I purcahsed a used vehicle from Russ Darrow in Appleton. They offered me $600 for my trade and after complaining it was worth more in the Blue Book, the raised it to $1100. It still was not was it was worth, but they said it would go to auction because they would never be able to sell it. Yeah Right! It went out for sale in their lot for $49995.00. I wonder what happened to the line they would not be able to sell it! What a joke.
I purchased a used vehicle from them at a price of $7800 for a 97' Olds Bravada with 79,000 miles on it. I took it for a test drive and all seemed fine at the time. After leaving the dealership and driving back to my home which was over 50 miles away, I noticed the gas gage moving up and down and well as wheel shimmy. It was late could not do anything about it at the time.
The next day I left for Illinois to visit family and drove the entire time not knowing how much gas was in my gas and wheel vibration. Just before I approached my exit, the car began to buck or hesitate on the off ramp. At the stop light she almost died out and had to place it in neutral to rev the engine. The ride home was the same untill almost the time I got home and it ran smoothly. So I did not think anything of it but did mention to my sales person that the driver door would not close smoothly and my experience driving to Illinois but that it was running fine. So an appt. Was made for me to bring it in so they could evaluate the door issue. Seems that it need and entire new hinge which they agreed to replace.
Driving home the car seemed again to vibrate and hesitate, so the next day I took it in to a garage near my home to see if maybe an alignment would help. The technicians there inspected the vehicle and reported to me everything they found. I was shocked, upset, angry, floored, "You name it!"
Apparently the front end issue is the following: I has a worn idler arm which needs replacing as well as both upper and lower ball joints and only then could it be aligned. We are talking big dollars here. Then they showed me that the front transfer case seal is leaking as well as the main engine seal and transmission seal. Bigger bucks involved in repairing all of this. To me, "Such a vehicle should never have been put out into their lot for sale unless those items were repaired!
I reported my findings by message to the dealership for a Dan Austin who is the Dealership General Sales Manager. Later that day I received no response. The next day I reported it again and once more, "No Response."
So now I am really angry and complain to their corporate office and again I am ignored. So not only did I loose money on my trade, I purchased a used vehicle that had more problems then mine had which was none, except for high mileage. I have filed a complaint with the BBB as well as filed a complaint to the Wisconsin Motor Vehicle Division for Dealership scam and am awaiting to hear the results.
I went in to this dealership in good faith to purchase a vehicle which I need for hauling since my car did not have the aquired space I needed. I also went in after suffering from going through Bankruptcy hoping to find a good solid vehicle that would last some years. Now I am stuck with a piece of junk that is going to cost me thousands to repair which I do not have and it does not cover the other issues of the door, gas gage not working and the engine stall issues.
I have been ripped off by Russ Darrow which is a huge dealership with multiple locations in Wisconsin and would not recommend anyone ever dealing with them and their supposed promise of customer satisfaction. Stay away from them and spend your money elswhere for a vehicle if want to have piece of mind.
0 comments