ComplaintsforKatana Motors, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  05/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a 2013 Dodge Durango from Katana Motors on 2/17/24. The ad stated "No Mechanical Problems" and "No Check Engine Light On". Less than 24 hours after my purchase, the check engine light came on. After spending 3 weeks diagnosing the problem, it was determined by my self and two other professional mechanics as having a blown head gasket. I received two quotes for this repair. Both were approximately $3,500. I attempted to contact Katana Motors several times without a response. I am sure Katana Motors will respond just as they have with other previous complaints that the vehicle was sold as is and they have no way of knowing the status of each of their vehicles. They will also state I should have bought their warranty. But should I have to purchase a warranty in order to buy a vehicle that should run and operate in a manner that was described? Each day after I owned the vehicle, I would clear the check engine light and 24 hours later it would come on. I find it hard to believe that this vehicle miraculously starting having the check engine light come on just when I purchased it. To clear a code in order to sale a vehicle is fraud. I am requesting Katana be held to refund me $3,500 in order to repair the vehicle.

  

  Business response

  05/07/2024

  This is a response to complain ID: ********.  Mr. ******************************** purchase a 2013 Dodge Durango, stock #****B, Account #**** on February 17, 2024.   ******************, **** drove and inspected the vehicle.   ****************** was offered a vehicle warranty, which he declined.  The vehicle was sold is As-Is condition.  We are declining his request for compensation.  This concludes our response.

  Customer response

  05/08/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  This vehicle was purchased with the understanding according to the listing that it had "No check engine light on or any light on" (See attached).  Yet, less than 24 hours later the check engine light came on. Once I cleared the light it would come on 24 hours later each time. This is not a coincidence. Additionally, this vehicle should not have passed smog test as the listing indicated. I would like to see the smog documentation and the authorized smog location who performed this test.
  
  

  

  Business response

  05/08/2024

  Rejection to the Rejection:

  The smog certificate is included please see attached.  When you purchased our vehicle, it was smog ready and ready for sale.  Unfortunately, the vehicle is sold in AS-IS condition.  Also, based on your Buyer's Guide, which you also signed, please see attached, it states that you are buying an As-Is Used Vehicle.  There is nothing we can do and nothing we will do.  No refund!

  Customer response

  05/10/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  Clearly Katana Motors is in the business of selling vehicles in poor condition and profiting off of peoples hard earned money to make a buck. Known issues are covered up and not communicated to the buyer. Although you may state the vehicle was sold as is, it is the expectation of the buyer that the seller is transparent about issues and not hide behind the words as is. If you are unwilling to at least meet me half way, I will pursue other legal avenues to ensure your company is held accountable. It is not right what you and your company does to others. I quick review of ************ and BBB will clearly establish a pattern of your business practices. I am not the only one that feels this way. If you do this type of things to others, in order to get ahead, chances are you will always be behind.  

• Initial Complaint

  08/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 7/7/2023 I purchased a 2007 Prius from Katana Motors, from dealership owner ***** ****** (cell: ************) for $6000. I had owned the car three weeks and driven it 357 miles, when on 8/1/2023 it broke down as I was backing out of a parking spot. As I pulled out the car made a loud noise and the steering wheel ceased to control the tires, making it impossible to turn the car in any way. I had the car towed from the parking lot to my house, and the following day I had it towed to my mechanic. My mechanic examined the car and stated that the cause of the break-down was due to new tie rods that had recently been improperly installed. At the time of sale dealer ***** ****** did not disclose this recent repair. My mechanic said he has never seen this issue on any car before and definitively concluded that the tie rod replacement had not been done correctly and resulted in the breakage. My mechanic also told me that this is a major safety concern and that I was extremely lucky this happened in a parking lot and not on the freeway. It terrifies me to even think of what would have happened if I had been on the freeway suddenly losing control of the car, not able to follow lanes or curves of the road. This could have resulted in fatalities, my own and that of drivers and passengers in other cars. To sell a car without disclosing such repairs is highly irresponsible and reprehensible. I could literally have lost my life due to this neglect. I then called dealer ***** ****** to let him know about the situation and that I was seeking for him to either cover the cost of the repair or return the full purchase price to me in exchange for the car since this was clearly an issue that he purposely did not disclose or warn me about. His response was that the issue was mine as I had bought the car as-is. While this may in theory be accurate, I’d like to think that making misrepresentations in sales that have potential fatal outcomes does have consequences.

