Lithia Nissan of Clovis

Consumers be warned. This Nissan of Clovis dealership charged me $1,295.00 for a SWAT theft-deterrent device they claimed was already installed and mandatory. After contacting KARR Security Systems directly, I received confirmation from multiple representatives that no device was ever installed or registered to my vehicle. Despite providing proof, the dealership continued to deny it for months. It took four months before Rigoberto Heredia, the sales manager, finally took the time to properly investigate my issue and only then did he confirm that I was right and the security device had never been installed. He ultimately resolved the issue and approved the refund, but it should have never taken this long. Charging for a nonexistent product is a serious matter and appears to violate multiple California consumer protection laws regarding misrepresentation and improper add-on fees. I hope this review protects other buyers from going through the same situation and reminds them to be ready to file complaints with the DMV Investigations Unit, the Better Business Bureau, and Lithia Motors Corporate if needed. Lastly, I want to thank Rigoberto Heredia for taking the time to thoroughly investigate my case and ultimately doing the right thing by approving my refund.

I am extremely disappointed by the way this situation was handled. Their actions today were not only unprofessional but frankly disgraceful. They knowingly kept us waiting for over two hours, despite being fully aware that the vehicle was not on your lot but at a different location 10 miles away. To make matters worse, the car itself was in unacceptable condition and clearly not worth the time or effort. A total TRASH. Their behavior demonstrated a complete lack of responsibility and regard for our time. Offering services or products that are unavailable is misleading and disrespectful to customers. No one should be subjected to such careless treatment. I sincerely hope they reflect on this experience and take steps to ensure no other customer is treated this way. Their approach today was a clear example of poor professionalism and disregard for basic customer service standards. Hope never to hear from this dealer or their kind ever.

I normally don’t leave reviews, but my experience with this dealership was so frustrating and disappointing that I feel others should be aware. When I purchased my truck, I made it very clear that I did not want any dealer add-ons. Despite that, I was told more than once that I had to purchase them in order to even qualify for the loan. That turned out to be completely false. When I sat down with the finance manager to finalize the paperwork, he was confused as to why I was never offered an extended warranty or gap coverage — and in fact told me those products could have helped reduce my interest rate. He was able to add those options, but I was still forced into keeping the dealer add-ons I had specifically said I didn’t want. The add-ons themselves were never properly explained. For example, I was charged for something called “SWAT” and paint protection, but I have found no evidence that the paint protection was ever actually applied to my vehicle. I was also told the truck came with a brand-new battery and a 7-year warranty, only to later realize I was simply charged an outrageous fee for the warranty coverage rather than being given a new battery as represented. None of this was disclosed clearly or fairly. To make matters worse, after the sale I discovered damage on the rear bumper that had never been mentioned. Since the truck was backed in on the lot, I didn’t notice it until later. The truck was also not even cleaned properly before delivery — very disappointing for a major purchase. I want to point out that my salesperson was great to work with. The problem was the overall sales process, which was hectic, overwhelming, and deceptive. I feel like the dealership knew how badly I wanted the truck and used that to take advantage of me. I had bought a vehicle for my wife at another dealership just a few months earlier, and they had no issue removing the add-ons I didn’t want. This dealership, on the other hand, left me with thousands in unwanted products, a higher final cost than advertised, and a very sour experience. I would caution anyone thinking of buying here to read the fine print carefully and not to accept claims that add-ons are required to qualify for financing — because they aren’t. Transparency and honesty matter, and unfortunately this dealership fell far short on both. I have tried getting the general managers contact info with no luck. I do not want to have to take this to the next level but if needed I may have to. BBB, DMV, and consumer affairs. I have noticed other reviews also complaining of dealer add ons seems to be an ongoing thing and it’s really sad that people are being taken advantage of. All it is doing is padding there pocket the price listed online should be what you expect when you sign. Read below about SB 478 2. What Dealers Can Exclude California law allows licensed dealers to exclude the following from the advertised price without it being considered deceptive: • Government fees (sales tax, registration, title, smog fees, tire fees) • Official document processing or electronic filing fees • Finance charges 3. Dealer Add-Ons This is the gray area. • If an add-on is mandatory (i.e., the dealer will not sell the car without it), then under California’s existing DMV advertising rules and consumer protection laws, it should be included in the advertised price. • If an add-on is optional (like extended warranties, paint protection, GAP insurance, etc.), then it does not need to be in the advertised price — but it must be presented as optional to the buyer. The problem arises when dealers say the add-ons are required to get financing or to buy the car. That crosses into false or misleading advertising and unfair sales tactics, which can be a violation of California law even if SB 478 doesn’t directly cover it.