Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Preston Automotive Group's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Preston Automotive Group

  218 South Main St Preston, MD 21655-7000

  
• 

  Preston Automotive Group

  4307 Preston Rd Hurlock, MD 21643-3706

  
• 

  Preston Automotive Group

  4313 Preston Rd Hurlock, MD 21643-3706

  
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  Preston Automotive Group

  4327 Preston Rd Hurlock, MD 21643-3706

  
• 

  Preston Automotive Group

  4309 Preston Rd Hurlock, MD 21643-3706

  

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/24/2025

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a vehicle brand new with Preston Ford in September of 2020 I have since then had five engines and two Transmissions replaced under warranty and my current engine is now blown again and needs a 6th engine replacement the first engine was replaced in Wisconsin every engine replacement/repair since then has been done with Preston Automotive Group in Denton Maryland at one point they had my car sitting on their lot for approximately 11 months and when I finally got the car back I wasn't even able to drive it 100 mi. before it broke down again after several other engine replacements now my car currently has approx. 108,000 miles on it which sets me outside of the statutes of limitations to handle this situation even though everything should still be covered under warranty the dealership is refusing to fix anything unless I pay.. this last time that my car broke down I called the dealership and let them know that it needed to be towed they came and towed my car and informed me that my battery was the problem which it was not and I knew better but they tried to argue with me about it so I took my car and left after that I ended up getting home to have my car overheating again so I then called the dealership back and let them know that they needed to come back out and get my car because it's overheating they informed me that they were going to have a technician drive to my house to diagnose my car and when they did that they came to my house while I was at work and drove my car off the property back to their dealership and blew my car up on the side of the highway I got the notifications for **** **** that says my car was overheating about 2 mi away from the dealership the same day they picked it up off my property without any communication I knew they were coming to my house to look at my car never did anybody discuss removing my car from my property they've had my car since Sept. 2024 without resolution. The oil pump is an open recall and is likely the issue

  Business Response

  Date: 04/04/2025

  We are responding to complaint ********.  Thank you for your patience while we’ve been reviewing the situation regarding this customer and their vehicle. I want to assure you that we are fully aware of the circumstances surrounding this case, and understand the frustration it has caused.

  The vehicle in question was already in service before our new General Manager joined our Denton Ford team, and the customer made multiple attempts to explore warranty and goodwill assistance. Unfortunately, these efforts did not lead to a resolution, and the customer also considered trading in the vehicle and applying for financing through Sunbit. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to reach a satisfactory solution, and the situation escalated with the customer expressing dissatisfaction.

  Our GM took the time to thoroughly investigate the customer's claims, and after speaking with the technicians involved, it appears that the frustration stemmed from a lack of available options rather than any missteps on our part. Based off our records, the customer went 73,000 miles in between visits at our store.  Regular recommended maintenance is key to keeping a vehicle running and operating as it should.  If the customer was having regular maintenance done, it was not at our location.  Even with the possible lack of maintenance, we still tried to get her some goodwill help, to no avail. We even put them in a loaner which was unfortunately difficult to get back from them when they realized they wasn't covered.

  We have informed the customer that all available options have been explored and have recommended they consider having the vehicle serviced by a trusted provider moving forward, as we have unfortunately reached a point where further assistance is not possible under the warranty.  Regarding the recall mentioned, yes, there is a recall, but there is no remedy available yet from the manufacturer.

  We want to assure you that we have acted in good faith and have done everything we can to support the customer. Unfortunately, the warranty does not cover another transmission replacement at this time.

  We apologize that this matter has escalated to this point. Please do not hesitate to reach out to ******* ******, the General Manager, at any time at 410-********.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/07/2025

