The first week of November I went into the Acura of Lynnwood car dealership with my brother, Jim Rimoczi to look at a Sebring Convertible which was being advertised online for $6000. We looked at the car, spoke to the salesman, Carl and took the car for a test drive. We returned to the dealership on Saturday to take a closer look at the car, take it for a longer test-drive, and to talk about price.
I mentioned to Carl vehicle reliability is of utmost importance, because I am studying to be an opera singer, and as such, my car is used for transportation to rehearsals, performances, my paid church cantor job, as well my full time job in Redmond, which is a 2.5 hour bus commute from where I live in North Seattle.
Carl explained the benefits of buying from a dealership, including being covered by the Acura umbrella and the a sense of security it would provide. Even if we had to pay a little bit more for our car, it would be worth it because they would take care of us.
After much negotiation, I purchased the Sebring convertible, taxes and license included, for $4500. After only three days, the first problem presented itself in the form of a blinking check engine light.
Due to a snow storm, I was unable to take the car back to the dealership for 5 days. I did, however, send an email to both customer service and the general email address. I received no response. I took my car to our trusted local mechanic, Gateway Automotive. Who, at my cost compiled a preliminary list of what was wrong with the car. The car was brought back to the dealership, where they said all of the problems on the list would be fixed. I received the car back about one week later, with the assurance everything on the mechanic's list had been fixed and the car had no problems.
I got in my car and drove it approximately 10 miles when steam started billowing out of the car from the engine. I called the Acura dealership yet again and they told me to bring the car back in. The Acura mechanics called me and told me it was going to cost about $1200 to fix the car.
At this point, it has been a month since I purchased the car, and I've driven it for approximately four days. After getting this latest estimate, Jim talked to Carl as well as the service manager for several days to negotiate the cost for repairs, which came to $390..
Three days after picking up the car, I started worrying the car would not be able to take me home. The problems I was complaining about the first two times were both still occurring. The check engine light was still flashing. I brought the car back to the dealership for the third time to find out how much the repairs would cost.
During this time, Jim found out the original list of repairs from the independent mechanic had not been completed, since the sales department had not authorized all of the repairs. Jim and I had been told previously numerous times the repairs had been made, when in fact they had not. Back and forth the conversations went between Jim and the Service Manager.
The service manager called me approximately the first week of January to tell me there would be no charge on this third round of repairs, and even though they have the best mechanics in the world, I would be better served by taking my Sebring to a Chrysler Dealership. I then drove the car off the lot with the check engine light flashing, as it had been three days after original purchase.
Three days later (bringing my total driving time to seven days), I drove my car to Gateway Automotive where our mechanic started to delve deep into the engine and found a faulty fuel injector wiring harness, which, was on permanent backorder with Chrysler. I was informed it would be two weeks to six months before the part might be available. I left my car with Gateway mechanic to wait for the part. The estimate from this mechanic, to make the car safe to drive, was $700. After finding out this information, I stopped payment on the $390 check for the service from Acura because they had not fixed my car.
Three days later, the service manager called to find out why I had stopped payment on the check for the services they had rendered. I explained to him the car was still not running and was not fixable without the backordered part. I had no idea what service they had performed on my car, but I had purchased it in NOVEMBER and it was now January and the car was still not running.
The service manager told me the $390 had paid for routine maintenance items. Clearly, I had not asked for routine maintenance. What I asked for was that they fix the car they had sold me.
The service manager told me he would look into getting the part needed to fix the car. Two days later, he confirmed what Gateway Automotive had told me, and informed me that the part was on permanent backorder and there was nothing he could do. A week later Gateway Automotive found a local machine shop; Acme Automotive who was able to remanufacture the part for $79 but when installed we found the problem was deeper in the engine.
On Tuesday January 22nd, I called the dealership and spoke with the sales manager to inform him that I want a refund. I had been more than accommodating. The dealership sold me a car that has serious defects and is not safe to drive. The sales manager said he would meet with the service manager and the general manager and that he would get back to me the following Thursday.
Three more days passed, and he did not get back to me. On Monday morning January 29th, I called the sales manager again. He said he had not been able to meet with the other managers, and that he would call me by noon on the following Thursday. I waited until 1pm on Thursday, and again I did not hear from him. I then called him on his cell phone, and I was told to expect a call from the general manager or to call the general manger myself.
I called the general manager and spoke with him about how awful my experience had been. I explained I did not trust the dealership after my experience with them, and I just wanted my money back so I could get the car I wanted from another seller.
The general manager told me that wasn't going to happen. He gave me the following three options:
1. Keep the car and fix it myself at my own expense
2. Use the car as a trade in on an Acura
3. Select another used car from a list that he would provide
I also asked if I could have a loaner car during this time, so that I would have transportation. I was told that would not be a possibility.
There have been at least six separate occasions where I have been promised an update or a return telephone call from different department managers at the Acura dealership. I in all six instances had to track down the party in question to get the promised response. I am under the impression they are hoping by ignoring me for long enough, I will just go away.
I did not go to the Acura dealership to purchase a lemon, or an Acura, or to be told to pick a car off a list which as of this moment (36 hours after the conversation) I have yet to see. I went to the Acura dealership because I expected them to be a professional, upstanding business where I could purchase the Sebring convertible advertised. I will not give this Acura dealership any further business. I have been ripped off and have been treated in a highly unprofessional and dishonest manner.
As of Monday, February 12, the car I purchased in November is still not drivable. I have only been able to drive the car for seven days and have spent a total of $5200. I have, as of yet not heard back from the dealership after sending them an almost identical copy of this letter.
I have not received the list of other cars to choose from and honestly, I'm not sure what I can do. I never wanted an Acura, I did not want the trade-in value on another car. I don't want to be told to pick off a list as to what car I will drive for the next five years. The car I was sold is unable, unfit, and unsafe to be driven as it has been since I purchased the car in November. I went into the Lynnwood of Acura dealership in good faith to purchase a Sebring Convertible. I have been more than patient and understanding, but enough is enough.
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