience somewhere, but others may have the complete opposite. If a dealership isn't on this list, it's because Jeremy didn't have enough information about them or just didn't bloody well care.
Ok, let's get's started. where was I? Oh Yes, Calgary dealerships.
Calgary Chrysler Dodge Jeep Dealerships
- Renfrew Chrysler Dodge Jeep: DO NOT GO HERE, This is as obvious as staring into the back end of a baboon. Ask Dan or Dave at SCREAMIN PAINTWORKS about them if you like, they will tell you.
- Big 4 Motors: Fairly good place to purchase a vehicle but they really try and push you into a trading out what you already have. Parts department is good. Service department is absolute RUBBISH. Don't get your service done here. YOU WILL GET BEE'S IN YOUR HAIR. They constantly try to avoid fixing warranty work when they can. DO NOT GET AUTOBODY WORK DONE HERE. They have a seperate autobody facility that they share with woodridge ford. SEE BELOW.
- Tower Chrysler Dodge Jeep: I would buy a car here, if I was the sort of person who looked at their sister and thought, Mmmmmm. Their dealership is old and miserable. They had a very pushy sales team the last time I went in there on three separate occasions. Don't know how the service is. I heard they were going out of business about two years ago and the owner was having some self induced vomiting problems that I won't get into detail over. Somehow they managed to really clean up their lot though lately, it looks good now. I can't tell you what their sales team is like now though.
- Crowfoot Chrysler Dodge Jeep: They seem like a good dealership to purchase a vehicle from. Service is proficient. They don't turn away questionable warranty work like other dealerships can. This is going back 6 plus years though. Because they back their trucks along Crowchild Trail and thieves like to take the tail gates off them. I wouldn't leave my vehicle in their lot overnight that's for sure.
- Auto Rite Repair Center across the street from Crowfoot Dodge: I know this isn't a dealership but DON'T GO HERE. The owner is an ex-military con artist. The technicians are the only ones who keep that place going but they have been known to do brake jobs or transmission work and then accidentally coast your car into the rock wall right behind the shop and try and cover it up. They have been known to deny loaner vehicles as they discriminate certain customers.
-Varsity Chrysler Dodge Jeep: DO NOT BUY HERE. Here's a story for you that will make you feel like you just put a furious weasel in your underpants. I knew a couple who went there in regards to an ad that was in the paper for a particular used car they had advertised. They called and the sales person told them to come down and check out the car. When they showed up, the sales person told them the car was being cleaned up for viewing (pure lie) and wouldn't be ready that day. (The car was literally not there) Sales person then tries to push them into an entirely different vehicle at this point. The couple insisted only on the car they saw in the printed ad and the sales person told them in order for them to hold the car and see that they were serious in buying it, that they put down a $500 refundable deposit. Couple puts down the deposit, next couple days the sales person continues to try and put them into a different car, they refuse. (You can guess what happens next) Couple asks for their money back and the dealership says no because it was non-refundable. Dealership kept the money in the end. Car in the Ad was likely sold before they even went down. Varsity also has another cleaver scam going as well. If you apply for financing and you don't get approved, they refer you to the Automaxx dealership behind. What these down on their luck, bad credit customer don't actually know is that Varsity Chrysler owns Automaxx too and is preparing you for what follows below.
- Automaxx dealership behind Varsity Chrysler: If you are clinically insane, by which I mean you wake up in the morning and think you are an onion... This is the dealership for you. DO NOT BUY HERE, these guys are owned by the crooks at Varsity Chrysler. Because people are referred there with bad credit, they charge outrageous interest rates and get you into something ridiculously bad for the money. These guys feed off of human desperation. They also take advantage of their service department and I have seen apprentices be actually forced into working on two vehicles, on two hoists at the same time for a low level hourly wage. Then they fire the guy.
- Eastside Dodge Chrysler Jeep: If you are absolutely serious about purchasing a vehicle from here... buy this instead: HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCiTAJi1yRk) or HERE (https://www.buypresidentialchia.com/?rtag=chiaobama&)
CALGARY CHEVROLET/GMC DEALERSHIPS
- GSL Chev City (Downtown Calgary): Seems like a really good dealership. Warranty, service and parts seem good too. General manager is actually a women. They just renovated the dealership a few years ago and it's comfortable inside. Good selection to choose from. They seem to respect their customers and are willing to repair or refund money for deficiencies on vehicles that were purchased from them. Make sure that service work like window tinting, painting and accessory installation are being done in house by the service department and that it's not being done by a third party. Third party, outsourced work 90% of the time won't be around when the tint starts to go purple, vinyls start to fall off and accessories start to act up because they were installed improperly.
