ComplaintsforCarHeroes Inc

• Initial Complaint

  07/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Violation of ******* Actionable, unfair, or deceptive acts or practices. Transpired over several days between 7/22/24 and 7/27/24 I was repeatedly denied a breakdown of fees when requested and told the agency bundles them and would only receive the breakdown on the final paperwork. Advertising did not display pre-delivery charges, e filing or tag fees and was told that they were estimates but would be adjusted accordingly under the non taxed fees estimated. I confirmed a final purchase price and associated costs verbally, through text and by email the day prior to intended purchase. I was required to provide a deposit. When receiving the final contract, the purchase price was changed to add in additional costs, inclusive of what had been agreed to be negated during our negotiations. They refused to honor the advertised and agreed upon price. Promised interest rates changed as the process went along and after I agreed to have my credit score pulled. Warranty information was not provided when requested but then my choice to opt out of the dealer's warranty was used as part of the excuse as why they would not honor the advertised purchase price. I have incurred significant costs exceeding $6500.00, including but limited to, obtaining car insurance on the vehicle as needed for purchase, travel, banking and fees to arrange down payment availability, early pay off and costs of my current vehicle with anticipation of the new purchase, a decline in credit score with 3 hard inquiries and now will be incurring rental car charges until I can locate a replacement vehicle. The practices were extremely deceptive and unfair and questionably discriminatory as fees were not applied equally to me as they have been to other buyers.

  Business response

  07/29/2024

  Hi, 

  We spoke to the customer and this has been resolved - the customer will verify this has been resolved. We did not charge any additional fees. The customer declined additional coverages and the coverages were not removed from the Buyer's Order so the final amount was incorrect. The correct Buyer's Order and agreed amount is attached. Thank you for making us aware.

• Initial Complaint

  01/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought this truck on 10/28/2023 that they got in a trade in just a couple of days before. The truck was nice looking but still dirty as h*** and they needed to use a jumper to start it. They promised to take care of the battery fixing expenses. When ******* brought me the price breakdown the tag price went from $27k to $33k and I immediately noticed a couple of fees making no sense. Almost $2k for detailing and a Perma Coat / *********** treatment and other $1k in transportation fees. Since the truck I was buying was a trade in they got in house no more than 2 days previous, neither of the two fees should be applied. They gave me like $700 more for my car and masked up the fees in some weird way to bring it a little bit down. When signing all the paperwork, **** explained me everything and pushed me straight into purchasing an extended warranty. I didn't want any warranty but he convinced me about a platinum coverage for $3,461.00 . Just a few days after the purchase, I was calling to verify my coverage and for my surprise, what he actually sold me for the was a powertrain coverage instead of a platinum. He did all kind of things to try to cover his mess. I requested copy of the warranty and he falsified a warranty document and sent it to me showing my policy was platinum, and the only way I discovered the true, was by calling to the actual warranty company myself. I immediately asked him to cancel that warranty, I signed up a consent he sent me but he never cancelled the warranty. I had to call the warranty company a few days after to know it. So, I canceled it myself, straight with the warranty company. Now, its been over 8 weeks after the cancellation. The warranty company has paid the dealer but the dealer didn't return the money to the lender yet. I call the dealer and they don't respond. On 11/06/2023 I sent the dealer a copy of a new battery purchase receipt for $374.87, they said they accounting was handling the reimbursement but no answer yet.

  Business response

  01/15/2024

  We have discussed this matter directly with **************** and have agreed to his request. I have attached a copy of the checks that were sent to **************** & his lender. The below statement is what was sent to **************** on 1/12/24 and it included the tracking number to both checks. 

  "As discussed, see the attached copy of the check to ********** for your cancellation refund as well as a copy of the check to you for your battery refund. The ***** Tracking # for ********** is 789208418698, and the ***** Tracking # for you is 789207149946. We spoke to **********, they're expecting the check Monday. You should see your balance reduce within 2 weeks."

