Bad Experience.

Back in November, my wife and I went to this dealership to test drive a Mustang GT. Just wanted a test drive is all. After the drive, we decided to fill out the paperwork on it. We also test drove a 2008 Dodge Avenger 2.4L just for kicks. We were not approved for the Mustang. We went home that night and were told the next day that we had not been approved.

Two days later, I get a call from that same dealership saying that they had three cars for me to check out. A 2007 Sebring, a 2008 Grand Prix, and a 200x Malibu. They asked us to come back up and drive them and see if we liked one. So we went that night.

They had the Sebring ready almost as soon as we got there. We drove it first, and as soon as we got back, we were practically rushed inside to do the paperwork. I asked about the other cars but they avoided the subject. So we did the paperwork and got the Sebring.

We didn't get much time to really inspect the car before leaving with it, and almost immediately after leaving found a problem with it. Then the next day found another problem. It was a Friday night when we left with it, and I called them the next morning after finding the 2nd problem. They agreed to take care of the problems, but had to wait until Monday when the parts department was open.

So Monday I call and they order the parts. Wait 1.5 weeks for parts to come in and go up and they install them. Things seemed great.

I only got a 3 month / 3000 mile warranty on the car. Just a few weeks ago, the rain season started here, and by then my warranty had expired. Well I took my wife to Nashville for her birthday (also got my windows tinted that day) and it was raining that day. So we drove in the rain, car got wet, etc. The next day I noticed that the trunk carpet was soaked through. Two days later, it was still wet and the floorboard on the passenger rear seat was soaked also. So I took the car to my closest dealership (the one I bought it from is 35 miles from home) and had them look at it. They discovered a body seam leaking in the rear, and a leak at the tail light both on the passenger side.

Got the car back, the weather was good and the carpet dried. The next week we had to take my oldest boy to the doctor. It was raining that day, so we drove in the rain. After the doctor, we went to lunch. After lunch, my son took his shoes off and complained that the floor was wet. I thought it was just where his shoes were wet, but it wasn't. Again the carpet was soaked. Took the car back to the dealership and they found another body seam leaking. They didn't charge me this time. I asked the service manager why body seams would leak, and he told me that an accident would cause it. I asked him if the dealer would have to tell me that it was in an accident, he said if the accident was severe enough.

I had a carfax pulled on the car and sure enough, the car was in an accident.

I contacted a state rep about the legal aspects of notification of accidents by a dealer, and was told that if they know of defects they HAVE to disclose them. It's a violation of their license, and a violation of state consumer protection laws.

So I called the dealer I bought the car from and explained everything to them, and they asked to look at the car. I took it to them and they kept it for three days. They swear they couldn't find any leak, after pouring water on the car two days in a row from a water hose. The dealer tells me that they don't pull carfax reports because it is too expensive. This has to be BS. Surely a dealership can pay a flat monthly fee and run all the carfax reports they want? After telling the state rep that the dealer doesn't pull carfax reports, and that the car had been wrecked, he said he may change laws to force dealers to pull reports to help protect consumers.

So I will have to wait for it to rain and drive it in the rain again.

This dealership has not done what they could have done to help with this problem, they have failed to report the accident, failed to offer to reimburse me for the repair cost on the leaks that the other dealer fixed, they have left the mildewed carpet in the car. I for one do not believe that they don't pull carfax reports, when you're going to buy a car for several thousand dollars, you will do your homework.

I don't think the dealer would do a carfax on a trade in. They are going to resell the vehicle. if the new owner has no troubles or finds no faults then all is good. It is a risk they take. The consumer or seller does not have to disclose to the dealer or buyer that the vehicle was in an accident, it is the buyer's responsibility to use the tools that are available to them. The dealer MUST disclose damage done at the "port" or any storm damage if it occurs prior to the vehicle being registered. So, if you went shopping for a new car in Louisiana after Katrina, they are legally responsible to tell you the car had floood damage if it was in New Orleans. Insurance companies are the suppliers of information to carfax. It is in their interest to have this service available to them, they do not insure previous damage.
Back in 2005 I bought a grand caravan from the same dealer I bought our Avenger from. They got us in the deal right before closing. I knew in my gut I should have walked out. With the wife and kid there I decided to finish it up then. Moved in to the F&I office, should be a high paying job since I know I threaten their lives every time I talk to one. They get us all warm and fuzzy on the 0% financing...BUT they can't get the office on the phone tonight. They tell us to take the van now anyway and they will call us in when they get the papers ready....3 days later they call and inform me we don't qualify for the 0%. I told them to get my trade ready I will bring the van back, he was baffled. After many calls and getting me so worked up I couldn't drive, I called the sales manager one final time. Basically called him every name in the book, threatened him...requested some more money off the price of the van (I basically squeezed any money he had coming right out of the deal) i got the deal I wanted in the end. Never again will I do the late night car shopping, NEVER! I will also not take a car home for any amount of time until I have my final deal papers in my hand. BTW, I worked a similar deal on my Avenger from the same dealer. The Service Department is very good, that is really where I worry about my car, when it needs tore into and fixed I want good techs doing it, they have those there. The Service Manager stinks but thats a whole nother nightmare....
So your Sebring still getting wet inside?