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the vehicle does not need a transmission replacement. I was told after preston Automotive group drove my vehicle off my property second week of sept 2024 after I brought it to them for an oil change. Preston was doing all the oil change maintenance once the last engine and transmission was replaced i was told i had free oil changes and tire rotation so why would i not have kept up on my maintenance if It didnt cost me anything?! I had just had my oil changed at the denton ford location! Lack of maintenance is not the issue! After preston ford drove my vehicle off my property to, I assume diagnose my issue after being told it was a battery problem, nobody ever called me to even say they removed my vehicle. I got a text notification from **** **** app saying my vehicle had broke down on the side of the highway a few miles from the dealership. And then I was told the turbo was blown and the engine block was cracked. Never was anything said about another transmission. My car shifted just fine! It was an engine over heating and blowing white smoke issue. The whole drivetrain (engine and transmission) was recently replaced by preston Automotive group In denton and only has approximately 20k miles on it. I had to fight to even get a loaner which was finally offered to me the 2nd week of jan 2025. And was given to me with paper tags which died less than 45 days later. So preston ford of denton had my vehicle from sept 2024 until march 2025 and when it was returned to me it is completely dead. Cant even turn it on to connect my phone... not even after jumping/charging the battery. But when my car was taken off my property it was driven to the denton location 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/05/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a new vehicle from Preston on July 1, 2024. Prior to purchase, I was extremely clear that I wanted my vehicle plates from Delaware. I inquired what documentation would be necessary and went to purchase with everything requested. My initial temporary Maryland tags expired at the beginning of September. I contacted Preston (Cassandra B******) about ten days prior to expiration and was informed new tags would be sent the week of expiration. New tags never arrived. On October 7, I contacted Cassandra B******, sales agent, and her supervisor Kevin S******. Kevin S****** wanted me to resubmit all previously submitted documentation and told me he was new on the job and hung up on me. Later that same day, Kevin S****** emailed me about information that I needed to submit for Delaware plates. (This information subsequently was determined to be inaccurate by Ryan M********, another manager with Preston.) October 8, Lisa Sc******, Business Development Manager, had new temporary Maryland plates delivered to me. (These plates expire on December 6, 2024, and I have multiple contacts to Preston over the past few weeks to have new temporary plates issued.) On October 8, I was also informed by Ryan M******** that permanent Delaware plates could not be issued, unless I changed my driver's license to Delaware or my spouse and I transferred the title of another vehicle we own in Pennsylvania. Apparently, Preston had made misrepresentations about the Delaware plate issue and provided faulty information all along. In October, my souse and I spent over $140 (receipt shared with Preston) and transferred the title to a Pennsylvania vehicle and again we submitted all requested information to Preston (Ryan M********). This week, Preston again requested the insurance information for my vehicle and also requested the insurance information for the Pennsylvania vehicle that was transferred. In addition to obtaining the Delaware tags, reimbursement for the title transfer.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/06/2024

  We apologize for this lengthy titling process. I spoke with Ryan M********, General Manager of Preston Ford, who took over this complaint after the General Manager of Preston Mazda resigned. M******** stated that everything was corrected and is now in process. Members of our tag and title team dropped off the necessary documents to the DMV and a temporary tag is being hand-delivered this evening to Mr. *****. We will keep Mr. ***** appraised. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/14/2024

  The information provided by the business is inaccurate. I still Do NOT have permanent plates! In fact, the temporary plates that I was promised have not arrived! Beginning on November 25, 2024 and several times thereafter, I reminded Ryan M******** that my temporary plates expire on December 6, 2024, and I was leaving town the morning of December 6th and ultimately leaving the country for a few weeks. I also I also I also informed Ryan that I would not be returning to Delaware until the end of January, so I needed new temporary plates before my departure. The temporary plates did not arrive. On December 5, 2024, I emailed Lisa Sc****** and and Ryan M******** and explained the situation again and explicitly said I was leaving town the next morning. Around noon time on December 6, 2024, I heard from H******, who told me that he was sending me temporary tags. I told that I had been explaining for weeks that I was leaving town that morning. I requested and H****** agreed to send the temporary tags to my partner at **** ******* ***** *********** ** *****. The temporary tags never arrived. I texted H****** yesterday to inquire why the new temporary tags never arrived in Pennsylvania, and there was no response. I now have no tags, temporary or permanent. THIS ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED by Preston saying that are resolving the situation. They have been saying that since July!

  Business Response

  Date: 12/19/2024

  After Speaking with the Tag and Title Manager, she stated, "The temporary tag did not come in from DMV until 12/6, The new Mazda General Manager Selbe H****** called me and asked if I had a person to deliver the tag, and I did not. Later that day, Preston Ford General Manager Ryan M******** called one of our Tag and Title Specialists, and she delivered the temporary tag to the customer's DE address the same night. She left the temporary tag in a UPS folder, and she also knocked on the door before it was left on the porch. We do have a copy of the temporary tag, and it can be re-printed and delivered to the address he's mentioned, we can send it out UPS today. 
  
  His permanent title work has been dropped at DMV for processing and should be back this week or early next week."

   

  Following that, a tag and title specialist told me that the temp tag was reprinted and sent to the customer's Pennsylvania address via UPS. 

