Complaints

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:08/22/2024

  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.

  purchased a new car at the end of July. Made an appointment and drove from an hour as I was quoted a monthly payment of $440. Couldn't meet with why sweet the appointment. The car I was inquiring about wasn't on the lot. Going through the purchase details it was $480 for 72 months or $515 for 60. When asked why it was more I was told it was due to a difference in the qualified interest rate. calculating the difference later its a 15% difference in price not 1-2% difference in interest. It was $1200 over the listed MSRP due to some pre applied interior treatments. Though not included in the price anywhere online nor mentioned when asked about the price difference. Decided to go with the 60 month lower interest rate option. When needing a reminder of the payment I was told $530. Then quoted a power train warranty for monthly payment of about $560. I says that makes it about $1000 extra and he agreed but was actually $3000 more. After waiting over 3 hours was rushed to sign the paperwork. When I called a few days later for more clarification on all of this and asked to remove the warranty. Told it would have to be done in person so I made another appointment to cancel the warranty. Once in *** during the appointment timeframe I was told the financial manager was actually out of town. But since I already made the trip the could take care of it over email when he returned in a few days. It has been weeks and still can't get any responses or headway on the paperwork to cancel this. Though I've contacted them multiple times in multiple ways. Had it been taken care of when I initially asked my payment would have been reduced to the $515 but the financing is processed and will still need to make the larger payments.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/22/2024

  Thank you for providing your feedback with our sales process. We try to be as transparent and upfront with all items during our sales, hence our write up has every detail listed for cost of the vehicle. Our disclaimer also notes to those items as dealer installed accessories not included in the price as with sales tax, registration, and dealer documentary fee. 

  For the financing of the vehicle, we use a finance menu for each customer and the coverage was selected and it was not a power train coverage. The coverage that was selected was a 10 year or ******* mile exclusionary coverage that would have covered your VW during that time period for more components than a basic power train coverage.

  As with interest rates varying between credit scores we cannot control those factors as we are not a lending institution. 

   

  So with your request of having your payments being adjusted with the cancellation of the coverage. We are unable to provide that for you since we are not the lending institution and have no control over that side of the transaction. We merely underwrite the loan that you had originally agreed to with your signature on each contract, menu, and pages. The cancellation of the coverage merely takes the amount off the balance of the loan. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/23/2024

   
  Complaint: 22179512
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I understand the end results of the situation.  My issue is the number of times I was rushed through and mislead by the individuals assisting me throughout the process. Multiple times I asked for clarification and was given inaccurate, misleading, or contradictory information. The consistency of these issues, throughout every department I interacted with, leads me to believe that it is a systemic issue and not an individual one.  You also did not address with three concerns of the multiple appointments that were neglected or the fact that it was only after this complaint that I have heard back about cancelling this warranty. Knowing many people who have worked at many different dealerships I know that it is standard to have a timeframe in which we could have made  this cancellation and processed the amended documents in time to adjust the payments. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/23/2024

  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.

  On July 10, 2024 I brought my vehicle in for a check engine light and DEF system issues. The vehicle would not start so it was towed on a trailer to the dealership. After the service the plastic splash guards under my vehicle fell off while on the highway after leaving the dealership. Multiple screws were missing from the covering and the screws that were still in place appeared to have been removed recently. The dealership is claiming that they are not responsible for the damages sustained to the guards or the mount holding the radiator. I was shown a video of my car entering the dealership on a previous occasion with a small piece hanging under my front bumper. However when I asked for video of my most recent visit they had none. Nor did they have pictures of their initial inspection from the 10th when the vehicle was dropped off. The technician that worked on the vehicle and performed a PMI stated there were no damages or pieces hanging from the vehicle when he looked at it. There are no notes stating any type of damages seen upon inspection. My paperwork states that they performed a test drive after completing repairs. When I was called to pick the vehicle up the service advisor stated that an extensive test drive was done totaling an hour and a half long. However when I was speaking to three different service advisors today I asked for information on who performed the test drive they all stated that a test drive was not performed. My radiator is nearly falling out because of the damages sustained after they worked on my vehicle. They refuse to fix the damages

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/24/2024

  After looking at the footage that was displayed to you yesterday. The vehicle arrived with a falling cover and we did not take off the cover nor move it to complete the items we had promised. 

