Berlin City Toyota of Portland

All work was handled very professionally. Tim did a great job! Car was delivered on time and washed in spite of additional work.

unknown

unknown

.

The scheduling went well.  They charge $125 just to read the check engine light codes and come back with service recommendations.  After checking the code they offered recommendations for service together with cost.  The final costs were about in line with what they said.  Their hourly service rates are high ($120/hour) even by Portland, Maine standards.  The car appeared to be serviced satisfactorily. 

Vehicle delivery took a long time.  The vehicle was not washed as promised.

The dealer asked that we call Chris if our results were less than "A."  We called Chris, left a message, and he did not call back.

Excellent service.

I had just moved to Portland Maine and was in a life threatening car accident in which my car rolled over twice and landed upside down. I was able to crawl out of my car. I was already under a lot of stress as my husband had died unexpectedly about 11 months before, I took a new job in Portland that involved my relocating from the Southeast to Portland, learning a new job, trying to find my way around the city. I was stressed, anxious and had very little time to find a new used car. The car that was totaled in the crash was a 2010 Subaru Forrester. I have had a lot of Subaru cars over the years. But I especially loved this one. I was devastated it was gone. As usual I went to Angie's List to find highly rated car sales places. I also decided to look online for used Subaru cars. I was delighted when I found several used Subaru cars at Berlin City Toyota right near my new place to live.I made a list of used Subaru cars at several dealers listed on Angie's List.expecting to have to go to all of them and then having to think about them and go back over the weekend.
I have bought a lot of used cars over the years. I hate it. It is worse than going to th dentist. I especially hate when the male sales people assume since I am female I know nothing about cars of car buying.
I went to Berlin City Toyota. I was greeted by an extremely friendly receptionist who proceeded to get me something to drink and found me a salesman, George, within less than 5 minutes. The sales person was a man and I expected a condescending demeanor. I was shocked. I was treated with respect and as if I had knowledge and experience, but also asked politely throughout if I wanted anything explained more thoroughly to speak up. I made it clear I was only interested in their used Subarus. George did not try to convince me to look at other models. After I explained thoroughly why I was only interested in used Subaru cars, he was very supportive and agreed that a good Subaru would meet my expectations.
George and the experience was INCREDIBLE as it should be when it is a service highly rated on Angie's List. I tested 3 different Subaru cars. One was exactly like the one I had just lost (2010 Subaru Forrester AWD) but in green instead of black. Since I had done all the research previously on this model I knew it was a good year and model and highly recommended by Consumer Guide. Again, George was very supportive of my choice. but, throughout the experience there was no pressure  to buy at all, just courteous, supportive, friendly interactions.
Since I had bought this same make and model of a car in the 6 months prior to this experience I had up to date knowledge on it including appropriate price. The salesman made me an incredibly good offer and less than other ones listed in the same area. Despite this, I decided to counter as I recently had had so many expenses with moving etc. So I countered with an offer of about $2000 less. The Manager of Sales Dept agreed to decrease the amount by $1500 rather than $2000. George had helped me get through the beginning process with his low key, courteous, knowledgeable, humorous manner.
The next stage was finance. I hate FINANCE. Usually this process is so long, arduous, dry etc. Well I me Cliff and explained I had a timeline to meet (as I really thought I just would be going to Berlin City to quickly look at a few cars and then go onto other appts. Cliff was delightful, had a great sense of humor and actually made the Finance part pleasant and relatively quickly.
So I was thrilled and excited that in a matter of several hours I had an INCREDIBLE car buying experience. All the employees, managers and staff deserve a BIG party to celebrate all the wonderful things they do right. It was such a wonderful experience I could not believe when I left that I had bought just the car I wanted for less money then I had planned in less time than I expected and with pleasant, knowledgeble people. The whole experience was TERRiFIC.

Very well, The vehicle was ready when we got there. They had to go to NH to pick it up but they had done so and had it all prepped and ready. We were very satisfied.

