Badger Dan. Nothing But Lies And Sleazy Tricks

Captain Jim · August 1, 2009

I didn't realize there was a section for this and posted it in the wrong area the first time. My bad.

I've been doing my homework for weeks now to make sure I'd be happy with my first Lexus. I've owned BMW's & Porsches but never a Lexus. I needed something small & classy that had good gas millage for my trips back and forth from Orlando to Tampa. The IS250 seemed perfect. I emailed the internet department at Lexus of Orlando and received a fast reply from their internet man. He had me working with Ana in their sales dept. We went back and forth in emails finding the right vehicle. In the end we were $1,500 away from each other on price. I knew we could both budge a little and pin this down.

BTW~ it was an IS250 with the premium package, black on black. Not AWD and no Nav. I was doing a trade in worth $3,500 and asking for 28K out the door. They were offering $29,500 OTD including my trade.

Last evening I get a call at work from Ana in their sales department. "Look, I know we're close and we both want to do this deal. It's the last day of the month so if there's ever a time to do this it's today. Come on down. With your Cash for Clunkers trade at $3,500 I will get well under what we've offered and extremely close to 28k. I know we can do this." I agreed to leave work early and head across town to see her so we set an appointment time for 6:00.

I arrive at 6:00 to discover Ana is not available but they are putting me in the good hands of salesman Dan Webber. Let me show you what type of sales treatment I was given;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-SK1-iILlY

In fact let's call Dan "Badger" from now on because after all the abuse I took I believe it truly fits him. Anyway, Badger come in and says, "So tell me what you're looking for in a car." I politely decline and ask him to either bring Ana who I've already worked through every detail with, or her paperwork that clearly shows exactly what I'm looking for. He acts as if I never said a word. Please keep in mind I'm not a young kid. I'm a 45 year old executive director for a large corporation, dressed nice & well spoken. Badger however thinks I'm a stupid 9 year old and treats me as such. He asks again what I'm wanting in a vehicle, "is it quality and reliability?" I open my folder and hand him the printout showing the exact car, what they offered, what I offered. He starts telling me how they are selling so many cars he isn't sure if he'll be able to get me the car I want, but he'll try. I pull out a paper showing him what date the exact car I'm looking for will arrive on his lot. He ignores me. He starts in on how the car I want is in tremendous demand right now. I ask him to stop the sales pitch and let's just look at the deal I was offered, what I need them to come down to, and that I have my car here for the Cash for Clunkers trade so let's finish this. Badger leans back and starts in on the Cash for Clunkers program problems and how they will eventually run out of money so we really can't go by that program. I pull out the report showing how much longer the program is guaranteed for which clearly puts us in a safe position to make a deal that evening. He then tells me they aren't signed up for the Cash for Clunkers CARS program because it's such a bad program. BIG RED FLAG, as if Badger himself wasn't a big enough one. Last time I was in Lexus of Orlando (one week ago) they took all my vehicle information, went through the data base and approved my vehicle through the program and gave me an exact amount of $3,500 that they would be able to give me through this program. Now suddenly they've never signed up to be in the program?

I ask him to stop messing around. I have a price and that's what I need to make the deal. I don't care what program he uses, I have the vehicle here and I want 3,500 for it. He says he will be right back. He comes back with a print out loaded with info. Bottom line is he is offering me the car at $200 MORE than what Ana had offered before she said she could get me close to 28k. We're now at $29,700. I should have asked for another salesperson, but seeing his name tag said Sales Manager it didn't seem worth it. Turns out by the way that he is just a regular salesman. I guess that's just another trick Lexus of Orlando uses to fool customers.

Anyway I laugh and say that's not going to happen. He says "Ok, it was good meeting you." shakes my hand and walks away. Gee... I wonder what will happen next Mr. Badger?

30 seconds later he walks back and says, "Are you crazy? Why in the world would you walk away from an incredible deal like that?" Now he's standing over me trying to intimidate me. I've had enough. I reply, "It's not an amazing deal and I'm tired of these sleazy games. I left work early and drove all the way across town because I was promised you would come close to my price. Instead you play games and offer me an even higher price than a week ago. This is truly unethical and I expected better from a Lexus dealership. His reply...wait...what would you expect Mr. Badger to say?..."Well the offer's only good until 7:00 and then it's off the table." I shake my head and walk away. What a joke this guys is.

They lost a sale, lost any chance of having me or my family as future customers, and abused someone who spends his life speaking to hundreds and hundreds of executives a month.

Lexus can keep their car. I'll never be back.