ComplaintsforPerformance Auto Group

• Initial Complaint

  04/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In December 19 2023 I bought a car (2015 ****** WRX) from performance auto group, the seller told me there was nothing wrong with it, no mechanical issues, no codes or errors and that all cars are pre inspected, I trusted their word and bought the car without warranty, I had it sitting for rest of December and half of January, fast forward 3 months and I notice the car leaking and burning oil so I take it to 3 mechanics to get different opinions, they all tell me the same thing, the engine is shot and needs to be replaced and the turbo is also no good, repair plus labor for both the engine and turbo is around 13k, I went to performance auto group 4 times to try to work something out but the owner refuses to take responsibility of the car and denies selling me a car with a bad engine and turbo, he even went as to say is it my fault for damaging the car and accused me of racing the car, I paid 18k loaned for the car and now I have to pay around *****k to replace the engine and turbo even though I have only been driving it for 3 months it is not fair which is why I am filing this complaint to the BBB and would like performance auto group to either, pay for the engine and labor cost or completely buy back the car, it is not fair I am paying 18k plus 14k in a damaged car which they said supposedly runs great with no problems I hope to hear back thank you

  

  Business response

  05/31/2024

  Dear BBB,

  I am writing in response to complaint ID: ********.  I want to begin by saying I totally understand the customer's frustration with the situation.  Buying a used car and then having a major issue within a few short months would be very disheartening. 

  In ******* complaint, he is asking for Performance Auto Group to accept responsibility for the damage done to his vehicle.  Unfortunately, the vehicle was not sold with these mechanical issues and the dealership cannot be held responsible for what someone does with their vehicle after they take delivery.  The customer was offered a vehicle service contract at the time of sale that would have provided mechanical breakdown insurance, but they declined to purchase one.

  ***** also mentioned that the dealership was unwilling to help him, but that isn't completely true.  We did a complimentary oil change along with a couple different inspections when he first came in.  We wanted to run some tests to see what was actually happening with his car.  On his 4th or so visit to the dealership, ***** demanded we replace his engine and turbo.  The conversation got heated a bit because I told him that we would work with him based only on the understanding that we are not obligated to do anything for him and that he isn't entitled to anything.  I told him we could discuss options further once we both had cooler heads and upon him accepting my terms that we weren't obligated to fix his car.  He left upset and has not since returned.

   Performance Auto Group cares deeply about its customers and is more than willing to sit down and visit with ***** about this situation.  If he wants to contact the dealership, we will be more than happy to meet with him again.

  *******************, Owner, Performance Auto Group

• Initial Complaint

  12/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I traded in my truck in on November 3rd to this company and in less than a week they were able to sell my truck to a new buyer. I had a charge of $1000 come out of my bank account on November 22nd for the truck payment that I traded in, I contacted my bank to stop payments for this loan and reached out to Performance Auto about it and they told me they had not paid the loan yet and gave me $1000 to cover the cost of the payment. I checked with them again on December ********************************************************** $1000 to put into my account to cover the payment to be made on the 22nd, I declined and told them that I have already put a stop payment on the account. I contacted my bank with the loan again today 12/27/2023 and they have informed me that the loan has still not been paid, this is affecting my personal credit and also causing stress due to them not paying off this loan and I am having to take time away from work and personal life to follow up with them and the banks.

  

  Business response

  01/18/2024

  To whom it may concern,

  My name is ******************* and am the owner of Performance Auto Group in ********.  *************** to complaint #******** filed by *********************** on December 27th, 2023. 

  ***** has been a valued customer of ours for many years purchasing multiple vehicles from our dealership and trading in many vehicles.  All of our past transactions with ***** have gone smoothly with no issues. In this particular instance there was a delay in paying off ******* trade-in.  However, the situation was resolved on December 29th, 2023, when we sent a check to his ************ to pay off his trade-in.  (Our dealership was unaware that ***** had filed a complaint with the BBB until January 7th, 2024).  ***** was contacted the day the check was sent, and he expressed his thanks to the dealership.  No further action is needed.  

