ComplaintsforRoyal Automotive, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  11/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I took a test drive on Tuesday November 21, 2023 at Royal VW located at ******************, Vestavia Hills, AL. I drove the 2019 VW Tiguan for approx. 10 minutes and then again to the gas station across the street. I was given numbers for the vehicle and accepted the monthly payment. I was reading the documentation and saw that a $900 charge had been added. I asked what it was and the salesman said window tint. I looked over at the vehicle and a man was in the process of applying tint to the vehicle that I had not asked for. The salesman also lied about the value of my trade-in. I told the salesman on Wednesday November 22 that I was concerned about the vehicle's safety which he responded is due to "turbo lag" They sold me a vehicle they presented as reliable, but has an issue known amongst them called turbo lag, which causes the vehicle to stall at intersections and at speeds between 8 and 15, jerking the passengers around and putting me at risk for being rear ended or t-boned. There are many articles online about this safety issue which in this case doesnt become apparent until you drive the vehicle on regular flat roads (like parking lots hosting pedestrians) at slower speeds and at roundabouts (the dealership is positioned next to a hill and the interstate). Now they are making me pay approx. $2500 additional to trade for one of their other vehicles, and will not return my trade allowance (trade allowance was already less than what it should have been) The Chevrolet that I traded also had a turbo engine, and it did not jerk me around as this VW does, so the turbo lag explanation doesn't explain the jerking and stalling. I am requesting that the take back their vehicle for a full refund, including taxes, as well as returning my down payment.

  

  Business response

  11/29/2023

  Customer Information: ***********************
  ************
  2019 Volkswagen Tiguan
  
  Below please find Royal Automotive, Inc.s response to *************************** complaint:
  
      ? **************** test drove the 2019 VW Tiguan two (2) different times before agreeing to purchase
  this vehicle and never mentioned the issues cited in her complaint.
      ? As part of the purchase process, we explained to **************** that what she experienced when
  driving the vehicle is a characteristic of all Tiguans due to the Tiguan engine. Despite this, we
  offered to have our ****************** inspect the vehicle again to make sure everything was
  operating correctly and safely, which **************** declined.
      ? We further explained to **************** that the vehicle she purchased is a Certified Pre-Owned
  Vehicle, meaning that the vehicle went thru a 100 + Point Inspection, and also let her know
  that she has the remainder of the Factory Warranty plus an additional one (1) year or 12K Miles
  (whichever comes first) Certified Warranty.
      ? As to the issue of the engine automatically stopping and starting, it was explained to ****************
  that all Tiguans are equipped the start/stop feature on the vehicle. This feature shuts off the
  vehicles engine while it is stopped in traffic and restarts again when it is time for you to
  accelerate. This is a fuel-saving feature that can be turned on/off as you desire at the beginning
  of every *********.
       ? As to the desired refund resolution requested by ****************, the ******************* & Royal Automotive do not provide a Cooling Off or Cancellation Period for
  financed sales. This is clearly stated in the Contract that **************** signed at the time of the sale.

  Customer response

  11/29/2023

   
  Complaint: 20920300
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I have been advised by the police department and the *** that the business is legally able to refund my purchase and take back the vehicle on Tuesday, November 28th. ***refore, it is not illegal in AL to return or accept return of a vehicle. No one is responsible for the back taxes of a return, because they do not exist for a return, as advised by the *** in Vestavia, AL. *** auto stop feature was in my previous vehicle and has nothing to do with the safe and comfortable movement of the vehicle at slow speeds or any other speed for that matter. *** vehicle that they sold me is physically jerking me around, even more in the suggested sport mode. I am unable to slowly roll through the parking lot because of the lagging which makes a significant noise, as if the vehicle is struggling. It doesnt do this every single time, and a 10 minute test drive was not sufficient enough to allow certain characteristics to be known. As I said before, the landscape around the dealership is very unique (hills and higher speeds), not start/stop in town traffic. If I press the gas to go slow on flat ground, it moderately pushes me forward. Same thing when taking off from a roundabout. *** vehicle lags putting me at risk of being rear ended because it appears to take off, but speed does not sufficiently increase. A vehicle is supposed to smoothly roll when brake is released, due to kinetic energy. This vehicle is not doing that, bc something within the mechanical system is preventing that.  
  