CALGARY STAMPEDE PONTIAC BUICK HUMMER DEALERSHIPS
- Stampede Pontiac Buick (Downtown Calgary): DO NOT BUY HERE. This place is so bad that it is only a figment of your imagination. Why would you buy a car from a dealership with a showroom the size of a fridge. They slave drive their lube techs, make their journeymen feel threatened that they might get fired at any time for making a mistake. They don't have a place to park vehicles. What they call their parking lot is actually the source of all evil and it may even kill you. (bring a sword). If that couldn't be bad enough, they actually make their technicians park every morning at the greyhound terminal and walk 15 minutes to the dealership (shameful). There oil techs are un-trained even below Walmart standards and may get dirty oil on your door handle and steering wheel. There's also a chance your vehicle may get damaged in the parking lot from their clumsy crammed parking. Don't expect your transmission job to last very long from them because they don't outsource their work to a proper business and the techs can't even remember how to put the stuff back together half the time since your transmission can sit for long periods under a techs work bench and by the time they put it back together all the components are covered with surface rust from daily floor washings. Really, just don't go there.
CALGARY FORD DEALERSHIPS
- Metro Ford Sales Ltd (Downtown Calgary): DO NOT BUY HERE. These guys are a joke. Virtually just as bad as Stampede Pontiac across the street. Can't tell you anything about the new vehicle sales side, but really what can you expect from a showroom the size of a beauty salon. I knew a customer they sold a used car to. The wheel arches were flared, the car was slightly lowered at the back and it had extra poo shoots. (Prepare yourself for this one) During the test drive, the salesman was the one who actually drove the car LOL. The sales guy made every effort to drive it really slow and casually and never asked the customer if they actually wanted to drive it. The customer was satisfied enough however with it's operation and trusting in the sales agent that they purchased the vehicle. The moment the customer left the dealership and hit 14th street, they realized the car had a problem. It was underpowered and at higher throttle the car didn't seem right. I actually got the chance to inspect this said car for myself and found that it made the noise of a spitfire airplane, there was something seriously wrong with the engine. It sounded like a bear... a burning bear. I didn't get the time to diagnose the problem however the customer took the car back. Surprisingly, Ford Metro gave a full refund on the car and the customer was mailed a service report later on asking if they wanted to come back and buy it back. The problem? "The timing belt had sheared three teeth and the pistons were virtually hitting the valves the entire time" Customer did not purchase the vehicle back based on my recommendations. Stick that in your underpants Metro.
- Woodridge Ford: They moved locations recently. Sales department seems good, large selection to choose from. You can negotiate good prices there as well. Service is likely overpriced and you will likely never receive that genuine personalized service you would from an "Uncle Bobs Mechanic Shop etc". Everything seems good the moment you walk in the door, unfortunately their Woodridge Autobody location is as productive as the french airforce crashing into a fireworks factory. It seems that they share it with Big 4 Motors and other dealerships. As you can imagine I have another story for you here. I know a guy who purchased one of those bullet mustangs a few years ago. He took it in for simple paint repair at this HORRIBLE AUTOBODY SHOP. Now the customer at the time was, young and may have come across as a punk with a fancy new mustang in their eyes. Regardless of what a business thinks of any customer, what you will hear next is completely unacceptable. Customer drops off the car, autobody shop doesn't get in touch with him. Customer can't get in touch with the shop. So he goes back to the shop one day un-announced and finds his Mustang being sanded, prepped, taped and wet sanded at the rear of the car (where no work was supposed to be done). The customer freaks out and asks what the hell is going on with his ride and why the back of the car is being repainted. They bring him inside and tell him that the technician accidentally backed the car into the side of the doorway trying to take it out. Manager states that it was an honest mistake and they will have the car fixed better then from the factory. Customer obviously is pretty pissed about this but has no choice but to wait for the car to get fixed. The autobody shop also didn't offer a rental vehicle or any retribution for the mistake. Now just when you think it can't get any worse, when he finally goes back almost two weeks later to pick up his ride, he realizes that (you won't figure this one out) the