During the last week of June, I received some advertisement and sales documentation from Al Hendrickson Toyota. The information offered an discount of up to $9, 615 off any vehicle in their inventory along with advertising that they were giving up to 20% over N.A.D.A. loan value (not to exceed $4, 000) for any trade-in.

When I arrived on June 30th, I looked at all of their used vehicles – none of which were priced. Upon selecting a few vehicles that I was interested in and spending a lot of time at their dealership (three days total), I was offered a standard trade-in allowance for my trade (a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Mega Cab) – less than I was offered by another dealer just 6 weeks before. Also, none of the $9, 615 was discounted from any of the vehicles on the lot – new or used.

The idea of getting more than a standard trade-in amount for my vehicle and also a substantial discount on the selling vehicle led me to believe that I would be able to get out from under my negative equity of my 2008 Dodge – especially since their advertisement said “No Money Down”.

This was obviously an advertising ploy which had no credibility of their interest to do fair business with me nor to stand behind their advertised promises of great savings. I would venture to say that they, in an interest to conduct “business-as-usual” did not offer any of these deals to me or anyone else who came to them in good faith so that they could make the most of their profits and that this advertising ploy was done purposely to deceive the general public into thinking that they would get a better deal by Al Hendrickson honoring what they advertised.

These are unsavory business practices that should be stopped and this dealer, like many others who might be doing the same thing, should be monetarily penalized for unfair business practices and preying and deceiving the general public.

They were not upfront concerning either of these promised that they marketed and it seems that they have not gotten away from the typical dishonest way of doing business that has plagued the car industry for decades.

Where is the regulation and where is the accountability? Businesses (particularly car dealerships) who engage in these shady methods of practice should be exposed and stopped and ordered to make restitution to those customers and potential customers they have deceived.