STEALERSHIP ALERT: Getaway Chevrolet refusing to return my deposit

[D1J]

Here’s my recent and frankly bizarre experience with Gateway Chevrolet in Brampton, part of the Wallace Automotive Group, which also owns Markville and Wallace Chevrolet.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Timeline:

Aug 2023: put down a $1000 refundable deposit for an E-Ray allocation. Receipts attached for transparency.

May 2024: transferred to their ZR1 waitlist since I got my e-ray elsewhere.

June 1 2026: Given there was no news on the car and the MY27 price increase, I called the dealer and asked for my deposit back.

I was told my original salesperson no longer worked there and was referred to Sales Manager Nicholas Hummel, who replied by email saying he would look into it.
For the next 40 days, I received no further response despite repeated attempts to contact him by phone, email, and text. I then emailed this matter to General Manager Ali Sharafeldin, but received no response from him either.

I have owned three corvettes and had to go through the deposit-waitlist-refund process with quite a few dealers. All experience have been smooth apart from this one.

This really tells you how unprofessional, disorganized and careless Gateway Chevrolet is, avoid them at all costs.

 

[DenisC8]

Stop playing phone and email tag and go speak to them in person?

 

[1st Vette]

Here’s my recent and frankly bizarre experience with Gateway Chevrolet in Brampton, part of the Wallace Automotive Group, which also owns Markville and Wallace Chevrolet.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Timeline:

Aug 2023: put down a $1000 refundable deposit for an E-Ray allocation. Receipts attached for transparency.

May 2024: transferred to their ZR1 waitlist since I got my e-ray elsewhere.

June 1 2026: Given there was no news on the car and the MY27 price increase, I called the dealer and asked for my deposit back.

I was told my original salesperson no longer worked there and was referred to Sales Manager Nicholas Hummel, who replied by email saying he would look into it.
For the next 40 days, I received no further response despite repeated attempts to contact him by phone, email, and text. I then emailed this matter to General Manager Ali Sharafeldin, but received no response from him either.

I have owned three corvettes and had to go through the deposit-waitlist-refund process with quite a few dealers. All experience have been smooth apart from this one.

This really tells you how unprofessional, disorganized and careless Gateway Chevrolet is, avoid them at all costs.

Go to dealership but don't bring donuts.......

 

[Vettenut]

Here’s my recent and frankly bizarre experience with Gateway Chevrolet in Brampton, part of the Wallace Automotive Group, which also owns Markville and Wallace Chevrolet.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Timeline:

Aug 2023: put down a $1000 refundable deposit for an E-Ray allocation. Receipts attached for transparency.

May 2024: transferred to their ZR1 waitlist since I got my e-ray elsewhere.

June 1 2026: Given there was no news on the car and the MY27 price increase, I called the dealer and asked for my deposit back.

I was told my original salesperson no longer worked there and was referred to Sales Manager Nicholas Hummel, who replied by email saying he would look into it.
For the next 40 days, I received no further response despite repeated attempts to contact him by phone, email, and text. I then emailed this matter to General Manager Ali Sharafeldin, but received no response from him either.

I have owned three corvettes and had to go through the deposit-waitlist-refund process with quite a few dealers. All experience have been smooth apart from this one.

This really tells you how unprofessional, disorganized and careless Gateway Chevrolet is, avoid them at all costs.

If you gave this deposit using your credit card .... be it Visa or Master Card ..... you could file a dispute with them

Detail your experience with Gateway with all supporting documentation

In all my years using credit cards ... I have filed disputes only twice .... and both times won

Credit card companies are always on the cardholders side in legitimate disputes with merchants

I think it may be your only option to get your money back .... the dealer.... stealership will give you the runaround six ways to Sunday and there is a slim to none chance they will refund you ... they will wine and dine and coddle you to get your cash but for them giving money back to you ... not so much ... blood from a stone is more likely

They are inherently crooks ... about as legitimate as a 3 dollar bill

Wish you the best of luck !!