car is actually fixed and everything looks great. Paint work was good, no weeping paint, color matches, not even a trace of orange peel. So your probably wondering "where's the catch here". When he get in his car and leaves the dealership, he realizes the odometer had over 400 kilometers more than it had going in. You see, he wrote his mileage down before he left and sure enough there was over 400 clicks added to the counter. When he gets home and inspects the car he realizes that (get this) his brand new rear wheels are bald. No way in mistaking what happened there. Eventually we find out what really happened from a source I cannot disclose but I can tell you that cameras are everywhere these day. One of the employees of the autobody shop, since the customer dropped his mustang off right before the weekend decides to use his employee keys to get into the shop and take the car for a weekend getaway with a dealer plate on the back. During this weekend expedition he bags the customers car, does burn-outs and races around Calgary. Now if that's not bad enough, this employee actually tries to drift the car, gets over confident right at the end of this whole adventure and loses control of the car right in front of the autobody shop when no one is there. Obviously the car spins around and smashed butt first into concrete barricade. Employee realizes he screwed up and puts the car back hoping no one will notice. Now the damages to the back of the car were way too consistent for a simple hit of a doorway. The whole rear corner had substantial work done to it like it was hit hard. Not to mention the tires were bald. Woodridge Autobody never admitted to the employee bagging the customers car although oddly they did offer to replace his rear tires. I got involved at this point but simply couldn't believe what this guy was saying Woodridge did to his car. Although I took a look at this invoice and they actually documented the odometer going in and out which shows in fact that 400km's were added. The tire were in fact bald and I actually knew this customer fairly well and saw his car numerous times prior to this incident and the tires were virtually brand new. So I actually had a talk with the manager at Woodridge. My meeting with him was hilarious, he wanted to know who I was, and I wouldn't tell him. I asked him about this customer and this car incident and he refused to talk to me about it. I told him I wasn't there to give him a hard time, just there to request retribution for the damages done to his car. He then actually admits to me that they offered to replace his rear tires but that's all they were prepared to do for him, nothing more.
- Fish Creek Nissan: Don't know what the sales portion of this dealership is like however they apparently hide behind some sort of political retardation. NISSAN Canada says they are an Independent dealership so they won't represent this dealership in any way once they screw up your car and you try and go after them. I read a review where a women took her brand new rouge there for routine maintenance. When she got it back, the car was covered with scratches and swirls because they used a dirty rag to wash it. I keep hearing about body related damages and problems from that dealership. Anything body related can end up being a nightmare over there. Simply no attention to detail. Keep clear of them.
Calgary Toyota
- Charlesglen Toyota: When I'm suffering from insomnia, I just think about the cars they sell here and I'm straight off to sleep. No, seriously, this dealership is great. Sales office is good. Service is excellent (if anything they expect you to get your vehicle serviced way too much, that's typical Toyota though). Service is really good, parts are good too. Not much bad to say here except they like to fire techs who have been there for decades by accusing them for something that they can cover their butts over when a defect compromises the safety of a customer. Namely things like Prius fuel pedals, combustable batteries and Tundra control arms that come apart. "Oh, fire that tech, it's because he didn't grease it". Please, it's obvious it's a factory recall, look it up. Only problem? Try telling that to the customer who had the control arm separate on their Tundra and almost exited stage right. Do you own a Tundra? Better get those control arms checked and your cams.
- Southpoint Toyota How can we ever forget about the beyond member who crashed Southpoint's FR-S demo car, trying to drift it around the dealership? PRICELESS. Now they won't offer any customers an FR-S test drive, even if you try and pretend you don't know what beyond.ca actually is. Biggest problem I have with these guys, They have a multi-million dollar car dispenser, waterfalls and even and underground bat cave. The only thing I can't understand is why they don't have any friggin hot water in the washroom sinks. I mean imagine all the hand shaking taking place there. I would rather wash my hands in the waterfalls.
That's about it, for now.