• Initial Complaint

  02/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I seen an electric car for sale online at carheroes and went to take a look at it after already contacting them letting them know that we are interested in purchasing the vehicle, but wanted to come in and physically take a look at the car and test drive. Spoke to a sales supervisor and then test drove the car. Came back to the office and had questions on mileage, the life of the battery, and price. This was my very first electric car purchase. Car was advertised with 112 miles and when we got there it was said to be at 93 miles for a full charge. I went back the next day to purchase the vehicle and drove it home. In two days I went to charge the car it said full charge at 63 miles. So I called carheroes the following day asking why is the vehicle saying only 63 miles at full charge. I hoped to get the battery checked by *** and have a recharge or just replace the battery. The following week I took the car to **** A technician at *** checked the car and the battery life. The tech explained that they are unable to recharge the battery and If so its not guaranteed to work. I have spoke with carheroes numerous of times and **** Now the car is saying fully charged with only 42 miles in the matter of 3-4 months. I feel they knew of all of this and sold me the car anyway. And i have a problem where I can barely go to a store or two and back, on a full charge. I will like to just get my money back and wash my hands of carheroes for once and will never recommend anyone there. I feel misused, misinformed, and preyed upon. I am appalled on how they do they're customers. My experience with carheroes was unjust and morally wrong.

  Business response

  02/13/2023

  After reviewing the information stated in Cherrys complaint, we have concluded this is a malicious attempt to have either the manufacturer ***** or the ********** (CarHeroes) replace the electric vehicle's battery outside of warranty and natural degradation. Furthermore, ****** was made aware of this at the time of purchase on a recorded call and is intentionally not accurately depicting what the Repair Order (**) from *** states regarding the electric vehicle's battery including it's natural degradation and it's existing ** range being within normal conditions for the age and mileage of the vehicle as well as *** attaching the owner's manual, specifically the vehicle's battery natural degradation. We have attached the Repair Order (**) from *** specific to this vehicle and issue that highlights 3 separate times in detail the vehicle's range is in normal condition as well as the battery's natural degradation being the reason for less ** range, which she was also made aware of at the time of purchase.
  
  
  Additionally, not only was Cherry fully aware of the Natural Degradation of the battery before the purchase, both by the salesperson **** as well as the General Manager *******, she even agreed to a $2,000 discount to accommodate for the decreased range, even though the vehicle was operating within the specifications of the manufacturer ***. She specifically stated she understood and she wasn't concerned with the range being less because of the natural degradation. With that said, don't take our word for it, please read the attached Repair Order (**) from *** stating the same.
  
  
  The first highlighted section in Blue states that the only codes that were found to be stored in the computer were caused by the Auxiliary Battery under the hood (normal car battery) which had already been recently replaced, not the ** battery. It also states the codes have nothing to do with the range of the car or the ** battery that powers the vehicle. The Auxiliary Battery had already been replaced and therefore no active codes were present.
  
  
  The Yellow section of the ** states that the *** ********** fully charged the vehicle overnight and it showed a range of 63 miles which is within the normal range of the vehicle based on the year and miles as well as natural degradation of ** batteries. There are many factors that affect the range of all electric vehicles including but not limited to weather and driving tendencies. This will also be highlighted on the 3rd page of the attachment which shows the Owners Manual. Per the Owners Manual, when the battery is brand new the range can vary between 62 miles and 143 Miles (highlighted in green). The *** ********** also tested the cell voltage which was 3.74-3.76 and was within normal range per the manufacturer.
  The Green section states where the *** ********** provided her with the information regarding the range configurations that were possible with an E/V Battery. They also reference the owners manual which states that Natural degradation may occur with high voltage batteries depending on the number of years the vehicle is used. This may reduce the distance to empty.
  
  The last page of the attached Repair Order is a copy of the Owners Manual in reference to the above mentioned range factors, provided by ***. Furthermore, we have reached out directly to the *** ********** to confirm the information provided in the attached Repair Order. We recommend that Cherry take responsibility for her purchase as well as the agreement she made, in addition to reviewing the information provided by *** once again. Thank you!

