Buyers Beware - NorthBay Fords General Manager has no ethics

[2021WILDTRAKCDH]

(***UPDATE***). The general manger sent me an email today saying “I’ve been outed “ and he attached my honest review of our interaction.
I am not surprised …he is the classic car salesman in action…do whatever you want to make a dollar.
See below.

After looking for a Bronco Raptor for the last year …I saw an ad for a used 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor for sale at NorthBay Ford for $110,000….I decided to call and make an offer.

A very polite and professional salesperson answered all my questions and I proceeded with an offer—-
My salesperson presented my offer to the General Manager (Alejandro Restrepo) and the offer was accepted.

I was asked for credit card deposit, drivers license, and proof of car insurance. I provided all the information and bought an airline ticket to San Jose —-

At this point I am very excited and I am very impressed with how easy the whole process has been…then during a phone call with my salesperson, the General Manager Alejandro Restrepo grabs the phone and blurts out sorry it’s sold to someone else…I thought he was joking.

I pointed out that I had already had a deal accepted by him and that I had booked a flight to pick up the vehicle tomorrow morning…
He said “Not my problem”.

My salesperson handled the situation as best he could—great guy and super honest …I actually feel worse for him as he earned the sale…he just watched his paycheck get taken away.

I called the General Manager directly and shared my views regarding his poor business practice….He laughed at me and said he’s been working for the owner for many years and he knows that he can sell however he wants.

I bought an airline ticket and added the truck to my auto policy …it cost me @$300…not alot of money I know. The salesperson didn’t say anything bad about the GM…he said he was embarrassed by Alejandro Restrepo‘s actions.
Like I said earlier …I actually feel worse for the salesperson…he worked hard and earned the deal—then his manager took it away from him.
This type of business practice is part of the reason manufacturers need to sell directly to customers.
I know …surprise another sleezy car dealer …it is very sad how poorly this dealer treated a customer and more importantly how this GM (Alejandro Restrepo) treated one of his employees. He deserves better.

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[da_jokker]

On one of these threads, there is a list of email addresses for some of the top Ford people. You write up should get sent to those folks.

But as long as there are people willing to overpay for products, there's going to be business people that are willing to rip people off.

At least you didn't end up actually flying there to walk in the dealer and find out they undersold you. That has happened to others.

 

[2021WILDTRAKCDH]

On one of these threads, there is a list of email addresses for some of the top Ford people. You write up should get sent to those folks.

But as long as there are people willing to overpay for products, there's going to be business people that are willing to rip people off.

At least you didn't end up actually flying there to walk in the dealer and find out they undersold you. That has happened to others.

The “adm” that has become normal business practice has definitely created more problems and opportunities for businesses with questionable ethics to take advantage and like you mentioned —-created a buyer that doesn’t exercise common sense…my offer was reasonable and was about $4200 over MSRP…was it smart of me to pay adm? Probably not…

I agree—I’ve read far worse stories about people showing up and getting surprised by another new price …so I am lucky.

I said that I feel worse for the sales person and that is how I still feel. His efforts were not only in vain …but his honesty and ethics were not rewarded. He needed this deal far more than I needed a bronco Raptor…

 

[Roger123]

You don't always win when rolling the ADM wheel. In 6 months when gas is $7 and interest rates are 8% there will be a ton of raptors out there to swoop up, he did you a favor.

 

[da_jokker]

The “adm” that has become normal business practice has definitely created more problems and opportunities for businesses with questionable ethics to take advantage and like you mentioned —-created a buyer that doesn’t exercise common sense…my offer was reasonable and was about $4200 over MSRP…was it smart of me to pay adm? Probably not…

I agree—I’ve read far worse stories about people showing up and getting surprised by another new price …so I am lucky.

I said that I feel worse for the sales person and that is how I still feel. His efforts were not only in vain …but his honesty and ethics were not rewarded. He needed this deal far more than I needed a bronco Raptor…

I had a salesman like that once. Totally a stand-up guy. However the dealer he worked at was one of those sleaziest and I knew it. I just wanted to check out one of the new cars cuz they were closer and I had no intention on giving that dealer my business.... I actually took a little joy out of wasting their time.

I think I even told the salesman that he needed to find a different dealer to work for because his ethics were too good to be there.

