Re: New 2006 Buick Rainier CXL AWD
Purchase price: $36,433.00
Odometer Reading: 23 miles
On February 15th, I bought a new Buick Rainier CXL AWD from Suburban Buick in Wheaton.
Contact information is as follows:
Salesman: Tim Slattery
Address:
Suburban Buick
1100 E. Roosevelt Rd.
Wheaton, IL 60197
Phone no. 630-462-8000
The motor vehicle was purchased in my wife's name: xxx due to the following reasons:
1) I arrived in the U.S. On October 15th from Australia.
2) On October 28, I got married.
3) My attorney was filing with the Department of Homeland Securities in November for me becoming a Permanent Resident in Illinois, USA. Along with becoming a Naturalized citizen in the U.S.A., also obtaining a Visa to work in the U.S. And a Visa Parole permit to enable me to travel outside of the U.S.
4) At the time when this vehicle was purchased, I had only received from Homeland Security a Visa to work in the U.S. I had no Social Security number at that time when I purchased this vehicle.
I informed the dealer that I wanted to purchase the vehicle with all the options (fully loaded). He stated that he did not have one in his inventory with the options I wanted. The after market accessories I requested were as follows:
1) Mud Flaps
2) Rear Parking Sensors
3) Ball/Receiver for towing
4) DVD Player
5) Paint Protection, Clear Coat, Rust Proofing, Sound Deadinator/Inhibitor
6) Vinyl/Leather/Carpet Protection
7) Navigation system
The after market accessories 1-5 above, were taken care of by the Dealer. He installed them and did state that these items would not affect the warranty on the vehicle.
As the dealer could not assist me with a Navigation System as he did not have one in stock in his inventory, he advised me to save money by purchasing a portable Navigation system which can be moved from one vehicle to another. He also stated that there are other Foreigners/Aliens here in America who get by without the purchase of a Navigation system here by using an online driving direction service like MapQuest. I felt insulted when I was referred to as an Alien after the Australians have been and are allies with the U.S. For a very very very long time.
When I picked up the car and after a few weeks in Mid March, one of the instrument lights on the dashboard went on while I was driving. I pulled over on the side of the street and switched the engine off and waited a few minutes and then turned the ignition on and the instrument light went off. I contacted the dealer and advised him of this and I was told that if it the lights came back on and stayed on I was to give them a call.
The same instrument light appeared again on the dashboard while I was driving after a few weeks (early April). I repeated the process as outlined above and the instrument light disappeared again. The Driver's seat warmer had stopped working and I called up the Dealer again. They told me that they would look at it when the car was due for its first service in late May.
The instrument light appeared again in mid May and I repeated the process as outlined above. I notified the dealer and arranged for the first service for the car on May 27.
On May 27th, I was at the dealership for 7 hours for an oil change, wiring check and for the repair of the seat warmer. I was told by the dealership that day that the wiring was fine. They told me that the seat warmer required a new element which needed to be ordered.
In the end of May, I purchased a Cobra navigation system.in early June (before June 9th), I went to Car Wonders who specialize in installing Navigation and sound systems in cars. They installed a power cord from the Navigation systems to the fuse box. On June 9th, I took the car back to Suburban Buick for a new seat warmer element to be installed in the car as they had received the part they ordered.
On June 25th, after 5 consecutive warm days, I drove from home to Jewel/Osco (near my house). I drove from Osco Jewel to Oberweis Dairy near the house on Palatine Road in Hoffman Estates. All the instruments on the dashboard lit up and stayed on. The air conditioner was not working either. Hot air was coming through all the vents. I returned to the car after purchasing milk from Oberweis Dairy and the car would not start at all. The Navigation system was not even connected to power cord nor was it in the car. I called Roadside Assist. The Roadside Assist driver said he had to get authorization to pick up the car and take it to storage overnight and then on Monday morning it would be towed to Suburban Buick in Wheaton.
