MINI of Manhattan

I am going to quickly outline what I view as the dishonest and frankly, inhuman way that the sales staff of Fiat of Manhattan (Lemiron Starling and Caleb Dennis ) try to, (in my opinion,) STEAL money from unsuspecting car buyers or leasers.

ONE: Lemiron Starling and Caleb Denis do the “BAIT and SWITCH”.

I had been over there with my girlfriend a couple of days earlier, and I had also brought my Honda Fit over so they could see it for they said they could buy out my lease. I called Lemiron Starling to get a final price. He told me on the phone that they would give me $345 a month to lease the car (with the Honda buyback) with $2500 down. When we arrived with $1000 cash payment in hand to reserve the car, Lemiron Starling said “Oh I am sorry, that price was for financing - I made a MISTAKE. The price for Leasing is really $409 with $2500 down.” Shame on you!

TWO: Lemiron Starling and Caleb Dennis tried to charge us a $895 leasing fee from ALLY Financing. After some checking at another dealer, I found out that the fee from ALLY is only $295. That is STEALING in my book.

THREE: Lemiron Starling and Caleb Denis never inform customers that the $99 a month New York City parking deal that comes with a New Fiat (really $117 with tax) is only for NEW Quik Park customers. After some checking I found out that if you are a current Quik Park customer, the rate does not apply for you.

FOUR: Lemiron Starling ASKED for a CASH PAYMENT to negotiate! I didn’t give it to him, but Lemiron Starling kept asking. Incredible.

FIVE: After I asked Lemiron Starling if (x amount of money) would be the FINAL amount that I would owe, the amount that I would bring in to pick up the new Fiat, Lemiron Starling said “Yes.” (My girlfriend who was there with me witnessed it too.)

So we signed the contracts, giving Lemiron Starling a $1000 cash deposit to secure the car which he took to Mr. Denis. My girlfriend and I then started planning our vacation with the new Fiat knowing that we would pick it up the following Friday as we waited for Lemiron to return. Then Lemiron Starling came back (now get this!) with a NEW contract, asking me to sign it AGAIN, saying that the numbers were in the wrong places. Under one line on the new contract was some tiny unreadable words scribbled in saying something which we couldn’t read.

“What is that? I asked.

Lemiron Starling said “ Oh, it is nothing.”

I requested he go and find out the exact amount. Again, Lemiron Starling said “ Oh it is nothing.”

I said, “Please go and find out the exact amount.”

Lemiron Starling came back and told me that it would be $1700 dollars more!!! I was flabbergasted. I asked for my money back.

I immediately went to Caleb Denis’s desk, (who seems to me to be the mastermind of this scam.)

“I need my $1000 back.” I said calmly.

“What seems to be the problem?” Caleb Denis replied.

I said. “Give me my money back now, or I am going to call the police. I will be waiting over there.”

In about 5 minutes, Lemiron Starling came back with our $1000 deposit. No apologies. My girlfriend and I couldn’t even look at him. We counted the cash to insure it was all there and we left, having lost THREE hours of precious life with this ridiculousness, feeling disgusted, and frankly, emotionally beat up.
Don’t go anywhere near Fiat of Manhattan.
Never in my life have I experienced such dishonesty at a car dealership.