   

  With the information we have received and from our technicians, we were not at fault for the damages to the vehicle. We will not be fixing the issue and refunding the service bill from earlier this month. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/24/2024

  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.

  My family and I have been buying cars from Strong VW for over 20 years. I have brought in others because I thought so highly of Strong. I got my VW Jetta S end of 2020, brand new. A couple months after, I started having issues with my air conditioning. It was blowing hot air instead of cold. I waited until May of 2021 and took my car in on May 31, 2021. They said my AC looked fine. I have brought my car in to the dealership twice a year where they recharged my AC but didn't fix the problem. March of this year, I brought it in again due to the AC and they found a leak and repaired said leak. I have had to argue with the front desk because of these issues and them trying to charge me for said issues. They have belittled me and treated me terribly every time I have been in. Incredibly disappointing. I have paid for the warranty and due to the faulty air conditioning system, the financial burden has been put on to me. I have spent countless days at the dealership over this ordeal. I bought a brand new car so I wouldn't have issues like these. My warranty should cover my AC and I have proof that it does, yet I come in and have to explain to customer service why I should not have to pay for a mess up that volkswagen created. I either want an entirely new AC system or I want an exchange for a new car. This is not okay.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/05/2024

  We can have our shop foreman look at this issue to see if there are other things with the ac. Each time they have been covered under warranty and have been updating throughout the process of the car in the shop. Warranty is still valid and we can only perform certain tasks under warranty and must follow VW of Americas guidelines when seeing what is going on with the vehicle. 
  

  I am not sure where the charges are coming from since each RO I looked at, they were covered under warranty and no cost to customer for those instances. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/14/2024

  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.

  My husband and I signed a new lease for a 2021 ********** outlander se on 5/22/24, they did a wonderful job with finding a finance company that would accept us because of employment verification issues with the first one. On Friday June 7th the vehicle broke down with no warning with myself and 3 children in 90+ degree heat. upon getting the vehicle to run again I found that the catalytic converter was bad 16 days after signing, we did attempt to see if it fell under EPA laws but unfortunately it already has an aftermarket catalytic converter. As we've had the vehicle for 16 days at the time it's hard to find about $4,000 to repair the O2 sensors and catalytic converter plus anything else damaged within the emission system. There is no way we have caused the damage to the catalytic converter and this should have been caught that it was an aftermarket before this vehicle was sold when they did their inspection. We were also told we were given a bumper to bumper warranty but apparently the emission system isn't covered. This is not a normal wear and tear issue so either my warranty or the dealership that says they offer a warranty should be covering this, under the I will get a copy of the information from the ********** dealership to provide showing it's an aftermarket catalytic converter. Due to the issues in the catalytic converter the vehicle is barely drivable as an overheats quickly now too

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/17/2024

  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We sincerely regret the inconvenience and distress you experienced with your vehicle, especially under such challenging circumstances.
  We understand your concern regarding the catalytic converter and the unexpected breakdown. When the vehicle was sold to you, it underwent a comprehensive inspection, and all components, including the catalytic converter, were found to be in good working condition. However, as catalytic converters can fail unpredictably and without prior warning, it is often difficult to determine the exact time of their failure.
  Regarding the aftermarket catalytic converter, we strive to ensure all vehicles meet the required standards before sale.
  While we empathize with your situation, the limited coverage provided at the time of sale does not cover the emissions system, including the catalytic converter and many other wear items. 
  We recommend you contact a certified ********** dealership or an authorized service center for further assessment and repair options. They may offer insights or potential cost-effective solutions for addressing the issue.
  Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have further questions or if there is any other way we may assist you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/28/2024

  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.

