Darrell Waltrip Honda

by dLars99 on 07/15/2017

TL;DR: Darrell Waltrip Honda suffers from a systemic lack of honesty, follow-through, and communication. Previously, I have had positive experiences with this company. I purchased a car there four years ago, and had all its service performed at Waltrip Honda. After this past week, though, I will never set foot anywhere near there again. Monday: I was in the area for unrelated reasons and was curious about a used car I saw on their website, so I stopped by and met Russell. The car was new to the inventory and had not yet gone through service, so it took about 45 minutes to find. He did find it, though, and I got to test drive the car. There were some brake issues that should be easily fixed, and a scrape on the side that we thought would rub out. Since I had not planned on this when I left my house, I did not have my checkbook (I intended on paying cash), and wanted those issues addressed anyway. We requested paying a deposit to hold the vehicle. Russell took us into the office, and had us start filling out paperwork for purchase. That was okay, if it saved me time down the line, but I still wanted to make sure the issues were addressed. I asked again what we would need to pay today to hold the vehicle. He left to ask his manager, and when he returned, he assured me that Finance would be able to work out something. We finished up, then had a mysterious pause of about 30-45 minutes before we saw Finance. As the person in Finance handed me papers, I asked again what we would owe today to hold the car. He responded, "The full price of the car." Now getting angry at the direction this was going, I explained our intention to hold the car, and that I could not purchase the vehicle at that moment as I did not have my checkbook on me. As he went to ask his manager if he could work something out, he said, "We do not hold cars." At this point, we had been in the dealership for over four hours, with almost three spent trying to hold the vehicle. Their solution: they could hold the car until tomorrow morning, when I could bring in the full amount for the check. I did not want to do that while there were still pending issues to be addressed. Tuesday: Russell called me, apologizing profusely for the "miscommunication." I said, that was quite a miscommunication, since we asked you a couple times what we would need to hold the car. He responded, "Yes, and I never relayed that information to my manager." So, what were he and his manager talking about when he left to ask about that very thing? I should have left entirely at this point, but I am a moron, and really did like the car overall. I told him to update me when the car was ready. He called back later that afternoon to tell me it was ready. I called back, and got his voicemail. I had to head into work, so I asked him to text or email me with what they had done to the brakes, as well as how he thinks the scrape turned out. He texted me, asking if he could text me. I said yes and repeated the question. That was at 2:20 pm. He never responded the rest of the day. Wednesday: I called in the morning, and asked to start working with a new salesperson. I then spoke to Trent. I repeated my questions about the brakes and the scrape, which he investigated. The brakes had not been addressed, and his own test drive reaffirmed the issue. He said the scrape "could look good with a little touch-up." So, neither issue had been addressed in regular service, as Russell had stated. With the brakes being kind of important, he was going to take it back to service to get those items addressed and that I would receive a call as soon as it was ready to get "first crack" at it. Thursday: I waited until noon, then called to follow up. I reached Monica, who notified me that Trent was off today. (He never mentioned this yesterday...) She was going to check with the manager on the status of the car. My available time to go in was running low for the week, so I followed up again about 2:20. She said the manager was in a meeting until 2:30, at which point he would update me. I did not receive a call until 4:30, to tell me the car was not ready. I was assured again that I would be notified when the car is ready. Friday: I called to follow up again at 1:00. The gentleman who answered informed me the car was sold an hour prior. At no point prior to my calling in had anyone at Waltrip attempted to reach me to let me know the car was ready. I informed the gentleman, whose name I have forgotten, about the promises made previously. He said he saw lots of notes on my account from "nearly everyone," and that "every single person dropped the ball." My conclusions: either everyone at the place is a liar, or no one communicates with anyone else about promises they make to their customers to make sure those promises are fulfilled. Both possibilities point to a severe deficit in competent management. I will never return here, and I strongly recommend searching elsewhere for a car.

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by class57 on 03/24/2017

When my 2010 Honda CRV became a part of the airbag recall I decided that it was time to trade my car in for a new CRV. I loved driving a CRV and took a look at the 2016. With expert assistance from Salesman, David Needham, I received a fair price on my trade with quick action from David in finding the car that I was looking for. David's is always very professional and genuinely interested in customer satisfaction. I know that if I have a question related to my car, I can call David.

