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Old 06-23-2010, 12:01 AM   #1
Mindz
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Bay Area Dealerships (my opinion)

If you're reading this then you obviously want to know my opinion on dealerships in the bay area. Since I've been asked a few times and people are looking around for local dealerships more and more frequently, I figured I'd make a short write up about the dealerships I know of here in the SF bay area...

Stewart Chevrolet (Colma/Daly City):
This is where I was able to go watch the IDLs when the camaro was still being prototyped. Very personable people. I was dealing with Mike Keylin. When I went to order my car, all the promises of honoring discounts and msrp or below went out the window. A family friend of mine (owner of a automobile magazine) asked for the best price they would give me as a favor for him, they said 500 under MSRP and they wouldn't honor my credit union discount. Not a bad dealership but they didn't get my money.

Putnam Chevrolet (Burlingame):
AVOID AT ALL COSTS...This is just the first of many incidents that happened. http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...ghlight=putnam
They may have changed, but everytime I walk on the lot and Ed recognizes me, he scoffs and mugs me until I leave...Condescending when they speak to me, although the managers are decent people. They were one of the last dealers in the bay area to charge msrp. They wanted to make the markup last as long as possible

Boardwalk Chevy (Redwood City):
The salespeople are nice, but Tim Wood is a Corvette guy and seems to make decisions for everyone else. I've sent some people there after the salesman says they can honor some incentives/discounts and when they go into the dealership with their checkbook in hand, they're turned away. Again, this may have changed recently, but as of a a year ago, this happened to two people I sent to Boardwalk.

Courtesy Chevrolet (San Jose):
This is where D1BadZ got the first (I think) camaro in the bay area at MSRP on a handshake and a smile. I was going to order here until it took 2 hours for the salesman to call me back to say that they could honor my credit union discount. As soon as he foudn out that I had just gotten off the phone with another dealership and had ordered at the price I wanted, he kinda turned on me. I went there to look at an Equinox with my wife a couple months ago and he ended up showing us the car. He was VERY unfriendly after he asked my name. Apparantly, I bring out the best in people. A few members on the forums have had unpleasant customer service experiences with this place that I've heard recently. One bought a car for 5k markup, it was totaled and then went back to buy another one with her insurance check and almost bought another one at 5k markup. She ended up buying at another dealership and bought a model higher with the 5k she saved. Mixed reactions from this dealership.

Edit: I just dealt with Dennis at Courtesy and he really went the extra mile in helping me with my car. He didn't know anything about me, but I went to him directly via a referral from ChevyG1rl. I'm more than happy with the work he did, and would highly recommend him for service. Still haven't changed my opinion of the sales team at Courtesy.

Fremont Chevrolet (Fremont):

By far the best dealership in the bay area. Nothing but good things heard about this one. I have never been there personally, but no one has said anything bad about this dealership since I've been a member of the forums. Highly recommended by at least 3 people on these forums.

Novato Chevrolet (Novato):
Mark and Paul at Novato seemed to have picked up the slack where other dealers have been taking advantage of people. When others were charging 5k markup, they were charging 1k markup, but because of their excellent communication and keeping of their word, a few people have felt that the minor markup was worth the reliability and customer service. Second best in my book.

John L Sullivan Chevrolet (Folsom/El Dorado Hills/Roseville Area):
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...ghlight=putnam
Enuff said. Another one to avoid like Putnam Chevy...
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showpo...5&postcount=28 (another example)





Again, this is my opinion. Just wanted to put out a list of the dealerships I've heard of/been at and what I have experienced at each for people that haven't ordered yet or are looking for places to service their cars.
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Old 06-23-2010, 03:00 AM   #2
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Good post Mindz
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Old 06-23-2010, 09:09 AM   #3
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Good post Mindz
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Old 06-23-2010, 09:53 AM   #4
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Good post. I bought the second one a Courtesy, but I paid $5 grand over invoice. They did however throw in my first two oil changes and a car cover. Still $5 grand over just to say I have the second Camaro in the Bay Area. Especially now that I found out they sold the 1st one to Daniel at invoice and a hand shake. They saw me coming!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 06-23-2010, 11:41 AM   #5
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Good post. Pretty accurate...