 

[uncledoodoo]

You don't always win when rolling the ADM wheel. In 6 months when gas is $7 and interest rates are 8% there will be a ton of raptors out there to swoop up, he did you a favor.

the Raptor is not the kind of vehicle that is effected by interest rates and gas prices, neither will there be "a ton" of them. His offer of $4200 or so over MSRP is nearly laughable and most likely the GM thought it was a standard Bronco instead of a Raptor (not that it makes the GM right, he's still a dik)

 

[2021WILDTRAKCDH]

You don't always win when rolling the ADM wheel. In 6 months when gas is $7 and interest rates are 8% there will be a ton of raptors out there to swoop up, he did you a favor.

I agree and I suspended my common sense for a couple of reasons …first I really do like the bronco Raptor …not a fan of the fenders but they do have a purpose for this vehicle so I pretend they look okay. The vehicle is pretty amazing to drive and we go the desert 4-5 times a year so s bronco Raptor fits the bill. My second reason for paying adm was the salesperson…he put a lot of time and effort sending me information and inspecting the truck…videos and his offer to cpo at dealers cost and his offer of an extended warranty at flood ford pricing really impressed me. I didn’t have to grind him on the pricing …he was 100% my advocate for a fair deal …I didn’t tell him flood ford esp pricing/—he just said he would make sure all the extras were at his cost. Really a good guy.

But in the end …when you play the game you play by their rules so …lesson learned.

 

[lakesinai]

After looking for a Bronco Raptor for the last year …I saw an ad for a used 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor for sale at NorthBay Ford for $110,000….I decided to call and make an offer.

A very polite and professional salesperson answered all my questions and I proceeded with an offer—-
My salesperson presented my offer to the General Manager (Alejandro Restrepo) and the offer was accepted.

I was asked for credit card deposit, drivers license, and proof of car insurance. I provided all the information and bought an airline ticket to San Jose —-

At this point I am very excited and I am very impressed with how easy the whole process has been…then during a phone call with my salesperson, the General Manager Alejandro Restrepo grabs the phone and blurts out sorry it’s sold to someone else…I thought he was joking.

I pointed out that I had already had a deal accepted by him and that I had booked a flight to pick up the vehicle tomorrow morning…
He said “Not my problem”.

My salesperson handled the situation as best he could—great guy and super honest …I actually feel worse for him as he earned the sale…he just watched his paycheck get taken away.

I called the General Manager directly and shared my views regarding his poor business practice….He laughed at me and said he’s been working for the owner for many years and he knows that he can sell however he wants.

I bought an airline ticket and added the truck to my auto policy …it cost me @$300…not alot of money I know. The salesperson didn’t say anything bad about the GM…he said he was embarrassed by Alejandro Restrepo‘s actions.
Like I said earlier …I actually feel worse for the salesperson…he worked hard and earned the deal—then his manager took it away from him.
This type of business practice is part of the reason manufacturers need to sell directly to customers.
I know …surprise another sleezy car dealer …it is very sad how poorly this dealer treated a customer and more importantly how this GM (Alejandro Restrepo) treated one of his employees. He deserves better.

One of the good things to come out of the amazing convergence of instant internet communication, peer-group forums and interest in a scarce automobile, is the exposure of the best and worse business practices of automotive dealer networks. The truth-telling done here was not possible 20 years ago. Cataloguing these stories is important. Hopefully, some reform will happen. Keeping a list of honest and dishonest dealers is a good start.

I am grateful that I have known some honest Ford Dealers during my life, been fairly treated, including my Bronco purchase over a year ago. I thank you for your post, OP, for sharing your story, and contributing to the greater good. You were willing to pay a premium to purchase a product in short supply, thats how markets work. But to be lied to in the process, undermines the whole system. Thanks for sharing.

 

[rtazz17]

Dealers are all scum. Even if you personally have a good experience with a particular dealer they are stabbing someone else in the back at the same time. Never trust them.

 

[SS Bronco]

I am not defending this dealership at all once you make a deal they should honor it. But $4200 over MSRP would have been a amazing deal. They where asking roughly $40,000 over and excepted $4,200, $36,000 less than asking over the phone that’s not smart on there part. I would have bought a airline ticket to.

 

[NORCALGXP]

After looking for a Bronco Raptor for the last year …I saw an ad for a used 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor for sale at NorthBay Ford for $110,000….I decided to call and make an offer.

