The Gallery Of Fine Cars... Worst Experience Ever...

[R154]

Originally posted by cjblair


I 100% agree with everything you said. I was just bitching, I guess. It's frustrating to see so many people are so ill-equipped to handle life, and equally frustrating that douchebags out there prey on the ill-equipped.

My personal frustration with that system aside, people make choices. Cars are a liability. End of story.

The bro that went in on a second car is equally as responsible for not knowing how to count a loss.

There is a special place in hell for thieves. Sat beside them are owners of predatory lending institutions and their branches.

I don't blame the salesbros they are hired to do a job. I blame society for allowing ourselves to reaching for things we can't afford.

I want a new e63 amg. I can't afford it, without real sacrifice. But I want it. As a result I'm not going to finance future regret.

I know flip can afford his e class, likely many times over. My heart bleeds for the money spent to fix it when it breaks. Good things don't always happen to good people.

[JohnnyHockey]

Originally posted by italianstylez
Gallery does suck, but I test drove at least 5 trucks, all were shit, they asked for a finance app I said not until I find what I like otherwise I'll go to house of cars, then they let me do my thing and I didn't like shit and left, I bought a 2012 grand Cherokee from house of cars (worked beside them at the time) it was a clean local unit no issues easy to deal with. So can't complain there.

Uhhhh isn't House of Cars and Goc owned by the same group of salesbros/dbags?

[flipstah]

House of Cars had sweet cars in their inventory.

But cars break because you use it. It's just part of the game.

It just sucks when you're sold one already busted.

[n1zm0]

» Click image for larger version

The Gallery of Fine Cars ¡ª a major used-car dealer in Calgary ¡ª along with its owner Adriano Aprile and several other representatives, are facing 44 charges in relation to defrauding and misleading customers, and selling vehicles without proper inspection and paperwork, according to court documents obtained by CBC News.

Five of the 44 charges are criminal, the rest fall under Alberta's Fair Trading Act and Traffic Safety Act. Most of the charges ¡ª laid from June 2014 through October of this year ¡ª stem from five investigations into consumer complaints by the Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council (AMVIC), the agency responsible for regulating used-car dealerships in the province.

Charges include fraud, misrepresentation

In two of the cases, the Gallery of Fine Cars, Aprile and his associates are accused of defrauding customers out of tens of thousands of dollars through "deceit, falsehood or other fraudulent means."

According to the court documents, customers were led to believe the vehicles were local when they were from another province, accident-free when there were previous damages, among other misrepresentations.


The first incident allegedly happened in 2014, the second in 2015.

Allegations from the other cases include, among others:

-Misleading and deceiving customers
-Misrepresenting goods
-Making false claims
-Selling vehicles without out-of-province inspection
-Selling vehicles without mechanical fitness assessment reports
-Selling vehicle without an automotive sale licence


Most of the charges stem from 5 investigations into consumer complaints by the Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council (AMVIC), the agency responsible for regulating used-car dealerships in the province. (Falice Chin/CBC)

'It's so very wrong': former employees come forward

Two former employees have come forward with allegations about the company's sales tactics, saying they were asked to complete tasks that simply felt wrong.

CBC News has agreed not to reveal their identities because they have signed non-disclosure agreements with the dealership.

"If a customer asks, you can't really say no," said a former sales associate about the provision of car history reports.

"But if a customer does not ask for it and he signed your bill of sale, I'm not forced to show them at all. It's so very wrong the majority of the time they just take your word for it," he said.

Business owner Aprile had said in a previous interview that his company provides a CarProof report for all its customers. He disputed several claims from customers who alleged they never received one.

The former employee said many of his customers were immigrants, people with bad credit and individuals who obviously couldn't afford the financing.


He recalled several instances when he pulled customers aside to warn them about a deal.

"Some of the times I just had to tell them, 'This is not going to work out for you,'" he said. "I tell the customers, 'Don't tell [my boss] this, but I'm telling you out of good faith' ... because morally for me, it's very wrong."


Another former employee said the dealership once sold a vehicle to a homeless person.

'I got sick and tired of having to lie'

The second former employee, who once worked at the reception at the Gallery of Fine Cars, said the company posted advertisements online of vehicles that were no longer in its showroom.

"For actually about a month, maybe even a little bit longer there was a couple of vehicles, more specifically a 2009 Honda Civic ¡ª it was white," she recalled.

"Multiple, multiple calls asking if it was still available. I knew very well that it had been sold for at least a month, saying, 'Yes it's here, come on in,' where eventually I got sick and tired of having to lie to these people."

