In response to Mr. John Taylor SR and his complete negligence, I have determined that it has become necessary to document Mr. Taylor's actions concerning my purchase of a 1991 ACURA LEGEND LS sedan in July for $5499. All of Mr. Taylor's vehicles are sold on an as-is basis, which I completely understood. However, Mr. Taylor advertised a warranty program that was available for new customers.
After repeated attempts to obtain information about this warranty program, I was informed that the advertised warranty was no longer available. Due to this discontinued warranty program, I requested an independent mechanic to complete a pre-purchase inspection.
Most reputable auto dealers will allow this, but Mr. Taylor refused, choosing to refer to his and his mechanic's years of experience with vehicles. Due to my financial situation and the fact that I needed a vehicle fairly quickly for work, I accepted Mr. Taylor's word that he would fix any repairs on my car.
After a test drive, I noticed that the Legend's ABS light was illuminated, indicating that there was an issue with the Anti-Lock Braking system, which is a very serious safety issue.
It was also noted that the car was overheating and smoking from both ends of the vehicle. A combination of white and blue smoke was emitted from the exhaust while a less pronounced white smoke was emitted from the hood area of the vehicle. These are symptoms of a blown head gasket, faulty water pump, and worn engine rings. Mr. Taylor agreed to fix these issues at no additional cost and this was listed in the sales contract. The air conditioning system was also non-functional due to a faulty a/c compressor, which Mr. Taylor also agreed to repair at no additional cost. I took delivery of the vehicle and returned 4 days later as instructed by Mr. Taylor. Unfortunately my problems with Mr. Taylor began at this point.
Between the dates of 8/2 and 9/1
-I drove nearly 20 miles one-way on 11 different occasions to have the vehicle serviced for the above problems. Mr. Taylor was evasive when pressed about the progress of the repairs. He brushed me aside many times by saying the vehicle would be ready the next day. I wasted time, money, and fuel driving another person's vehicle to visit Mr. Taylor's business only to discover that the vehicle had not been worked on, much less repaired.
-In response to the overheating issue, Mr. Taylor claimed the vehicle, only needed more coolant, even though it was obvious that coolant was being deposited into the coolant overflow reservoir. Adding extra coolant was non-productive and an attempt by Mr. Taylor to avoid changing/checking the water pump.
-In response to the air conditioning system, Mr. Taylor continuously added R-134 refrigerant to recharge the system. However, research on my part indicated that the 1991 model was designed for R-12 refrigerant. Most mechanics have agreed that this action expedited the failure of the air conditioning compressor.
-In response to the excess smoke from both ends of the vehicle, Mr. Taylor did not have an answer for this other than the vehicle was over 10 years old. A person who claims to be a mechanic should have the competence to determine the cause of a vehicle problem after sufficient research.
Between the dates of 9/14 and 10/16
-At this point, Mr. Taylor has held my vehicle for over a month without very few updates and more evasive answers about the status of my vehicle. When I retrieved the vehicle on 10/16, I noticed that the front fender had been damaged; slightly disconnected from the frame of the vehicle. Mr. Taylor had no explanation for this and did not offer any apologies.
-After repeated calls and trips to the lot, Mr. Taylor agreed to fix my air conditioning compressor. However Mr. Taylor refused to purchase a new part (in excess of $500) and instead opted to purchase a used a/c compressor from an unknown source. He charged me $150 for this compressor even though I have no proof that he removed the defective compressor.
-The reason I am unable to confirm the operation of the new compressor was due to the fact the a/c compressor drive-belt promptly snapped when I turned the a/c on while driving on Interstate 24 East. Even if Mr. Taylor had actually replaced the compressor, this man found it too expensive to install a new belt. An independent mechanic believed that the a/c compressor was defective if ever installed
-On the drive home on 10/16/03, the vehicle continued to experience instances of overheating as well as heavy smoke. A computer diagnostic indicated that the ABS light (anti-lock brake system) was still on and danger to my safety.
-On 10/17, just before I was scheduled to leave on an out-of-state trip, the vehicle would not start. A later inspection revealed that the vehicle had a faulty main relay that was actually replaced by Mr. Taylor
Between 10/20 and the present
-Even though Mr. Taylor has ignored the issues with my vehicle, he found it convenient to harass me by phone and by mail for an overdue installment payment. The actions by Mr. Taylor clearly show that he is only concerned about the bottom line without regards to his treatment of customers. I have had to have my vehicle towed several times due to overheating/vehicle failure.
-On 10/23 the vehicle died within 1 mile of the lot after I picked it up from the main relay repair. I told Mr. Taylor that I wanted to switch out of the current 1991 Legend into a different vehicle since he would not make the required repairs. The only vehicle Mr. Taylor would switch me to at no additional cost was a similar 1991 ACURA LEGEND L sedan, which is considered a lesser model than what I currently own. The Legend L sedan had a badly damaged interior with several controls such as the trunk release non-functional. The car had 15000 more miles and made a noticeable grinding sound at startup. At this point, I believe Mr. Taylor was blatantly attempting to rip me off. Although I had paid almost $3000 on my vehicle to this point, Mr. Taylor would not put me into a more reliable vehicle unless I paid him an additional $500-1000. When I balked at this, he attempted to embarrass me by asking how many auto mechanic schools I had been to and stated that I didn't know anything about my cars.
-Further research of the vehicle indicated that Mr. Taylor had used incorrect parts on the vehicle.in his lame attempt to combat the persistent overheating problem, Mr. Taylor used a 13-psi radiator cap on a radiator system that requires a 16-18psi-radiator cap. An Acura dealership mechanic stated that using the 13-psi radiator cap allowed air pockets to get into the cooling system. These air pockets cause overheating, which will eventually lead to engine head gasket damage.
-A cooling system check also revealed that Mr. Taylor had replaced the engine thermostat with a unit that does not meet engine manufacturer's standards. The thermostat Mr. Taylor used had a maximum opening point of 171 degrees Fahrenheit. Acura recommends a thermostat with a maximum opening point of 193 degrees Fahrenheit. Acura determined this gross negligence by Mr. Taylor could also contribute to overheating and a blown head gasket.
- I had requested that Mr. Taylor replace the timing belt and water pump for regularly scheduled maintenance, but he did not do this even though I had offered to pay for the parts.
-As of the current date, Mr. Taylor has not repaired any of the initial problems, which continue to get worse. Messages left for Mr. Taylor have gone unreturned, yet he is prompt to send a collection notice if I am late for an installment payment.
At this point I am tired of dealing with Mr. Taylor and his penchant for being cheap. He has threatened to find my independent mechanic whose name I will not reveal. I did file a complaint with the Tennessee State Department of Consumer Affairs, but Mr. Taylor was uncooperative. I do feel it is necessary to possibly take Mr. Taylor to court because he has failed to honor his side of the contract. Mr. Taylor has held my car for weeks doing nothing more than covering up the potentially damaging issues with my vehicle. Although he has offered to replace my vehicle by paying him an additional $500-1000, I do not believe it is in my best interest to purchase another vehicle from this person unless he agrees to let an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle. I feel that the best possible resolution for this situation would be a complete refund of all funds paid to Mr. Taylor in exchange for the vehicle. I do not feel it would be wise to allow Mr. Taylor to complete the repairs on this vehicle. The 1991 ACURA LEGEND LS is a very difficult vehicle to maintain and correct parts must be used as well as following a strict maintenance schedule. Mr. Taylor may be a mechanic, but he does not possess the appropriate technical knowledge required to fix this vehicle. I am requesting a full refund or repairs by an independent acura/honda certified mechanic at mr. Taylor's expense.
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