ME
Mohamed E
1 reviews | Active since May 2019
19 Jul 2025, 12:40
Bidvest Mcarthy "A Reputable Name, Questionable Ethics"
I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction following a recent experience at your Bidvest McCarthy Toyota N1 City branch in Cape Town.
We were considering the purchase of two to three vehicles from your branch. On the advice of your sales team, we paid a holding deposit on one vehicle, with the clear understanding that it would be reserved for 7 days. To our shock, we were informed just 3 days later that the vehicle had been sold.
When we questioned this, your salesperson claimed that Toyota commonly sells vehicles even after a deposit has been paid. This is completely unacceptable and contradicts both ethical business practices and the principle of good faith between customer and dealership.
To make matters worse, we contacted the branch manager, Phumza, and have yet to receive the courtesy of any response.
This entire situation reflects a serious lack of professionalism and accountability. As such, we are demanding the following:
1. A full explanation and investigation into this incident.
2. Immediate reimbur*****t of our deposit if it has not already been processed.
3. Clear accountability for the breach of agreement and the failure in communication from your management team.
We expected far better from a brand with Toyota’s reputation. This experience has severely damaged our trust in your dealership, we have this far been left with no alternative but to take this matter further!
Helpful (0)
Replies (2)0
Replies (2)
Bidvest Mccarthy Toyota's replyOfficial
21 Jul 2025, 11:55Dear Mohamed,
Thank you for reaching out to us with your concerns. We appreciate your feedback and understand how important this situation is to you. We want to clarify that we value the interest you showed in the vehicle. When you expressed your desire to reserve it, our sales executive explained that a holding deposit would be required for a 48-hour period, with the balance due within that time frame. After receiving your deposit, we took the time to discuss warranty options and address all of your questions.
During this period, another customer also expressed interest in the same vehicle. We informed them that we had a pending application and that we were committed to holding the vehicle for you, allowing you the time to finalise your purchase. We did communicate the deadline for the balance payment; however, we understand that you experienced uncer*****y about proceeding with the sale and warranty options. Making the decision to release a vehicle is never easy for us, but ultimately, we had to do so for the other customer who was ready to move forward immediately.
Please rest assured that your holding deposit is refundable, and we are processing the return as quickly as possible. You will receive proof of payment once the refund is completed.
We operate our business with integrity and assure you that we did not breach any contractual terms. We understand that uncer*****y can be challenging, and we genuinely wish we could have accommodated you better. However, we cannot risk losing a potential customer.
We sincerely apologise for any frustration this may have caused and appreciate your understanding. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Best regards,
Bidvest McCarthy Toyota
Thank you for reaching out to us with your concerns. We appreciate your feedback and understand how important this situation is to you. We want to clarify that we value the interest you showed in the vehicle. When you expressed your desire to reserve it, our sales executive explained that a holding deposit would be required for a 48-hour period, with the balance due within that time frame. After receiving your deposit, we took the time to discuss warranty options and address all of your questions.
During this period, another customer also expressed interest in the same vehicle. We informed them that we had a pending application and that we were committed to holding the vehicle for you, allowing you the time to finalise your purchase. We did communicate the deadline for the balance payment; however, we understand that you experienced uncer*****y about proceeding with the sale and warranty options. Making the decision to release a vehicle is never easy for us, but ultimately, we had to do so for the other customer who was ready to move forward immediately.
Please rest assured that your holding deposit is refundable, and we are processing the return as quickly as possible. You will receive proof of payment once the refund is completed.
We operate our business with integrity and assure you that we did not breach any contractual terms. We understand that uncer*****y can be challenging, and we genuinely wish we could have accommodated you better. However, we cannot risk losing a potential customer.
We sincerely apologise for any frustration this may have caused and appreciate your understanding. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Best regards,
Bidvest McCarthy Toyota
Bidvest Mccarthy Toyota's reply21 Jul 2025, 11:55
Official
Dear Mohamed,
Thank you for reaching out to us with your concerns. We appreciate your feedback and understand how important this situation is to you. We want to clarify that we value the interest you showed in the vehicle. When you expressed your desire to reserve it, our sales executive explained that a holding deposit would be required for a 48-hour period, with the balance due within that time frame. After receiving your deposit, we took the time to discuss warranty options and address all of your questions.
During this period, another customer also expressed interest in the same vehicle. We informed them that we had a pending application and that we were committed to holding the vehicle for you, allowing you the time to finalise your purchase. We did communicate the deadline for the balance payment; however, we understand that you experienced uncer*****y about proceeding with the sale and warranty options. Making the decision to release a vehicle is never easy for us, but ultimately, we had to do so for the other customer who was ready to move forward immediately.
Please rest assured that your holding deposit is refundable, and we are processing the return as quickly as possible. You will receive proof of payment once the refund is completed.
We operate our business with integrity and assure you that we did not breach any contractual terms. We understand that uncer*****y can be challenging, and we genuinely wish we could have accommodated you better. However, we cannot risk losing a potential customer.
We sincerely apologise for any frustration this may have caused and appreciate your understanding. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Best regards,
Bidvest McCarthy Toyota
Thank you for reaching out to us with your concerns. We appreciate your feedback and understand how important this situation is to you. We want to clarify that we value the interest you showed in the vehicle. When you expressed your desire to reserve it, our sales executive explained that a holding deposit would be required for a 48-hour period, with the balance due within that time frame. After receiving your deposit, we took the time to discuss warranty options and address all of your questions.