The former sales associate said he was told to come up with excuses when customers find out the vehicles they wanted had already been sold.

"My only excuse was that it got sold within the last hour or last day and it just takes a little while for our tech guys to take it down from the internet," he said.

AMVIC issued a penalty against the Gallery of Fine Cars in July for a host of advertisement violations. The dealer is currently in the process of appealing the penalty.

'Those are all false accusations'

Aprile said none of the allegations from his former employees are true.

"All those sound false to me," he said.

"Those are all false accusations and that's all I have to say about those."

Two other charges on obstruction of peace officers have been stayed.

The Gallery of Fine Cars had no further comments on the 44 charges currently before the courts.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...rges-1.3875684

[killramos]

Originally posted by R154

I want a new e63 amg. I can't afford it, without real sacrifice. But I want it. As a result I'm not going to finance future regret.

The thing is the average person literally NEVER makes it to the final part of that sentence. Its actually really sad, and I see it all the time with friends and family.

Making the decision to not to buy something you want, even if you can make the numbers come around puts you in the minority. Most people just do some marth in their head and YOLO it.

Honestly so long as we have sub 3% interest rates none of this will change.

[R154]

Pisses me off. I can't understand how people can have such a lack of self control, then again from a very young age I had the benefit of financial coaching from my parents. The older I get, the more angry I start to feel about basic education. Basic education does precious little to educate youngins with financial management, wealth accrual or basic financial principles.

I get it, the school system believes that parents are supposed to be responsible. What happens when the parents are poor and have no idea about credit?

I have a friend who grew up lower middle class and she is absolutely petrified of credit. Parents told her that money in cash is the only way to be. Never have a mortgage because you will lose your house. Don't get a student loan, it will end your life.
She has 1, 1000 dollar "getting there" credit card. She doesn't meet standards to get a mortgage. Can't get a LOC. It's not that she doesn't want these things, she just doesn't know how to handle credit and savings. Recently the willingness of a bank to give her these tools has nearly put her in financial ruin because of "all she could afford now."

I didnt ask, but knowing what she does and knowing what she's bought in the last while... She's in for a wild ride.

Has a car that she has put 10g+ into fixing. Bought it for 2g. I don't even understand what on a 03 civic could possibly cost 10g's to fix and still be worth it.

These are the type of people that don't understand what cash flow is.

These people aren't horriby stupid people. They just don't know. These are the people most susceptible to the unscrupulous actions of institutions like gofc.

[killramos]

The classic one is having a buddy complain to you about not wanting to come grab a beer one week because he can't even pay his rent, then the next week asks you to come over to see his brand new 2016 dodge ram .

Or my aunt who paids to fly my cousin out here to visit for a week to let her kid see some different things and get her to realize there is more to life than keeping up with the joneses in their small town. All because she couldn't afford to take vacation. 2 weeks late posting on facebook about her brand new F150. Oblivious.

I wish I was making this shit up, I really really do.

Hopefully those criminal charges against GOFC stick, honestly I swear nothing changes anymore until someone's entrails get publicly dragged through the streets and the rest of the sleaze bags settle down out of fear.

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by R154
Pisses me off.

There is an industry around preying on the poor.

[R154]

I am very aware. I had an opportunity to invest in a couple moneymarts. When I saw the roi's and the projection models, the client acquisition... I couldn't live with myself. I'm all for making money, but I felt gross for going to the meeting.

The initial cash investment and building rent pay itself of inside of a year. Heavily weighted profitability in 3 years. But it's a deal with the devil.

Not for me.

[Rocket1k78]

Originally posted by n1zm0

» Click image for larger version

Finally something more serious is being done.

[J-hop]

I work in an industry where I could lose my job tomorrow. As such I've never bought a car I didn't pay cash for, never put so much on a credit card I carried a balance to the next month, Didn't buy a baller house.

It's all about what kind of financial stress you can mentally handle. I can't handle much. If I lose my job tomorrow and have to go work at Walmart I don't want to worry even for a minute that I'll be at risk for losing my house or cars.

But everyone is different. A lot of people get in over their heads and eventually make it to the surface while holding baller status the entire time. I'm jealous of those people!!!!

[Kloubek]

Just to add to this, I was in their showroom once - some 4 years ago. I had two cars from their dealership in mind as per online advertising, but when I arrived both had magically been "just sold". I was pretty suspicious at the time, and now I'm pretty certain I was correct in having such beliefs.

Naturally, they pushed hard to get me into something else. Wasn't gonna happen.