Keep in mind, this is Jeremy Clarkson's opinion on these dealerships. Don't assume this is generally how they operate all the time. You also have to understand that some people may have a really good experience somewhere, but others may have the complete opposite. If a dealership isn't on this list, it's because Jeremy didn't have enough information about them or just didn't bloody well care.
Ok, let's get's started. where was I? Oh Yes, Calgary dealerships.
Calgary Chrysler Dodge Jeep Dealerships
- Renfrew Chrysler Dodge Jeep: DO NOT GO HERE, This is as obvious as staring into the back end of a baboon. Ask Dan or Dave at SCREAMIN PAINTWORKS about them if you like, they will tell you.
- Big 4 Motors: Fairly good place to purchase a vehicle but they really try and push you into a trading out what you already have. Parts department is good. Service department is absolute RUBBISH. Don't get your service done here. YOU WILL GET BEE'S IN YOUR HAIR. They constantly try to avoid fixing warranty work when they can. DO NOT GET AUTOBODY WORK DONE HERE. They have a seperate autobody facility that they share with woodridge ford. SEE BELOW.
- Tower Chrysler Dodge Jeep: I would buy a car here, if I was the sort of person who looked at their sister and thought, Mmmmmm. Their dealership is old and miserable. They had a very pushy sales team the last time I went in there on three separate occasions. Don't know how the service is. I heard they were going out of business about two years ago and the owner was having some self induced vomiting problems that I won't get into detail over. Somehow they managed to really clean up their lot though lately, it looks good now. I can't tell you what their sales team is like now though.
- Crowfoot Chrysler Dodge Jeep: They seem like a good dealership to purchase a vehicle from. Service is proficient. They don't turn away questionable warranty work like other dealerships can. This is going back 6 plus years though. Because they back their trucks along Crowchild Trail and thieves like to take the tail gates off them. I wouldn't leave my vehicle in their lot overnight that's for sure.
- Auto Rite Repair Center across the street from Crowfoot Dodge: I know this isn't a dealership but DON'T GO HERE. The owner is an ex-military con artist. The technicians are the only ones who keep that place going but they have been known to do brake jobs or transmission work and then accidentally coast your car into the rock wall right behind the shop and try and cover it up. They have been known to deny loaner vehicles as they discriminate certain customers.
-Varsity Chrysler Dodge Jeep: DO NOT BUY HERE. Here's a story for you that will make you feel like you just put a furious weasel in your underpants. I knew a couple who went there in regards to an ad that was in the paper for a particular used car they had advertised. They called and the sales person told them to come down and check out the car. When they showed up, the sales person told them the car was being cleaned up for viewing (pure lie) and wouldn't be ready that day. (The car was literally not there) Sales person then tries to push them into an entirely different vehicle at this point. The couple insisted only on the car they saw in the printed ad and the sales person told them in order for them to hold the car and see that they were serious in buying it, that they put down a $500 refundable deposit. Couple puts down the deposit, next couple days the sales person continues to try and put them into a different car, they refuse. (You can guess what happens next) Couple asks for their money back and the dealership says no because it was non-refundable. Dealership kept the money in the end. Car in the Ad was likely sold before they even went down. Varsity also has another cleaver scam going as well. If you apply for financing and you don't get approved, they refer you to the Automaxx dealership behind. What these down on their luck, bad credit customer don't actually know is that Varsity Chrysler owns Automaxx too and is preparing you for what follows below.
- Automaxx dealership behind Varsity Chrysler: If you are clinically insane, by which I mean you wake up in the morning and think you are an onion... This is the dealership for you. DO NOT BUY HERE, these guys are owned by the crooks at Varsity Chrysler. Because people are referred there with bad credit, they charge outrageous interest rates and get you into something ridiculously bad for the money. These guys feed off of human desperation. They also take advantage of their service department and I have seen apprentices be actually forced into working on two vehicles, on two hoists at the same time for a low level hourly wage. Then they fire the guy.
