Usacomplaints.com » Cars & Transport » Complaint / Review: Auto Town - Ripoff! My Detailed AutoTown Story - Hope It Helps Someone Out There!. #118259

Complaint / Review
Auto Town
Ripoff! My Detailed AutoTown Story - Hope It Helps Someone Out There!

Sunday 3-13-05:
I was doing some searches online for a Dodge pickup and found one I really liked on Auto Town's website. I am very credit challenged right now, have got my free copies of my credit reports so I knew it would be a challenge to get financed. I am 32 years old and since I was 22 drove 3 new vehicles up until almost 2 years ago when my truck was repo'd (after 3.5 yrs of having it).

I had been unemployed for over a 1.5 yrs before then, so my stellar credit suddenly becomes no-man's land around that time. I had got my associates degree thanks to student loans which have since gone to a collection agency that offered a monthly payment well outside what I can afford. Less than 3 weeks before my Auto Town experience, I had submitted my paperwork to the US Dept of Education to try to stop them from wage garnishment & work out a payment based on my income, but still waiting on a decision.

So, I called them to inquire about the truck and explained to the sales rep about my bad credit, but I have a used car with a year of no late payments for trade-in and told them what my payoff balance was. I also knew Kelly Blue Book values for it as well as the truck.

They expressed how they specialize in financing people in my situation. I was instructed to bring a recent paystub, recent utility bills, and references with me for the credit application and satisfy the bank for approval. I gathered up all the requested documentation, including my copies of my credit reports from all 3 agencies and KellyBB reports.

So, I went to see the truck and expressed again that I wanted to look at it before we talk money or credit or anything else, but of course they wanted to get my keys for the trade in and take my information first. Bad service point against them #1.

The truck looked in pretty good condition from what I could see, however during the test drive I discovered the left turn signal didn't work, which they assured me they would fix at no cost, because it is safety related, so then went back inside to talk money and credit.

While I was explaining the items on the credit report, I explained the student loan situation and pointed out the collection agency that shows up on my credit report. My sales rep made a comment about, oh, so they are all consolidated then and I explained to him no, not really. The balance from all the small loans from the US Dept of Education was all lumped together in the balance of the collection agency. He asked me what my monthly payments are for the student loans and I repeated to him that I was waiting on a decision, so I didn't know you send the paperwork to the government and then you wait. Simple as that.

I had the documents with me and offered for him to make a copy, but he didn't and said it likely wouldn't be an issue anyway and shrugged it off, making a comment that "we dont' want to tell the bank about possible garnishments" before walking off to the back office.

I knew roughly the amount I could be financed for from dealing with another dealership that tried to get me into a car I didn't like, so I walked away. The truck's pricing at Auto Town was a very close match to the offered financing at the other dealership, so Auto Town swung the numbers with my trade-in and $750 cash down payment to closely match the other deal. I was told I was approved for the truck, signed the mounds of paperwork regarding my trade in and the sales contract including that they would fix the turn signal, then drove home in my truck.

Monday 3-14-05: I bring the truck into Auto Town to have them wash it it was late when I drove off with it and it had been in the lot with a pretty good film of pollen on it (early spring in Oregon this year), so they had offered the night before to wash it up for me. That was nice of them.

I asked about getting the turn signal fixed and they said the part was ordered and I needed to schedule an appointment to bring it in, they are so busy and all, so I set it up for Friday morning.

Tuesday 3-15-05: I get a call from Bob, I think (lose track of all the people I eventually dealt with), asking about the student loans and if they were consolidated. So, I explained it to him again in even more detail & explained that I cannot tell him an amount I'm paying on it that hasn't been determined yet.

I then asked him if there was a problemI was assured that I'm approved for the truck and they are just providing the bank with the information they need. Nothing to worry about.

Wednesday 3-16-05: After picking up a coworker to carpool to work in the morning, the check engine light comes on in the truck. I got to work and called Auto Town, spoke with my sales rep before getting referred to Sal, the service rep, about the check engine light coming on and to plan on looking at that on Friday, too. I still cannot take it to DEQ with a non-working turn signal and certainly not with a check engine light on and expect it to pass, so they are liable to fix it they agree no problem, we'll see you on Friday. Already I have had some doubts about this place, so I decided to schedule an appointment to bring the truck to a Dodge dealership to get a full inspection.

Thursday 3-17-05: Take the truck to the Dodge dealership close to my work and find out it has a leaking engine intake valve gasket and told they charge $600 to do the job. The rear brakes were also at 20% and it needed a serpentine belt, the tires tread in the center were worn down on all 4 and needed replacement in the near future, certainly before winter. I expected worse things with a 97 truck despite the low miles and even they told me the truck likely won't pass DEQ if not fixed so the dealership will have to fix it.