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by windskisong on 05/30/2016

We had concluded a purchase agreement with Hendrick Honda (a partner with Darrell Waltrip) for a car located at Darrell Waltrip on 29 May at 4:30 pm. Hendrick confirmed that the purchase agreement had been finalized with DW Honda, and was making arrangements for getting the car delivered from DW. On the morning of 30 May, I was called by DW Honda and asked if I was still interested in the car. I confirmed that we had a purchase agreement regarding the car via Hendrick. The person on the phone apologized for bothering me and got off the phone. In the afternoon, Hendrick Honda called me and said that DW Honda had sold the car in the morning despite the purchase agreement. They were really upset. We had no recourse. Apparently, DW Honda got someone to pay more for the car and broke off the purchase agreement. Hendrick Honda offered $1k off their internet price for a similar car, but DW Honda didn't even apologize for their misrepresentation and unethical conduct. I would avoid this dealership if you can help it.

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by anonbuyer on 05/19/2016

This is a review of Darrell Waltrip's used car sales process. I recently purchased an eight-year-old vehicle from them in cash. (Would not recommend doing financing here.) The people here act exactly as you would expect salesmen, assistants, and receptionists at a big used dealership to act. They know that they'll have less intelligent customers whom they can sucker into their well-above-value list prices. They know that they can move vehicles quickly, and they will use that against you during negotiation (i.e. "I got this car in last night and already have had four calls about it this morning"), even if it's untrue. The sales managers will sit in their front room (where you have to stand at the counter to talk to them), and they won't come to the back to negotiate with you once you said you're ready to talk numbers. They'll reject your first offer without making a counter-offer. They'll look at their computer screens while talking to you. They'll assume that they're smarter than you. Don't let them get away with it. You can get a fast, reasonable deal here if you play your cards right. Do the legwork before you show up. Know exactly what you want from their stock (updated regularly online), and call in advance to check that the vehicle is still available and to schedule an appointment. Know what the car is worth with exactly the same specs, and find nearby comps if you can. Have your informed sales number in mind. Lowball them with your first offer, but have your second offer prepared so that you'll have a confident response to the salesman when he says "no," with no further qualification. Stay confident, quick, and definitive through the negotiation, and you will get an ok deal. (Especially women: don't let them take advantage of you. I'm a 23 year old female who came to the shop alone.) Long story short: Come here if you need a used car within a short timeframe; they do have a huge stock of mechanically sound cars. Be confident in your number as a consumer. And, of course, don't be afraid to walk if you feel that the negotiation isn't going your way. There are hundreds of other dealerships in the area.

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by Micajah on 11/22/2015

Service cost less than estimate and was finished earlier than promised

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by HDeWees on 11/14/2015

I bought the first 2016 Honda Civic Touring from Darrell Waltrip Honda. Bill Davis was my sales person. Working with Bill was great. He was very prompt to respond to any questions I had. He never made me feel like I was under any pressure to buy although I'm sure if I had let go of the keys someone else was standing in line behind me to buy the car. Unlike many car sales people I have met, Bill knows a lot about the products he sales and he lives it. He owns a Honda. Also, while my wife and I were finalizing the deal on the car, Bill was in the lobby helping me kids get in the race car and texting their pictures to me... so funny. He could have been after that next sale but he was laser focused on staying with us from beginning to end. I will be recommending Bill Davis to everyone that tells me they are considering a Honda.

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by Natalia323 on 08/15/2015

If you're a first time car buyer, you must, must, must come to Darrell Waltrip Honda. I recently moved to the Franklin area from DC where I never had a need to have a car. After popping around a few car dealerships, I finally stumbled on Darrell Waltrip Honda. Right off the bat, Randy knew I had never purchased a car before. This immediately made me uncomfortable and nervous that I was going to be taken advantage of. Complete opposite happened. Randy showed me YouTube videos explaining differences between new and used cars, printed me articles explaining different concepts behind buying a car, and best of all, never once did he pressure me. He even told me to go home and sleep on everything I had just learned before making a decision. Randy went above and beyond to get me the best deal ( I came in with a very set budget) and was so patient, even staying a bit after hours. All those horror stories I had heard about being a female and buying a car are thrown out the window. Randy, you made the unknown, and quite possibly the most stressful, part of my out of "district" move comfortable. I will never go anywhere else. Thank you! I love my new Honda Fit :)

