Stay Away from Classic Chevy in Texas....!!!

[autoguy]

I was not going to do this, but things continued to happen and it needs to get out.

This all started last year when I was trying to buy a 2010 Camaro Pace Car Replica. I contacted Eric @ Classic Chevy, because I was told he had or had the ability to get me a Pace Car replica. I talked to him and told him I had two trades, a 1994 Corvette and a 1994 Z28 with only 8,600 miles. He told me he had to get back to me with numbers, so I waited. When he called back the first time, I was given numbers that were the typical dealer lowball you car is worth nothing because it is 16 years old crap. After some negotiations back and forth, we agreed that they could not give me what I wanted for the Corvette, and that we agreed on $12,000.00 for the Z28. Keep in mind, this is on Full MSRP on the new car as well.

So, I tell him, give me a day to look at numbers and decide what I am going to do. I decided that the deal he offered me was the best of the three deals I was working at the time. So, I call back in a day or two, tell him to get things going with paperwork, and that we had a deal with trading the Camaro only at $12,000. He says ok, send me your info and I will start doing the paperwork. he next day, I get a phone call from Eric telling me he cannot give me $12,000 for the Camaro, he can only give me $7,000. Then he proceeds to tell me they never gave me a number of $12,000 in the first place. If that was the case, how could I ever even think about the deal and decide to do it???

Anyhow, he did me a favor by screwing me last year, because I ended up trading the Vette, got what I wanted, and ended up with an Indy Festival Pace Car at INVOICE from Bill Estes Chevy in Indy. That is the Place to buy a new Chevy!!

Fast Forward to this year. New Year New Camaro Pace Car. I contacted a couple dealers about one. Either they did not have allocation, they knew nothing about it or the car they were getting was already spoken for.

Again, someone recommends Eric at Classic. He is getting FIVE 2011 Pace Cars!!!! So, silly me, I get on the phone and call Eric. He says Yes, he is getting FIVE, Three are sold and Two are available. The Two that are available can be ordered with Auto or Manual Trans.

I ask what the procedure is, because I want One and a friend of mine wants the other. He proceeds to send myself and the other guy the order forms to fill out, we complete them, and sent them back. Everything is great....Two Pace Cars on order, order form to prove it, good to go!!

Ok, Here we go AGAIN!!! I repeatedly asked for a buyers order and if he needed a deposit. He says, no, he is not sure how the orders are being handled with these cars because it is not through the normal GM ordering system. I he said I have the order form that will be good.

SOOOOO, a couple days later, I get a call from Eric, he says hey, I have bad news for you.....We (Classic) are only getting ONE Pace Car and it is already sold to someone else!!!!! So now, not only did he screw me once last year, he screwed me Twice at the same time this year!!!!!

But wait, there is more....... I get another call a couple weeks later from Eric, he wants to make things right for me. (He claims he felt bad about what happened) He says that the One and ONLY Pace Car that they were getting was ordered as an Auto, and was now available because the buyer could not complete the transaction because of a problem with a rat infestation at a house they were buying and it was going to cost about $15,000.00 for that.

Here is the best part.....it was Eric himself that was going to be buying this car, and he is the one that cannot buy it now!!!!! Nice, I get screwed three times, then find out that he was taking the one and only car they would be getting. Now that he cannot buy it, he is offering it to me (At full MSRP no less). Problem is, I really did not want an Auto and I was told it could not be changed at this time.

Luckily for me, I found another dealer that has a MUCH better reputation in my eyes, and I have a deposit on a 6 Speed Pace Car that is due to be built next week 5/16/11.

So, I told this to Eric, but I also told him my friend that he Screwed out of the other car would be interested. He gets in touch with Dan, agrees on the price of the car, and takes a $3,000.00 deposit. Keep in mind, this is some time in March. They do the paperwork, get everything lined up for delivery, and Dan gets a call from the Sales Manager of Classic telling him they cannot sell the car to him because he is on some type of GM Exporter list. They never provided any proof or documentation of this so called list they said he was on either.

From here, Dan tells them he will get back to them, calls me and asks if I wanted to buy the car because they would not sell it to him. (After all the paperwork is done no less). We discuss me buying the car, and when I call Eric back, I'm told the car is GONE, they sold it to someone local!!!!! They never waited to hear back or even called to ask what Dan was going to do about the deal.

Now, May 14th, Dan finally received his $3,000.00 deposit back. Nice way to do business guys.