  

  Business response

  08/14/2023

  Dear BBB and ******,
  
  I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to address your recent complain regarding this vehicle.
  
  Upon a thorough review of the account, it appears that ****** did not purchase a vehicle warranty for the vehicle in question. As a result, the vehicle was sold to you in As-Is condition, without any additional coverage.  The warranty would have definitely covered this issue.
  
  Please be advised that any repairs or maintenance required after the vehicle left the lot is the responsibility of ******, as per our contracts. While I understand this might not be the ideal outcome you were hoping for, it is essential to clarify this matter to avoid any misunderstandings.
  

  ****** was also given a huge cash discount on the vehicle.  As can be seen from the report, the value of the vehicle at the time of sale was $7390 per CarFax not including taxes, fees and registration.  She purchased the vehicle for a sale price of $5532.95.  Which is a savings of approximately $1857.05 plus.

  I truly regret that I cannot be of further assistance in this particular situation.
  
  Thank you for your understanding, and I wish you the best with your vehicle.
  
  Kind regards,
  Katana Motors

  Customer response

  08/19/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  Hello BBB and *****,
  
  The vehicle was sold without warranty by ***** at Katana Motors because he did not offer any warranty as do most used car dealers who can stand by the vehicles they sell. The warranty that he wanted to SELL me was in the thousands, yet another way he finds to milk people for money. It is outrageous the level of customer scamming that this dealership is involved in and I am certain that a thorough investigation of their business practices would reveal exactly that.
  
  And to suggest I received a huge cash discount is flat out incorrect. The car sold for the price it was offered at. But more importantly what is the logic in using that as a defense. In other words the car was inexpensive and for that reason it should not be surprising that it would break right away. Additionally, a quick search on Kelly Blue Book puts the private resale value between $3540 - $5861, not at $7390 as ***** wants to argue which interestingly adds up to the purchase price plus the expense incurred to fix the vehicle.
  
  I’m attaching photos of the tie rods and the rack and pinion steering column parts that all were replaced. It is evident that the tie rods are not Toyota parts and are very new. Again, this repair is not reflected on the CARFAX report and was never disclosed by *****. I imagine ***** has some “mechanic” who does this work for him without it ever appearing on CARFAX reports. A repair of this significance should have been disclosed as it presents major safety concerns.
  
  A look through the various reviews of Katana Motors that can be found on Google and Yelp shows that several other customers have had similar experiences with vehicles from Katana breaking down very shortly after the sale. This is clearly a persistent trend for this business and an obvious business model that they follow.
  
  As I have now had the vehicle fixed by a competent mechanic I am again requesting that Katana Motors assumes the cost of this repair ($1891.69). It is reprehensible to sell vehicles that are compromised to this level and let people drive away at the risk of potentially having fatal accidents because of the negligence of Katana Motors business conduct.
  
  Best,
  ****** *****
  

  

  Business response

  08/24/2023

  I comprehend what you are saying and if I were in your position, I can see how you would be this upset. It’s natural to have those feelings as you feel this issue was directly aimed at you to take money from you. We can keep going around in circles pointing blame, however, that will not solve the issue. 
  
  We at Katana Motors never intentionally sell a used vehicle with issues that are not disclosed to the purchaser. No facet of life can be predicted, which is the same with used vehicles; they inherently carry the potential for unforeseen complications, rendering the timing of such issues unpredictable. We buy our vehicles at dealer auctions, and therefore, do not know the complete history of each vehicle. Our vehicles are inspected and driven to take notice of any potential problems, along with using a scanner to ensure the vehicle meets California emission standards. We are not certified mechanics, but have a working knowledge of common problems noted with various brands of vehicles and we make sure to inspect those problems. Regular wear and tear issues associated with any vehicle is not easy to forecast, an example would be transmission issues. 
  
  Regarding your situation with the tie rods, we respectfully disagree with what you are saying based on speaking to mechanics. According to the mechanics we have spoken to, your situation could have been cause simply by hitting something that resulted in your steering column disengaging, which is completely unrelated to the tie rods. 
  