  Customer response

  02/13/2023

   
  Complaint: 19349804
  
  I am rejecting this response because:during the review of the specs for the vehicle before the purchase, ******* told us that the vehicle gets 93 miles and asked if I will be comfortable charging the car every about every 3 days.  I said yes.  Attached is an email sent in December 2022 informing him that the vehicle wouldn't charge above 63 miles.  It never charged up to 93 miles as he claimed.  ******* wouldn't listen to the complaint as he was over-talking me.  ******* did not explain about the degradation in detail at the time of the sale because after the purchase I learned more about it through my own research.  I called him later about decreased mileage and he advised that I take the car to the *** ****** to be checked out.  So in the company's conclusion that this is a malicious attempt to get another vehicle is false because the battery is still within warranty.  I was sold a lemon which they were aware of and should have received some type of restitution.

  Additionally, the *** ******ship told us that someone at Car Heroes changed the hybrid battery which wiped out the codes needed to exchange the electric battery.  The battery is still under warranty, but *** won't exchange it.

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

  Business response

  02/14/2023

  We have provided a picture of the dashboard at the time of purchase which clearly shows a ******* range with a 90% charge. ****** was without question, fully aware of the range of the vehicle at the time of purchase. The range and charge percentage of the vehicle are displayed on the screen directly in front of the driver and cannot be changed, hidden, or covered. ****** made multiple visits to the ********** prior to purchasing the vehicle to see it in person as well as test drive it. There is irrefutable evidence that shows ****** was aware of the range of the vehicle prior to her purchase.
  
  As previously stated, ****** continues to misunderstand what the *** ********** told her and confuse the Auxiliary Battery with the ** Battery. We have attached the copy of the Repair Order stating exactly what was explained to her by the *** **********. This repair order is from her local *** **********. To reiterate, The hybrid battery and the ** battery are the same thing and has never been altered, repaired, or replaced. The *** ********** has also confirmed that this battery is in normal working condition per the manufactures specifications. *** is declining Cherrys request for a new battery because the battery is operating within the specifications outlined by ***.
  
  To reiterate, please review the attached Repair Order for an in-depth explanation from ***. The first highlighted section in Blue states that the only codes that were found to be stored in the computer were caused by the Auxiliary Battery under the hood (normal car battery) which had already been recently replaced, not the ** battery. It also states the codes have nothing to do with the range of the car or the ** battery that powers the vehicle. The Auxiliary Battery had already been replaced and therefore no active codes were present.
  
  The Yellow section of the ** states that the *** ********** fully charged the vehicle overnight and it showed a range of 63 miles which is within the normal range of the vehicle based on the year and miles as well as natural degradation of ** batteries. There are many factors that affect the range of all electric vehicles including but not limited to weather and driving tendencies. This will also be highlighted on the 3rd page of the attachment which shows the Owners Manual. Per the Owners Manual, when the battery is brand new the range can vary between 62 miles and 143 Miles (highlighted in green). The *** ********** also tested the cell voltage which was 3.74-3.76 and was within normal range per the manufacturer.
  
  The Green section states where the *** ********** provided her with the information regarding the range configurations that were possible with an E/V Battery. They also reference the owners manual which states that Natural degradation may occur with high voltage batteries depending on the number of years the vehicle is used. This may reduce the distance to empty.
  
  The last page of the attached Repair Order is a copy of the Owners Manual in reference to the above-mentioned range factors, provided by ***. Furthermore, we have reached out directly to the *** ********** to confirm the information provided in the attached Repair Order. We recommend that Cherry take responsibility for her purchase as well as the agreement she made, in addition to reviewing the information provided by *** once again. Thank you!  

  Customer response

  02/14/2023

   
  Complaint: 19349804
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I was n fully NOT fully aware of the range of miles as Car Heroes claims in the last response. The sales manager, ******* was not forthcoming about the initial number of miles prior to the purchase.  He said 93 miles while in his office, and I have a witness to that fact.  I was not fully aware at the time of the purchase that the car would only charge up to 63 which is why I sent an email to him in December.  Since then the car decreased charge to 42 miles.  According to www.geotab.com/blog/ev-battery-health/, when looking at average decline across all vehicles, the loss is arguably minor, at 2.3% per year. This means that if you purchase an ** today with a 150 mile range, losing about 17 miles of accessible range after five years is unlikely to impact your day-to-day needs.  The ** KIA **** has decreased ****% in 4 months from 63 miles that greatly impact our travel needs.