Ok NOW, that is FOUR times we have been screwed by Eric at Classic.

Needless to say, I WILL NOT be buying or recommending anyone to do business with Classic Chevy in Grapevine Texas. Just because you are the Biggest, DOES NOT mean you are the BEST by any means!!!!!!

Maybe you can hang this letter in your office for all of your customers to see Eric!!!!

[PQ]

I guess money talks.

But sounds like he could be more up front and honest.

Have you discussed it with the manager over there?

[autoguy]

Originally Posted by PQ

I guess money talks.

But sounds like he could be more up front and honest.

Have you discussed it with the manager over there?

He is supposed to be the Internet Manager. At this point, why would they even care to hear from me. Not like they can do anything about it. They were getting one car, and he sold it. I just wanted others to be aware of his false promises. If it only happened once I would have never done this. I did give him a second and third chance, and got the same crap as the first couple times trying to deal with them.

[PQ]

Ya, that sucks.

[GB EB]

Wow.... I usually learn after the FIRST screwing! That sucks dude. You gotta hand it to you... you hung in there and gave him several chances to "make it right".

[autoguy]

Originally Posted by 2011 2SS/RS

Wow.... I usually learn after the FIRST screwing! That sucks dude. You gotta hand it to you... you hung in there and gave him several chances to "make it right".

Yeah, I usually learn the first time too, but I figured I would give him another chance since I really wanted a 2011 Pace Car he he was happy to TRY and help again.....

[Moriartii]

I learned a long time ago there is two sides to every story and the truth lands somewhere in the middle.

I have personally purchased two cars from Eric at Classic Chevy in Grapevine, my 2010 Camaro and my built waiting to ship 2011 Camaro. I have had nothing but good luck and good service with Grapevine.

The 12K to 7k drop while a bummer is explained because when you do a trade you have to deal with the used car manager. I ran into the same thing on my first purchase and wanted to trade my Sporttrac, the used car market is the bread and butter of a dealership; they buy em low and mark them up. I dont believe Eric was trying to pull one on you, I believe he was dealing with a situation where he thought 12k was what he could get you and the used car manager kiaboshed that. In my case with my Sporttrac I sold it to Carmax.

The pace car fiasco I also dont think he was being decietful, sounds like he was being upfront when the issue changed, tried to make it right when it changed again, and continued to work the sale with two people who wanted a pace car when it began to break down.

As I said two sides to every story and I am curious to see what Eric's side is. But in my opinion I have had nothing but excellent service from Classic Chevy and Eric.

Cheers
K

[2010 SS RS]

I am sure their is another side to this story. I have known Eric for years and have always been impressed by his honesty and direct dealing. Eric is one of the few guys that truly says what he does and does what he says.

[autoguy]

Well Eric being the "Internet Manager" and go between, should have been responsible enough to make sure the trade values he is giving are FIRM numbers and not Hypothetical numbers. You can do what you want to try and defend him, but every word I typed in the original post is 100% the truth. I didn't see him in here telling "His" side yet.......

Again, MY opinion is that I would never try to deal with them again, I don't recommend that anyone else does, and that will not change......

[autoguy]

Originally Posted by 2010 SS RS

I am sure their is another side to this story. I have known Eric for years and have always been impressed by his honesty and direct dealing. Eric is one of the few guys that truly says what he does and does what he says.

Well maybe this was a different Eric the Internet Manager at Classic that I was dealing with......

[2010 SS RS]

Originally Posted by autoguy

Well maybe this was a different Eric the Internet Manager at Classic that I was dealing with......

Not sure.... I just sent him an email asking him about it....I dont know everyone over there but I think we are talking one and the same. But I have heard about the exporter lists before. If you buy a car and then sell it to a Canadian its pretty easy to get on the lists. Not much a dealer can do once you are on it....Has something to do with trade regulations etc. Pretty hefty fines involved if a dealer sells to someone that is on the list. I know back in 09 when the Camaros just came out there was a bunch of folks in Dubia that wanted the Camaro.. They placed several orders and tried to export them only to get caught.

Eric is a good friend of mine and hell yeah I will defend him. But he is pretty used to being ridiculed cause he is a Seahawk fan anyway. Just like any negotiated deal, nothing is done until all the I's are dotted and T's are crossed. But sounds like you got a heck of a deal on last years car from the dealer in Indy. Hope you got as good of deal on this years too.

