This story is by Danny Isla, former president of Lexus Phil. So here it goes: The following is a piece read by Celyn Lee-Severino during the birthday celebration of Toyota Alabang’s Cesar T. Lee on December 19, 2021.
A while back, CTL (Cesar T. Lee) and I were in Los Angeles to buy CTL’s toys for the big boys such as the 10-wheeler trucks, tow trucks, a car carrier and a Lexus. We were billeted in a plush hotel at the center of upscale L.A.
We enjoyed staying in front of the hotel’s entrance watching mostly high-end cars passing by. What amused us more was watching how the valet drivers handle luxury vehicles. They literally used the cars’ bumpers to wiggle out of tight spots. I could see CTL’s face grimacing every time the cars engaged in bumper-kissing. CTL would mumble, “aray koooo.”
As to buying his toys, it all happened in a flash: five units of 10-wheeler trucks, two tow trucks—one with a rollback flatbed and the other a car carrier. No incidents.
Next was to look for the Lexus LS400, the brand’s topmost model. We were accompanied by a common friend, Nash Jimenez, who served as our driver/guide. We drove to the nearest Lexus dealership at Beverly Hills.
No one greeted us as we walked past the showroom entrance. We toured around looking at each display car, still nobody approached us. Was it because we didn’t look like serious buyers?
Siguro nga. Kasi naman mukhang yagit yata itsura namin.
CTL was wearing his favorite Toyota Tamaraw t-shirt na pwedeng pantulog. I was also wearing a very casual round neck shirt and all of us were wearing maong pants. Nash even had his jeans ripped with a gaping hole on one knee. Eh hindi pa naman uso tattered jeans noon.
Anyway, our attention focused on the lone LS400 on display, touching, smelling the leather etc. I went to the brochure stand but I couldn’t find a single LS400 brochure. So I finally approached the guy wearing what seemed like an expensive business suit to tell him I couldn’t find the LS brochure. In a very disgusting manner, he said: “What you see is what you get! If it’s not in the stand, it means it’s not there and we don’t have it!”
Nagpanting ang tenga ko.
I told CTL: “Boss, eh ku–l pala mga tao dito! Mga bastos!”
I went back to the guy and told him, “Are you the manager here? If not, I want to talk to your manager or whoever your boss is.”
My voice was perhaps three decibels high.
The manager came out and asked how he could help. We introduced ourselves and told him we intend to buy the most expensive model in his showroom. Sobrang bait nung manager after he saw CTL’s business card and having learned CTL personally knew the highest-ranked Japanese boss in Toyota USA. He let us into the LS400 demo car for a joy ride. Everything was going well and it seemed like a deal was forthcoming. Unfortunately, the dealership didn’t have the color CTL wanted. The diamond white color was apparently the hardest color to find. Luckily, the manager found the only white LS400 available in California—in Lexus Mission Hills, about an hour’s drive from Beverly Hills.
We arrived in Mission Hills towards mid-afternoon. And yes we saw the majestic looking white LS right away.
Pero eto na naman, the guy attending to us introduced himself as the Fleet Manager. (First impression pa lang mayabang na.) Taragis, another kups ito!!! Intro ba naman eh: “We have to make it fast because I have to leave in a short while” Feel ko, si CTL pinipigil lang yung malutong na mura. Anyway, we’ve gone too far already kaya sige, seal the deal na.
After the routine checking of the vehicle and documentation, came the bayaran na.
“WHAAAAT???? You are buying it CASH?? Are you serious???”
Si CTL pa? Siempre CASH…Gusto kong isampal sa kanila. Ano akala niyo kay Boss? Just Just?
Pero hindi dyan nagtatapos ang istorya. Yung mayabang na manager, hindi man lang kami kinausap to explain the car details for courtesy dahil nagmamadali raw sya.
Worse, on his way to his car, tumigil pa para lang sabihing, “We drive the same car!”
Walang modo. Nuknukan ng yabang. Ewan kung buhay pa sya. I learned that Mission Hills dealer is already closed. Dapat laang!! Buti nga!!
Hindi pa rin dyan nagtatapos ang kwento.
Pagbalik namin sa hotel, problema na naman dahil mandatory pala na valet drivers lang ang pwedeng mag-park.
Eh di ba nga, nakita namin kung paano maghandle ng mga kotse ang mga ungas.
Siempre, hindi pumayag si Boss na ipa-valet ang bagong- bagong Lexus nya. Para ano pang si CTL sya? Kaya binayaran ni Boss yung valet staff para sya mismo ang mag-park!
Dyan nagtatapos ang kwento ng Lexus ni Boss pero nakapulot ako ng matinding leksiyon. Maaga kong nakita HOW NOT to treat a customer at yun ang naging guiding light ko mula noon.
PEE STOP Congratulations on the promotions of Rosemary Cruz to Marketing Communications Manager of Goodyear, and Elvin Luciano as AVP for Marketing Services of Toyota Motors Philippines. Cheers!…Happy New Year!