During this period, another customer also expressed interest in the same vehicle. We informed them that we had a pending application and that we were committed to holding the vehicle for you, allowing you the time to finalise your purchase. We did communicate the deadline for the balance payment; however, we understand that you experienced uncer*****y about proceeding with the sale and warranty options. Making the decision to release a vehicle is never easy for us, but ultimately, we had to do so for the other customer who was ready to move forward immediately.
Please rest assured that your holding deposit is refundable, and we are processing the return as quickly as possible. You will receive proof of payment once the refund is completed.
We operate our business with integrity and assure you that we did not breach any contractual terms. We understand that uncer*****y can be challenging, and we genuinely wish we could have accommodated you better. However, we cannot risk losing a potential customer.
We sincerely apologise for any frustration this may have caused and appreciate your understanding. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Best regards,
Bidvest McCarthy Toyota
ME
Mohamed E's updateReviewer Update
21 Jul 2025, 23:55There is not a single word of truth in the response we’ve received from your team.
We were clearly and unequivocally told that without a deposit, the vehicle would be held for 24 hours, and with a deposit, it would be reserved for 7 days. This was stated directly to us. I was present, along with my two sisters and we all heard the same commitment. There was no confusion or ambiguity on our side whatsoever.
The only question remaining at the time was which one of my sisters would proceed with the purchase. We paid the deposit in good faith, based on the clear assurance that the vehicle would be held. For it to be sold after just a few days, followed by a dismissive and inaccurate explanation from your side, is not just disappointing, it’s unacceptable.
To make matters worse, your response made confident assertions as if they were facts, completely disregarding our experience. As someone who works in social media account management, I find this type of communication telling, it reflects a broader issue with your brand’s treatment of consumers. Your tone and approach suggest that customers are insignificant and that their word holds little value in comparison to yours.
As a direct result of this experience, you haven’t just lost one customer, you've lost three. We were seriously considering the purchase of multiple vehicles from your dealership. That will not happen now, nor will I recommend your branch to anyone going forward.
We were clearly and unequivocally told that without a deposit, the vehicle would be held for 24 hours, and with a deposit, it would be reserved for 7 days. This was stated directly to us. I was present, along with my two sisters and we all heard the same commitment. There was no confusion or ambiguity on our side whatsoever.
The only question remaining at the time was which one of my sisters would proceed with the purchase. We paid the deposit in good faith, based on the clear assurance that the vehicle would be held. For it to be sold after just a few days, followed by a dismissive and inaccurate explanation from your side, is not just disappointing, it’s unacceptable.
To make matters worse, your response made confident assertions as if they were facts, completely disregarding our experience. As someone who works in social media account management, I find this type of communication telling, it reflects a broader issue with your brand’s treatment of consumers. Your tone and approach suggest that customers are insignificant and that their word holds little value in comparison to yours.
As a direct result of this experience, you haven’t just lost one customer, you've lost three. We were seriously considering the purchase of multiple vehicles from your dealership. That will not happen now, nor will I recommend your branch to anyone going forward.
ME
Mohamed E's update21 Jul 2025, 23:55
Reviewer Update
There is not a single word of truth in the response we’ve received from your team.
We were clearly and unequivocally told that without a deposit, the vehicle would be held for 24 hours, and with a deposit, it would be reserved for 7 days. This was stated directly to us. I was present, along with my two sisters and we all heard the same commitment. There was no confusion or ambiguity on our side whatsoever.
The only question remaining at the time was which one of my sisters would proceed with the purchase. We paid the deposit in good faith, based on the clear assurance that the vehicle would be held. For it to be sold after just a few days, followed by a dismissive and inaccurate explanation from your side, is not just disappointing, it’s unacceptable.
To make matters worse, your response made confident assertions as if they were facts, completely disregarding our experience. As someone who works in social media account management, I find this type of communication telling, it reflects a broader issue with your brand’s treatment of consumers. Your tone and approach suggest that customers are insignificant and that their word holds little value in comparison to yours.
As a direct result of this experience, you haven’t just lost one customer, you've lost three. We were seriously considering the purchase of multiple vehicles from your dealership. That will not happen now, nor will I recommend your branch to anyone going forward.
We were clearly and unequivocally told that without a deposit, the vehicle would be held for 24 hours, and with a deposit, it would be reserved for 7 days. This was stated directly to us. I was present, along with my two sisters and we all heard the same commitment. There was no confusion or ambiguity on our side whatsoever.
The only question remaining at the time was which one of my sisters would proceed with the purchase. We paid the deposit in good faith, based on the clear assurance that the vehicle would be held. For it to be sold after just a few days, followed by a dismissive and inaccurate explanation from your side, is not just disappointing, it’s unacceptable.
To make matters worse, your response made confident assertions as if they were facts, completely disregarding our experience. As someone who works in social media account management, I find this type of communication telling, it reflects a broader issue with your brand’s treatment of consumers. Your tone and approach suggest that customers are insignificant and that their word holds little value in comparison to yours.
As a direct result of this experience, you haven’t just lost one customer, you've lost three. We were seriously considering the purchase of multiple vehicles from your dealership. That will not happen now, nor will I recommend your branch to anyone going forward.