Dear Mr. Buchanan, General Manager
When I returned home from visiting my pregnant daughter in Michigan, I took a few minutes to reflect upon the events that took place during the week, concerning your dealership's purchase of my 87 Ferrari. I became keenly aware that the time will come when the present agreement concerning my Jaguar, leased from your Edison dealership, will expire.
I went on to think about the past eighteen years and recounted some of my vehicles leased or purchased from your establishments, at least two Porsches, numerous Mercedes, and two Jaguars, I also remembered the countless friends and relatives, including Donna Newman, ESQ. Who I introduced to your dealerships. I couldn't even attempt to envision the endless number of bumpers, headlights, fuel restricters, key buzzers, door beams and seat belts that I ordered from your Mercedes Dealership when I worked for Classic Coach Repair, as I took the business away from E.K. Cummings and Power Motors to give the new guy, Ray Catena, a great opportunity for business, at my choosing. Please refer back to your parts' order forms through the 1980s.
It disgusts me to think, that your father-in-law, Ray Catena and you, found it more important to cheat a loyal customer out of twenty five hundred dollars, than to show some remnants of respect and to adhere to your written agreement with a trusting woman.
If I should take some time to evaluate your business practices, I would put myself on a mission of futility, so instead, I will give Ray Catena Motor Cars the attention, publicity and Internet advertisement that you people earned through your mistreatment and abuse, which was directed towards me. You people erred, then you verbally and financially attacked me, shame on you.
For twenty five hundred dollars you have purchased for yourselves the loss of a loyal customer and the assurance that your business practices will be brought to light through conversation every time I leave my home and see the reminder of the Ferrari emblem on the back of my Jaguar, next to the Ray Catena Motor Cars insignia.
I must commend you both for having the lowest level of integrity that I have ever witnessed even after having been in the auto industry for about twenty years. Let me remind you both, women have an apprehension to car shop as it is, your actions will put raging fear into any buyer, let alone the innocent woman. As I travel to my daughter's home in Michigan, Detroit Airport is the perfect potting soil for auto news, I promise you, The Ray Catena Auto Group will be the feature, you will get the publicity that you so richly deserve and earned.
Please be aware, the competition is endless and referral business is key. Through my business and travels, I meet potential buyers everyday, we all exchange stories... The one I have to tell about the sale of my Ferrari will travel on ad naseum.
Before I close, unfortunately, when you, Jim Buchanan originally signed the unconditional purchase agreement of my Ferrari, on October 25, in the presents of an independent witness, you misdirected me as to where to sign the title over to you. I'll stop in at my convenience to resign in the proper place.
Ordinarily, like you don't wire transfer, I don't travel to correct business professionals' errors. Due to my full and busy schedule, if you can't wait until I can make the time to stop in, I will be scheduling a service for my Jaguar for next Wednesday at 1PM at Madison Jaguar, along with starting my tour of? Publicity? ; meet me there to resign the title. If that doesn't work for you, perhaps you can meet me at one of my business networking events or one of my luncheons.
Sincerely,
Cindy Jampel
C/c Ray Catena
The complaint
CRRoL.org
Tony Iorio, insidercarsecrets.com
nj.com Star Ledger
reporter.org (Investigative Reporters)
Andrew Zimbler, F.C.A.
League of Women Voters
Jaguar Motor Cars
Mercedes Of North America
Regarding car dealers taking advantage of women
Ray catena motor cars, multi million
Dollar company
Background:
I have been a loyal customer of ray catena motor cars since he first opened his dealership in edison new jersey
When i leased my last car, their jaguar sales department attempted to cheat me after all papers were signed. They had tried to add approxamately $2,000 to the sale after the fact, but since i had the sales person on tape they adhered to the agreement and we dropped all ill feelings.
Present situation:
I went to ray catena motor cars of union to inquire about trading my ferrari in for a left over slk and $15,000 back to me. I spoke with a salesman, ron larosa who i knew from the days when i worked at sansone auto mall.
Ray catena sent an expert to mark timko, auto compliance and former owner? / partner of ferrari of central florida to evaluate and inspect the car.
Mark and i watched as the expert went completely over the car. A few days later, ron larosa called me and said they put a price of $35,000 on the vehicle.
I had a retail buyer interested for $50,000 but he had trouble obtaining financing.
During that time i stayed silent with catena motor cars waiting to hear the outcome of my buyer.
On october 8, ray catena called me himself, asking to pick up the car. He wanted to "touch it"
I explained it wasn't insured, he said he would take full resposibility and accept all expenses.
On october 23, the car was picked up by ray catena's flat bed service.
On october 25, jim buchanan, ray catena's son-in-law / manager of the union dealership called me and offered me $36,000. I said i wanted $40,000 but let's agree to $37,500. He said he'd check with ray and call me back.
About 40 minutes later jim said you got your $37,500. I asked him to write something up he said okay. I also wrote something. About an hour later jim called me back and asked if it was a florida or new jersey? Title, said florida.
Jim had added that the person who writes the checks wasn't in today, we agreed to a wire transfer.
Andrew zimbler, a witness and i were met at the union dealership by jim buchanan, he was pleasant and friendly.
I handed him the title, he asked kathy his office manager where i should sign and i duly signed at his direction. I asked him to sign my copy of the agreement, he did, and i signed his copy. I asked him to give me something in writing and he went into a story of how attorneys sign blank contacts because they have such trust in the company. He also added, i sighned your agreement.
I asked about payment and he said don't worry we have your banking information. I asked what time the transfer would take place so i could call my bank to confirm and he said i'll call you when we send it, he wrote my phone number on his copy in pencil
we shook hands and andrew and i left. Andrew witnessed the event.
On october 26, while i was in flight to my daughter's home in michigan, jim buchanan left a message on my cell phone voice mail saying? Hi cindy, two things, our company does not do wire transfers and i had you sign the title in the wrong place, also there is a knock in the engine. He then went on to say when i come in, he would give me a check. There was no restructure of the deal, it still stood on face value of the october 25 unconditional agreement.
I said i would send someone over to pick up a check. Suddenly the story became that they were trying to do me a favor by selling my car for me. This was an uncondition sale, signed and agreed to, not consigned. The terms were exactly as the agreement reads.
Both andrew and i were shifted by phone from person to person.
Finally, on friday i spoke with another manager, tony, supposedly jim was off. Tony gave me ray catena's cell phone number.
I called rat catena after 12pm as directed. When ray heard it was me he began a relentless dialog of abuse, intimidation and foul language. I asked about the knock and he said my i'm trying to wholesale this car now, i don't have a buyer.
I asked about the knock and reminded him that he had responsibility and accused him of damaging the car. Now his story changed, it was just bad gasoline, he threatened to return the car. I said no, you bought it. I then said, at this point i'm looking at this as a theft.
He was screaming at me. He said his son-in law is an innocent guy, which i translated to meaning honest.
He went on to say, you're not buying a car and never will, how can i make money?
It became apparent to me that ray catena was deceptively using my property to obtain profit without paying first, the rightful seller, me
Ultimately, he said that he would just drop the car off somewhere or continue to try to sell it.
I will never take the car back because of ray catena's irrational behavior. He was out of line and for all i know he might have damaged the car.
His manager / son-in - law took an unconditional purchase of my car. At this point all the appropriate actions took place except for the seller's compensation.
I was trying to do the right thing and i did. I believe this outfit tries to pull the wool over the eyes of women.
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