Purchased a 2006 modle from Sunshine Auto Sales in early 2011. I had noticed during the test drive, that the car would shake while braking. I talked with Tom (The Owner), and he said he would take care of it.
While driving my new car home the next day, I noticed that the car was still shaking, so I took it to my shop. I was told that the rotors were shot, and needed to be replaced. I contacted Tom, and he replaced the the rotors and break pads, but not without a little gripping on his part.
After having the car for only six months, the transmission started to slip. Again I took the car to Tom, he had his guys look at it, and said they couldn't find anything wrong. I took the car to my shop, and they found that the transmission pan was leaking, as well as other assorted tubes and facets contracted to the transmission.
I called Tom, told him about the problems, and he again denied that these problems existed while the car was on his lot.
Frustrated, I took the car in, and attempted to use the "junk warranty" that Sunshine had provided with the sale, but was told my warranty did not cover the problems. Once again I contacted Tom, threatened to sue him, and he agreed to fix the problems that my shop found. I dropped my car off at Sunshine, was given a peace of crap loaner (loaner was only provided after I argued with Tom that it was his obligation to provided me with a vehicle while fixing mine. He wasn't going to give me one originally.), and headed home.
I returned three days latter to get my car from Sunshine, and in the first mile driving home, the transmission started to slip again. Three days they had my car, and they fixed nothing. They did however return the car to me without any gas. I had given it to them with a full tank. I was able to tell by items found in my car, changes in my radio programming, and other things, that someone had been using my car.
I again took the car to my shop, and they varified that nothing had been fixed. I ended up paying $2800 out of my own pocket to have a new transmission put in. Mind you, I've had the car for six months at this point.
Several months after that, my computer malfunctioned, my air bag system became inoperative, and various electrical problems begain to occur.
Oh I almost forgot, while having the car inspected by my shop shortly after the transmission problems started, I was told that the struts were shot all the way around.
This dealership operated under the guise of a Christian family business, but Tom is a manipulative, dishonest, and all together crook of a man. He sold this car to me, knowing full well about the problems the car had. My fault for not having the car inspected, sure, but his fault for blatantly ripping people off. I've always has a certain level of trust in a certified used car dealership, but that trust is all but gone.
After all is said and done, I now have a nice good runing car. I had to pour thousands of dollars of my own money in to it, but it's a great car now.
Please think twice before buying a car from the dealership, at least if you want the car to last more than six months. People work hard for their money, and shouldn't have to worrie about being sharked by people like Tom.
Knowing what I now know, I wouldn't take a car from this dealership, if it was offered free of charge.
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