I found a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 truck on the Brunswick Auto Mart website and spoke with the Salesman Norman “Norm” Hoelk for several days over the phone regarding the particulars of this truck - Vehicle I.D. Number 1GCEK19Z76Z187426. I noticed that in the pictures, the truck looked to be sitting up high, and I asked Norm if it had a ‘lift kit’ on it. Norm told me it did not have a ‘lift kit’ but “the torsion bars were extended all the way out and that makes it sit higher.” I asked questions for about five days over the phone so that I was sure I knew what I was getting before I drove over 100 miles up to Brunswick from Columbus, Ohio to test drive and purchase the truck.
On Saturday, 07/20, I drove to Brunswick Auto Mart with my Girlfriend, Amy, to test drive this truck. While I was inspecting the truck, I again noticed the gap between the wheel well and the tires, and I asked Norm again if the truck had a ‘lift kit’ on it, and Norm told me again that “No, the torsion bars were just run all the way up on it and that’s what makes it sit up higher.” This was said in the presents of Amy and she is willing to attest to that. I explained to Norm that I didn’t want “any kind of ‘lift kit’ on the truck because of all the mechanical problems that causes when you change the original design of the vehicle.” Again, Norm assured me there was no ‘lift kit’ on the truck. I took the truck for a test drive up the freeway to the first exit and back to the dealership, about five miles. Amy and Norm were with me and I continued to ask Norm about the particulars of the truck. After norm’s answers to my questions, and looking at the Carfax on the truck, I purchased the truck and drove it home to Columbus.
I drove the truck to work over the next few months and then drove to Florida and Georgia for vacation over the Christmas and New Year holidays. While Amy and I were driving back to Ohio, on January 4, I went across some bumps in the road along Lookout Mountain, Tenn. The back end of the truck began to buck so violently that I almost drove off the side of the mountain. I had no control of the vehicle and the truck continued to buck out of control until I finally got the vehicle stopped. This scared me, Amy and my dog, but I could not find what the problem was at the time. We continued home.
I got the truck scheduled for diagnostics on January 24, with their Steering / Suspension Tech, Gary, at Byers Chevrolet in Columbus, Ohio. Gary spoke with me before working on my truck, and when I explained that I was told there is no ‘lift kit’ on this truck, he immediately showed me where “blocks have been put in the back and there is a six inch lift component in the front.” I told Gary how disappointed I was with Brunswick Auto Mart for not being honest with me, and this is the very reason I didn’t want a ‘lifted’ truck…too many things can go wrong. Gary said that was true, parts wear out faster when a truck is lifted and it can even affect the gas mileage and alignment.
A few hours later I got the report from the Dealership on Gary’s findings: “Shimmy in rear over bumps. Have to stop vehicle to get shimmy to stop occurring. Drove vehicle. Can feel a lot of bounce in the rear & a lot of play in the steering gear. Checked steering & suspension system. Found vehicle has a after market lift kit. Front has been lifted 6 inches & the rear 4 inches. The lower rear springs look to be out of place (slipped). Right rear shock is busted. Leaking bad. Both front after market pitman arms have excessive play. Can not find parts to repair.” When I asked the Gary and the other staff at Byers about the spring being out of place (slipped), pitman arms having excessive wear and the shock being broken, I was told “these are common issues with a ‘lifted’ vehicle, and we see this kind of damage from ‘lift kits’ all the time.”
On Friday, January 24, I called Norm when I got home with the truck, and explained to him the events stated above. Norm said he could do nothing to fix the problem, and I needed to call one of the Used Vehicle Managers. On Friday, January 24, I called and was directed to voicemail for one of the three Used Vehicle Mgrs. I briefly explained the issue in my message. I have not heard back from anyone as of today, January 26.
What I want out of this is:
1. Brunswick Auto Mart take back ownership immediately of this truck in question, and that I be given a complete refund of all monies I spent for the purchase of this truck, including: the purchase price, tax, title, 30 day tag fee and any other fees attached to this purchase.
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