DCH Academy Honda

We had the most unfortunate experience of traveling 2 ½ hrs round trip to test drive a 2015 Civic Si, per several emails exchanged w/the internet manager at DCH Honda. Once there, we learned he had left for the day, and after waiting another 30-40 min. for someone to even talk to us, we learned that the car in question "was just sold"! In the meantime, we had ample opportunity to see just how deals are struck at DCH. Don't fool yourself: this dealer is as sleazy as them come: typical good guy/bad guy tactics, lots of joking around, but most of all, what we heard was this: "Now, you know we want five star reviews, right?". So there you have it: grateful customers (some immigrants, several large families) who thought they'd never be able to buy a car, eagerly return home and write these 5-star reviews. Do yourself a favor: spend the time researching your car of choice online. Then, check out the prices offered (TrueCar is a scam - google them and you'll see why). Give a few dealers a call ahead of time, and check out dealership reviews (on sites like cars.com). If you can, test drive the car as close to home as possible. Once you've decided what you want to buy, get competitive financing offers (credit unions, your local bank, and possibly the manufacturer). Do NOT head out to a distant dealer UNLESS you have a firm, written commitment in hand (via email/fax, etc.) for a specific car, with VIN number and a list of the specs & options on that particular vehicle. Be sure to make an appointment w/a specific individual, and ask for another name in case s/he is busy/out when you get there. Once at the dealer, make sure the car they’re trying to sell you checks out w/what you agreed to buy (bring your email/written specs). Above all: do NOT blindly trust all the five-star reviews. Dealers aren’t stupid: they know much business comes from the internet, and it is very, VERY easy to get a great review online. Caveat Emptor! Buyer beware!