Monday, March 13
I bought a 1997 Saturn, August 8, at Mike Carlson's Belknap location.
At that time I was told to go and test drive the car and to make a list of "anything" that might be wrong with it. It was explained to me that whatever was wrong would be fixed at the dealerships expense. The list had to be completed that day and was recorded on the "Condition of Sale Form". I have a copy of this document.
I made a list which included brakes and rotors, driver side window motor, and transmission, it had a pause between 2nd. And 3rd. Gear, it was slipping.
I left the car with Mike Carlson's for the needed repairs. When I went to pick up my car, the transmission still was NOT fixed. I told Jeff Anderson the manager at the Belknap location, that the transmission was still doing the same thing. It was still slipping and pausing between 2nd. And 3rd. Gear. I told him it was not fixed.
Mr. Anderson assured me that there was nothing wrong with the transmission, that his service department and North Texas Transmission had checked it out and couldn't find anything wrong. I told him the transmission wouldn't be pausing and slipping if there wasn't something wrong with it. He assured me again that the transmission was fine and promised to take care of it if the problem worsened.
While returning home one night I turned on my street and the car oversteered suddenly and I hit the curb ruining my rim and tire. I took my car to my regular mechanic for repair. Imagine my surprize when the mechanic told me he found that most of the "spindle bolts" were missing. I had this repaired at my own expense.
The transmission continued to pause and slip just as I had stated on the "condition of sale form", and Mr. Anderson knew it and acknowledged it.
Then it finally happened. I was on my way to work, it was early and I was in a school zone. All of a sudden, I heard this real loud noise, my front wheels locked up, my engine died, and I lost control of the steering. Thankfully, no one was injured. Imagine what could have happened had I been going at freeway speeds when this happened instead of being in a school zone.
While waiting for the tow truck to get there, I noticed that the gears that had been in my transmission were laying in the street. The gears had exploded out of the back of my bell housing, the hole is large enough for me to put both of my hands through it. I still have this transmission and it is availiable for inspection.
I called Jeff Anderson and told him what had happened, he told me he would pay half of the repairs. Although I believe he should have paid for all of them considering the transmission was never was fixed, and he knew it and promised to take care of it. After all the transmission is listed in the conditon of sale form which was never fulfilled.
March 9 Jeff Anderson called me and told me to pick up my car. We came to get it and I wouldn't drive it out of the parking lot. It is still not fixed and now the check engine light is on too. This car will not even pass inspection now.
When I told Mr. Anderson the car was not fixed he told me that they couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. He said that Flemings Transmission Shop had even used one of their transmissions and still couldn't fix it.
I was told this was MY problem I could leave the car at the dealership, but it would have to be moved the next day. I was denied any recourse.
I asked for corprate numbers and I was refused. I was offered nothing as a solution. Mr. Anderson refused to accept any responsibility for anything. They became very rude and when I called they even hung up on me.
March 10 I sent a flatbed tow truck to pick up my car from Mike Carlson Motor Company and to transport it to the Saturn Dealership. It took Saturn about 5 minutes to figure out the problem.
The transmission I had paid half for, a 1997 Saturn, with 30,0000 miles and a 6 month warranty was NOT the transmission that was installed in my car. The dealership said what was there was an old 1992 transmission and that it was not even compatiable with my car installed instead, and there is no warranty either. The dealership estimated $00.
I paid $1000.00 down and have always been current with my payment, most times early. I paid $6999.00 for this car and I have already been out over $3000.00 payments and repairs, and I still owe over $6000.00 for the car. Now the car will not even pass inspection.
I submit that this transmission being repaired or replaced was a condition of the sale, Mike Carlson Motor Company failed to preform their own contract. They have charged me for a transmission and warrany that I never recieved, and have not refunded the money to me. They used old sub-standard, non-compatible parts that will not work with my car making it impossible for my car to even pass state inspection.
Jeff Anderson has lied to me personally and has used fraud and Deceptive Trade Practices in his dealings with me. I have held up my end of the contract to the full. Mike Carlson has never even completed their own contract (failed to report my credit in a timely manner as agreed) including the condition of sale form.
I would never have completed the sale for this car with the faulty and dangerous transmission had I known Mike Carlson Motor Company would not honor their warranty, their word and condition of sale contract. My daughter rides in this car.
This has been going on for close to a month, I have no other car and I have not been offered any kind of a deal or any solution to this problem.
This problem is not just going to go away. I am resolved to do what I have to get results. I am hoping to avoid legal action but at this point it appears the courts and media my be my only option.
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