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/26/2024

  A Christmas miracle happened and my Delaware permanent plates arrived on Monday, December 23rd! This does resolve the complaint filed with the BBB. However, Preston Automotive did not practice consistent with standards espoused by the BBB and should not be any entity representing BBB. Preston finally did what was promised to me on July 1, 2024. This ordeal has caused me unnecessary stress and consumed a large quantity of time. Hopefully, my complaint with the Maryland Office of Investigations & Internal Affairs will address the unethical and unprofessional conduct of the dealership. I appreciate all of your assistance with this matter.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/27/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We purchased a car for our 18 year old son on July 10th, 2024 at the Boulevard dealership in Rehoboth Beach, De. We have had the car in the shop 4 inconvenient times since then. We are having no resolution to this car being fixed and have had a horrible experience with the incompetent employees in the service department. ***PLEASE SEE ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENT SHOWING THE FULL DETAILS OF THE EVENTS, AS IT HAS OVER 2000 CHARACTERS***

  Business Response

  Date: 10/07/2024

  I have spoken with the Chief Operating Officer, Chris M**** who advised we have provided a complimentary 3 year/36k mileage service contract. M**** also stated we had repaired their vehicle. To our knowledge the issue is settled amicably. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/11/2024

  We haven't received No Service Contract from Chris M**** (COO) in writing. All We have is a verbal conversation about it, however he has not been returning any of our messages to finalize this matter. We are still very disappointed

  Business Response

  Date: 10/17/2024

  I spoke with the General Manager who advised the service contract was sent to the customer, we are awaiting signatures and return. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/27/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I leased a new 2024 ***** CX30 on July 12th 2024, then received a call on September 24th 2024 informing me that I might have been sent home with the wrong car. After strenuous efforts to contact the salesman I had the displeasure of dealing with through this ordeal, I ended up going into the dealership the following day, September 25th, 2024. I was informed I had been driving the right car, but the VIN number on all of the paperwork I signed two months prior was incorrect. I was instructed to resign all of the paperwork with the correct information on it, but was given no further instructions or information regarding what happened, or what other actions needed to be taken. I can only imagine how much other information is being mishandled by this company, and the complete disregard for the consequences for the customer is appalling. Over the last two and a half months I have payed approximately 2000 dollars on this vehicle, both for insurance and the loan payments. As a result of this error, if I had been pulled over and the registration didn’t match for the car and it’s corresponding paperwork, I would have likely had to pay hundreds, if not thousands more in legal fees. Further more, this experience has caused me to lose multiple hours worth of time at work, causing me lose out of hundreds of dollars. I hope you can help to make this injustice right.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/01/2024

  During my investigation of the matter I spoke with General Manager, Troy P***. It was discovered that the vehicle identification number (VIN) originally contracted was incorrect. To rectify this, we proceeded with a flat cancellation of the existing contract and initiated a new booking with ***** ********* using the correct VIN.
  All payments previously made by the customer will be transferred to the new account set up by *****. No other actions are needed from the customer. The General Manager had a follow-up conversation with the customer a few days ago during her visit, and at that time, she did not express any dissatisfaction with the process, or the resolution provided.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/01/2024

  I ask that the business refunds me the money I’ve paid for this vehicle within the past few months, seeing as their mistake has caused me to pay for the wrong car. So far I’ve paid nearly 1,000 dollars through ***** ********* Services to the wrong car. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/01/2024

  I’d also prefer that the business now lower my monthly payments on the correct vehicle, and ensure that I do not have to pay to have this vehicle re tagged and re titled. I would expect the manager of this department would reach out to further ensure a seamless end to this mess their salesperson has created. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/01/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  I feel the business has done an inadequate job providing any justice for the absolute mess I was put through. Not only was I put in danger by a careless mistake made by this company’s team, I was also given no formal apology for this incident. This has been a complete embarrassment for your establishment, and a monumental breach of security. I would expect you to at the least offer a reduction on my monthly payment. 
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/19/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In 2/24 brought my vehicle to Preston for a diagnostic test to determinerepairs needed to be made. I filled out a form that stated I wanted an "Oil Change," "Tell me more," and "Multi-point inspection." After leaving the car in your care, I heard nothing for two days. After several days of no one answering my calls or getting back to me, I finally connected with JR on February 28, 2024. Only at that time, did he tell me that he repaired the car and was putting it back together. When I asked to him to clarify, he said he did not just run the diagnostic (referred to as "Tell me more" and "Multi-point Inspection") but he in fact repaired everything even though he was not authorized to do any work beyond what I requested on the form. He expressed remorse and great concern and admitted he did not have authorization to perform more than $7,000 worth of work to my vehicle, and said he’d call me back. After this interaction, I was then was contacted by Mr. Victor C****** who claimed to be JR's boss and admitted that the work was not without my authorization. Vic then proceeded to ask if I would sell him my car. I said I would consider it but only for $10,000. We did not reach any such deal and the next day I returned to the dealer to retrieve my vehicle. Upon arriving, Victor told me he could accept $3,000 for the repairs. I told him I did not authorize any repairs and could not pay any amount. I then requested to pay for the oil change and to see a list of repairs and Vic refused to do either. He then said these charges would be 'coming out of JR's salary.' After driving the car for less than 10 miles, the car began to pour out smoke through the rear and the hood. My car had NEVER done this before I brought it to your garage. I took my car to another mechanic who stated the engine was cracked and engine. He also showed me where the heater hose was disconnected from the engine either on purpose or accident, either way doing extreme damage to the vehicles engine.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/26/2024