The car was delivered on Monday and Suburban Buick had the car for 4 full days. I was told that the car had a blown fuse. I did not realize that it takes 4 days to fix a fuse. To this day I am waiting to receive paperwork from Roadside Assist confirming that my car was picked up on this day and was in overnight storage on Sunday. I asked repeatedly and called many times, but my requests were ignored.
That Monday when the dealer had the car, no invoice, no service ticket, no receipt, no paperwork was given to me to state what service was performed on the car.
On August 4th after 5 days of consecutive warm weather, I started my car at lunchtime during work to go get something to eat. As soon as I turned the ignition key to start the car, all the instrument lights on the dashboard lit up and stayed on. When I went and got something to eat as I was driving, hot air was blowing through all the vents again. I left the car running, as I knew if I turned the ignition to the off position, the car would not start. I drove back to work, parked the car, after a few minutes, I turned the ignition to the start position and it would not start again. The car would not crank at all. Once again the Navigation system was not connected to the power cord nor was it in the car. I spoke with Ron the Manager of Suburban Buick dealership and I requested a replacement vehicle or a return of the vehicle and a refund of my money I paid for the car. He was unaware of all the issues I had to date and he told me that if it happened again, he would replace the vehicle.
Ron gave me a number to call to arrange for my car to be towed to Suburban Buick. He arranged for me to get a loaner car through Enterprise. I requested a loaner since I had no means of transport from home to work and vice versa. He agreed to this request.
I informed Ron that I just started employment after being here for just under 10 months. I am trying to build my credibility here as I do not have the time to deal with all these issues I have had with the car in the space of 5? Months with only 4,117 miles on the odometer.
I am thinking to myself, I purchased a new vehicle here in America and there are no mountains, dessert or outback here in flat land Chicago and this car kept breaking down on me and would not run. I am shell shocked. I am shocked at the product I was sold and the really bad service. I could not believe my eyes what I saw here in Chicago, in America.
I told the dealer that I had a GM car in Australia and never did I have an issue with it. I took it off road driving and it was a 4WD. That car could handle the outback with no problem. I come to Chicago and buy a GM vehicle and it breaks down over and over again. I am truly shocked. I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought that this was some kind of nightmare.
On Saturday, August 5th, I received a call from Sean the Technician over at Suburban Buick and told me that he was Irish and instructed me that when I get a survey from GMC he wanted me to tell them that I was completely satisfied with their service. I was to mark it up as all excellent. He said that this is how he gets paid based on the feedback he receives on these service surveys. Again, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I felt really insulted and discriminated against. I'm thinking to myself, ah the guy is from down under he doesn't know any better and we will do a snow job on him. Hah. I felt insulted, blackmailed, defrauded, belittled etc.
On Tuesday, August 8th, I received a call from the Service Manager, Chris at Suburban Buick. He informed me that there was a batch of wires under the dash, which were not installed by G.M. I told Chris that his shop over there at Suburban Buick did the majority of the installations of the after market products, including the Reverse parking sensors, DVD installation, mud flaps and towing kit. Did he forget? Did he not remember talking to me before when the car was brought to his shop several times before? He stated that he didn't remember anything about any service or repairs performed. This man was lying to my face.
I only had one professional technician install one power cord to the fuse box for the Navigation system. I asked Chris the Suburban Service manager about the batch of wires and where did they come from as they sold me the car. He said that he didn't know.
I filed a dispute with GMC to replace my vehicle or refund the money under the Illinois Lemon Law Statute. They issued me a case number: 1-425 442 664. I told them my whole experience with Suburban Buick. I also talked to Chris, Service Manager at Suburban Buick that they had pictures of the batch of wires and I asked to see them. He then referred me to the salesman who sold me the car, Tim Slattery. Tim told me he didn't have them either. I told him that I was in there 3 times in during the 5? Months to get my car repaired and it still is not repaired. He denied this and also Chris denied this. They said that there are no paper or electronic records that state that I was in there at all to have any repairs done. I was so angry at this point. They were lying to me and committing FRAUD. I thought to myself, this is definitely a nightmare. I can't believe my eyes and ears and what I am going through since I came to America.