 

[Exia]

If you gave this deposit using your credit card .... be it Visa or Master Card ..... you could file a dispute with them

Detail your experience with Gateway with all supporting documentation

In all my years using credit cards ... I have filed disputes only twice .... and both times won

Credit card companies are always on the cardholders side in legitimate disputes with merchants

I think it may be your only option to get your money back .... the dealer.... stealership will give you the runaround six ways to Sunday and there is a slim to none chance they will refund you ... they will wine and dine and coddle you to get your cash but for them giving money back to you ... not so much ... blood from a stone is more likely

They are inherently crooks ... about as legitimate as a 3 dollar bill

Wish you the best of luck !!

He put a deposit down 3 years ago. A chargeback will not be issued for something that long ago. The dealer is most likely busy and has better things to do. OPs best bet is to go to the dealer in person, it will get refunded at that point. If its email only they will push it off and it goes to the bottom of their priority list.

Go in person, issue resolved. I'd say a trip is worth $1000.

 

[Redtiger]

I bought my Stingray 2024 from them in 2024. Noted a year later that even though they charged me for black lugnuts when buying the car, they were never installed on the car - it still had the chromed ones. i went with the original bills, picture of the vin, of the wheels and of the car in person to the dealership and spoke to the manager. They agreed to the refund and got it some time later - $350. It took another visit to remind them, but got the money back in the form of a cheque mailed to me. I agree with Exia, pay them a visit with proof in hand. It is not worth to them to win 1K and get bad press.

Just my $350 dollars,

 

[1st Vette]

I bought my Stingray 2024 from them in 2024. Noted a year later that even though they charged me for black lugnuts when buying the car, they were never installed on the car - it still had the chromed ones. i went with the original bills, picture of the vin, of the wheels and of the car in person to the dealership and spoke to the manager. They agreed to the refund and got it some time later - $350. It took another visit to remind them, but got the money back in the form of a cheque mailed to me. I agree with Exia, pay them a visit with proof in hand. It is not worth to them to win 1K and get bad press.

Just my $350 dollars,

Being that this is a public forum I would suggest it's a bit late to avoid the " bad press " . Makes you wonder who sets policy at a business. Prompt , professional, courteous and honest interactions with the customer, both current and potential should be the number one focus of any business. It will pay you back in Spades . One dissatisfied customer will do you more harm than the good will of 10 happy ones .
Your personal experience of course may differ. Bad experience? They of course , have the option of posting and defending their position. If in fact they follow the best Corvette enthusiast Forum on the Internut , CCF ! We welcome their input and encourage it .
Any viewer is more than welcome to post satisfactory dealings with their dealer of choice. Or of course otherwise.

 

[Rruuff Day]

Being that this is a public forum I would suggest it's a bit late to avoid the " bad press " . Makes you wonder who sets policy at a business. Prompt , professional, courteous and honest interactions with the customer, both current and potential should be the number one focus of any business. It will pay you back in Spades . One dissatisfied customer will do you more harm than the good will of 10 happy ones .
Your personal experience of course may differ. Bad experience? They of course , have the option of posting and defending their position. If in fact they follow the best Corvette enthusiast Forum on the Internut , CCF ! We welcome their input and encourage it .
Any viewer is more than welcome to post satisfactory dealings with their dealer of choice. Or of course otherwise.

Dealerships won't ever admit it but they don't give 2 $hits about bad press. Whether it's sales or service, there are always multitudes of unhappy customers. But for every one of them there are 50 more walking through the door ready to purchase. The old saying works everywhere...."you can't please all the people all the time".

 

[Vettenut]

He put a deposit down 3 years ago. A chargeback will not be issued for something that long ago. The dealer is most likely busy and has better things to do. OPs best bet is to go to the dealer in person, it will get refunded at that point. If its email only they will push it off and it goes to the bottom of their priority list.

Go in person, issue resolved. I'd say a trip is worth $1000.

Yea your prob right ...... Visa will always tell you to exhaust absolutely every avenue with the merchant before the dispute will be filed ..

But being as the transaction is still open ... in some extenuating circumstances they can and will help

But of course diplomacy is always the best course of action