I have several major issues that make me upset with myself about purchasing a vehicle from Mazda of Columbia, 665 Broad River Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29210.
First, Mr. Chuck Gainey and Mr. Gerry Delgado were deceitful, unprofessional, and underhanded in their business dealings with me. What is the expression, “They saw me coming!” I am a female who just returned to the US on 3 May 2023, after spending five consecutive years overseas with the Department of the Army. I went to the Mazda of Columbia Car Dealership on 6 May 2023. In October 2023, I received a letter from Mazda Financial Services, Texas, dated 6 May 2023, stating they regretted informing me they could not approve my loan. In hindsight, with much regret, I am so angry with myself for not walking away. I should have suspected there was something afoot as to why it took all day from around 10:00 a.m. when I arrived to after 6:00 p.m. when the dealership closed for Mazda of Columbia to complete the paperwork. Mr. Gainey and Mr. Delgado should have informed me of the Mazda Financial Services decision not to approve my request for credit—a loan. I had an $18,000 down payment, and Mr. Gainey and Mr. Delgado did not want to walk out of the dealership’s door.
Second, while I was waiting, I asked three times for a deal but did not get one. On 15 July 2023, I overheard Mr. Gainey giving a customer by the name of Mathew a deal. I made a comment to Mr. Gainey that I did not get a deal. Per Mr. Gainey, “Maybe I did not need to sell a vehicle that day.” He needed to sell a vehicle bad enough that he allowed me to drive off the Mazda of Columbia car dealership lot with no car insurance and the car dealership’s license plate to cover the vehicle. However, he did get my $18,000 down payment.
Lastly, I had no idea I had not been approved for credit. I knew I did not have car insurance to cover the vehicle. The Mazda of Columbia volunteered and almost insisted on putting their dealership license plate on the vehicle to ensure the sale. I was approximately one hour away from Mazda of Columbia. I was meeting with realtors after work and taking care of business to get re-established in the US. On 15 July 2023, Mr. Gainey got upset with me for saying I did not get a deal when I purchased my brand-new 2023 Mazda. That is when Mr. Gainey became unhinged and lost control. He put emphasis on the fact that I kept the dealership license plate for two months. Mr. Gainey blamed me for something he and the car salesman did not bother to explain about dealership license plates; if the car would have been totaled with the Mazda of Columbia car dealership license plate on the vehicle, it would have been the dealership's loss, and not mine. Mr. Gainey told me I could not bring my 2023 vehicle to the Mazda of Columbia dealership anymore. I told him I have a warranty and I would take this issue to court. Mr. Gainey said, "I don't care what you do."
Mr. Gainey talked to me in such a hostile manner in front of customers that I called the Columbia Police Department. While outside talking to the police officer, Mr. Delgado came outside and told the police officer, “We do not want her coming back here; we want to trespass her.” I did nothing wrong by commenting that I did not get a deal when I bought my vehicle and expressing that I was not happy with the vehicle's performance. Mr. Gainey was hostile towards me because of something I did not know and the dealership’s lack of communication explaining what would happen if my vehicle was involved in an accident or totaled with the dealership license plate on the vehicle. Another point: I purchased vehicle insurance on 6 May 2023, but it would not go into effect until 12:01 a.m. on 7 May 2023. I used my work address for mail. My mail did not come directly to me but to a mailroom that is not always manned. Approximately six weeks later, I received the vehicle's license plate and registration. I have the trespass notice issued by the police officer.