GM dispute resolution called me and informed me that they refuse to replace the car due to a batch of wires that were placed in there. I really believe that these wires were intentionally placed into the car by Suburban Buick to make up an excuse to get me to go away. I was also informed they were replacing the computer module and switch in the car.
On August 12th, I picked up the car again at the dealer's request. Chris informed me all they did was push back the batch wires not from the GMC manufacturing plant. As I pulled out of the dealership lot and was on my way to the toll way, I noticed hot air blowing through the air vents again. I had enough of all this at that point. Enough. I drove to Schaumburg and got off at Golf Rd. And went in to several dealerships to look at other vehicles. I wanted to trade this junk car and get a new car. I went to the Lincoln Mercury dealer in Schaumburg and purchased a new Lincoln Zephyr and traded in the Buick Rainier. I called Chris over at Buick again and told him that the car was blowing hot air through the air vents again. He asked where I was and when I would go back there to the repair shop. On August 18th, Keith, a GMC Field Manager called me from Suburban Buick to inform me that they would not replace the car due to a batch of wires not installed by GM. I told him that I, Car Wonder or no one else had installed these wires except for GM. I confirmed this with Car Wonder in writing as well. They had not installed these wires. I told Keith that I had not done after after-market wiring, as I would never want to jeopardize the warranty on the vehicle.
All the aftermarket products, which Suburban Buick installed, would not void the warranty nor the aftermarket navigation system as stated to me by Tim Slattery, the salesman.
No one was prepared to work with me in resolving these issues, as I am an Alien and not an ally. I informed Keith of my actions that I will be undertaking and that I got rid of the car and he had the nerve to tell me that I think I know everything. Again I was mocked, insulted, and belittled. I was very upset and still am. I told him that he was charcoal like the color of the charcoal car I bought from them. I am very disappointed in Buick, GMC and all the individuals I have dealt with. Is this my warm welcome to America? Welcome to America you Aussie Sucker? I have never in my born day come across such unethical and fraudulent practices. I am shocked.
I do not understand if they the Dealer Service Manager and the GMC Field Manager are insisting that these batch of wires were not installed by GMC then why have I not paid anything for the repairs done.
I am so confused now than ever before. I was told by Chris on the day I picked the car up August 12th. That no parts required changing over nor any parts being ordered to be installed into the vehicle upon receipt of the dealership. On September 2nd I received a special order part for a new module to be fitted to the car. Does he think i am a stupid aussie this dealership are all liers, one lie after another. I am so sick of this and very frustrated. Nothing makes sense to me any more. Justice needs to be served here. THIS DEALERSHIP NEEDS TO BE CLOSED DOWN AND PUT OUT OF BUSINESS.
So the car was at the dealership from August 4th till August 12th and all they did was push back the cables that were not from GMC. It is obvious my car has been tampered with by the dealership on this occasion or when it was there on July 25th when my car was with them again for 4 days for a blow fuse. Or was it tampered with when it was at storage On the 25th July when roadside assist when they towed my car. Is that why after numerous requests to roadside assist I have still not received any paper work.
I am very disappointed, distressed with all of these issues. I have had 5? Months of misery with this car and had only traveled just over 4,000 miles.
Now I am upset and I have also lost $13,000 out of the trade in the purchase of the new vehicle. The dealer told me that the car depreciated $13,000.
I would like an award for my losses of $13,000 and all of the duress, stress, inconvenience, running around traveling back and forth and even putting my life in danger with the car breaking down in the middle of traffic.
My loss on the vehicle is calculated as follows:
Purchase price of Buick $36,433.00
Trade in value of Buick $20,903.20
The purchase price for the Lincoln was $34,388.20.
I appreciate your attention to this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me
Sincerely
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