On 07-14 I bought a used vehicle from David Stanley Chevrolet (DSC). This experience has been a nightmare and still continues to be. When I looked at the vehicle in question it needed numerous repairs that included brake lights not working, drivers sun visor missing, stereo not working, and several warning lights were illuminated. I advised the salesman that I would not buy the vehicle in that condition and he advised that the veh had just come in on trade and that they would make all the needed repairs to correct those deficiencies.
We negotiated for a sales price of $13000 for the car. NADA and Blue Book both listed avg. Retail for veh.in fair condition at $14800. The dealer then offered $9500 for my trade. NADA and Blue Book listed avg. Trade-in for my veh. At $11500 in fair condition. My veh. Had minor hail damage, so I advised I would accept $10500 for trade-in. The used car mgr. Agreed. Pay off on my veh. Was $13125 which ment that I would have to carry $2625 neg. Equity on the new loan. During negotiations this neg. Equity was rounded to $3000 and I did not quibble over the difference. The loan was to be for $13000 purchase plus $3000 totaling $16000. I signed the papers. I then told them that I would buy an extended warranty but that I wanted to pay cash. I did not want that financed.
They advised that was acceptable but that they would have to reprint the papers to show the warranty but that it would not be tied to the loan. I resigned the papers and it was agreed that I would return the vehicle to DSC on monday to be sent for repairs. The car was sent for repairs and was gone for approx 2 weeks. When it was returned the brake lights did not work, the sun visor was installed but not wired up, and the warning lights came on as I was driving from the lot. They took the veh. Back to complete the repairs. Approx. 1 week later they called me and advised the car was ready. When I got there they advised that all repairs had been made but the the warning lights were due to the previous owners installation of an after market exhaust system and that there was an exhaust leak. They told me that the problem was minor and that I should just take the car like it was because they were not going to replace the exhaust system. They said that my only other option was to take my old car back and forget the deal. I chose my old car but was then advised that they had sold my car and that this would not be an option.
They suggested that I find another car on the lot of comparable value and that they would swap cars with me. They showed me another car and I agreed. They then advised that the other car would increase my payment by $30-35 per month. This was not acceptable to me so the used car mgr. Advised me to keep the car I had bought and be happy because he was going to do no more repairs. If this was not acceptable he advised me to contact an attorney. I then went to finance and cancelled the extended warranty and they advised that the refund would be mailed to me. The next day I contacted the gen. Sales mgr. And told him my situation. He said he would check into it and contact me. I was called later and told to bring the car back for repairs. When I took the car back I was told that the time was running out on the loan and that they still did not have a clear title on the veh. And that I would need to resign the loan papers. I did so at that time. They sent the car to a muffler shop (non factory) for repairs. I got the car back 1 week later, and the next day the warning lights came back on. I called the dealer and could get nobody to return my calls. I contacted the bank that was to fund the loan and advised them of the situation and they advised that they would not fund the loan until the repairs were made. I attempted to contact the dealer several times over the next weeks but nobody would return my calls. I called GM to check on the status of my warranty refund and was told that the cancellatiion had not been received and that the warranty was shown to be on the loan. I called the dealers accounting dept. And they verified that the warranty should not be on the loan and they then called and cancelled it and cleared it off the loan. They then noticed that the loan was not yet funded. When they sent papers to the bank the bank declined to fund the loan until the repairs were made.
The finance mgr. Then called me and advised that he had just learned of the problem and had talked to the gen. Mgr. Who had told him to make me happy. He advised that they would fix the car properly or if I was no longer comfortable with that car they would swap it for another at the same price. I went to the dealership and we decided that the best way to resolve the situation was to swap for a new "07" Cobalt which now had $500 rebates. I was told to pick out the one I wanted and he would write it up. I picked one out but he advised that the base model was the only one he could swap for. When I didn't like that one he advised that to make me happy he would do it on the other car. When I went fo financing to resign the papers the loan was now $2000 higher and extended for an additional 6 mos. With the payment increasing by $16. This was not acceptable and I left. I thought about it and decided that the cheaper Cobalt would probably by the best way to resolve the situation and called to see if he would still do the deal. He advised yes and I went in. Upon arrival I met the new car mgr. Who advised that the rebates had increased today to $2000 and that on the cheaper car my loan would only be $2000 higher. (Yes this is the same price they had quoted for the more expensive car. The new loan was for $18100 and would be for an addl. 6 mos. And the payment would increase. He advised that the problem was the $4600 neg. Equity that I was carrying.
I questioned him and found that the used car mgr. Had changed the figures to show an $8500 trade in value and a sales price of the orig. Car at $11400. He would not listen to me or the orig. Salesman about the descrepancy. Naturally I left. When I arrived home I saw an ad from David Stanley Chevrolet offering the car I had just tried to buy for $10900. David Stanley Chevrolet has not seriously attempted to resolve this situation. They have decided to fund the loan in-house. I have no confidence that they will do the necessary repairs on the veh. During this ordeal I have talked with many people who have told me their horror stories from David Stanley. I now know of his sorry reputation. I checked them out with the BBB and they show 55 complaints over the last 36 months. The avg. Complaints for other dealerships in the area are in the single digits. 55 is an astounding number when you consider the low number of people who actually pursue issues with the BBB. I have not yet contacted an attorney but I am certain that that time will arrive. I am presently attempting to resolve the situation through the BBB.
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