I drove an hour and a half to see a 2014 Toyota Prius that I was extremely interested in purchasing from Auto City, and I already had financing secured beforehand. Unfortunately, the car looked NOTHING like the pictures online. The photos made the vehicle appear very clean and well cared for, but in person it had multiple dents, large scratches, and damage on both the driver and passenger side doors that looked like prior accident damage despite no accidents being reported. The car was also filthy when I arrived.
What made the experience worse was the customer service. When I was asked what I thought of the car, I honestly said I was disappointed because the condition was completely different from the listing photos. Instead of handling it professionally, the employee became defensive and dismissive. I understand cars get dusty sitting outside, but if you know a customer is driving from far away and may purchase the vehicle that day, the least you can do is accurately represent the car and have it cleaned and ready to view.
I wasted hours of my day because the online listing did not reflect the actual condition of the vehicle. Buyers should be cautious and make sure to inspect vehicles carefully in person before trusting the photos online.