  KIA dealership stated that because someone changed the Auxiliary Battery it wiped out the codes needed to exchange the battery and advised us to contact Car Heroes to see what can be done because "we need to be able to go from A to Z; not A to B."   We need an exchange in the battery which is still under warranty.  Car Heroes had refused to accept any responsibility for this.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  02/16/2023

  As stated previously,

  We have provided a picture of the dashboard at the time of purchase which clearly shows a ******* range with a 90% charge. ****** was without question, fully aware of the range of the vehicle at the time of purchase. The range and charge percentage of the vehicle are displayed on the screen directly in front of the driver and cannot be changed, hidden, or covered. ****** made multiple visits to the ********** prior to purchasing the vehicle to see it in person as well as test drive it. There is irrefutable evidence that shows ****** was aware of the range of the vehicle prior to her purchase.
  
  As previously stated, ****** continues to misunderstand what the *** ********** told her and confuse the Auxiliary Battery with the ** Battery. We have attached the copy of the Repair Order stating exactly what was explained to her by the *** **********. This repair order is from her local *** **********. To reiterate, The hybrid battery and the ** battery are the same thing and has never been altered, repaired, or replaced. The *** ********** has also confirmed that this battery is in normal working condition per the manufactures specifications. *** is declining Cherrys request for a new battery because the battery is operating within the specifications outlined by ***.
  
  To reiterate, please review the attached Repair Order for an in-depth explanation from ***. The first highlighted section in Blue states that the only codes that were found to be stored in the computer were caused by the Auxiliary Battery under the hood (normal car battery) which had already been recently replaced, not the ** battery. It also states the codes have nothing to do with the range of the car or the ** battery that powers the vehicle. The Auxiliary Battery had already been replaced and therefore no active codes were present.
  
  The Yellow section of the ** states that the *** ********** fully charged the vehicle overnight and it showed a range of 63 miles which is within the normal range of the vehicle based on the year and miles as well as natural degradation of ** batteries. There are many factors that affect the range of all electric vehicles including but not limited to weather and driving tendencies. This will also be highlighted on the 3rd page of the attachment which shows the Owners Manual. Per the Owners Manual, when the battery is brand new the range can vary between 62 miles and 143 Miles (highlighted in green). The *** ********** also tested the cell voltage which was 3.74-3.76 and was within normal range per the manufacturer.
  
  The Green section states where the *** ********** provided her with the information regarding the range configurations that were possible with an E/V Battery. They also reference the owners manual which states that Natural degradation may occur with high voltage batteries depending on the number of years the vehicle is used. This may reduce the distance to empty.
  
  The last page of the attached Repair Order is a copy of the Owners Manual in reference to the above-mentioned range factors, provided by ***. Furthermore, we have reached out directly to the *** ********** to confirm the information provided in the attached Repair Order. We recommend that Cherry take responsibility for her purchase as well as the agreement she made, in addition to reviewing the information provided by *** once again. Thank you!  

• Initial Complaint

  09/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I reached out on Tuesday 9/13 about purchasing a 2022 **** Maverick XL. I spoke with ****. I told him I wanted to purchase the vehicle in question, and he said that sounded great and that he would send over a credit application which he did that evening. I asked if there was anything I needed to do to reserve the vehicle and he said a version of "No, we wouldn't sell the vehicle from under you." I filled out the application that Tuesday night. I heard nothing on Wednesday 9/14 and called on Thursday 9/15 morning. I spoke with ******* who informed me that the vehicle I was told was mine had been sold. They only had the next model up which they were willing to sell me but at no discount or deal of any kind to resolve their mistake. They offered what they said was a better financing rate, but it was still at a higher interest rate than I was eligible for according to their website. They kept insisting that it was my fault for not putting down a deposit, but I was not told I needed to do this by ****. Then they said that **** was new and was still learning their process which was why he had told me one thing and then they had done a different one. All of this meant that they made a mistake that would have cost me $4000 or more and they would not do anything to help fix that mistake.

