ComplaintsforRoute 41 Budget Auto

• Initial Complaint

  11/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  A month after giving birth to my daughter My fianc (***************************) and I went to budget auto on 03/24/2022. We had meant to purchase a ********* but were told our $4,000 down payment would not be enough for that car. Instead the owner recommended we purchase a 2009 ****** Camry with ****** miles. We bought the car for $12,968.80. Two months later we drove from ******* to ******** and once we arrived in ********, we started experiencing whining from the front of the car. We took the car in to get it looked at by ****************************** in Severence, ** before heading back to ******* on (05/27/2022). They identified the whining as the power steering pump and told us it needed to be replaced. Upon further inspection (test drive) rattling was heard from the engine. They disassembled the engine timing components and found metallic remanence in engine oil indicating internal engine failure. They also notice VOID stickers on the engine. We were quoted $10,000 for engine and P/S pump replacement. We flew home the following day since driving was not an option. We contacted the owner and was told he would do nothing for us except have the car looked at and fixed by his mechanic at his price. On 11/14/2022 my father who lives in ******** took the Camry into ****** dealership for a second opinion. They identified the problem as a bad P/S pump and engine failure, quoting us $10,000 to fix. We did not purchase an extended warranty when we bought the car. It came with a 15 day or 500 mile warranty. We, however, believe that the owner knew of the cars condition before selling it to us and intentionally sold us a bad vehicle.

  Business response

  12/02/2022

  Thank you for reaching out to us. 
  We are glad that you would like to hear our opinion of the matter as well. 
   
  *** young couple purchased a 2009 ****** Camry from us with 87k miles. *** vehicle was in a great condition, (and also much easier to finance than an older ********* that is the reason we were offering it to the customer. 
  We do our diligent research when selecting our cars, and also inspect every single of them before we offer it for sale. 
  This 2009 Camry was owned by an older gentleman (57yr of age), with a good maintenance history on Carfax report. (Once we receive a car our experienced mechanic would inspect it and repair any issues before it goes on sale as a standard procedure) This particular vehicle did not need much mechanical repair, just wiper blades and right-side brake light bulb. 
  If my memory serves me correctly the customer also took the car to their own mechanic for inspection either before or right after the sale. (***ir mechanic confirmed that the vehicle is in good condition). Unfortunately, I did not take a copy of that report, but if you could ask the customer about it would be good to have it so we have a clear picture 
  *** customer drove the car around for a couple of months without any issues, then they made a ****-mile road trip to CO. 
  My understanding is that the vehicle drove well all the way to their destination. 
  We dont know what might have happened during the trip.  According to the document the shop -Trust Auto -provided the oil was dark, oil level was over filled, maintenance required light was on when the Camry was brought in to their shop.  
  At the date of sale our dealership provides the customer with a *****/*** miles implied warranty to all vehicles under 150k miles aligned with our state requirements. In this case this car was way outside of its warranty period. I tried to explain to the customer that the dealership cant take responsibility for something that is beyond our controls. (We dont know if the customer did oil change, used the right kind or the right amount of oil, if the car got overheated during the trip etc.) 
  ****** has a very good reputation and the Camry is one of the most reliable cars available on the used market. It is highly unlikely to fail unless it is abused, neglected, or its owner fails to maintain adequate oil, coolant, and other required fluids or lubricants. 
  That being said our dealership was still willing to work with the customer and offer reasonable assistance to repair the vehicle as a courtesy. 
  *** offer was that we (our dealership) would repair the Camry at our cost. Meaning the cost of the new or used motor and Power steering pump (whichever the customer chooses), cost of any fluids, shop supplies, and the cost of any labor involved replacing the motor (regular shop rate is $120/hr., cost would be half of that $60/hr.).  
  Its not what the customer wanted to hear so now she is claiming that the owner was rude to them and didnt want to help. Well, its not the case. 
  In addition to that -****************, her family and friends are leaving negative reviews of our company on ****** and other platforms (8 of them so far). 
  It seems like their attention is to cause damage to the company, not to work on the solution. 
  We dont mind offering a helping hand to anybody in need, but at the same time we cant just accept any kind of allegation, on the Customer is always right basis. We feel that the customer has a certain responsibility maintaining the vehicle, and protecting their investment (extended warranty). Cant just blame the dealer for something they cant control. 
  I'm proud to say that our company has been doing ethical business in the past twelve years, with good feedback and very few dissatisfied customers.  
  We continue to evolve as a company implementing new ideas to minimize the chance of any unpleasant customer experience.  
  Our ultimate goal is to provide quality cars to our customers and earn their business again in the future. 
  
  

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