ComplaintsforTitan Auto Group LLP

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Bought a 2013 explorer limited on 12-21-2023 and drove it home. Woke up 2 days later to a puddle of coolant under the car in my driveway. I did not drive the vehicle anymore and took it to a mechanic. Mechanic quoted me 3200$ to replace water pump and timing chain because the timing chain is what runs the water pump. I was okay with paying for that. They call me two days later after they take the timing cover off to find out that the engine has a crack in the block. The gentleman knew the car was not in good running order considering he gave me a list of things he had apparently fixed on the vehicle and would have seen that the water pump was leaking but chose to not disclose that and still sold it to me after charging me an extra 1000$ on the down payment so he could still make money on the vehicle and finance it.

  Business response

  03/18/2024

  I am sending my response in the mail today. 

  Business response

  03/26/2024

  I am writing in response to a complaint I received.  ****************** claims we knowingly and intentionally sold him a vehicle with a cracked block.  This is untrue.  When we find major problems with vehicles that we have purchased, we either repair the issue, send it to auction, or **** the price down and disclose what's known to a potential buyer.  I can back this up, if necessary, with many engine receipts, transmission receipts, losses in the tens of thousands of dollars on vehicles we sold at auction because they were not worth fixing or unfit to be sold to the public.  We spent $154,067 reconditioning vehicles in 2023.  For the price range and volume of vehicles we sell, this is massive, but I want them to hopefully last our customers a long time.

  Enclosed and ****ed #1 is a list of the recon that was done to Bailyr's Explorer.  The total amount spent on that list is $1,727.53.  I assure you that I did not replace a windshield, and struts, and CV axels, and control arms, etc., on a vehicle that I was aware had a major engine issue.  I do not believe that the vehicle had a crack in the block at the time of selling it to ******************.  As shown in the picture ****ed #2, which was taken by a pre-sale inspector before I purchased the vehicle, it shows the condition of the oil on the dip stick.  It is dirty and needs to be replaced, but it is not milky.  A crack in the block will mix coolant with the oil.  An internal water pump failure will usually mix coolant with oil.  This vehicle did not have that issue occurring.  It held it's coolant in the system as well because ****************** lives around 4 hours away and states he drove it home.  I'm not doubting that something failed on the vehicle.  I'm suspecting that after he found coolant on the ground, he refilled the system with water instead of antifreeze and once the temperature dropped below freezing, the block cracked.

  Enclosed items #3 & 4 show the vehicle had a described guarantee available and that I purchased it to protect myself from major issues. This gave me a 100 mile claim on major engine or transmission issues.  I did not arbitrate anything because nothing was found to arbitrate.  It also shows the miles on the vehicle when I sold it.  We put just under 200 miles on this Explorer without issue, ****************** test drove it, like it, and decided to return to purchase it a different day, and drove it home.  I would be very interested to see a picture of the current odometer reading on it since this was sold in December and I'm receiving this complaint in March.

  Lastly, ****************** declined a warranty when he was offered one at the time of sale.  Th cost of it could have been rolled into his auto loan making it more easily affordable.  If a failed water pump is what started this unfortunate chain of events, that would have been covered.  #6 is a federal buyer's guide that was signed stating this vehicle was purchased AS-IS, with no warranty, and a list of recommendations to potential buyers of used cars.

  If there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know. 

  Customer response

  03/26/2024

  Complaint: 21396314
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  I did not put anything in the coolant reservoir when I noticed it was leaking. I never started it or drove it after such failure, just because the water pump is internal doesnt mean that it will mix coolant with the oil. Some leak out of the seep hole and some mix with the oil. I was fortunate it didnt mix with the oil. However I never added anything to it considering it was leaking and I knew what it was I have friends with the same vehicles that had the same problems. My mechanic stated that when he took the timing cover off it had been rtv siliconed. Im not arguing that you sold it with a faulty engine or not Im arguing that I would like some help on the repairs considering I bought it drove it home and drove it to the store the next day then woke up the day after that and there was a puddle of coolant underneath it. Im not stupid I wouldnt add water to the coolant sounds to me like you did such and thats how you know it got the crack in the block. Yes I test drove it it ran fine but thats not hard to make so when you test drive less then 5 miles. I simply would like help with the engine replacement considering its a 7200$ fix and the car is only worth 10k. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Bailyr *******

  Business response

  04/03/2024

  Attached is an email sent to Bailyr after receiving his rejection response. For the sake of speeding things up a bit, I asked him to send me a picture of the odometer on the Explorer and info as to whether or not it has an oil cooler. He sent me that information and I responded to that with the attached email above. This will be my only offer. 

  Business response

  04/03/2024

  Attached is latest correspondence with ******. We offered an engine and a warranty and he accepted it. Weve paid for it and its being shipped to the address he gave

  Customer response

  04/04/2024

  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,
  
  Bailyr *******

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