[craigcd]

Originally posted by Kloubek
Just to add to this, I was in their showroom once - some 4 years ago. I had two cars from their dealership in mind as per online advertising, but when I arrived both had magically been "just sold". I was pretty suspicious at the time, and now I'm pretty certain I was correct in having such beliefs.

Naturally, they pushed hard to get me into something else. Wasn't gonna happen.

I had this exact same thing on a used Tacoma at Canyon Creek Toyota, it must be somewhat common practice? I called an hour before i was supposed to go in to confirm the vehicle was there and he said it had just sold but to come in anyway. I declined. I asked if he intended on calling me prior to me showing up and he said likely not......

The add was up for weeks after this took place.

[suntan]

Originally posted by R154
I want a new e63 amg. I can't afford it, without real sacrifice. But I want it. As a result I'm not going to finance future regret.

Fuark, I've never really wanted a car until I saw that thing too.

[R154]

Originally posted by suntan
Fuark, I've never really wanted a car until I saw that thing too.

Swear to God I ran the numbers (projected) for a week. Already had a poster printed to canvas. I absolutely love that car.

Lightly contemplated down sizing my house.

I will own it one day. Just not brand new. I planted the seed with my brother. Hopefully he pulls the trigger. Knowing him he won't out of spite. Sonofabitch

[Redlyne_mr2]

Articles like this frustrate me because it continues to make my industry look like a sketch fest. On the flip side there is always 2 sides to every story and I consistently see people deal with horrible and shady dealers here in Red Deer by choice. To me articles like this are useless because there could be so much more to the story that isn't being mentioned. GOFC has been in business for a very long time, they would have happy customers like any other business. Would I ever work there? No. Do I support their side of the story? Definitely not. What I can say is that the onus is 50/50 on the customer and on the store. It takes 2 parties to complete a transaction.

[R154]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
Articles like this frustrate me because it continues to make my industry look like a sketch fest. On the flip side there is always 2 sides to every story and I consistently see people deal with horrible and shady dealers here in Red Deer by choice. To me articles like this are useless because there could be so much more to the story that isn't being mentioned. GOFC has been in business for a very long time, they would have happy customers like any other business. Would I ever work there? No. Do I support their side of the story? Definitely not. What I can say is that the onus is 50/50 on the customer and on the store. It takes 2 parties to complete a transaction.

While I can respect the fact that you want to defend your industry; it's highly unlikely that gofc doesn't deserve the light being shed.

I have had first hand experience with some of the methods they tried to use to sell me a car. I knew from the begining that I was being willfully deceived.

Nobody says the same stuff about someone or something with out it being partially or fully true.

It would be doing your reputation a disservice to minimize the acts of this type of dealer.

[J-hop]

Originally posted by R154


While I can respect the fact that you want to defend your industry; it's highly unlikely that gofc doesn't deserve the light being shed.

I have had first hand experience with some of the methods they tried to use to sell me a car. I knew from the begining that I was being willfully deceived.

Nobody says the same stuff about someone or something with out it being partially or fully true.

It would be doing your reputation a disservice to minimize the acts of this type of dealer.

Agreed, and even if we give them the benefit of the doubt and assume 90% of the accusations are false that still leaves at least 4 charges......

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by R154


While I can respect the fact that you want to defend your industry; it's highly unlikely that gofc doesn't deserve the light being shed.

I have had first hand experience with some of the methods they tried to use to sell me a car. I knew from the begining that I was being willfully deceived.

Nobody says the same stuff about someone or something with out it being partially or fully true.

It would be doing your reputation a disservice to minimize the acts of this type of dealer.

I didn't want that to come out as a defence because I know there are lots of bad dealers out there. I just don't understand how their mechanic allows unsafe vehicles to pass inspections when its his job on the line. I don't understand how someone can take pulsation brakes as ABS. Buying a car is a huge purchase yet so many people are clueless about it and dealers like GOFC continue to thrive, it's sad.

[R154]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2


I didn't want that to come out as a defence because I know there are lots of bad dealers out there. I just don't understand how their mechanic allows unsafe vehicles to pass inspections when its his job on the line. I don't understand how someone can take pulsation brakes as ABS. Buying a car is a huge purchase yet so many people are clueless about it and dealers like GOFC continue to thrive, it's sad.

You don't understand it because you're honest and conduct yourself with integrity and knowledge. Also, the dealers that you work with aren't predatory in nature.

I haven't dealt with you on a purchase, yet. However, you were very accommodating to deal with when I was looking at my options pre purchase. I think you knew I was information shopping and would only purchase given a deal on used. Weren't pushy at all.