  Strong Volkswagen sold my son a car that has a federal stop sale on it. They called me a couple of day later and demanded the car back due to realizing that they had sold a car that has a stop sale. They have not come up with a reasonable solution to get this resolved. The recall was placed through Volkswagen back in April, the car was purchased towards the end of May, so they had to have known about the recall before they sold the car.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/31/2024

  This complaint has been resolved with the buying party. As this situation was handled in person and phone communication. I don't believe there is any further action needed besides notification when the recall repair becomes available.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/01/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  Car is great...... salesman and financing bring the "used car salesman stigma" to realization. Wanted to pay cash, but said the car would be more, so they recommend to go through their financing to get the better price, and then to make 8 payments then pay it off. They ended up saying we qualified to finance through AFCU (our credit union) and we could get a 6.99% rate, which they seemed like this was a great deal. Unbeknownst to me, this raised the car price up $600 because we had better credit and were able to get a lower rate. Then I looked at our financing of AFCU and saw that we were financing more than I anticipated. Called to see what the issue was, and they said to look at the contract that they put in the glove box. There was no contract and they kept saying there was. They realized their mistake and finally emailed me a copy. Noticed a $199 charge for nitrogen for the tires. Had no clue what this was, and never agreed, but somehow ended up in the contract I signed (my mistake since I didn't read through all the lines and trusted them). Another charge was $487 for eco guard (whatever that is) again, never noticed that. Who in their right mind would pay an extra $700 on a 2011 vehicle for added protection on paint or interior!?! Again my mistake for being a trusting person and not reading all the fine lines with them sliding things in. And after the so called nitrogen put in the tires, the low tire pressure light won't go off. Last time I'll do business with Strong VW, and trusting that they are all about customer service and making things right. Hard lesson for me to learn, so hopefully my mistake will help someone else.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/05/2024

  I have reached out by phone On Friday 2/2 and again today 2/5 to come to a resolution just haven't heard back

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/06/2024

   
  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,
  
  ****** *********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/28/2023

  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.

  July 20th - A mechanic did some repairs on my diesel Jetta and found a small leak in my EGR cooler. The EGR cooler is covered under warranty so I called Strong VW to schedule a service appointment to fix the EGR cooler and verrified that it's covered under warranty. (to be clear, I would much rather pay the mechanic who found the issue than a dealership, the only reason I went to strong was because this part is covered under warranty). August 28th - My wife drops the car off at the dealership, and they told her that we didn't have an appointment, but I received multiple confirmation text messages about the appointment and a link to my service account. They ultimately agreed to honor the appointment and take the car in. About 90 minutes later they called and said they inspected the whole vehicle and found a leak in the valve cover gasket that they could fix for ~$850. I asked if they would just fix my EGR cooler leak, which is what I brought the car in for and is covered by the warranty. The service technician told me that there is no warranty, and they already checked my EGR cooler and refuse to check it again. I googled the warranty info, eventually he admitted that the EGR system is under warranty but not the gasket. I refused to pay $850 for a gasket replacement (this typically costs $110-340 from any reputable repair shop) and my wife went back to pick the car up. They then charged my wife $200 for the inspection they did - I never asked for an inspection, they refused to do the work I brought my car in for, and they never attempted to get any kind of authorization or even alert us for the costs of their inspection that I didn't want. They definitely owe our $195.57 back and if they had any respect they'd pay our $30.20 Uber charges and apologies for wasting our time and refusing to do the repairs we asked for.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 08/30/2023

  In the first phone conversation, we informed the customer about our process of conducting a thorough diagnosis to identify the underlying cause or problem with their vehicle. You can find further details in the attached document, which also includes the customer's signature agreeing to the pre-authorized repair limit of $165. 
  
  After closely examining the vehicle, we determined that the issue was attributed to a faulty valve cover gasket rather than the EGR cooler as initially suspected. Given this updated information, we will not be issuing a refund to the customer, as they were adequately informed about the associated charge on multiple occasions.
  
  It's important to note that the customer was apprised of the diagnosis fee during a recorded phone conversation, specifically around the 9-minute mark.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/30/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  We requested and approved the work involved with investigating a coolant leak. Specifically, you were informed that another mechanic had detected a coolant leak originating from the EGR cooler. Even the document you provided indicates that our primary concern revolved around a coolant leak. However, the diagnostic fee you billed us for pertains to an oil leak stemming from the valve cover gasket. This matter is entirely unrelated to a coolant leak or the EGR system, no one ever expressed concern for, or approved work related to oil leaks.
  
  Strong refused to do the work we requested and charged us to work on something completely different.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *****