during my recent experience at A1. Not only was I required to pay a $1000 negotiable (CT Law) fee for dealer "dues" (it is a very much non-negotiable fee at A1) but the experience as a whole was the opposite of what I wanted or have previously experienced. I would be happy to pay for any services that a fee would cover but the overall service provided was far below the standard without any clear justification or value in return.
Summary of my experience:
No opportunity to inspect the car prior to signing: I was required to sign before I had even seen or fully inspected the vehicle, which left me feeling rushed and pressured into making a decision without the chance to properly evaluate the car. It ended up that they didn't fully detail the front right side of the new car.
Plates not ready: On the agreed-upon pick-up date, two and a half months after paying $500 to hold the car for me, the license plates for my car were not ready, causing unnecessary delays and inconvenience. Per the sales manager, " ... it was not our fault that your license was never switched over to CT." ... A week and a half later, a salesman shows up 3 hours late with the plates, but without any screws to affix the plates to my car. He ended up putting the back plate on with two screws, leaving me unable to drive the car. Then, after getting the screws at Home Depot at 8pm to ensure I can make it to work the next day, we realized we needed plate frames, that we did not have nor were told were needed.
Unprofessional communication: The salesman assigned to me texted me in a manner that was both unprofessional and inappropriate, addressing me as if we were close friends rather than in a formal business transaction. This added to the overall lack of professionalism displayed during the process, and he ended up ghosting me and didn't show up the day I got the car.
Thee unapologetic, dismissive, and ego-driven attitude among staff and managers was a little much in addition to the lack of concern for my dissatisfaction.
Incomplete detailing: I noticed that the front right side had not been detailed properly, unlike the rest of the car, but this was after signing and being charged. This oversight further compounded my frustration.