  Regards,

  *******************

  Customer response

  01/18/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******************

• Initial Complaint

  05/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a 2016 **** fusion from performance auto group on 4/22/2023. I have contacted the company on many occasions about my complaints. This car is very dangerous to drive for it will just die without warning going down the road. The car at random times will not go into drive or reverse and when it finally does the transmission clunks real hard. There is a loud noise coming from the rear of the car and a burning smell. There is also a loud nice coming from under the hood of the car. There is missing bolts to the body of the car for example the rear passenger door will not stay open because the bolt is missing. Also after purchasing the vehicle not 20 miles from the company I got it from the check engine light comes on so my opinion obviously they reset it for to sell it.

  

  Business response

  06/22/2023

  Im sorry that ****** had issues with her vehicle. We gave her the option to return the car shortly after she purchased it. We then offered her a complete refund of her down payment ($2000). We extended that offer a couple of times (before the bank had finalized their loan for ******). At the time she said she wanted to keep the vehicle and get it checked out by the **** dealership in ***********. We also offered to check the vehicle out at our shop in ********, **. She did purchase a warranty with her loan and had coverage that would fix possible issues with her car. She chose to keep the car and not have it looked at by a mechanic. She then sent a message (after her loan was finalized) saying she was returning her car the next day. She never did. She kept the vehicle for nearly a month after that. Eventually, she voluntarily surrendered the car and left it on the side of the road with the keys in it. She then told us to come and get it. If ****** wants to come to our office and sit down wed be happy to discuss the situation with her.
  
  

  Customer response

  06/23/2023

   
  Complaint: 20085371
  
  I am rejecting this response because: The entire response to my complaint is not true. I did contact the company on several occasions. I received a text from San the car salesman stating that i would not be receiving my down payment if I returned the car so at that point I said I'd keep it and have it looked at by a licensed mechanic utilizing the insurance I paid $***** dollars for from Performance the day I purchased the car. I was told by the owner at that point any repairs would have to be done by then. So why did they sell je insurance for $*****. If I couldn't use it? The communication with performance was not consistent. There was no response to my text regarding the car once they received the information from my insurance company. It wasn't until I texted the owner and told him that he needed to come get his car that I couldn't bring it to him because the car would not make it. And that I was cancelling the insurance and contacting the loan company concerning the car did he respond. They picked up the car sitting out front of my daughters house for I had to work with key in it as he instructed me to do so. The car was returned to they with less then 300 miles out on it by me and cleaner than I received it. I asked him (***) the owner about my deposit. He replied that he needed to contact the bank for that. I have yet to hear anything from him since. The car was a death trap from day one. I was being charged ****** for the car and another ****** for interested on the loan 2*****.for a car that wouldn't go into reverse or forward and the engine would die with no warning going down the road. I was sold a very unsafe unsound vehicle. Performance took out ***** from my debit card in office before the loan was even finalized. It is their responsibility to return it to me. The have received their unsafe car back I have not received my deposit I put down on the car. Not only am I out the $2000 deposit but approximately $368 for insurance to get it started.  I now have no my ears of transportation. I sold my car thinking I would not need it upon buying the **** fusion. But since it was a lemon and had to be returned I'm now out of a car. I do believe that Performance auto group knew the car they sold me was unsafe. This is not a honest company and they do not stand behind their word. 

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

  

  Business response

  08/29/2023

  Good afternoon,

  This is a follow up message to ************************* last response.  We mentioned in our first response to ******'s complaint that we would be more than happy to discuss this situation at any time with her in person.  As of today, we have not seen nor heard from her with exception to her complaint with the BBB.  We can continue to go back and forth with the same responses, but unless ****** is willing to come to our office and discuss this, there will never be a resolution.  We understand that the car had issues after the sale and as we mentioned before, ****** had a service contract that would have repaired these issues under warranty.  We discussed this in length over text with her.  However, ****** chose not to go this route.  Also, as mentioned before, ****** was notified by text that she could return the car for a full refund of her $2000 BEFORE the loan was finished with the lender.  She also chose to not go this route either.  She continued to drive the vehicle, not return it for a refund and not pursue getting it fixed under warranty.  About a week later she texted again and said she was returning the car the next day on Tuesday May 16th.  She did not do this.  She chose to keep driving the vehicle.  We didn't hear from her again until June 2nd when she texted and said was surrendering the vehicle to the bank as opposed to getting the car repaired under warranty.  ****** had every opportunity in the beginning to return the vehicle for a refund or get the car repaired under warranty.  We can't be responsible if she chose to not to take advantage of these options.  However, as mentioned before, we are willing to visit with her in person to see if can come to some resolution.  Thank you.

  *******************

  Owner 

*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. ↩