Should Buying a Car Be This Traumatizing?

Baltimore Benefactor: Native Review Series

Heritage Honda of Parkville Review

1/10 Experience

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"Heritage Honda Dealership." Cars.com, www.cars.com/dealers/8432/heritage-honda/.

For the past 2 years, I have been saving my money to buy a car. I wanted to save more than half the amount for a used (but basically new) car. I was excited when I finally made the decision to go out and get one. My first car was totaled in a hit and run accident when in 2021, a Green 2004 Honda Civic LX. So, naturally I was determined to get myself an updated Civic. Being a Baltimore Native, Honda's are a local entry car favorite.

Now, since I began saving, people have warned me that buying a car can be a lengthy process. Initially, I didn't fully believe anyone. I'll have the pre-approved loan and my car picked out, what would be the hold-up? However, after sitting in the bank and waiting for people to finish paperwork, I was able to see what they meant. However - the obstacle we came across was something no one (even my father who has brought several cars and even sold cars) could foresee.

My experience was so awful at Heritage Honda of Parkville, that the letter below was written when I arrived home to email to their corporate.

So here is what happened:

I am contacting you to express the underhanded, distasteful experience my family has had at one of your locations.

On March 8, 2024, my family and I went to purchase a used car from Heritage Honda owned by Mile One Auto Group. Exciting, right? I thought this would be a tedious process, I understand there are a lot of things being done to make this car mine. However, I did not expect to run in to as many issues as we experienced on this day as someone who had everything they needed prepared, including an experienced adult who sold cars and deals with the legality of various areas and a preapproved loan through my credit union, MECU [this fact is crucial to the story].

Now, I should have avoided the services with this corporation the moment I walked through the doors at 12:00pm, and the car I made the appointment for was not there – nor was the employee I was assigned to. I emailed them that morning letting them know that my 7:30am appointment will be pushed back due to a few issues, but the fact that I was told information the night before was still alarming, which was: This car is at the Parkville Location [With a follow up assurance after asking if it is at the actual location currently or just in the inventory] and that due to my appointment they will work to have it there and ready for us to decide by arrival. Neither of the details relayed to us was true, the first red flag of Mile One’s integrity.

The second flag arose when I asked about another car that I was more interested in that was a part of their inventory upon further research. I asked where it was because it was easier to just drive there instead of waiting for it to be transferred – but they insisted it was “lost” and that another employee was driving it around completing tasks for the company. Let us just acknowledge that an employee using a car with less than 11,000 miles to run errands when the milage is the main appeal of buying used cars – shows either their irresponsibly or lack of ability to come up with a better excuse while they try to get the car. Prior to this news, they said they had no idea where the car was, it could take hours, etc. Yet, I’ll give the benefit that it is expected for them to say what they need to in order to make sure they get the sale and no one else. Commission and all. Regardless, this lack of respect for our time and transparency was another red flag.

Now, we have returned once the car was transferred. Everything is going to work out, I thought. I test drove the car and now all we need to do is get the paperwork done. It is important to note that we let everyone know that we have a preapproved loan with our credit union with a preapproval slip the moment we sat down at 12:00pm. We do not want to use the dealers’ financing, nor do we want our credit ran again – we said explicitly. Up until this point everyone smiled and nodded and said no worries, that will be no problem. The flags are blatant now that the script has changed.

The representative from the finance department, Parker, came to let us know that he cannot find our documents in the data system they use. Searching both of our socials, nothing comes up. Confused we call our credit union again, she reminds us that all they need to do is sign the pre-approval form and they will send over everything we need, and a check – do not let anyone run your credit again, she warned. The Branch manager at the union themselves told us that was the process we should expect, so why are we being told different by one of their “partners” or “approved dealers”. At this moment, our only trouble is that we are not showing up in their system. So, we run back to the credit union and ask for help, clarity, something. They are confused as well; this should not happen they said. The Branch manager calls their liaison that represents MECU at this dealer, she mentions Parker and the information we were given. At the end of their conversation with the man, that is the one who handles the partnership with MECU and Heritage, and we are told there are no issues in their system anymore and we should be able to leave with the car tonight all the paperwork is in and complete. No credit ran, as they already did that. Okay, let’s race back. However, upon our third arrival, Heritage Honda of Parkville owned by Mile One’s employees tells us different. Parker actually pushed us onto a higher manager, Oliver, before we said anything to him as we entered.

Our credit must be run again – no negotiations – as it is part of their partnership, Oliver says. Image our faces when we traveled back to this dealer, who just claimed they never spoke to their liaison and that they were never told they could go through with the process, only that the credit must be run again. How is it that we are being told different information by people from the same company? Not MECU, but the person who connects MECU and Heritage. If this car sale was not feasible to their current commission needs, then they should have said the car was unavailable the moment I said I have a preapproved loan and I want absolutely no financing with this dealer nor do I want my credit ran again. This was a twelve-hour process that ended with no car regardless of the loan already being approved and MECU ready to send their funds.

It has been four hours since this experience and every single dealer I have spoken to, at least seven in the state of Maryland, has assured me they will not run my credit with a preapproved loan, they just need the slip and to prove I am who I say I am through an identity check, which does not run credit nor will it even require my social security. They explained it simply without trying to talk circles around us. Regardless if this policy is true – which we know it could not be because no person who gets preapproved for the loan we had is also a person who gets their credit ran multiple times in a day and it is not a rare way of purchasing a car – understanding the wants and needs of the customer and still putting them through hours of anticipation is extremely unprofessional and calls me to this question. Is the Mile One corporation a representation of people who will not allow you to purchase a car smoothly if you are prepared and able to provide your own financing? If it helps, the question is insinuating that the company believes certain people should not or could not possibly have this type of stability without the help of the company’s internal financing, correct?

“A preapproved loan? Oh, just come in. We assure you we will not run your credit, to assure you that – we won’t take your social for your comfort after your experience today.” – A dealer who understands that some of their clients knows too much to succumb to financial greed.

Have a blessed day,

Tellington

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