A very disappointing experience with Toyota

I recently had a very disappointing experience with Pretoria Noord Toyota while trying to purchase a Toyota 86. I enquired about the vehicle the same evening it was listed. The following morning I received a call from Hendrick, who provided additional information later in the day, including videos and finance documents. As I am based in Durban and the dealership is in Pretoria, I needed detailed information before making travel arrangements. I made it clear that I was serious about purchasing the vehicle and intended to pay a substantial deposit while financing the balance. Hendrick mentioned there were other interested buyers, so I submitted my finance application within minutes. Throughout that Friday, I followed up for updates and was eventually told that nothing would be finalized over the weekend and that I would be kept informed. Based on that assurance, I decided to wait before booking flights. On Monday morning, after my message was left on read, I called only to be told the vehicle had been sold on Saturday. My finance application had already been approved and I was fully prepared to proceed with the purchase. I had spent the entire day arranging finances and preparing logistics, and both my partner and I effectively lost a full working day over this. The lack of communication and coordination was extremely disappointing. I was informed that 18 salespeople were working on the same vehicle, which suggests a serious breakdown in internal communication. No one appeared to know what the others were doing. While Willie (the manager) was more helpful when I eventually spoke to him, he was largely unavailable and the overall customer experience fell far below what I would expect from a Toyota dealership. Clear communication, transparency, and professionalism are critical — especially when dealing with clients purchasing vehicles from another city. Unfortunately, that standard was not met in this case. Based on my experience, I would strongly caution others to avoid this dealership.