Salesman of the Year [edited 12-05-09 1:30 pm]

Shusli needed a new car, and unfortunately the car dealer we wanted to deal with didn't have anything she wanted in her price range. On Craigslist, she found a few cars from lots on 82nd. She wound up purchasing one from a place on 1705 SE 82nd. Oddly, it doesn't seem to have a name. The number we have to the place doesn't reverse on yellow pages.

Legally, cars have to pass DEQ when bought off of a lot, and this one doesn't. Shusli made arrangements to take the car in on Thursday for them to take it to a mechanic and was told it would be back on Friday. So, we took it in and I was told again by the young fella who we dealt with that the car would be back in our hands on Friday.

We didn't hear anything by Friday afternoon, so I called and found out that they didn't have an appointment for the mechanic until 5pm that afternoon.

After Shusli was available, she called the fella and told him what she was told. We were both getting rather angry. So, Donnie (or Donny) hangs up on my wife. She calls back, and he again treats her like shit over the phone. I was so pissed, I drove over to the lot and demanded Shusli get her money back. Donnie being the salesman of the year and probably the owner of the lot says he isn't giving the money back. After heated exchanges between us, he yanks off his jacket and calls me out. "C'MON! RIGHT HERE! RIGHT NOW! RIGHT NOW!"

Oddly, I wasn't scared by his behavior, as pissed off as I was, but logic came into my mind and in a timeless moment a voice said in my head, "you are on his property, with his witnesses (some four of his employees) and even if I get bested I would still be the one going to jail and we would still be left in dealing with Donnie in getting Shusli's car fixed, as well as me in jail and who knows how else he'd treat Shusli like shit.

"I don't want that. I want my wife's money back!"

We decided to take the car back when Donnie informed us that the car was still parked where we left it with the keys in it. That's right, folks. Donnie informed us that the car was left on the road with the keys in it overnight. Shusli's car. A car she paid her hard earned money for. What kind of car dealership is this? I think it is pretty obvious to tell.

Shusli, in her anger, went back to Donnie, shoved the keys in his face and demanded he get the car fixed. He stated he wouldn't deal with her (as I was putting myself between them) but he would deal with me. I didn't pay for the car. "I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH MY MONEY YOU'LL DEAL WITH ME AND YOU'LL FIX MY CAR!" is somewhat close to what Shusli said, and we came home.

Car dealerships are known to treat women like shit, and Donnie on his lot at 1705 SE 82nd Ave., Portland, Oregon, with seemingly no name for the lot, seems to treat women rather disrespectfully as well.

Shusli and I discussed this afterward, and it seems pretty clear to us that Donnie treated my wife like shit simply because she is a woman. Since car dealers are known to treat women like shit on a regular basis, I think it is safe to assume that such is true. It is more readily apparent with Donnie telling Shusli that he would deal with me and not her. Why? It wasn't my money that paid for the car. My name isn't on the bill of sale. Donnie would not have liked dealing with me (heck, he tried to get me to fight him on his property) because as I was screaming in his face during our argument he "TREATED MY WIFE LIKE SHIT I WANT HER MONEY BACK!" And that is exactly what I would have kept on stating until he again threatened me with a fight and again, one of his employees would have to stand between us.

Shusli and I both have had to deal with angry people in our jobs. There are ways to handle these situations. Should I have behaved like Donnie at my work toward a customer, when I got back to the warehouse, my boss would simply inform me that I could pick up my last check the next day. What I would have expected from Donnie is, "I'm sorry, Mam. My employee misinformed you and I sincerely apologize for that, but we won't have it into the mechanic until 5pm tonight. I apologize for the inconvenience, what can I do to help you out as your car will be getting fixed longer than you were informed it would be?" Nnnnnnope! Instead, I get threatened with a fight for defending my wife from a fella who is treating her like shit on the phone for his employee misinforming her of the real situation in getting the car fixed. So, he calls me out, on his property, with his witnesses (and who knows what they would have done to Shusli if Donnie bested me and Shusli was upset and swinging too). Not good people in my opinion.

I have one angry customer on one particular route. When they are upset with our product, I make sure they get taken care of. That's my job. Then they may go to a fellow restaurant owner and state, "yeah, we've had problems with these folks, but they always get us taken care of." They like me and my company because we always make sure they are taken care of to the best of our abilities.

Now, on the opposite end, Shusli and I bought our Toyota Camry from Pat Twyman's, around 38th and Powell. These folks are absolutely wonderful and are known for their customer service. They are excellent people, always friendly, and treat you well. They have a strong reputation in the used car market as upstanding folk who will treat you well. If you are looking for a used car in P-Town, go to Pat Twyman's.

Go go Donnie's at 1705 SE 82nd, and it is a good chance you won't be treated too well and maybe, if you don't appreciate his treating you or your loved one like shit, he may even call you out.