I made my first--and only--car purchase with Honda Auto Center of Bellevue and I can say it was a dream. As if the stress of such a major purchase that would lose value the minute I drove it off the lot wasn't enough, I kept envisioning the absolute worst. There have been enough horror stories about young women entering car lots as novices, and after visiting a few dealerships, I can see why those stories exist. Luckily I had the exact opposite experience at this dealership.
When I started my car hunt, my officemates directed me to a fellow coworker who is a car aficionado, having bought, sold and owned dozens of vehicles. After telling him I was in the market for a Civic, he immediately directed me to Honda Auto Center of Bellevue. My coworker guaranteed me that Honda Auto Center of Bellevue was one of the the best dealerships he'd worked with. Besides having a large inventory, the dealership employed good people. He then directed me to Tony, his salesman of choice.
As Tony wasn't available the first time I visited Honda, Kevin was my salesman. It almost feels wrong to write "salesman", though, as he doesn't embody the stereotypes normally attached to that position. Kevin managed to be attentive without being invasive. He answered my questions as needed, gave me service advice (he'd worked as a mechanic) and never gave me a barrage of calls, as I found to be true with other reps I met during my research. Perhaps the sell was easier with me, as I grew up in family of Honda fans. Still, I waited a week before making my purchase and I never felt pressured or out of communication with him, even on his days off. (I tend to ask a lot of questions. Maybe I should be commending his patience, too.) When I made my purchase, it was a price I was happy about and a decision which I had confidence in.
I didn't have my financing handled by the dealership, so I can't speak to that. I can say that the paperwork process appeared to be handled in an orderly and professional fashion. Although they did try to sell me a warranty, the speech was brief and after I declined their offer, there was no extra hassle.
Since the purchase, I have had only positive comments on the care of the car (a few mechanics now) and no extraneous communication from Honda; just a few discount flyers in the mail. Once I left the lot with my keys, I haven't had any need to call them back--except maybe to say thank you. I don't know if I could have had a better buying experience.
more