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by s1964 on 04/16/2014

I want to write this review to help fellow Honda owners and prevent them from being swindled. I bought a Honda in 2011. It was used and I decided to take it to Darrell Waltrip Honda for service when indicated. I have never been one to subscribe to routine maintenance and my 1999 Xterra has never had any problems. But since this vehicle is being utilized to transport my family, I have been timely in its maintenance. I returned again to Darrell Waltrip in Franklin on Murfreesboro Road for another service visit on April 14th. I was told it would cost over $800. I left and got a phone call about 90 minutes later telling me that "while the vehicle was still on the lift" it needed rear brake pads and could use a new set of tires. The brake pads definitely but the tires could wait until the next service visit. The cost for the brake pads $250. The cost for 4 new tires over $1200. They say this "while its on the lift" statement to pressure you into doing something without checking on what it actually costs. Come to find out the brake pricing was $75 overcharged and the tire replacement $500 overcharged. I opted to do the brakes there when he said he would match the competitor price. I picked up the car to the tune of over $1000 for this routine service visit. I drove home and the next morning one of the tire sensors was reading low pressure. I had to take the kids to school, go to a bank for a previously scheduled appointment and then go back to school to pick the kids up from morning class. I had to fill the tire 4 times. I immediately went to Discount tire and was told the wear on the tires was bad and they would have recommended replacement, and that the wear caused a tear in the already thinned sidewall. I replaced all 4 tires with the same as what the manufacturer recommended for $760 plus an $80 rebate. I called Darrell Waltrip first thing in the morning to let them know of the tire issue and George in service stated I probably ran over something and that's what the problem was and they weren't responsible. I then called early in the afternoon to speak to Archie the service manager and he didn't return my call until after 5pm. I told him what happened and I told him I would like a refund on the rotating and balancing and the alignment and he said that they didn't do a rotation and balance and he couldn't refund me the alignment.He also didn't apologize for his company's practice of overcharging its loyal customers. If I hadn't hit anything why did I need a $75 alignment. This leads me to question the necessity of all the other things that they did during my service visit. It is not so much the issue with my need to replace the tires a day after the service which is coincidental at best, but the fact that they overcharge you for things that you probably don't even need at the time and way over charge you for the things that you do need. How can they look you in the eye and smile as Russell did knowing that he tried to overcharge me $600 for things that I needed and still want me to trust them as a Dealership. I can tell you that if you need service for your Honda go around the corner to Firestone for brakes, filters and fluids and go to Discount Tire near the mall for tires. Heck, they will even rotate and balance your tires routinely after that for free. But if for some reason you HAVE to utilize a Honda dealership for your service, go to Crest before ever thinking of patronizing Darrell Waltrip Honda. I gave them the chance to make it right and they have chosen not to. Do not let something worse happen to you or your family. You need to go to someone you can trust. You need a dealership and service department that you can trust to tell you what you need and charge you a fair price for the parts and services. Darrell Waltrip Honda on Murfreesboro Road in Franklin Tennessee is not that place. If you are in their service department waiting room reading this, I would get back in your car and leave.

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by jrjr13 on 02/22/2013

Outstanding dealer and purchase experience. Began with Deanna in the internet dept and worked with Terry H., Sales Consultant. This was the best car purchase experience in many years. Terry put no pressure on us and worked with us to reach a great price for our used car as well as the new car. He was always courteous, knowledgeable and very professional. This is the way a purchase process should work. In a couple of years we will replace our SUV and will make certain we ask for Terry.

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by j9045 on 01/07/2011

My husband and I went to Darrell Waltirp Automotive looking for the perfect car for our family, my list was long, very long, and our budget was limited. DW worked with us to find the perfect fit, and with access to so many used cars, we had plenty to choose from. The salespeople were kind, up front and got us in and out quickly. I can't say enough great things about them!