[thespymaster]

A little biased in my response, since Becky at Rodgers Chevrolet just save me thousands; thousands of dollars on my recent 2 truck purchases over any other deal I could get.

No game playing by Rodgers Chevrolet, best deal you can get period on just about any Car / Truck (Chevrolet) you desire and thier dealership is truly run "FAMILY STYLE"

I'm sure thier are other highly respectable Chevrolet dealers on Camaro5, but just sharing that like others, you WON'T see complaints about Rodgers Chevrolet.

[SS-Eric]

Alright so I've had several emails about this thread. At first I was just going to let it slide, 99% of folks I deal w/ know that I'm up front and honest in everything that I do, and yes my reputation and CSI speak for its self. I know that I can not make EVERYONE happy, so Brian Rider, obviously you are my 1%.

Let me first state that I am a "GM Certified Internet Manager" not Classic Chevrolet's Internet Sales Manager... I am simply a salesperson!

Lets start off w/ your first attempt. I will not disagree w/ you in the way that things went down were a little messed up. Somewhere between our Pre Owned manager and my sales director, words were misunderstood. The way my preowned manager told me was that it may be worth 12K to the right buyer, but he wasnt the right buyer. Now what my sales director told me initially was it would be worth 12K and that is why I told you that. So when when we confirm w/ the used car manager, he said he wasnt a buyer on that car.

Now regarding the 2011 Pace Car. Our GM rep initally told us that we would get 5 Pace Cars, and that is why we took 5 orders. Due to the overwhelming success of this car, GM decided to allocate 1 car to each of the top 450 dealers the other 50 would then go to the Indy dealers after the race. I'm SORRY that I can not control allocation or the info coming out of GM...

In regard to who got our car... you were the last to order initially, what makes you think you deserve our one and only? There would have been 3 people in front of you and Dan to get first dibs... Anyone that truley knows me on these sites, know that the Pace Car was and still is my dream car. I was the 1st person on our waiting list here at the dealership, and due to unforseen circumstances, I had to pass on the car. Yes, I purchased a new house that had a major rat infestation in the attic. The inspector missed it (since its not structural I can't go back on him to pay for it) and the previous owners covered it up and since it wasnt in the inspection I can't go back on them to pay for it, so yes, I had to pay just over 12K to get all the insulation removed, the attic cleaned and sanitized and then new insulation installed. I'm not sure if you thought that this would embaress me or not or if this is just your "professional" way to personally attack me, but I could care less!! So yes, again I had to pass on the car.

So now that the car is available to sell, I called the #2 and #3 orders and offer the car to them. #2 customer decided he would wait and the #3 customer I was able to get him a car from our store in Sugarland (where he lives). So then I called you. You told me that you had already got one and that you did not want an automatic. However, Dan would be interested. So we get intouch and agree on numbers and everything. We send up paperwork while waiting for the car to arrive. Dan said he didnt want to register the car nor did he want to put his personal insurance on the car, this threw up a red flag to our finance manager so he took the deal to our GM who then ran ran Dan's name against the Export List and it came back a match (call your "trustworthy" dealer they can look it up for you). The reason I can not send it out, is it has thousands of personal and business names and addresses, 19,168 to be exact. The internet director calls Dan, and explains it to him, and Dan states that he would call GM and call us back if he could get anything changed. A week goes by and no call from Dan, and the car arrives. We assume he wasnt able to get anything changed so we sell the car and I am told the refund of the deposit to Dan was done that same day!!

Now you want to know why I didnt call you or Dan. Simple, Dan told us he would call if he could get it changed (again this is what I'm told, since he didnt talk to me directly). And in your own writing, you are going to buy it for him... If a dealer knowingly sells a car to an exporter or to someone for an exporter, it is in clear violation of the GM dealer agreement!! I am in no way going to put Classic Chevrolet in those terms!!!! So maybe I will print your letter and give it to GM and let them add you to that list....

[justa25thTA]

My experience with Eric was different. He took my order over the phone, no deposit and delivered to me, without ever meeting me or having one dime of money. Filled out all of the paperwork in the parking lot, and took my cash deposit without ever counting it or even looking at it. (I did have some issues with the finance department, but got that worked out) I would (and have) given his name to others looking to buy.

Maybe with a Pace car with limited allocation things are different, but on my 11, he called the plant and had my production moved up so I could surprise my wife. He called my all along the build and delivery.