991TR

Note: This is a dealer experience post. If you have a similar or different experience, please feel free to post it.

I have two 991 (a 2012.5 3.4 and a 2014 50th) and thoroughly enjoy them, each is very different. After extensive consideration, I wanted to get a new GTS with the turbocharged engine. Since the 50th is mostly a 991.1 GTS, it didn't make sense to get another and best to try the new 991.2.

A friend mentioned that Rusnak Pasadena Porsche, California had a few 2017 911 GTS units in stock. My brother and I make the hour+ drive up from Orange County to Pasadena this past Sunday to see and drive the car.

When we arrive no one greets us and no one approaches us--this part I'm used to as it seems to be common at Porsche dealers. I do, however, approach a salesperson, Cici Sun (she's listed as a Porsche Brand Ambassador on Rusnak Pasadena Porsche's website), to inquire about a GTS; the one in the showroom was black and not what I want.

She gets up from her desk and we walk over to the black GTS. I ask if they had a white GTS. She says "Yes" and I ask to see it. "It's in the warehouse," she states, but doesn't offer to walk over the warehouse to show me. That's fine, I guess?

"OK then. I'd like to test drive this one," I tell her. "You need to fill out a credit application first," she says. I pause for a moment. In the dozens of vehicles I've bought in my lifetime I've never been asked for a credit app before simply buying a car. Have you?

"Even if I'm buying cash?" I ask. "Yes, you do."

That's not going to work, I decline completing a credit application for a car I haven't driven and walk towards the exit. As I'm walking out I decide to tell the sales manager what has happened; maybe he doesn't know and can fix her mistake since I'm ready to buy. I let him know that Cici required a credit app before a test drive and that it cost them the sale. He looked surprised, but does nothing to remedy the situation.

The good news in this story is yesterday I purchased a new 2017 Porsche 911 GTS with no issue.

Maybe two hispanic guys dress in t-shirts and shorts on a Sunday don't seem like your typical Porsche buyers, at least not to Rusnak Pasadena Porsche? I don't know. Not sure if this is a common experience with Rusnak Pasadena Porsche, maybe someone can share their experience.

Today I called the Porsche customer care line to inform them of Rusnak Pasadena Porsche's behavior and practices. The CS person on the line apologized profusely and let me know that ISN'T how Porsche expects its dealers to operate. She had a whole file on our cars (which surprised me) and said PCNA would follow-up with me.

This is my 12th Porsche.

hansinla

I have experience with Rusnal Pasadena Audi sales AND service and it's the same horrible experience.

I once picked up a brand new A4 quattro that had a vibration. I suspected a tire balancing issue. Brought the car back to rebalance, but the service manager insisted on a test drive and then denied the vibration. Well sir I don't know what piece of **** car you drive privately, but there is a vibration. Begrudingly they promised to balance all four tires. Picked the car up... same issue. Nothing had changed. I drive home and mark all wheels with pencil marks and bring it back to the service department. They take the car in, give me a loaner and 'redo' the balancing. When I pick up the car, the pencil marks where exactly where I put them, the wheels hadn't been removed from the car OR the service technician is the luckiest guy in the world and was able to put all four wheels back in EXACTLY the same position. I take the car to a third party to do a road force balance where they see that one tire is oblong and can't be balanced. I pay for a new tire and send the invoice with a scating letter to Liz Rusnak (owner), who pays, without an apology. That's RUSNAK Pasadena for you. I didn't want to spend more time on it, but should've filed a complaint with the district attorney.

96redLT4

Never bought a P car from Rusnak though I did buy my M4 from Rusnak BMW. I have walked into the Thousand Oaks Porsche dealership and certainly didn't get much of a warm fuzzy reception. I have not heard too many positive things about them on RL. Not sure if they are as bad as Auto Gallery or P Beverly Hills which seem to be roundly despised on these boards.

J

fansonly

I had pretty crappy experiences from most of the LA / Orange County area dealers. Rusnak wanted a credit app before they would talk. Newport Beach sold a car I had a deposit on because I was out of town the week it arrived and I couldn't take delivery. Auto Gallery - don't even get me started. Porsche DTLA couldn't get the price straight, adding fee and removing fee every time we talked deal details.

I didn't buy my car from Walters Porsche, but I felt they treated me best. The couldn't get a trade from the dealer that had the exact car I wanted (Walters steals deals from other deals because they will price more aggressively) so I ended up going elsewhere.

That said, So Cal is a great place to buy a Porsche and get a good deal. I talked to a dealer in the Midwest where I grew up and they wouldn't even discuss pricing. There was one price, take it or leave it. The dealerships in LA compete for our $, which is our advantage.

Johnny5Alive

I'm of the belief that Gaudin Porsche in Vegas is one of the best in the country. They've sold me 3 porsches and it's always a great experience w no bs.

Spyerx

Has nothing to do with you being Mexican dressed in shorts. These dealers seem to treat people with equal disrespect.

I like circle. Small family owned.

MYAMI

Adding a vote for P Rancho Mirage. Ruben and Christian get it done and know how to treat their customers.

LA dealerships do too much volume and see far too many tire kickers. That said, South Bay (ask for Mina) gets my vote if I'm staying in town for a car.

worf928

I've spent many hours fixing things broken by Rusnak. Or doing things for which Rusnak was paid but didn't. I've seen service records from Rusnak where the same part was billed twice on the invoice. At this point I treat service records from Rusnak as a list of items that need to be done again.

Porsche_nuts

With so many reported issues, how are they still in business?

Gus_Smedstad

A credit application to test drive a car? That's ridiculous. I've done test drives with 6 different dealerships locally - 4 Porsche, 2 BMW - and while they all wanted copies of my driver's license, that was the extent of it. 2 of them were happy to let me drive cars without a salesman in the car. Not that I asked, they volunteered.

More, when I did purchase cars, they didn't ask for a credit application even then. I told 'em I was paying cash and that was the end of the matter. One dealership took a personal check, didn't insist on a cashier's check even though I offered to get one.

JustBud

Rusnak treats everybody the same way, badly. I ended up buying from Newport Beach, I guess some here have had a bad experience, I didn't. I walked in with shorts and sneakers and drove in in a Kia Rondo. I was offered a test drive instantly, ordered my car that day with a 2K deposit and wasn't asked for another dime until it arrived. This is my first Porsche, and I would go back to NB Porsche again.

points

Ill never forget going to Braman Porsche in West Palm in shorts and sneaks driving my work truck. Walked in...asked for help and after about 5-10 minutes of walking around being ignored I got back in my truck and headed to Champion. That were all over me as I walked in showroom. Dropped 125k and never looked back. The smart dealers are the ones that don't make judgments on appearances.

Jack F

Vote with your dollars for sure. Everyone deserves equal respect until they behave in a way that no longer warrants respect. Enjoy the GTS.

Archimedes

I would have filled out the credit app, but I would have used my pseudonym, Mr. Meoff. Mr. Jack Meoff.

Zcobra1

+1 on Walters in Riverside. Talked with saleguys for 1.5 hours, mostly one
guy that was a gear head, no pressure and I was just poking around.
Highly recommend the drive out to Walters, stellar service and cool people.