Come for the cars, stay for the “casual banter”
- The co-owner of Champion Porsche allegedly used a racial slur after a customer ordered elsewhere.
- The customer had initially tried to order from Champion Porsche but didn’t receive follow-up.
- In a lengthy social media post, the dealership appeared to claim the slur was “casual banter.”
A Porsche dealership has found itself in hot water after one of its co-owners allegedly called a customer a “Jew C**t” in a text message. That’s certainly not the kind of experience you expect when shopping for a high-end vehicle.
However, that’s reportedly what one Florida man was told after inquiring about a custom order for a $150,000 vehicle from Champion Porsche. Instead of first-class service, co-owner Naveen Maraj allegedly told the man, “As usual you behave like a spoiled Jew c**t who thinks you’re special, but you’re not. You not buying a car from me is like a gift from God.”
More: Furious Customer Finds Racial Slur On Her Car’s Oil Change Sticker At GM Dealer
While anyone who has worked in retail has dealt with difficult customers, there’s a line drawn in the sand and it’s typically well before “Jew c**t.” Interestingly enough, it appears the customer was actually pretty easy going.
According to Bocca News, the customer wanted a vehicle in a very specific color. Maraj reportedly told him this would be difficult, but he’d provide an update the following day.
A few days passed, so the customer reportedly contacted the dealership again and didn’t get a response. The lackluster experience pushed them to reach out to Braman Porsche, which was able to complete their order. They then told Maraj about this, which apparently angered him and triggered his response.
That shocking text prompted the customer to tell the publication, “All he had to do was say ‘thanks for the update, I hope you enjoy the new car.’ But instead, he turned this into an Antisemitic incident.”
Following the publication of the story, Champion Porsche posted a lengthy response on social media. They described the comment as “offensive and inexcusable,” but claimed the man was “not a customer of Champion but was a friend with a Champion representative.”
The dealership went on to claim the “comment was not made with the intent to harm” as Maraj and the ‘customer’ reportedly had a “close personal friendship for more than 14 years.” They went on to claim this “friendship included a degree of casual banter and familiarity that, while understood privately, can easily be misinterpreted – or become wholly inappropriate – when viewed outside of that context.”
In essence, they’re claiming calling someone a slur was basically an inside joke between friends. Despite downplaying the entire event, the dealer said they “deeply regret any discomfort, concern, or confusion this incident may have caused.” Champion Porsche added that Maraj has told them he will resign and “step down from his managerial and leadership roles with the company effective immediately.”
Needless to say, the seemingly half-hearted apology didn’t go over well with people on social media. One person said it was as “genuine as the one made by Mel Gibson,” while another described it as “the most half assed apology I’ve ever read.”