- Eastside Dodge Chrysler Jeep: If you are absolutely serious about purchasing a vehicle from here... buy this instead: HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCiTAJi1yRk) or HERE (https://www.buypresidentialchia.com/?rtag=chiaobama&)
CALGARY CHEVROLET/GMC DEALERSHIPS
- GSL Chev City (Downtown Calgary): Seems like a really good dealership. Warranty, service and parts seem good too. General manager is actually a women. They just renovated the dealership a few years ago and it's comfortable inside. Good selection to choose from. They seem to respect their customers and are willing to repair or refund money for deficiencies on vehicles that were purchased from them. Make sure that service work like window tinting, painting and accessory installation are being done in house by the service department and that it's not being done by a third party. Third party, outsourced work 90% of the time won't be around when the tint starts to go purple, vinyls start to fall off and accessories start to act up because they were installed improperly.
CALGARY STAMPEDE PONTIAC BUICK HUMMER DEALERSHIPS
- Stampede Pontiac Buick (Downtown Calgary): DO NOT BUY HERE. This place is so bad that it is only a figment of your imagination. Why would you buy a car from a dealership with a showroom the size of a fridge. They slave drive their lube techs, make their journeymen feel threatened that they might get fired at any time for making a mistake. They don't have a place to park vehicles. What they call their parking lot is actually the source of all evil and it may even kill you. (bring a sword). If that couldn't be bad enough, they actually make their technicians park every morning at the greyhound terminal and walk 15 minutes to the dealership (shameful). There oil techs are un-trained even below Walmart standards and may get dirty oil on your door handle and steering wheel. There's also a chance your vehicle may get damaged in the parking lot from their clumsy crammed parking. Don't expect your transmission job to last very long from them because they don't outsource their work to a proper business and the techs can't even remember how to put the stuff back together half the time since your transmission can sit for long periods under a techs work bench and by the time they put it back together all the components are covered with surface rust from daily floor washings. Really, just don't go there.
CALGARY FORD DEALERSHIPS
- Metro Ford Sales Ltd (Downtown Calgary): DO NOT BUY HERE. These guys are a joke. Virtually just as bad as Stampede Pontiac across the street. Can't tell you anything about the new vehicle sales side, but really what can you expect from a showroom the size of a beauty salon. I knew a customer they sold a used car to. The wheel arches were flared, the car was slightly lowered at the back and it had extra poo shoots. (Prepare yourself for this one) During the test drive, the salesman was the one who actually drove the car LOL. The sales guy made every effort to drive it really slow and casually and never asked the customer if they actually wanted to drive it. The customer was satisfied enough however with it's operation and trusting in the sales agent that they purchased the vehicle. The moment the customer left the dealership and hit 14th street, they realized the car had a problem. It was underpowered and at higher throttle the car didn't seem right. I actually got the chance to inspect this said car for myself and found that it made the noise of a spitfire airplane, there was something seriously wrong with the engine. It sounded like a bear... a burning bear. I didn't get the time to diagnose the problem however the customer took the car back. Surprisingly, Ford Metro gave a full refund on the car and the customer was mailed a service report later on asking if they wanted to come back and buy it back. The problem? "The timing belt had sheared three teeth and the pistons were virtually hitting the valves the entire time" Customer did not purchase the vehicle back based on my recommendations. Stick that in your underpants Metro.