  We are responding to compliant ID ********.  We would like to sincerely apologize for the experience that this customer had with our dealership and the lack of communication our end.  We are investigating this internally to see what happened regarding the work performed not being properly authorized, so this does not happen in the future as all work performed needs prior authorization before proceeding.  We take full responsibility for this mistake and the customer will not be charged at all for those repairs they did not authorize.   

  Regarding the vehicle having a separate issue less than 10 miles down the road, this complaint was the first we had heard about this.  Our Service Director has since reached out to the customer and got the vehicle into our service department to diagnosis this concern.  While we have had daily communication with the customer, if they need anything at all they can reach out the Victor C****** at 1-610-********.  It is disheartening to hear that this customer did not receive the level of service we are dedicated to providing, but we truly appreciate the customer giving us the opportunity to rectify the situation.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/06/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I engaged in negotiations with the Sales Person from Preston Nissan to purchase a '21 Ram Rebel. Just prior to signing the deal, I was informed the vehicle had body damage, and was told they had another very similar truck for $500 more. I thanked the Sales Person and signed a deal on the '21 Ram Rebel that I understood to be free of damage September 30th. The following day, after being told the truck would be delivered to me in VT that Wednesday October 4, I was called and told that that vehicle also had damage and would need to go to the body shop before delivery. I was told it would be delivered the following weekend the 13th or 14th. When the truck still wasn't delivered they said "we guarantee it will be either the 20th, or worst case the 25th". On the 25th, with still no truck, I called the Finance Manager who said "Let's just cancel the deal, I don't want you to take a truck you no longer want given the situation". I agreed. On October 27th, I called another local dealer inquiring about a truck, and called my lender for a current payoff letter on my Jeep, which I had originally agreed to trade in to Preston Autoplex. To my surprise, Preston Ford, had paid off the lein on my Jeep, and had possession of the title. I called the Finance Manager at Preston, who said "I didn't know we had done that, we'll "reverse the loan" to your bank". I called my bank and they said "that doesn't happen like that". I called Preston Nissan again, and was unable to reach the Finance Manger, Sales Manager or Salesperson so called the Sales Manger of Preston Ford, who had paid off the Jeep. HE was very responsive and I got a call within 30 minutes that the Ram was done and they would deliver it the 1st of November. I met the Sales Person at a Lowes to save him 1.5 hours of an 18 hours round trip drive. I was provided only with a temporary registration and was told the transfer of my VT plates would happen in the next few days. It's December 6th and still no registration.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/08/2023

