ComplaintsforCar Smart Service, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  03/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased 96 Cadillac Eldorado about 3 weeks ago paying ******** cash. I took it into a dealer today to get an oil change only to be told, something is off with the oil, it doesn't look right, has stuff in it, and something leaking into the oil. And something needed to be done about it. They also gave me an estimate for another approx. ******** worth of items the car needs to be road worthy. These estimates are attached. Car Smart did absolutely nothing to this car before selling it. The fact it would not start the day I went to pick it up should have been a sign, but still I gave them the benefit of a doubt. I had the dealer just put cheap oil back in and drove it directly to Car Smart and alerted them I wanted a refund. They have not only refused, they were calling the man at the dealer who did the oil change (a previous employee I found out) and told me I was lying, and the man said there was nothing wrong with the car. I have the estimate. I left the car because the "man" in charge was not there, and I told them I wanted a refund. I was then called and told I had 45 mins to pick the car up or they were having it towed.They have absolutely nothing to stand by the car they sold me, which seems to be a lemon. They have not even discussed any satisfaction. And I might add that they have a great big sign on their door that says BBB, however I was so surprised when I signed in to file this complaint to see they are not BBB certified. That seems like false advertising. I want this dealer to make this right. I will be moving forward with a lawyer if they don't, and I will reach out to social media as well as local news on my experience with this dealer if I cannot get satisfaction on this complaint.

  Business response

  03/22/2024

  ******* affordable cars and managing expectations is one of the most difficult things a car dealer can do. In this particular case we had a 28 year old 1996 Cadillac El Dorado listed for sale for $7,995 online. The Customer was given almost $4000 off the sale price and purchased this vehicle "As Is" see attachment. After owning the car for about a month he took it into a new car dealership to have it checked over(something he could have easily done at the time of sale). ******************** looked at the car and said it could use a few things. So, they suggested rear brakes, shocks, and a couple other minor things. The customer then drove the car back to ********************** and Demanded a refund. He was rude and condescending to my employees. He then slammed the keys and title on my GM's desk and said we would be buying the car back and walked out the door. At that point we informed him that if he didn't pick his car up we would tow it. Furthermore, he lied to us and told us ***** Found metal shavings in his oil. As luck would have it, the person who he was working with used to work for us. So, after calling and speaking to him he informed us there was no major concerns with the car and that if anyone brought a 28 year old car in to be inspected they would find things they could fix. The brakes were legal. They measured 5 mm in the rear. The customer was embellishing his problems in order to try to get us to buy the vehicle back. The 28 year old car he bought that he determined wasn't road worthy still runs and drives. He threatened us with legal action and negative media like he has done in this complaint. We will not be bullied into anything. We are one of the largest used car dealers in ********* and sell 800 affordable cars per year. We have hundreds of reviews online all across the internet that tell a much different story than this gentlemen. 

   

  *************** - Owner 

  Customer response

  03/22/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 21456164 and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  The Business is not being truthful. They are not telling the whole truth on what they were told about this oil.  ****** told us and them (as I have spoke with the owner of ***** now) that the oil is suspicious.  It did not look right and did have something in it.  Also, they said they do not know if it affects the engine or not yet, no one in a competent garage who looked at this oil could say why it looked that way and if it was going to be an issue for the engine.  They said it will need to have miles put on it with the new (cheap) oil we replaced to see if it changes to the same looks and consistency.  By this time, this Business will surely not make this right.  There was no belligerency going on, I am an unhappy customer, whose concerns are not even being considered.  If this is how they sell all these cars they claim, I am sure I am not the first unhappy customer.
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************************

  Business response

  03/26/2024

  As I stated in my first response this customer is embellishing his problems. He purchased a 28 year old car a month ago for $5000 including taxes and fees. This was almost $4000 off the retail price. He purchased the car "As Is" as my attachment shows. The car runs and drives just fine. Nothing given from the dealership shows the car is unsafe to drive or not road worthy. The idea it's not road worthy is false. We will not be bullied or threatened into doing anything. We are unwilling to buy the car back. 

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