ComplaintsforVolkswagen of Freehold

• Initial Complaint

  03/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On 1/31/2023, I purchased a Ram **** and traded in a **** Ranger lease and was told the lease would be paid off. Almost 60 days later, the lease has not been paid off, and **** Motor Credit wants me to make the lease payments for the Ranger (which has been on the dealership lot since 1/31. The dealership has also been unable to get me permanent plates from motor vehicle, and has had to issue a second temporary as the initial one expired 3/1.

• Initial Complaint

  01/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  on November 12 2022 Shopping on internet ******** marketplace came across cadillac xt4 for ********* called volkswagen of freehold made appointment and purchased vehicle traded in my pickup truck for ********* upon returning home after reading the contract again and realizing that they inflated the price of cadillac xt4 ******** I called manager had a full conversation with the manager ************************* he realized there was a mistake in contract volkswagen of freehold would credit me ******** ************************* said it would to the bank and i would see it in my payment between 30 to 60 days now its 60 days i still haven't seen the payment and i cannot get anybody on phone every time i call i get put on hold and it disconnects finally after calling five times getting through to be told general manager that i was dealing with ************************* no longer works there so i try to get the current manager on the phone would not pick up has returned any of my messages i left him

• Initial Complaint

  09/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased my car on 8/23. Noticed a moldy smell that night. By the weekend I had been stranded with a dead battery, car stopped responding to drive and reverse gears, liftgate didnt open unless the car was on, and there was a stronger moldy smell. Replaced the battery (reimbursed), dash and cluster flickered again, brought the car back to address the issues. I was told everything is fine. I mentioned the odor, maybe the ** wasn't draining, as I had noticed no drips while the ** was on, and was told by the Service Manager the car is running as it should. I was upset, but left. Car continued to smell so had the ** looked at. Condenser was clogged up. Repaired (out of pocket) Had the inside detailed to address the odor. Detailer noticed entire carpet from 1st row to 3rd was wet. Tested the moonroof, water came in through the foot rest panel. Brought it back to my mechanic, he unclogged the moonroof channels (out of pocket). Dried the car thoroughly with a house fan. Yesterday (9/22) after a light drizzle the inside was wet and the smell returned. Dash and cluster flickering throughout the day. Brought the car back today (9/23) return it as I can't have my asthmatic wife and daughter breathing that in, and purchase another, more expensive car. I was called over by the manager and was told upside down payments high. I was being processed for a trade-in I never authorized. Water damaged, leaking and moldy car cannot be taken back, was told that doesn't happen. They'd be happy to look over and repair. I tried that once, was shoo'd away and now was expected to deal with it on my own. Had to leave the car and hope they actually repair the issues, but I can't trust them to handle it right. We'll see. Terrible service after the sale, and when I was willing to work with them and have it fixed, was denied.

  Business response

  10/11/2022

  ************************************* sat with the ** Sales Manager and came to an agreement on fixing and addressing the issues that were bothering him. **** my ** Certified Master Technician repaired everything in a timely fashion and cleared everything asked for. That vehicle has been fixed at no cost. We addressed the Sunroof by clearing out all the drains, cleared out the ** Condensation Drain tubes as well, professionally handled the odor with our ozone machine, and had the vehicle detailed. We took care of all concerns and called the customer to pick up his vehicle at no cost to him. We are currently waiting for the customer to pick up his repaired vehicle.

   

  We have reached out to *********** to have him pick up his repaired vehicle. We believe we have done everything in our power to correct his concerns to the best of our ability.

  Customer response

  10/12/2022

  
  Complaint: 18122254
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  

  I had spoken with ******************************* on 10/5, and explained the situation to him.  He had mentioned the above, but those actions still didn't address the water damage to the electrical components and transmission issues the vehicles clearly has.  I was also told by the Sales Manager the car would be taken to Infiniti to have everything addressed, which per the Carfax report it was not.

   

  ***** proved to be understanding and was  willing to work with me, and agreed to buy the car back with $0.00 responsibility on my end if I was willing to work it out with him, to which I replied yes.  That's all I really asked of them from the beginning, take the car back and I was willing to purchase another one.

   

  ***** tried to reach out with details but I wasn't able to answer, and I advised him via text the best way to reach me was email since my days are filled with meetings.  He replied OK, so I am hoping to hear form him soon.

  
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************************

  Business response

  11/02/2022

  I offered ************************************* a trade-in value, and upgrading his current vehicle to a newer version, with less mileage on it, for roughly the same payment of the car he is currently complaining about. I also had my service department correct his concerns and I feel like there is nothing else we can do to assist ***********. We are out of solutions. The customer feels we arent doing enough and Ive had multiple employees involved now at this point.

   

  We feel at the very least the customer would try the vehicle out after repairs were completed. Nobody in the dealership can smell any odd odors. We have reached out to *********** to have him pick up his repaired vehicle, as stated prior. We believe we have done everything in our power to correct his concerns to the best of our ability.