A very polite and professional salesperson answered all my questions and I proceeded with an offer—-
My salesperson presented my offer to the General Manager (Alejandro Restrepo) and the offer was accepted.

I was asked for credit card deposit, drivers license, and proof of car insurance. I provided all the information and bought an airline ticket to San Jose —-

At this point I am very excited and I am very impressed with how easy the whole process has been…then during a phone call with my salesperson, the General Manager Alejandro Restrepo grabs the phone and blurts out sorry it’s sold to someone else…I thought he was joking.

I pointed out that I had already had a deal accepted by him and that I had booked a flight to pick up the vehicle tomorrow morning…
He said “Not my problem”.

My salesperson handled the situation as best he could—great guy and super honest …I actually feel worse for him as he earned the sale…he just watched his paycheck get taken away.

I called the General Manager directly and shared my views regarding his poor business practice….He laughed at me and said he’s been working for the owner for many years and he knows that he can sell however he wants.

I bought an airline ticket and added the truck to my auto policy …it cost me @$300…not alot of money I know. The salesperson didn’t say anything bad about the GM…he said he was embarrassed by Alejandro Restrepo‘s actions.
Like I said earlier …I actually feel worse for the salesperson…he worked hard and earned the deal—then his manager took it away from him.
This type of business practice is part of the reason manufacturers need to sell directly to customers.
I know …surprise another sleezy car dealer …it is very sad how poorly this dealer treated a customer and more importantly how this GM (Alejandro Restrepo) treated one of his employees. He deserves better.

Are you going to leave a negative google review? Did not see one when I looked them up.

 

[2021WILDTRAKCDH]

Are you going to leave a negative google review? Did not see one when I looked them up.

I am going to share my experience on google …hopefully it helps create some positive changes.

 

[Oldhippie]

Wow! I have my Bronco on order with North Bay and have many dealings with them....small local dealer...they are not great but they never seemed to actually try to rip me off...more incompetent...do have a statement for msrp signed by Alejandro Restrepo...hope it holds up...sorry for your experience...

 

[lapazleo]

Dealers are all scum. Even if you personally have a good experience with a particular dealer they are stabbing someone else in the back at the same time. Never trust them.

Sorry but that's simply just not true. For every snake in the grass dealer there are plenty of honest ones. Some dealers actually rely on repeat business.

 

[2021WILDTRAKCDH]

(***UPDATE***). The general manger sent me an email today saying “I’ve been outed “ and he attached my honest review of our interaction.
I am not surprised …he is the classic car salesman in action…do whatever you want to make a dollar.
See below.

After looking for a Bronco Raptor for the last year …I saw an ad for a used 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor for sale at NorthBay Ford for $110,000….I decided to call and make an offer.

A very polite and professional salesperson answered all my questions and I proceeded with an offer—-
My salesperson presented my offer to the General Manager (Alejandro Restrepo) and the offer was accepted.

I was asked for credit card deposit, drivers license, and proof of car insurance. I provided all the information and bought an airline ticket to San Jose —-

At this point I am very excited and I am very impressed with how easy the whole process has been…then during a phone call with my salesperson, the General Manager Alejandro Restrepo grabs the phone and blurts out sorry it’s sold to someone else…I thought he was joking.

I pointed out that I had already had a deal accepted by him and that I had booked a flight to pick up the vehicle tomorrow morning…
He said “Not my problem”.

My salesperson handled the situation as best he could—great guy and super honest …I actually feel worse for him as he earned the sale…he just watched his paycheck get taken away.

I called the General Manager directly and shared my views regarding his poor business practice….He laughed at me and said he’s been working for the owner for many years and he knows that he can sell however he wants.

I bought an airline ticket and added the truck to my auto policy …it cost me @$300…not alot of money I know. The salesperson didn’t say anything bad about the GM…he said he was embarrassed by Alejandro Restrepo‘s actions.
Like I said earlier …I actually feel worse for the salesperson…he worked hard and earned the deal—then his manager took it away from him.
This type of business practice is part of the reason manufacturers need to sell directly to customers.
I know …surprise another sleezy car dealer …it is very sad how poorly this dealer treated a customer and more importantly how this GM (Alejandro Restrepo) treated one of his employees. He deserves better.

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