  When purchasing a used vehicle one must also understand their role as a consumer. The customer must ensure they do their due diligence by meticulously reading through the contracts, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the commitments that they are signing and agreeing to. The customer must also consider engaging a mechanic to inspect the vehicle prior to purchase and if that option is declined, the customer must understand the decision they made and the inherent risks associated with used vehicles. Lastly, the customer must also consider purchasing a warranty to help offset any potential future issues, and if declined, the customer must understand that used vehicles inherently carry the potential for unforeseen complications, rendering the timing of such issues unpredictable. 
  
  We offer all our customers the option to purchase a warranty. Warranties are offered through a third party provider, therefore, they are not free. Given the economic inflation we are under, warranties will have a cost.
  
  Henceforth, we at Katana Motors shall refrain from intervening to absolve individuals of their responsibilities or decisions.

  Customer response

  08/29/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  This exchange will keep going until you own up to the work you had done to the car while in your ownership, and until you pay me back for the total expense of getting it safe to drive again.
  
  It is evident and indisputable from consulting multiple mechanics, including my own, along with Toyota dealership mechanics that the tie rods that were on the car at the time of sale were recently installed. The tie rods are not Toyota parts and they were very clean (see attached photo), indicating they were only a few months old. This is the consensus from everyone who has seen the image. I called the last place that serviced the car according to the CARFAX report you provided (Tire Choice Auto Services Centers, Morena Valley, CA) who performed alignment on the car. They said that during that service the tie rods were not replaced by them. And nowhere on the CARFAX report does it indicate that the tie rods were replaced recently. And that’s because you had this work done without reporting it on the CARFAX history.
  
  The Toyota dealership mechanics said that it is highly unlikely to have to change tie rods during the life of a car, the only reason would be from severe wheel impact that would damage those parts. I texted you a few days after purchasing the car to let you know that the wheel dashboard indicator light had come on, and you replied that it probably was just tire pressure. Clearly you knew more but didn’t disclose to me that I was driving a compromised car that had recently been worked on by your ‘mechanic’. How beyond irresponsible, how reckless of you to hide what could have cost me my life.
  
  And if any further proof would be needed that you are a dishonest car dealer, let me point to the fact that after signing the purchase agreement you then handed me the spare key which was completely mangled and not functioning. You decided not to tell me this until after the sale. Who does that? I’ll tell you who does, someone who is not being honest and who conceals important details until after the sale. You should be ashamed of yourself and how you conduct business. You must be racking up some hefty karma points with the multiple compromised cars you’ve sold over the years.
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Horriffying and nightmare buying a car from this guy, super friendly but now the car that he sold me broke down 12 days later and 800 miles in. The warranty that he sold me also is a joke just like this shop no help from any of them. Scam artist spend your hard earned money elsewhere please be advised. Makes you sign AS-IS contracts so you'll be screwed and stuck with all the repairs. I bought a 2014 chevy cruze from this dealership had it for 12 days check engine light came on, took it to a mechanic and now the repairs are costing me more than the car itself. Spent 8,000 and the repairs so far are at 6,000 and climbing. DO NOT BUY FROM HERE I REPEAT DO NOT BUY FROM HERE PLEASE LISTEN TO WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. The warranty is a joke GWC warranty because they deemed the car had damage prior to when I owned it and washed their hands from it just like the dealer. More money down the drain.

  

  Business response

  03/22/2023

  Katana Motors does its best to give our clients the best used vehicle that we can.  The future of used vehicles could never be predicted.  Our recommendation to anyone reading this is, if you want to prevent possible issues with any used vehicle would be to just purchase a brand new vehicle so that the manufacture warranty would cover those potential issues.  We always allow our clients to bring mechanics to inspect vehicles before purchasing any of our vehicles.  If the client should select to purchase a warranty it would be from GWC Warranty, a Nation Wide Warranty Company.  This warranty company does not belong to Katana Motors and we have no say to their policy.

  
  

  Regarding William Mota's complain, unfortunately, we cannot help.  If you have an issue with the warranty's decision, you have to issue a complain to them.  Perhaps they can help.

  Customer response

  03/22/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  He has a history of selling lemons based on his reviews and previous complaints. 
  
  

*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. ↩