My fiance and I were searching for a used SUV because with a growing family a car was just not cutting it. We hit a few different dealers before we found the "perfect" one for us. At Day Toyota near Century III Mall we found a 2004 VW Touareg. The price was a little high but the salesman, Gene Hillster, seemed to want to work with us.
At other dealers, I was only being offered $5000 or so for my trade-in (an 07 saturn ion with low miles) but there they were going to give me $8000. I wanted more but decided to take it because all other dealers laughed at me for even wanting that.
After a little bit of number crunching with Gene we decided to sign a paper stating that if they could get me a payment of $370/mo for 60 months that I couldn't back out. Well, after sitting for hours (I got there at 2 and didn't leave til 5) Gene came back and said that they were backed up but that all looks good so I should leave my car, take the new one, and come back Monday to fill out paperwork. I was beat so I agreed.
On my way home from the dealer I thought I heard a clunk but I brushed it off because it has 4WD Auto n it was icy, I just assumed it kicked in. I didn't drive it again until I was going back to the dealer on Monday. Halfway back to the dealer, the transmission slammed so hard that it felt as though someone rear-ended us!
When we got to the dealer I walked in fuming mad. I refused to sign anything until someone heard this noise and fixed it. All mechanics were busy so the finance guy went for the ride. When we got back he agreed it needed fixed. We also mentioned its lack of emissions sticker, bald rear tires, and how the inspection would soon expire. Joe then said that all problems would be fixed and he gave us a rental to use.
We went back Wednesday, after Gene called and said it was ready to go. When we got there it was everything but. Joe told us that the new tires were not yet in so we would have to wait.
Finally, Friday our car was ready to go and paperwork ready to be done. When we got to the dealer we were able to talk to the transmission specialist and he assured us that the noise was completely normal. I was weary of it but said as long as we get a warranty on it that we would take it.
While doing paperwork, We found out that our payment wasn't going to be the $370 or so that we discussed but $420! We also found out that "the best they could do" was 15% interest, which is crazy because my trade-in had a rate of 6%. We ended up paying a ton more than we discussed but they already had my car with "for sale" signs on it and they made it sound like we had no choice but to sign the papers.
After all the paperwork was done we sat waiting for our car. It was pulled out of the shop, drove up the road, and pulled back in and put on a lift. About an hour later we were informed that while changing the tires for us they rotated them wrong and now a sensor wasn't turning off. The mechanic said that we would have to take it to a VW dealer to have the sensors reset.
We took the VW home and called a VW dealer the next day. I was informed by the service department there that VWs do not need to be reset, the do it on there own, and if my sensor was on still that it was broken from the tires being rotated incorrectly.
When I got off of the phone with the VW dealer I immediately called the Day Dealer and told service. The person I talked to agreed that it was their fault that the sensors were now bad.
It was Sunday and I was planning on taking my car back Monday to have the sensors replaced. All of the sudden, while driving down the highway, the car started shaking uncontrollably. I pulled off, called AAA, and had it towed back to the dealer.
The dealer called Monday to ask why the car was parked in service. I told them what had happened and I also told them that it was a bad ignition module that was the problem. The service guy I was talking to rudely asked how I knew and continued to talk down to me and say that they would find out what was wrong on their own!
Rather than deal with him any longer, I called the front desk and had them transfer me to the General Manager. The GM, Al, told me that he was very sorry and that my car would be taken to their sister dealer that handled VW so that it could be repaired there. I agreed and mentioned the transmission noise again. He assured me that all three problems, the tranny, sensors, and ignition module, would be taken care of.
A picked my car up a few days later. The sensors were still bad as was the tranny.
After all this I finally went to my dad for advice. (He is a long time business owner and also has an auto mechanical background). My dad decided to go to the dealer and speak with them because they refused to deal with me anymore.
He was able to schedule us an appointment at one of their VW dealers. We took the touareg there ourselves so that we could talk in person rather than through a long chain of people who didn't care.
The VW dealer had my car for 2 weeks before they found the noise in the tranny. When they called about that they also mentioned that all 4 tire sensors needed replaced and that Day refused to admit fault and pay for them.
At this point, I was beyond mad and ready to get a lawyer! Before we went too far my dad suggested we call the owner and see if she would help. It took us a week to get in touch with her and when we finally did she was awful! She refused to take to my dad but when I talked to her she would talk over me and not listen to what I had to say.
Finally, after threatening her with a lawsuit, she quieted down and let me talk. She said that only 2 tire sensors would be replaced because only 2 tires were replaced (hello! It wasn't replacing the tires that broke them, it was rotating them incorrectly!). She also said that I had to pay a $100 deductible for the tranny because it was under warranty. After about an hour of arguing with her and trying to explain that it was a problem even before I signed papers she agreed to waive the fee, yet still refused to replace all the sensors.
In the end, after a month of my car being in the shop, I gave up. I only had 2 of the sensors replaced, I didn't get a lawyer, I didn't try to go after them for work missed or money spent on gas from driving back and forth. If anyone feels they can help and something could be done all help is appreciated.
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