  Business response

  09/19/2022

  *******, 
  
  Thank you for your feedback regarding your experience with our sales team. We've reviewed your concerns and we want to provide more insight. After reviewing your correspondence with our sales team, specifically phone calls, it appears that a deposit to hold the vehicle was originally offered on Tuesday night (9/13) during the initial phone conversation when you asked if there was anything you need to do to reserve the vehicle. You declined this option and said "No, I'll complete the credit application". We reaffirmed that a deposit is required to reserve the vehicle, to which you declined. We also reaffirmed that a credit application does not reserve any vehicle and that all vehicles are sold on a "first come, first served" basis so that it's fair for all customers. There's no version of "No, we wouldn't sell the vehicle from under you". 
  
  
  We did receive your credit application later that evening (Tuesday 9/13) but it was after we had closed for the day. The following day, which was Wednesday 9/14, the 2022 **** Maverick XL sold. Once we informed you the Maverick had sold, your response was "What are you going to do to rectify your mistake?". We reaffirmed there was no mistake, you declined to put a deposit down on the vehicle twice, and that it had sold. We offered you the other Maverick options available, which were higher trim levels (XLT, Lariat) with higher price points. Your response was "the vehicle was mine and you sold it" and set the expectation that we should discount the Maverick XLT, which has a significantly higher cost, $5,000 less to match the Maverick XL price. We declined and offered you alternative options. 
  
  
  Furthermore, we confirmed you declined the deposit twice, the deposit was explained to you, and the credit application does not reserve the vehicle. Additionally, we make every effort to explain this process, especially with new customers that have never purchased a vehicle before. With that said, it's unfortunate you chose a reactionary response, rather than responsibility. We're fair to all customers and we have processes in place to ensure that. You cannot reserve a vehicle or claim a vehicle is yours or demand price cuts significantly below cost and demand privileges or special treatment to the detriment of other customers. Based on the phone calls, we understand you were speaking with many **** dealers across the country regarding purchasing a 2022 **** Maverick XL, and they are charging $10K - $20K over MSRP and backordered for 12 - 18 months, while you could purchase a Maverick from us immediately and only pay $5K over MSRP. We understand your frustration, and we wish you the best in your vehicle search. 
  
  
  We appreciate your feedback regarding your experience and we'll continue to improve our processes and training to ensure all of our customers are completely satisfied. Thank you!

  Customer response

  09/19/2022

   
  Complaint: 18031259
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The sales representative never mentioned a deposit. I was not given the option of putting a deposit down once or twice, and since this is my first time buying a car I was not aware of the process. The sales representative **** specifically told me nothing more was needed and that "we wouldn't sell it out from under you." This was in response to when I asked what I needed to do to reserve the car. 

  The person I spoke with on Thursday even said that **** was new and may have misspoken about the process, but then refused to admit that a mistake has been made and kept insisting it was my fault.

  Everything said about the process after Tuesday is accurate except for there not being a mistake made. 

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

  Business response

  09/20/2022

  *******, 
  
  As stated previously, thank you for your feedback regarding your experience with our sales team. We've reviewed your concerns and we want to provide more insight. After reviewing your correspondence with our sales team, specifically phone calls, it appears that a deposit to hold the vehicle was originally offered on Tuesday night (9/13) during the initial phone conversation when you asked if there was anything you need to do to reserve the vehicle. You declined this option and said "No, I'll complete the credit application". We reaffirmed that a deposit is required to reserve the vehicle, to which you declined. We also reaffirmed that a credit application does not reserve any vehicle and that all vehicles are sold on a "first come, first served" basis so that it's fair for all customers. There's no version of "No, we wouldn't sell the vehicle from under you". 
  
