ComplaintsforAutoSmart Preowned

• Initial Complaint

  04/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On March 10 my daughter called from the dealership and I spoke with a saleman who asked if I would be a sponsor for her in order to buy a car - I asked what that entitled and he explained that I would just be a contract in case they needed to reach her and someone who would be making sure she was making the monthly payment - I asked if I would be responsible for anything else and the he stated no. I was not cosigning or be responsible for making an payment and after 6 months I would be removed from her account . I said I would do that but again ask to be sure I had the information correct that I would not be responsible for anything in regards to payments and he assured me I wouldn't and also that I would receive $500 if I volunterred to do this. I was asked to meet the saleman in Waynesburg, PA at the Big Lots parking lot to sign the papers saying I would be a sponsor -- I was working that day and could not drive to Ohio - I meet the saleman from the dealership and started to sign the papers that I had been told were for sponsorship - I even asked again when I was signing the papers if this was for the sponsorship and I would be removed from the account in 6 months and was again told yes - it had been put in the system to have me remove in 6 months. the last papers i was given to sign had my name on it and i realized it was loan paper -- I asked why the loan was in my name and was told that is how the bank wanted it - I said so in 6 months it is her loan and again was told yes . I should have known better - I finally was able to get ahold of the bank and was told no she would never be on the loan it was only in my name. I called and spoke to ******* and was told I signed all the paperwork so I am responsible and explained to him I never agreed to a loan and he should take the car back and correct what had been done but all he offered was that I had signed the papers he had all of them in front of him and wouldn;t offer to correct what his saleman had fradulently done. I never gave permission for a loan to be applied for in my name and I never agreed to buy a car.

  Business response

  05/22/2023

  After extensive research and also speaking with Ms. ******.  It is clear that she is aware that she purchased a vehicle.  Credit application, buyer's order, & all loan documents where signed by her.   It is unlikely that she did not know she was purchasing a vehicle.
  She was also signed  our payment disclosure attached.  

  Thank you

  *** *******

   

• Initial Complaint

  03/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I went in to the defiance autosmart to look at a car. I was debating trading in my 2013 Ford Explorer. After taking it for a drive and their mechanic looking at it they told me my transmission was going out. It did just start driving a little rough but did not think it was something so serious. since a professional told me what was wrong with it I believed them. They offered me 1000. After changing my mind 3 times I decided to trade it for the 1000. Not only did I notice they only gave me 500 for the trade-in not the 1000, but 2 days later my Explorer that they said had a bad tranny was out in their lot for sale for 8500!! Told me it ended up NOT being the tranny after all?!?! I feel like I was lied to. I am currently waiting for a $500 check since they offered me $1000 for tradin and only gave me $500. Which that in itself is wrong. So lied about trade in amount and what was wrong with my car. Which was only reason I traded it in for that amount!

  Business response

  03/30/2023

  Thank you for assisting in this matter.  The customer did trade a vehicle and based on all the information provided, it still has the same transmission issue it did when traded.  It's unfortunate the the trade in offer was missed when the $1000 dollar number was originally discussed.  That is why I personally called the customer and authorized the additional $500 check.  If I can help in any other way, the customer can call me at the dealership to discuss.  ************

   

  ***** ****** 

  Customer response

  03/30/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: It has been going on 2 weeks and still have not received the $500 check that I was told on the first day, would be personally drove to my house. I was not personally called, I have been the one to call, multiple times.  I even offered to buy my trade-in back for the $500 they gave me for it.  If it has transmission issues why was it out for sale on the lot, then days later on Facebook for sale for $8500? 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *****

• Initial Complaint

  03/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Salesman obtained a credit card in my name in association with vehicle purchase. He stated they were "offering a $4,000 incentive" to purchase vehicle. Stated their mailings, like I received, were aimed at Seniors on fixed income. Salesman e-signed with Digni-Fi to accept credit card. I had no idea, and did not e-sign anything at dealership. An additional credit card account is not an incentive to buy a car. When I received notice of payment due on said account, I contacted them to dispute, as I had no knowledge. Initially DigniFi would not give me any information as my phone number and address did not match what they had on file. Salesman had given them my address from 6 years ago, in Grove City, OH. I have disputed charge, filed police report and contacted OH Atty General. Dealership reports I e-signed for account several times, and this is a blatant lie. This is theft by deception, as far as I am concerned.. And he even said they target Senior Citizens to send their mailers. I refuse to pay this account, as I did not authorize. There is nothing in my contract or any paperwork with my signature approving such an account.