Friday 3-19-05: I bring the truck in to Auto Town for the appointment and allowed Sal to copy the inspection sheet given to me by the Dodge dealership and agreed that they would fix the leaking gasket and they had the part for the turn signal, so would fix the turn it and look at the truck and order what is needed for the valve gasket. After waiting for 2 hours, I am told that they got the wrong part for the turn signal, so I'd have to bring it in Monday and it would need to be there for the day, but the parts were on order and I'll take it home Monday night. I told them it would be a problem, because I work 15 miles away and needed to arrange a ride. I was told to call back the next day and ask for Scott and he'd work something out.

Saturday 3-20-05: I call to speak with Scott Morales about working something out about transportation to work, telling him I can't be missing work like I did on Friday. He told me that they don't offer loaner vehicles anymore, but that he would arrange something and not to worry about it.

Sunday 3-21-05: I wake up after sleeping in late and see that I have a couple of missed calls and a couple of voice mails on my cell phone. One is from my sales rep, talking about how he knows I spoke with Bob about the student loans and not to worry about it, I'm still approved, and all that. The next message, from about an hour earlier, was from Bob talking about needing something showing I have consolidated my student loans in order to finalize approval from the bank. So, I called back my sales rep first and asking him what is going on I had not spoken with Bob since earlier in the week, only got a message from him on my cell phone and what it was about.

Then I spoke with Bob again explaining that I found it highly unprofessional to be told everything was approved for the truck several times and being told there isn't a problem after asking if there was one in regards to the student loans, and now it sounds like there is a problem and I don't know what I can do about it except call and see if I can find out what the status is on the student loan stuff on Monday. Had I known it earlier in the week, I would have seen what I could do then to find out.

He then asked me if I had put down on my credit application for the truck that my student loans were consolidated and I told him no. He stated that my sales rep told him I said they were - to which I explained the sales rep asked me the night I got the truck, thought the student loans were consolidated at first, but I had clarified that for him right then and offered to have him make copies of the financial statement documents and declined to do so.

He told me that the bank won't give it final approval without something stating a consolidation and payment plan, I asked him when the problem first became known, he said earlier in the week but he was gone the last couple days (of course). I expressed to him that I had been assured several times I was approved and there wasn't a problem to worry about - now I was being told the opposite and to top it off, not told the truth about it. Horrible customer service.

Then came the don't blame me, don't be mad at me, I'm trying to help tactic that I swear they must have sales meetings about in order to train their staff. Great way to deflect responsibility and not solve the problem or rather, deliberately create the problem while looking like they are helping.

Monday 3-22-05: I drop the truck off at Auto Town for the service, was assured the parts were coming in and they'd get it fixed up. Wonderful, but how am I getting to work? Do I rent a car now or what? No. I get handed the keys to my trade-in to drive for the day and drop off when I pick up my truck. Oh, wonderful but, hey I gotta get to work and it will get me there.

I call the US Dept of Education and the collection agency all they can tell me is they got my paperwork but no decision yet could be a couple more weeks, up to 60 days. So, I call Auto Town and relay this information to them, giving them the telephone numbers I called. I am told the deal might not go through, but they are working on it and are trying to get it approved without that student loan stuff effecting things.

Later that afternoon, after 3:30pm, I speak with Sal regarding my truck's repair work and wanting a status he tells me to call back in 20 minutes while he checks, because he was away from the shop. I call him back and he tells me it is being worked on and I can pick it up after work.

I go to pick up the truck, after the shop has closed, and my sales rep talks to a few people for 20 minutes and he finally comes out and tells me that a part was on back order that was needed and I would have to drive my car for another day. At this point, I was about to explode. With Scott and a few others standing around me in the lobby entrance with several people sitting at the tables with their deals going on, I was very frustrated and asked them, rather loudly, why I was not called, so I wouldn't waste my time and gas (makes my drive from home to work to there double what is normal). I also stated that I didn't pay $750 down on a truck in order to drive my old car for a couple days because they failed to fix it like they promised they would. I stated all the customer service failures that had happened over the last week, how unprofessional my experience with them has been, and they all did the I didn't do it, don't be mad at me, we are trying to help you garbage.

I needed a cigarette in a bad way by now, so we went outside where there were a few others, including the owner, where I proceeded to demand an explanation as to exactly what part is needed and exactly what the problem is and why when I called after 3:30pm I was told it was being worked on and would be ready to go, only to show up and find out yet another problem with a part. I went into the financing problems and the way I was not being the truth there.

The owner then asked me, well, do you want to drive your trade in home right now? I stated, God, No! That's the whole point, don't you get it? Then he threatened to undo the deal unless I calmed down, and accused me of screaming and yelling several times (my voice was raised in frustration, but I was by no means screaming and yelling, I didn't swear or call anyone names, I never once said being lied to, always not being told about what is going on or something similar, etc.) to which I assured them that if I was really screaming and yelling, trust me, they'd KNOW it!