  We are responding to complaint ID ********.  We sincerely apologize for the experience that this customer has had with our dealership.  Our general manager has been in contact with the customer.  Everything is with the Vermont Motor Vehicle, and we are waiting on them at this point.  We have explained this to the customer, but unfortunately there is nothing else we can currently do on our end until Vermont processes everything.  Steve C***** is the customer’s point of contact on this at our store.  We understand how frustrating this is for the customer and we are doing everything we can on our end to speed up the process.  We will keep the customer updated on the progress with Vermont Motor Vehicle. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/27/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a vehicle from Preston Ford on April 1st 2021. This vehicle was a very recent trade and needed repairs however I was assured this would be handled. I called several times over 10 days and the car was finally turned over on day 10 after telling them I no longer wanted the vehicle. By June of 2021 my driveway was full of oil from leaks. Over the past two years my car was repaired by Preston Ford and shortly before my warranty expired April 2023 I had my car towed there for repair yet again. The service manager encouraged me to take my car "to a Chevy dealer" because they don't repair Chevys... however they were the only place who had ever worked on my vehicle. Once my car was towed to Preston Ford there was an extreme mix up and somehow my car which I was still paying payments on was sold to a salvage yard and crushed. From April until August my car was "missing" until I went down to look for it myself. A salesman tried to convince me several times to report my vehicle stolen which I refused to do. After being forwarded to several different voice mails I was finally called in early August and told what happened to my car. They assured me they would 'take good care of me" as compensation for the mix up. On August 2nd I was paired with a salesman and received exemplary customer service in finding a new vehicle. We were pleased with the selection then informed we needed to put money down. They were "gracious" enough to take care of our first insurance payment and gave us a great warranty. The payments end up $600 MORE than my previous payments which is not at all what I expected after having my car SOLD from under me... they simply did a trade in as if my car still existed. Nothing to compensate us for this mistake. Ffwd to now. Preston has no record of the contracts signed for this new purchase. I've received emails stating the car will need to come back if I don't do sign by midnight or send utility bill id, all things which were previously presented to them on August 2nd. They seem to have lost everything we initially signed and submitted. Im receiving notices from MVA for insurance non compliance due to my tags being on the car that was crushed. No one will even address this issue only replied with "we need papers signed by midnight or the car will need to come back" My tags expire October 2nd my first payment was due Sept 17 according to my contract. To date no payment booklet & no information on how they will handle my tags with the MVA. This should in no way be left as my responsibility but the management at Preston who allowed my car to be sold. Im very unhappy with the outcome this far. And it seems as if they are trying to insinuate that I am the hold up.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/06/2023

  We are responding to complaint ID ********.  As the customer mentioned in the complaint, there was most definitely an extreme mix up and we sincerely apologize for that.  Our General Manager reached out to the customer directly.  The customer has signed the remaining documents needed.  Once the deal is funded, the process for the tags can begin & then a payment booklet would be sent.  The contract, which we had her sign, was redated from the one the customer is referring to in the complaint, so the customer is not overdue on a payment.  Regarding the expired temp tags, we have provided her with one our dealer plates so she can use her vehicle until her permanent tags come in. 

  We also checked with the MVA to take care of any fines or violations that the customer may have had, and we have confirmed that there are no fines needing to be paid regarding this.  Our General Manager also told the customer that we will be sending a check for $823 for a vehicle payment reimbursement.  That will go out in the mail as soon as possible. 

  Once again, we apologize for the experience this customer had with our dealership and for any inconvenience this may have caused.  If the customer needs anything else, they can reach out directly to the General Manager, Ryan M********, at 1-302-*********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/03/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been dealing with a water leak on my vehicle for over 8 months! The water leak is fixed, halfway. I still get condensation from the interior still holding moisture. But Now I’m dealing with damaged interiors because of the body shop being careless in fixing the leak. On top of this, I have warranty items that they claim they fixed but it’s not fixed. Example - my window regulator needed to be replaced as it was failing. They replaced it but didn’t put the window track in proper so now my window doesn’t work. And it rattles. Seven months in, Carrie from sales decides to step in and harass me. Calling me names, cussing at me, threatening me, I do not appreciate that. She has not been involved since the beginning of all this. And now is going to jump in harassing me. My vehicle is not fixed. I do not appreciate that. No one from Preston ford management has contacted me but Carrie claims “everyone” knows about “me and my issues”… If that is the case higher up would contact me. I had to reach out to the body shop director to get anything started for repairs and here we are stilllll nothing. Still have a broken vehicle.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/11/2023

  We are responding to ID #********.  We sincerely apologize for the experience this customer is having with our dealership as this is certainly not the experience we want to provide for our guests.  A member of our management team has been trying to reach out to coordinate a time to speak with the customer to discuss this and come up with a plan of action for resolution.  When it is convenient for the customer, if they could please either reach out to Ryan M******** (General Manager) at 1-302-******** or Mark T****** (General Sales Manager) at 410-********, we would greatly appreciate that.  Once again, we apologize for this experience and would like the opportunity to discuss this with the customer to make this right.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/12/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a new vehicle form these folks in early February 2023. All arraignments were made on line as I live several hours away. Upon arriving at the dealership to take delivery of my vehicle I find that the sales rep is nowhere to be found, and nobody seems to know anything about me or my vehicle. As a matter of fact most of the employees were doing their best to avoid me because they did not know what to do. Finally somebody came out and did the paperwork, assured me that he knew how to record the lien, and I went on my way. The lien did not get recorded. So my credit union came after me. At this point I was justifiably frustrated and attempted to reach out to David W***** ** via email as he is listed as the president of this company, hoping that the issue would be resolved. The emails bounced back. On 4/10/23 I wrote old school letters and mailed them to David and the listed GM, Chris M*****. I received no response, so I handled the lien matter with my credit union myself. The saddest part is that I have yet to receive any response to my letters 3 months later. I don't know of any reason for me to have been treated the way I have been. If David or Chris would like to weigh in otherwise, I am all ears. ****