• Initial Complaint

  03/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Submitted by ***** ******** FBO of ****** ***** ****** received a postcard in the mail from AutoSmart LLC with pull tabs. She pulled a tab and it said she won $1000.00. She went to the dealership that was in Cambridge, OH on Wheeling Avenue on Feb 11 2023. They started talking to her about buying a car (2014 Buick Encore). She had no intentions of buying a car. They ended up telling her they would give her $10,000 for her 2007 Ford Edge. She ended up signing a whole bunch of papers that she didn’t really understand what she was signing. She is 90 years old. She did go back to the dealership again on Sunday to take her title for her Edge to them. After I reviewed the documents I found they only gave her $410 for her trade-in and charged her credit card $3700.00. She doesn’t recall why they said they needed the credit card. She tried to call them several times. I became aware of the situation on Feb 23, 2023. By then they had already packed up and left town. I did get to talk to a ****** that night at AutoSmart and she said she would look into it. We received a call from ******* on Friday the 24th. He insisted that she wanted the car and agreed to everything. I asked about the $410 trade in on a vehicle that has a clean trade in value of $3800 to $4000 and he said that was standard practice for them. ****** is on a fixed income and cannot afford a $268 a month car payment or the $3700 credit card payment. We have disputed the credit card charge already. Please feel free to reach out to me or ****** with any questions. I feel this is a clear case of elder abuse/fraud. ***** ******** ***-***-****

  Customer response

  03/17/2023

  Autosmart LLC is used car dealer that travels around to different areas and sets up shop for a couple weeks then moves on to the next area.  They were gone before we could reach out to them.  

• Initial Complaint

  11/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought a 2019 Ford Fusion AWD back in August. The first week i had to replace the battery. Then i had taken it to 4 shops, none of them could not pin point what was wrong with it. I then had the car towed to Auto Smart's dealership in Hamler, they fixed a few things then when i got it back i had more issues arise. The dealership has had my car since November 11th. Autosmart has refused to take it back because they said it was safe to drive with all the isses, with no heat, transmission and electrical issues. And they had no communication with me, ive called them several times and ive gotten nowhere with them. If i hadn't called them this morning then i wouldn't of known that they have a ford shop appointment to check the car out on December 5th. So im without a vehicle right now.

  Business response

  12/06/2022

  Thank you for reaching out to us.  It was my understanding this customer had been satisfied as they were in on 11-11-22 and purchased a different unit than referenced in this complaint.  The fact the customer states as "out of a car" is concerning as our records show they purchased a 2019 Chevy Colorado and to our knowledge, that vehicle is satisfactory.  If the customer needs assistance with a different vehicle, please have them reach out to me via email or through the dealership main line and I would be happy to assist.  

   

  Sincerely,

   

  ***** ******

  Chief Operating Officer / *****@******************   ************

  Customer response

  12/06/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The problem is not with the 2019 chevy colorado.  It is with my 2019 ford fusion. I've had nothing but problems out of the 2019 ford fusion. The ford fusion has been at the autosmart dealership and then they took it up to a ford dealer mechanic shop. That has been for almost four weeks now. And im still making my monthly payments plus my after market insurance for a car that im not even able to even drive. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********* ******

• Initial Complaint

  10/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On October 12th, my fiance ***** ****** called Autosmart Chevrolet and talked to a guy about refinancing a car I co signed on for her, I was not with her at the time of this call, I was at work, on my lunch break I received a email from credit wise that I had a new hard credit inquiry on my report, so I looked into it come to find out I have 8 new hard inquiries on my report without my authorization, so I called Autosmart Chevrolet and talked to the supervisor in the finance department, and he told me that he could run my information anytime he wanted. I worked extremely hard to better my credit for someone to tell me he can run my information when ever he wanted was very disrespectful, the guy told he doesn't have to do anything for me and hung up. I did not want my social security # ran or my other information, for Autosmart Chevrolet to do so is fraud, I never gave them permission!