- Woodridge Ford: They moved locations recently. Sales department seems good, large selection to choose from. You can negotiate good prices there as well. Service is likely overpriced and you will likely never receive that genuine personalized service you would from an "Uncle Bobs Mechanic Shop etc". Everything seems good the moment you walk in the door, unfortunately their Woodridge Autobody location is as productive as the french airforce crashing into a fireworks factory. It seems that they share it with Big 4 Motors and other dealerships. As you can imagine I have another story for you here. I know a guy who purchased one of those bullet mustangs a few years ago. He took it in for simple paint repair at this HORRIBLE AUTOBODY SHOP. Now the customer at the time was, young and may have come across as a punk with a fancy new mustang in their eyes. Regardless of what a business thinks of any customer, what you will hear next is completely unacceptable. Customer drops off the car, autobody shop doesn't get in touch with him. Customer can't get in touch with the shop. So he goes back to the shop one day un-announced and finds his Mustang being sanded, prepped, taped and wet sanded at the rear of the car (where no work was supposed to be done). The customer freaks out and asks what the hell is going on with his ride and why the back of the car is being repainted. They bring him inside and tell him that the technician accidentally backed the car into the side of the doorway trying to take it out. Manager states that it was an honest mistake and they will have the car fixed better then from the factory. Customer obviously is pretty pissed about this but has no choice but to wait for the car to get fixed. The autobody shop also didn't offer a rental vehicle or any retribution for the mistake. Now just when you think it can't get any worse, when he finally goes back almost two weeks later to pick up his ride, he realizes that (you won't figure this one out) the car is actually fixed and everything looks great. Paint work was good, no weeping paint, color matches, not even a trace of orange peel. So your probably wondering "where's the catch here". When he get in his car and leaves the dealership, he realizes the odometer had over 400 kilometers more than it had going in. You see, he wrote his mileage down before he left and sure enough there was over 400 clicks added to the counter. When he gets home and inspects the car he realizes that (get this) his brand new rear wheels are bald. No way in mistaking what happened there. Eventually we find out what really happened from a source I cannot disclose but I can tell you that cameras are everywhere these day. One of the employees of the autobody shop, since the customer dropped his mustang off right before the weekend decides to use his employee keys to get into the shop and take the car for a weekend getaway with a dealer plate on the back. During this weekend expedition he bags the customers car, does burn-outs and races around Calgary. Now if that's not bad enough, this employee actually tries to drift the car, gets over confident right at the end of this whole adventure and loses control of the car right in front of the autobody shop when no one is there. Obviously the car spins around and smashed butt first into concrete barricade. Employee realizes he screwed up and puts the car back hoping no one will notice. Now the damages to the back of the car were way too consistent for a simple hit of a doorway. The whole rear corner had substantial work done to it like it was hit hard. Not to mention the tires were bald. Woodridge Autobody never admitted to the employee bagging the customers car although oddly they did offer to replace his rear tires. I got involved at this point but simply couldn't believe what this guy was saying Woodridge did to his car. Although I took a look at this invoice and they actually documented the odometer going in and out which shows in fact that 400km's were added. The tire were in fact bald and I actually knew this customer fairly well and saw his car numerous times prior to this incident and the tires were virtually brand new. So I actually had a talk with the manager at Woodridge. My meeting with him was hilarious, he wanted to know who I was, and I wouldn't tell him. I asked him about this customer and this car incident and he refused to talk to me about it. I told him I wasn't there to give him a hard time, just there to request retribution for the damages done to his car. He then actually admits to me that they offered to replace his rear tires but that's all they were prepared to do for him, nothing more.
- Fish Creek Nissan: Don't know what the sales portion of this dealership is like however they apparently hide behind some sort of political retardation. NISSAN Canada says they are an Independent dealership so they won't represent this dealership in any way once they screw up your car and you try and go after them. I read a review where a women took her brand new rouge there for routine maintenance. When she got it back, the car was covered with scratches and swirls because they used a dirty rag to wash it. I keep hearing about body related damages and problems from that dealership. Anything body related can end up being a nightmare over there. Simply no attention to detail. Keep clear of them.
Calgary Toyota
- Charlesglen Toyota: When I'm suffering from insomnia, I just think about the cars they sell here and I'm straight off to sleep. No, seriously, this dealership is great. Sales office is good. Service is excellent (if anything they expect you to get your vehicle serviced way too much, that's typical Toyota though). Service is really good, parts are good too. Not much bad to say here except they like to fire techs who have been there for decades by accusing them for something that they can cover their butts over when a defect compromises the safety of a customer. Namely things like Prius fuel pedals, combustable batteries and Tundra control arms that come apart. "Oh, fire that tech, it's because he didn't grease it". Please, it's obvious it's a factory recall, look it up. Only problem? Try telling that to the customer who had the control arm separate on their Tundra and almost exited stage right. Do you own a Tundra? Better get those control arms checked and your cams.
- Southpoint Toyota How can we ever forget about the beyond member who crashed Southpoint's FR-S demo car, trying to drift it around the dealership? PRICELESS. Now they won't offer any customers an FR-S test drive, even if you try and pretend you don't know what beyond.ca actually is. Biggest problem I have with these guys, They have a multi-million dollar car dispenser, waterfalls and even and underground bat cave. The only thing I can't understand is why they don't have any friggin hot water in the washroom sinks. I mean imagine all the hand shaking taking place there. I would rather wash my hands in the waterfalls.
That's about it, for now.