  We did receive your credit application later that evening (Tuesday 9/13) but it was after we had closed for the day. The following day, which was Wednesday 9/14, the 2022 **** Maverick XL sold. Once we informed you the Maverick had sold, your response was "What are you going to do to rectify your mistake?". We reaffirmed there was no mistake, you declined to put a deposit down on the vehicle twice, and that it had sold. We offered you the other Maverick options available, which were higher trim levels (XLT, Lariat) with higher price points. Your response was "the vehicle was mine and you sold it" and set the expectation that we should discount the Maverick XLT, which has a significantly higher cost, $5,000 less to match the Maverick XL price. We declined and offered you alternative options. 
  
  Furthermore, we confirmed you declined the deposit twice, the deposit was explained to you, and the credit application does not reserve the vehicle. Additionally, we make every effort to explain this process, especially with new customers that have never purchased a vehicle before. With that said, it's unfortunate you chose a reactionary response, rather than responsibility. We're fair to all customers and we have processes in place to ensure that. You cannot reserve a vehicle or claim a vehicle is yours or demand price cuts significantly below cost and demand privileges or special treatment to the detriment of other customers. Based on the phone calls, we understand you were speaking with many **** dealers across the country regarding purchasing a 2022 **** Maverick XL, and they are charging $10K - $20K over MSRP and backordered for 12 - 18 months, while you could purchase a Maverick from us immediately and only pay $5K over MSRP. We understand your frustration, and we wish you the best in your vehicle search. 
  
  We appreciate your feedback regarding your experience and we'll continue to improve our processes and training to ensure all of our customers are completely satisfied. Thank you!

• Initial Complaint

  10/08/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On September 20th, 2021 I placed a $1000 deposit on a 2018 Ford F150 with 12,000 miles that was portrayed to be in excellent condition. I felt pressured to place the deposit despite letting the dealer know that I was going to be flying from Ohio to Florida to purchase the truck within 24 hours. As promised I flew to the dealer arriving within less than 24 hours from placing their deposit. Upon arrival the truck was off the lot at a mechanics shop to have a couple things done that was never disclosed to me. I was permitted to test drive the vehicle at this time and look it over. The vehicle had scratches on nearly every panel on the exterior including large obvious paint chip damage areas that had been covered with globs of paint. The interior smelled horrible and stains were present on every seat. I was immediately taken back, not expecting the truck that I viewed online to be in this condition. The dealer is refusing to return my deposit, despite misleading me on the condition.

  Business response

  11/09/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/10/15) */ On September 20th, 2021 the customer placed a $1,000 non refundable deposit and signed a non refundable deposit agreement to hold a truck that we had for sale. This option was offered to her because she was flying in from out of town and didn't want to take the chance of somebody else purchasing the truck prior to her arrival. When the customer arrived, prior to her scheduled appointment, the truck had not finished going through our reconditioning process and was still at our mechanics shop about a mile from the dealership. We took the customer down to see the truck and take it for a test drive. At this point, there were no concerns brought up. The customer then stated that she had been traveling all day and wanted to go to her hotel and get some sleep. She left for the evening with plans to return the next morning when the truck was finished and ready for her to drive home. The next morning the customer arrived as scheduled and went for another test drive in the truck to confirm it was the right vehicle for her before she signed paperwork. Once again, there were no concerns or complaints about the truck. The customer needed to go to her bank to withdraw the rest of the funds for her downpayment, so she left the dealership. In the meantime, we prepared all the paperwork for her so that when she arrived back at the store we could have everything ready for her and she wouldn't have to wait. At this point is when the customer stopped responding to our calls and text messages. The customer did call back 1 time much later that day to tell us she was "on the fence" about the purchase and would let us know shortly. After a few hours without hearing back, we reached back out to the customer and were unable to contact her. We then proceeded to try and reach her multiple times over the next 3 weeks. During this period of time we kept the truck off the market for anyone else to purchase and it was not advertised for sale. We had no further contact with the customer until October 8th, 2021. This was the first time we had heard from her in any capacity since September 22, 2021. It was at this point that she requested her refund. Even though she signed a non refundable deposit agreement and we removed the truck from the market for 3 weeks we still agreed to refund the entire deposit because we felt that it was the right thing to do. The refund was processed on October 8, 2021 which was the same day she requested the refund. I have attached proof of the refund which is time stamped and dated for October 8th, 2021.

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