  Basically, the vehicle does not have any tact in going between speeds. It goes from one extreme (stop-2mph) to the other (15mph and above). A vehicle should not be struggling to move, because foot was taken off gas in preparation for yielding to pedestrians. 

  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business response

  11/30/2023

  We stand by our previous response to the Complaint, and again, she is more than welcome to bring it in to our ****************** to perform another inspection.

  Customer response

  12/01/2023

   
  Complaint: 20920300
  
  I am rejecting this response because: it doesnt make since to bring a vehicle back into the place that originally certified the vehicle when they didnt catch the issue initially, after claiming to perform a 100 point inspection. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  02/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a 2022 GMC Denali 2500 HD from Royal approx 5 months ago. I took it to the service dept with engine tapping, oil pressure issues and brake noise. The service writer that I spoke with was *****, his reply to me was "diesel engines just sound that way" he immediately got an attitude when I told him that I've owned a repair shop for 35 years, I'm very familiar with what a diesel engine sounds like. After a week I called and was told on Thursday that the GM man would be coming in that following Monday to look at it. I called again the following Wednesday and was told there's nothing wrong with it, any of it. I went to pick it up and was told I couldn't take it without signing a repair invoice for $249.00 for a recall repair that they did that would be bill to GM. Really??? You had my truck over 2 weeks for warranty issues that you claim don't exist and still managed to make a couple hundred off General Motors for a recall that had nothing to do with why it was there?? Btw the first red light I came to after I picked it up the brakes squealed, imagine that!...the noise they couldn't recreate... and the engine still taps and oil pressure drops. So, I was sold a brand new lemon basically, although they would never admit that. I'm selling this piece of junk I don't need this aggravation out of a brand new truck nor do I have time for it. The only solution I would settle for is Royal to replace it with another one.

  

  Business response

  03/11/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/02/17) */ Contact Name and Title: ***** ******** Cust Relts Contact Phone: XXX-XXX-XXXX Contact Email: *********@royalautomotive.net When Mr. ********* brought his 2022 GMC Sierra 2500 truck in, he spoke to both our Service Advisor, ******* ******** along with our Shop Foreman, ***** ******. When he described the ticking noise, ***** told him that General Motors has a "Service Bulletin" (which is attached) concerning this noise and that we would follow the instructions and advise him of the results. We completed the Service Bulletin which instructs us to remove the accessory drive auxiliary belt. If the noise level is significantly reduced it should be considered a characteristic of this vehicle. The ticking/knocking noise was reduced and we deemed this to be normal operation. Luckily, the General Motors Field Technician was in the area when we contacted him and discussed Mr. *********'s vehicle/issue with him. He asked us to perform the Service Bulletin instructions again in his presence which we did and he said not only did it reduce the noise it was basically gone. He said it is "absolutely normal characteristic". Copy of his findings are also attached. Concerning the issue that Mr. ********* describes he was experiencing with his brakes squealing; we drove his vehicle several times and could not duplicate his concern. Since Mr. ********* can hear this noise, we had our Service Advisor call him and ask him to stop in at his convenience and drive with our Shop Foreman, which he refused. We cannot repair something that we cannot duplicate. We also told Mr. ********* that he has a Factory Warranty on his vehicle (3 Years/36,019 Miles Bumper to Bumper and 5 Years/100,019 Miles Power Train) if he has an additional issues. Attachements under Separate Cover

• Initial Complaint

  09/08/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  LYING ABOUT WHEN MY CAR WILL BE READY. AVOIDING CALLS.

  

  Business response

  09/14/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/09/09) */ Customer came in for for shifter issue. estimate quoted, We have been working with extended warranty company for repairs. vehicle repair needed not covered by extended warranty. extended warranty agreed to finance repair for customer. Parts had to be ordered for completion. Spoke with customers father concerning repairs to the vehicle informed him as to where we were in the process. vehicle was completed 9/8/2021 customer informed vehicle ready for pick 9/8/2021. As of 9/9/2021 vehicle is still on lot and waiting pickup Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/09/09) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) This is not a complete outline. My issue is communication and fair treatment my car was there to the least a month. Not satisfied. Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2021/09/10) */ we have already done everything we can do with this customer complaint. She was notified that her car was ready for pick up yesterday, September 8. She told the service advisor she would be here this morning to pick up and as of 5:35 pm she has not picked it up. Our service manager just reached out to her again this afternoon.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