  Business Response

  Date: 07/21/2023

  We are responding to ID # ********.  We sincerely apologize for the experience this customer had with our dealership and we are disheartened to hear they did not receive the 5-star experience that we strive for.  Our management team has made multiple attempts to reach out to this customer.  We have called, left messages, and also sent an email on July 18, 2023, to the email listed on the complaint – we have not heard back.  If they could please reach out to our General Manager, Ryan M******** at 1-302-********, we would greatly appreciate that.  Once again, we apologize for this experience and would like the opportunity to discuss this with the customer to make this right. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/14/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I saw a Ford Transit advertised for sale online. I spoke with Isabell M******* and filed out a credit application. I gave the dealership a $500 deposit to hold the vehicle. On Friday, March 3rd I was told that the credit app was being run and I would hear from them on Monday. I told Isabell if there was a problem, because they mentioned my credit was locked, I would buy the vehicle for cash. I also provided my Private Bankers contact information so they could reach her with ease. On Monday I called Isabelle and got no answer. She called me later that afternoon and said my van had been sold. She stated she was very upset and on the verge of quitting over the incident. She said another salesperson took the keys out of her desk drawer over the weekend and sold it out from under her. At that point I requested that the General Manager, Lisa S******, call me to discuss this and explain what they were going to do to make things right. Ms. S****** never called me. It took me until the 10th to get her on the phone. During our call she said that "it's no excuse but she was very busy and hadn't called me back". She then proceeded to blame Isabelle saying she didn't follow the companies procedures and that is why the van was sold. She also said that particular type of vehicle was in short supply and she could look around but she couldn't guarantee me anything. Lisa didn't offer a sincere apology or a solution to their mistake other than to refund my deposit. I am a business owner and if my employee treated my customer the way I was treated I might have a former employee, rather than a sitting General Manager. This was handled poorly by the management team and Isabelle did end up resigning from Preston Auto Group. I also had a credit inquiry added to my personal credit report. I like feedback, both positive to reinforce good behaviors from my employees and negative to make sure we change behaviors that provide less than optimal results I hope they do too.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/21/2023

  We are responding to complaint ID: ********.  When the customer did get to have a conversation with our General Manager, she agreed that the situation was certainly unfortunate, but we did not have an approval for his business to purchase the vehicle.  Every time we sent the customer’s information to a bank for them to run his credit, they would come back and say that the customer’s credit was locked.  There was a lot of back and forth with this between the customer and us – the customer was saying it was unlocked, the banks were saying it was locked.  There is not much we could do at that point because the banks were telling us one thing and the customer was saying the another.

  
  After continuously trying, another salesperson had a customer ready to purchase the vehicle.   The vehicle was sold.  We offered to look for another vehicle just like that one and refund his deposit.  Our management team confirmed that none of them had any private banker information and were not made aware that the customer would buy the vehicle with cash.  We sincerely apologize that the vehicle was sold to another customer, but unfortunately this does happen sometimes, which is why that deposit is refundable under these circumstances.  We do apologize for the experience this customer had with our dealership and if the deposit process was not clearly communicated with the customer.  This is definitely something we will work on improving so there is no confusion regarding that.

  
  When this customer completed and submitted the credit application for his business, it gave the dealership permission to apply & shop for finance for the customer to try and secure the lowest rate.  This was unsuccessful as the banks kept saying the customer’s credit was locked.  The vehicle was sold to another customer after we could not get the approval for the customer’s business to purchase the vehicle.  It is always our intent to sell every customer possible and get them into the vehicle they want.  This time was no different.  There was never an intent to not try and sell this vehicle to this customer.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/23/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I can provide the email where I sent Isabelle my private bankers information including cell phone.  I noticed they said nothing about the length of time it took for ME to reach THEM, or how the General Manager said she was very busy but had meant to call me.  They are unprofessional and this dealership should be avoided if you want a fair shake.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** *******