I purchased a 2001 Saab 9-5 from this dealership, who represented themselves to be Volvo and Saab specialists. They gave a 90 day labor only warranty on the transmission and on the engine.
Three weeks after I purchased it the Transmission light went on, and the car went into "limp mode". I paid to have it towed back and they told me it was a Neutral Safety Switch, and charged me $165.00, and said that because it was electronic, it wasn't covered under the warranty.
Two weeks after that, the light went back on, and the transmission again went into limp home mode. I had the computer reset and took it back again. Sean said he couldn't diagnose it unless the code tripped again, and I should just take it home until it did and then either take it to a local mechanic, or bring it back to him. Two weeks later, when the code tripped again, I took the car to a local Saab mechanic.
Within minutes of driving the car, the local Saab mechanic identified the whirring noise that it has been making since I purchased it as the slipping of the lower gears. He said that it was not normal for Saabs to be "slow off the line" like mine was. The codes were the same codes "Incorrect Gear Ratio" that it originally had shown. And the only way to fix it was to put in a new transmission.
If Hollywood Auto really are Saab Specialists - why didn't they notice the whirring noise? I noticed it, but never having driven a Saab before chalked it up to Saabs being different. Also, why didn't he notice how slow off the line it was? I just chalked it up to it being a heavier car. After all, once it got into the higher gears, it was very quick.
Sean finally admitted to me that he wasn't a Saab specialist. Because I couldn't trust that he was qualified to do the work, I asked him to pay only his out of pocket labor costs - nothing more - to the mechanic that will be putting in the new transmission. He refused, and said the only way he would honor the warranty is if he did the work.
He told me it "wasn't his problem" if I didn't trust him. Even after admitting he lied about being a Saab specialist!
So now, I'm stuck spending $4,000 after only owning the car for two and a half months! And he would not even contribute his out of pocket labor costs. And there is NO WAY I would want him working on the car that is supposed to keep me safe.
Do yourself a favor - before you purchase a car from Hollywood Auto - have your own mechanic check it out!!! I sure wish I would have!
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