Wait was over two hours and when the service person/technician finally came out to tell me the van was ready, I had to ask him exactly what they did. He also said that someone might be calling me and he expected an "A". I took my van in for two recalls and they were not able to complete the second one because they did not have the part. When I made the appointment, I explained the recalls I had received and at that time they gave no indication that the work could not be completed in one appointment.

If my buying experience at Berlin City Toyota in Portland Maine
was passable or vaguely positive, this review would be quick and simple to
write.  It would read something like ?I survived my car buying adventures?
or ?kudos to Joe Sales Guy?? end of review.  But I had THE BEST auto
buying experience in my 25 years of buying cars.  So forgive me for waxing
on about purchasing my Toyota this week ? it really was THAT good an
experience.
My reception at Berlin City Toyota was what you would hope for?
friendly, relaxed, and low pressure.  But that is generally the easiest
part of car buying? step 1 of visiting dealerships, test-driving cars,
etc.  It?s step 2, meaning that you have decided on a specific make/model,
where things get ugly and the dreaded negotiation begins.
Lucky me? Mark Axelsen, Berlin City Toyota?s
General Sales Manager, conducted the negotiations with me. Mark is a
(remarkably) straight shooter and very experienced at keeping things positive
yet not pressured.  Out of the starting gate he gave me the best price of
any other dealership I contacted.  This was not a game of ?let?s match
wits? in which I was the pawn? he came out with his best price the FIRST time
and it really WAS their best price.  I had done a bit of homework ahead of
time and had also requested the ?best price? from other dealerships. So I know
what other dealers were offering and Berlin was considerably lower than all
other dealers.  Further, Mark was a true pleasure to deal with and
singlehandedly threw the ?car sales guy? stereotypes out the window. 
Perhaps he?s a new breed?  If so, the car business is looking up. 
But I lean towards pessimism so I plodded onto stage 3 (finance) with grim
determination.
?OK?, I said to myself. ?Mark Axelsen was
fabulous (no doubt an outlier)? now I?ll just have to grit my teeth and get
through the next phase? ? the dreaded Finance meeting in which you are locked
in an office with their henchman who (to your detriment) will do clever things
with numbers and make your head swim.  Dealing with Finance is always a
nightmare? let?s just get on with it and see if the numbers mysteriously
change. 
My fears and pessimism were for naught ?
AGAIN I had (far and away!) the best financing experience to date! Truly
THE BEST!  I really hope they are paying these guys well because they are
keepers!  
Cliff Gajtkowski, Finance Manager, is a wiz
at his job and also tons of fun.  Seriously, who laughs through a finance
meeting?  This part of the process is expressly designed to be
excruciating.  Yet here I was in stitches from our repartee!  Cliff
outlined several options for me (suggestions I had not considered and wasn?t
entirely interested in hearing about) and he ended up changing my mind and
(shockingly) saving me even more money.  I am not naïve, nor am I new to
car buying, so I am understandably wary of any ?deals? they offer at this
stage.  But Cliff?s wry sense of humor and facility with clear
explanations (and, of course, numbers) made the finance process fun and highly
productive.  Most importantly, I got a swimmingly good deal on a car in
which Toyota Finance is not offering attractive incentives.  Bah? no
worries ? Cliff can help!  I am thrilled with the choices Cliff helped me
make ? they were very win/win!
And finally, a shout out to the rest of the
staff!  My newbie, yet very helpful Sales Associate, Steven Saucier,
established and maintained excellent rapport, and I don?t think I have ever had
a door held for me so many times in a 2-hour period (thanks to the very polite
cadre of staff).  The associates are clearly trained to be solicitous and
polite, and I was greeted time and again by friendly and helpful people. 
I am newly re-transplanted to Portland and
it does my heart good to know that the best Toyota Dealership in a 50+ mile
region is in my backyard.  I am impressed? truly impressed, and that is NO
small feat with me.  Nice work, Berlin City Toyota.  Give those guys
a raise!
NB:  I named my new car FLASH. 
Anyone who has driven a hybrid that gets 53 MPG will surely see the humor in
this.  ;)
 

I had a positive experience. They were on time. They were polite. Others should expect good service.