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by j9045 on 01/06/2011

Darrell Waltrip Automotive's service dept.has been a great fit for our family! As a busy mom of three with a full time job I cannot say enough about DW! I can make an appointment for any service, insuring that I'm in and out. While I usually go in for their $20 oil changes, I have also had great experience when I have needed additional services. My service rep has always been honest about what my car really needs, what can wait and what my options are. And while I'm there I get a free car wash, if I have kid's with me there is a kid's play room and tv, bottled water and I can bring my laptop to get some work done with the free wireless internet. I leave the dealership with my car taken good care of and happy kids. What more could I ask for?!

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by cntenn on 12/14/2010

This is our second car purchase from DW through the internet sales department. Although we live closer to 2 other Honda dealerships we drove 40 min. from our home to purchase a 2011 Honda Accord from Darrell Waltrip Honda in Franklin. The dealer closest to us is okay but they make you feel like you should feel honored that they are selling you a car and they tend to low ball on trade ins. Another dealer in Nashville has a horrible reputation and we would never consider contacting them. Darrell Waltrip has been easy to deal with. After receiving an internet quote, I spoke to the salesman to let him know that we were on our way to test drive the car. It was a cold night and he said he would have the car warmed up and ready for us to drive when we got there. We decided to purchase the car after the test drive. Once we got inside to talk they honored the internet price quote, no problem. We had a trade in as well and we received a fair trade offer. The trip to the finance office was pretty good too. They did try to offer us additional insurance/warranties but did not pressure us when we said no. Overall a great, easy experience!

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by michael_s1 on 04/15/2010

I placed a call to one of Darrell Waltrip Honda's Sales Representative, Lee Hoppe. Lee had an answer for me within minutes, and the car was parked up front, ready for a test drive as soon as I arrived. Lee was knowledgeable, polite, and professional. Lee took the time to listen to my financial constraints, and within minutes, we had a deal. I had arrived in a rental car from Enterprise, and Lee even took steps to have the rental car picked up, eliminating a cumbersome chore for me after my purchase. I was in and out within two hours, at most, including time for the test drive. The rest of the sales staff was very professional and courteous, as well. With the "9 Things That Set Us Apart" (AKA the DW Difference - see their website for details), and professional Sales Representatives like Lee, I wouldn't change a thing about my Honda Buying experience.

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by wge on 06/29/2008

My wife and I bought our first Honda Fit (a base 5-sp manual) at the end of March, 2008 for $200 below MSRP. We had a very positive experience at a different Nashville-area Honda dealer. We really liked the Fit and decided to replace our second vehicle with another Fit. Our Grand Caravan had 120K miles and was about to need a fair amount of work and its gas mileage was rather poor making it a good candidate for replacement. So I first contacted our salesperson for our first purchase but was told that due to the current market, his dealership would ask for $300 over MSRP for the Fit. This prompted me to do some internet inquiries elsewhere and I got a good, rapid response from Darrell Waltrip Honda. We wanted another base 5-speed manual but they currently had none at dealership and, in fact, only three were in the whole state of Tennessee at the time. The internet salesperson did some research and found he could dealer trade and get a Milano Red base 5-sp manual that was just being built in Japan. He said they would sell for MSRP and I put down a deposit. The sales rep kept us informed of the entire one-month journey of the car from completion in Japan, to its shipment across the Pacific, its arrival in California, and its final trip to Tennessee. We went out to do the purchase and everything went smoothly. There were no surprises, they sold the Fit for MSRP as agreed upon, and the sales manager was gracious when I declined the extended warranty, protection packages, Lojack anti-theft protection, etc. There was no hard sell. I felt that they found what I wanted and sold it at a price I felt reasonable given the current market. So I have had good luck with two local Honda dealers. We ended up paying $200 more for the second Fit over the first purchase, but I believe that simply reflected the difference in the fuel-efficient car market from three months ago. We didn't finance the purchase and we had no trade-in, having sold our second vehicle privately. Perhaps this played a role in the straightforward nature of the purchase. Nonetheless, I would recommend this dealer to potential Honda buyers. We are happy now having two fuel-efficient Hondas that we hope will last a long time and be economical to operate and insure.

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