I'm a member of the online Chrysler Customer Advisory Board and just today they started a new discussion titled "Dealership Experiences."

"In the past, some of you have mentioned that you'd like to see changes at our dealerships. While we don't own or operate Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep(R) dealerships, we can offer dealers feedback and suggestions to help them better service you."

"Please tell us about your best and worst dealership experience. What are the best dealers doing right and what are the not-so-good dealers doing wrong?"

Just remember that it isn't Chrysler's fault per se - so don't hold a grudge against Chrysler. They know customers have bad experiences, and genuinely want to change that, but the dealers are independent businesses so they are limited on what they can do.

I know I would be upset to find out my car was in a previous accident, particularly one that causes leaks in seams. If I were you, I would contact Chrysler directly and see where that goes. Again, they may be limited in providing a solution, but when the dealer finds out you called the "boss" they may change their tune.

I completely blame the dealer...in my situations.

I completely blame the dealer...in my situations.

Oh yeah, for sure. Most of the time it is the dealer that's at fault - and the manufacturer suffers from it.

I know this in no way reflects on Chrysler. This is our third Chrysler vehicle, and we've been happy with all three. The first was a 2000 Plymouth Neon, and we currently have a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan as the family hauler.

This is plain and simple a dealer issue.

Every other dealer down here (Sparta/Cookeville area of Tennessee) that I know of, will run a Carfax report on your vehicle when you attempt to trade it in. If they find an accident, they reduce the trade-in value accordingly. So later on, if or when I go to trade this car in, they will ding the value because of an accident that I wasn't told about.

I have no intentions of trading the car at the moment though. I hope that the leaks are fixed. I have hopes of a few appearance and performance mods for the car, but all that has stopped until I know that the leaks are fixed. I know the car still stinks a little from time to time. I'm probably going to have to get the carpet steam cleaned.

Like I said, if they're not fixed I'll take it up with the sate licensing department and see what they say about the whole thing.

I'm not sure if the leaks are fixed yet though.

... So later on, if or when I go to trade this car in, they will ding the value because of an accident that I wasn't told about.


So this can hurt you years from now when you trade it in or sell it... I don't know that I could accept that.

And so it continues....

A couple of days ago, I checked the car to see if the trunk was wet because I had finally put the carpet back in about a week and a half ago, and sure enough it was soaked again from the recent rains (had to drive in the rain again). So I checked the floorboard on the rear passenger side and it was damp too.

Immediately called the dealership that I bought it from (East TN Dodge) and spoke with the sales manager and he sounded dismayed to be hearing from me again. I explained that the car was wet again after driving in the rain and he said that because their guys had exhausted the mechanical options he would take it to a body shop and have a 'freebie' look taken at it to see if they could find anything. Asked when I could get the car back up there. The next day my oldest son had a doctors appointment in another city so I would have to take him the car after that. So we made arrangements to go after that. After all the driving and all that we go up there and the service guy when I move all my stuff starts talking about having some glass company come and look at the windows and seals on the car. I tell him to talk to the sales manager whom I had spoken to the day before because he had indicated sending it to a body shop was the next step. I take the loaner and leave.

The next day (yesterday) I call in the morning and speak with the sales manager and explain about the service guy talking about the glass company and he said he would talk to him and to call him back in the afternoon. I call him back yesterday evening and he tells me that they are in fact going to go ahead and let the glass company look at the windows and seals on the car to check it. I explain that they have already had a guy in the trunk for a combined time of nearly 2 hours pouring water on the car and they couldn't find a leak, yet I can drive it in the rain and get the car wet in no time. But that I want the car fixed, so I guess I have no choice. That is when he explains that they don't run carfaxes, the car was sold as-is and they're just doing this as a favor to me. Just trying to be nice. I saw red. It took everything I had to keep from telling him to get my car ready for me to come pick it up right then.

I tell you what, I'm so angry about this whole thing I can't even begin to describe it. This whole experience has been the worst buying experience in my life!

I have already contacted one attorney, and he gave me some information. And I'm going to contact the state consumer affairs division as well. It's so messed up, and I feel like I have been totally taken advantage of here.