   

   

  Warm Regards,

   

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

  Executive Vice President of Operations | Team Auto Group

  Main#: ************

  Customer response

  11/02/2022

  
  Complaint: 18122254
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  *********************** is neglecting to mention that the attempt to correct just one issue of  with the vehicle was only made after I returned to the dealership after weeks of multiple issues.  I originally brought the vehicle back within 2 weeks of purchase to address the smell as well as flooding, mechanical and electrical issues and nothing was offered in the form of a repair.  I was told everything was fine although the car was never even looked at.  I have proof of this as the the air conditioner that I brought up to the service manager was cleaned and repaired by my own mechanic, so Mr ************ previous claims of cleaning it out are a lie.
  
  As *********************** mentioned in the previous message, an ozone machine may (or may not) have been used to address the moldy odor, but that did nothing to address the flood damage or cause of flooding or other issues. I attempted to get into another vehicle on 10/15 and went to the existing vehicle to gather my belongings I had left behind. The entire floor carpets were completely soaked with water, not damp, but soaked.  There was puddling from *************** in the rear to the pedals in the front. All of the windows were fogged up, and when I opened the lift gate water poured out.  The vehicle has been taking in water from the time they first purchased it, throughout the time I had possession of it, until now. The car is beyond repair, it is completely unsafe and I refuse to take any additional chances driving it.  It has stopped responding to me once while in motion, and I will not take the chance of that happening again while my family is inside.  *********************** can give me the car for free and I would not risk my family's safety in it.  
  
  
  The amount *********************** claims to be roughly identical to the previous ($655.13) was $787 monthly on a total of $59,000. $130.00 is NOT roughly the same, not in any math that I'm aware of.  And when I asked for a break down of the price (the listed price of the vehicle on the website at the time was roughly $35,000, it is now $31,895), the Finance Manager was unable to explain it to me.  I could not be given an explanation of how $35,000 became $59,000, why would I want to take that on?  *********************** is also failing to mention that his workers ran my credit a number of times during this process, when I never authorized them to do so, to negatively impact my score which is one of the reasons they told me my APR was nearly double that of the initial vehicle.  There was never a need to do so as my lender, *****, had agreed to modify the loan to accommodate the higher priced vehicle.  He is also failing to mention that my original down payment cannot be taken into account for the new vehicle, and I am basically losing it.
  

  There is also the matter of having to call them every day to get the run around and not ever have the Finance Manager return  my call.  I had been trying to resolve this since 10/15, it is now 11/2 and I still have not had a call back.  
  

  It is clear to me that Volkswagen of Freehold is trying to take advantage of my situation and charge me as much as they think they can to offset their purchase of the vehicle.  I will not be taken advantage of.
  

  At this point I asked *********************** to unwind the vehicle because it is clear what they are trying to do, and I will have no part of it.  
  
  Regards,
  *************************************
  
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************************

  Business response

  11/09/2022

  ****************** has not picked up his vehicle yet, I don't understand how he could claim we made zero corrections or repairs if he never bothered to stop by and take his vehicle after the service department was done. I also don't know how he could say the vehicle smells like mold when he never came back to the car after being detailed and ozoned. Mind you nobody was able to smell what he smelt prior to us putting our best foot forward.
  ****************** does not need to purchase another vehicle at VW of Freehold, we'd like him to pick-up his car and we will waive the 2 months of storage fees we typically charge. The APR is subject to the current rates and bank approval based on the current market and his credit. As we all know the bank rates have gone up month after month in automotive lending, and other areas due to the Fe's rate spikes. VW of Freehold does not control bank rates, and bank approvals as an in-direct lender.

  Customer response

  11/09/2022

  
  Complaint: 18122254
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  *********************** is lying again. 

  Not only did the salesman who sold me the car smell the odor, but so did the service person who claimed nothing was wrong with it.  Everyone who sat in it smelled it.  My personal mechanic, who cleaned out the air conditioner condensor *********************** claimed to have done, also smelled it, and it is documented on one of his reciepts.  The wet conditions of the car were also documented by him on an additional reciept.

  If there was no oder, why would My ********** use the ** machine?  Either he is lying about using it or lying about the smell not being there.

  If there was no need for a new vehicle, why was he willing to even participate in the buy back?  Mr ********** knows there are issues with the car and is trying to stick me with it.  I now believe he believes what his Sales Manager ****** told me, "when you purchase a used vehicle that is a risk you take".  Not from a reputable VW dealership.

  I don't appreciate *********************** making these false claims, and expressing his good will of waiving a storage fee for a car he knows full well he should not have sold.  Or if so, taken all the measures he claims to have taken in the beginning when I first brought it back and was lied to.

  I also don't appreciate text messages sent to my phone threatening to tow the vehicle when I have expressed many times that he should email me with regard to the vehicle.  He has yet to respond via email since I asked him to do so.

  I have asked him to unwind the vehicle since I can no longer trust anything that's said by anyone at the dealership outside of the salesman who firs tsold me the vehicle.  He seems to be the only honest and decent person in the entire building.

  
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************************

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