CG
Christian Gurney
Dec 12, 2025
This review I am posting does not reflect the service department, as I have not had any mechanical work performed on the car. Rather, it reflects my experience with the sales staff, the reconditioning department, the front desk, and the communication between these departments. I purchased a Gold Certified Pre-Owned Tacoma from this dealership about two weeks ago. During the purchase, I worked with a salesman, and during the test drive, it was very clear that the previous owner had smoked in the vehicle. During negotiations, I was assured through a handshake agreement that the odor would be removed from the car, even if it required multiple ionization treatments, so I decided to proceed with the purchase. A few days later, I brought the truck in for its first ionization treatment. When I picked it up later that day, there was no improvement, and if anything, the smell was worse. After being told this process would eliminate the odor, I was disappointed and decided to clean the interior myself. Through this, I cleaned all soft surfaces using a carpet cleaner, emptying the machine four times, each time the liquid appeared dark brown from nicotine residue. I also cleaned the hard surfaces, removing caked-on buildup, and I finished this off with an odor deodorizer. After this cleaning, I would say approximately 75% of the smell had been removed. This also made it very clear that the vehicle had never been properly and thoroughly detailed before purchasing, which is disappointing and not what should be expected when spending as much money as I did on a certified pre-owned vehicle. Two days later, I brought the truck back to the dealership for another ionization treatment, which was discussed with the salesman before bringing it in. I explained the situation to the front desk; however, I later heard from the reconditioning department that the effects from ionization had already occurred, and there was nothing further they could do. This is entirely untrue, which was found from a simple Google search, and it’s because ionization requires surfaces to be cleaned beforehand; ozone cannot penetrate through the nicotine-coated tar on and in the soft surfaces. I once again contacted the salesman and explained the situation, and was assured it would be handled the following week. I brought the truck back, simply requesting another ionization treatment. Instead, they threw a deodorizer in the vehicle, said it was all set, and the odor returned within a couple of days. After multiple trips and days wasted, I decided to research local detailers and paid $250 out of pocket for a professional detailer and the final ionization I had asked for countless times, which, surprisingly to all, successfully removed the smell. I am not sure if this experience was due to a lack of knowledge, accountability, or communication among departments, but something was clearly inadequate. While I understand that salesmen can make empty promises, I don’t believe it is unreasonable to expect a dealership to honor at least the bare minimum of a verbal commitment made at the time of purchase. While the days after buying a car should be relaxing for me, it seemed like nothing more than a hassle dealing with this dealership. I don’t believe that my next car purchase in a couple of years will come from this dealership.