Go Fremont Chevrolet!!
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Old 06-23-2010, 11:49 AM   #6
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I wrote a post a while ago about my experience with Stewart. I worked through them to get my SS Camaro and my son's LS Camaro. However, the dealership is unappealing and the staff really should not smoke inches from the doors. The service department is overwhelmed and cannot handle any capacity with only two service intake people. Delivery of my car was bad (scratches in front fenders, scratches on bumper that will not come out, dirty interior and trunk). Very poor. Would not negotiate or believe me when I said they could sell the car at MSRP. No deals for cash (both cars). Sales guy was OK.
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Old 06-23-2010, 02:36 PM   #7
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Courtesy Chevrolet (San Jose):
This is where D1BadZ got the first (I think) camaro in the bay area at MSRP on a handshake and a smile. I was going to order here until it took 2 hours for the salesman to call me back to say that they could honor my credit union discount. As soon as he foudn out that I had just gotten off the phone with another dealership and had ordered at the price I wanted, he kinda turned on me. I went there to look at an Equinox with my wife a couple months ago and he ended up showing us the car. He was VERY unfriendly after he asked my name. Apparantly, I bring out the best in people. A few members on the forums have had unpleasant customer service experiences with this place that I've heard recently. One bought a car for 5k markup, it was totaled and then went back to buy another one with her insurance check and almost bought another one at 5k markup. She ended up buying at another dealership and bought a model higher with the 5k she saved. Mixed reactions from this dealership.
If you are having Sales and Service problems at Courtesy you need to be talking to John Anderson or at least his General Sales Mgr. John is a major "Car Guy" and supports the local charity shows and clubs in a major way. They don't want attitudes chasing away customers and can't fix problems if they don't hear from folks about them. The days of markup are almost gone as far as Camaro goes, call and ask for Troy (Internet Sales) and cut out the sales person in the middle.
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Old 06-23-2010, 02:43 PM   #8
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Troy Francis is the salesman I dealt with... He's the one that Daniel (D1BADZ) got his car from, so I wanted to deal with him also. He's the one with the vendetta against me. Hopefully when I makeit out there on a friday, he'll be different.
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Old 06-23-2010, 02:50 PM   #9
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Old 06-23-2010, 03:12 PM   #10
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I ordered and picked up my Camaro at Courtesy Chevy in San Jose. I have nothing but good things to say about them. Very professional and helpful and Id wholehearted recommend them. However since I live in Fremont its good to know that Fremont Chevy is also pretty good. Ill probably visit them for my Service needs since they are physically closer to me.
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Old 06-23-2010, 03:53 PM   #11
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Great post man
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Old 06-23-2010, 06:39 PM   #12
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ANYBODY GOT INFO ON F H DAILY SAN LEANDRO CHEVROLET... >>>??????
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Old 06-23-2010, 08:43 PM   #13
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Nice post J

I am one of the few (for those who don't know) that got taken by the JL Sullivan clan. Thanks to Novato I was able to get my car sooner than if I had stayed with JLS. I did pay $1,000 over MSRP but I was told up front that I would and I was fine with that considering what I had been through.

JLS is not Bay area but thanks for spreading the word of their BS none the less!
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Old 06-24-2010, 12:34 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by SSinatra Andretti View Post
ANYBODY GOT INFO ON F H DAILY SAN LEANDRO CHEVROLET... >>>??????
I purchased my Cyber Gray 2SS from FH Daily. In fact, when I frst started pricing out 2SS's, Vince Vega from FH had replied to an email I sent them regarding quotes. I told him what I was looking for, he called me back about 20 minutes later and said he went ahead an ordered exactly what I wanted because FH nor anyone else had exactly what I wanted and FH needed to fill up their allotment on Camaros. He gave me an OTD price told me to go shop around with other dealers and see what prices I get and told me that he'll give me a call a week before it arrived. Vince told me the car would be marked as sold and that when the car arrives, I can decide if I want to buy it or not.

I shopped around and basically the price Vince gave me was the lowest, right at invoice with the credit union discount. On top of that, Vince discounted the Heritage grill and the ground effects kit (I didn’t want it installed because I wanted to have the ground effects painted the body color) below the GM Parts Direct price for me. Long story short, Vince's was the first quote I received and turned out to be the lowest. Also, a lot of people told me a lot of good things about the service dept at FH Daily. When my loan agent from my credit union saw I was buying from FH, she said she bought her Tahoe the prices at FH were very good as well as mentioned the good service from their service dept. I was pretty happy with my experience at FH Daily.

When I shot emails out to all the dealerships, I basically said that I wanted the absolute lowest OTD price. I also would not divulge other dealers prices if a dealer didn’t go below. I would just reply, thanks but I’ll just go with another dealer that went below your price. Very interesting how many of the salesmen would call a day or two later with a lower quote.

For Courtesy, I have to give my salesman Ramon props for putting up with me. He was very helpful, always entertained me not divulging the lower prices I received. He would give me a quote and would reply back asking to see if he can get even an even better price for me. In the end was right there with my lowest quote. Turns out the car would have been a dealer trade from Fremont Chevrolet and he went below what they were going to sell me the very same car for. I ended up giving the sale to FH for getting me the lowest quote.

Fremont, very straight up with their pricing and were one of the lowest quotes I received but not the lowest. I heard good things about their service dept as well. I was dealing with the fleet manager but for some reason, I just didn’t have that, this is who I want to buy my car from feeling. I’m weird like that…

Boardwalk, they flat out didn’t want to entertain the fact that I had gotten lower quotes. The sales person I was dealing with kept calling and emailing me back after I told him I’m just going to go with another dealer. He was kind of insinuating that I was being unreasonable by not divulging the lower price I was receiving.

Stewart, they gave me a price, I told them thanks but I’ll just go with another dealer that gave me a better price. Salesman said he’ll see what he could do to go lower than what he quoted and call me back. He never called me back.

Putnam… I told them what I wanted, they just said that they don’t have what I wanted and that was that.

Novato, they were another dealer that was pretty straight up with me. Their pricing was below MSRP.

Abel Chevrolet up at Rio Vista, I wanted to go with them because they were also a Pedders dealer and would have been able to set me up with some Pedders pieces I wanted and install in the car I buy from them without having to worry about my warranty. Their price was below MSRP but just wasn’t the lowest and were kind of a drive away for me. I was dealing with one of the Abel brothers and he was a cool person to deal with.

Last edited by MiSTER; 06-24-2010 at 12:53 AM.
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