So I walked away saying something along the lines of you guys are unbelievable. A couple minutes later, Scott comes out and says we are not undoing the deal, we will work it out, get your truck fixed, and it'll all be okay. Sure. Right. I drove away with my trade-in, again.

Tuesday, 3-23-05: I call and speak with Scott and he tells me that the bank won't finalize the deal, but I am approved with another bank where the student loan situation won't hold it up, but it has to be in a 1998 or newer vehicle. I explained to him that there was nothing of interest they have besides that truck.

He called me liar about what I stated about student loans and I almost blew my own gasket! Very angry at this point, I explained to him that I have repeated myself several times to several people regarding the student loan stuff and told them all the same thing I have not lied about it whatever the sales rep said or put in the application was not what I told him.

We arranged to have me get my stuff out of the truck and was told that I would need to provide proof that my down payment check has cleared my bank in order to issue me a refund check when I come to get my stuff out of the truck not that night because it was so late, but they would have it for me the next night.

I suggested that he utilize the next sales meeting to train his people on what customer service is really all about the company I work for has been in business over 50 years and it wouldn't have been if it treated its customers like this. To which he stated he didn't need me telling him how to do his job and hung up on me.

So, I went online to my bank and printed out a copy of the cleared check and faxed to him with a message stating, Customer Service Tip Never Tell A Client They Are A Liar! If You Call Yourself a Sales Manager, You Should Know This! Rather hasty, I admit, but I also feel well deserved.

I call him a while later to arrange to get my things after work and do the paperwork the next night, when I can get the check. He then tells me that I need to sign a release form in order to get a check the next day and in order to get my things out of the truck. I told him I don't trust my things in that truck over there and didn't want my things sitting there another day.

I asked him what this release form has to do with me getting my personal things out of the truck. Again, he wouldn't answer me and I concluded that I expect to get my stuff out that night. He lovingly stated that he can't wait to get this over with and hopes to never see or hear from me again DITTO, I replied!

Again, at no point did I swear, call him or anyone else names of any kind merely expressing how unacceptable this whole situation has been with admitted frustration and upset in my tone of voice something I'm rather proud of, because it took all the strength I had not to let my flood gates of cursing insults open up and spew all over.

So, I arrive at Auto Town and he sends out a young sales rep with the release form to sign if I want to get my check the next day and then we could go get my stuff. I looked at it and it clearly stated that I release them from any liability regarding this deal in any way.in addition, Scott wrote on the form Refund check for down payment pending verification of cleared payment from customer's bank. 3-23-05 a couple words might be wrong, but pretty close.

So, I told them I am not releasing liability until I have cleared out the truck of all my belongings if my things are missing, I am not signing away my ability to do anything about it. I also stated that the handwritten statement makes it sound as if I hadn't provided the verification of my cleared check, which I had. I told him I wanted him to write it up to reflect that I have provided the verification and the amount of my down payment refund, $750.

The sales rep came out and said for us to get my things out and I didn't have to sign the form. I asked him what happened to needing it to issue the refund check and of course, he didn't know. So, after clearing out the stuff from the truck and into my car, I went back inside to ask about the form and I would sign it if he writes it up so it accurately reflects what is going on.

He informed me that he wrote it up as customer refused to sign and he would submit it to corporate to issue me a check in the mail call if I don't get it over the weekend, to just leave and it is all done and over with now. I reminded him that it isn't over until I get my down payment back and left never feeling like I've dealt with so many sharks at once in all my life.

Thursday, 3-24-05:
I got the refund check in the mail, earlier than expected. I guess they really wanted to make sure I didn't have a reason to call them!

I hope this very long and detailed account of my experience helps somebody when it comes time for them to decide on their next vehicle I sure wish I would have checked out Auto Town more thoroughly before calling them or stepping foot on their lot!

Auto Town still lists the truck on their website notice the comment no known mechanical problems! Since when is an engine intake valve gasket with corresponding check engine light and a bad turn signal switch NOT known mechanical problems?
Http://www.autotown. Tv/detail. Cfm? Iid=574286&anchor=/1997/Dodge/1500-Pickup/Club-Cab-Short-Bed/

On a side note, the bank I have my current auto loan with is very understanding about the situation, as my monthly payment with them is now late and until I got my down payment back, I couldn't make a payment. They are even going to wave the late fee. There are small blessings in the midst of even the most cursed of situations, huh?

Thanks for reading this!


Offender: Auto Town

Country: USA   State: Oregon   City: Milwaukie
Address: 17833 SE McLoughlin Blvd
Phone: 8662281620

Category: Cars & Transport

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