  Business response

  10/14/2022

  Thank you for the notification. The customer provided the needed information and authorized the credit pull.  We could not have had the customer's soc sec number otherwise.  I am sorry it did not work out.  The inquiry will drop off the report in 30 days.  

  Customer response

  10/14/2022

  
  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

  09/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Went to look at vehicle, dealer lied about APR I was getting after I was a few pages into signing. Once I saw the correct APR, I asked them about it and they trying to negotiate me into it. I left shortly after. A few days later, I get a letter from Capital One claiming my first payment for the vehicle I didn’t purchase is due in 2 weeks. Filed police report.

  Business response

  09/26/2022

  Thank you for the notice.  Yes, we were aware that the customer's desire to purchase a vehicle had changed after signing the documents.  We notified Capital One of the error and it has been corrected.  If I can help in any other way, please let me know. 

   

  ***** ******

  Chief Operating Officer

• Initial Complaint

  08/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Bought a car at new philadelpia ohio traded my jeep for 2014 Ford f 150 they said all I would be paying is for truck payment had net trade in 4000 down then after I bought truck a week later came a credit card says I owe 4000 dollars when it clearly states on paper work net trade in 4000 on my paper work I am glad to make my truck payment as agreed but I don't think I should be responsible for that 4000 I want them make it go away thank you

  Business response

  10/18/2022

  Thank you for bringing this to my attention.  The customer did purchase a vehicle and I am afraid they may be confused regarding the numbers.  The purchase order shows a trade in and a down payment, both of $4000 each.  It appears as though they may have mixed the two up.  The down payment, and the trade combined show a total of $8000.  That would require the $4000 in question to have been paid in some form. I hope this clears things up.  Feel free to contact me at the email below with any other questions. 

   

  ***** ******

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

• Initial Complaint

  05/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Friday May 15th i went to look at vehicles they had in the old ******* building on ********** ** in ***** ****. Told them id like to get the prices on 2 different vehicles to see if they were in my price range. They ran my credit even though i never gave them permission or even said i was buying. Took a hard inquiry on my credit report and want people to know this is what they do..

  Business response

  05/23/2022

  [BBB transcribed; see file]

  RE - ********

  
  

  Thank you for the notification of this incident.  We strive to make everyone happy and it appears there was a breakdown here.  We do not pull credit without authorization.  Please find attached the authorization form signed by the customer prior to the inquiry.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

  
  

  --
  

  ***** ******

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

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

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

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

• Initial Complaint

  01/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I traded my truck in on on October 15 2021. I traded it for an audi A3. My truck was a down payment. They gave me 3000 for the trade it. The car ended up being totaled initially and that information was never disclosed to me. A week later they called me back and told me I needed to return the car because of the damages that were previously dome with it. I wait for 2 months for them 2 find me a car. They eventually put me in a 2017 dodge journey that was way out of my price range. They forced me to take it. Now I have had the car for 45 days and the car still isn't in my name even though I have made a payment on the vehicle. This has been going on since October. With 2 different vehicles. They new I couldn't afford this car and still.made me take it. They gave me no option. Even though this is all because of there negligent.

  Business response

  02/15/2022

  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. At Autosmart, we try to please everyone but and it appears we came up short here. As the customer stated, they originally attempted to purchase an Audi and upon further review, the vehicle did not meet safety standards. Rather than go without a vehicle, the customer asked us to find one that fit their needs. The customer did select a 2017 Dodge Journey and the purchase was finalized. The customer's title work is registered with the state. Title # ** **** ****. If I can be of further help, please let me know.
  Thank you

  Business response

  02/15/2022

  From: ***** ******
  Date: Tue, Feb 15, 2022 at 2:20 PM
  Subject: Complaint
  To:
  
  
  *********,
  
  I found a letter dated Jan 26th regarding a ******** **** *********. I do not have access to your system that I am aware of. Can I assist in some way?
  
  --
  ***** ******
  Chief Operating Officer
  AutoSmart Group of Hamler
  ************ ***
  ************ ****

*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. ↩