Complaint Review: Deery Brothers

Thank you to Mr. Brad Deery for his compassionate redemption in our case. After everything that's happened to us over the past 5 years, his most recent act has shed a new and positive light onto our perspective of the Deery Bros. car dealership in West Burlington, Iowa.

Mr. Deery took the time to personally assist us after the finance company wouldn't release the title to the mini-van even though it was paid off completely. Brad stood firm and is helping us get back on track with a new title.

With an attitude toward forgiving and moving forward, we heartily accepted Brad's assistance and believe that the situation that happened to us at the beginning of our ownership of mini-van is a thing of the past at Deery Bros.

I genuinely believe that this act of compassionate kindness in a recently cruel world, redeems the dealership in my eyes and has given me renewed faith in my fellow man.

Thank you, Mr. Brad Deery and I know that I can't undo the first report, but I can rebut that it was probably the particular employees at the time and not this dealership itself who was to blame for the whole fiasco, but again, I feel this help in letting us move forward with legal title after paying off the vehicle is wonderful and very redeeming.

Here's to smoother sailing ahead. Here, here!

Dear Mr. Mertens,

I believe your apology is quite insincere because you obviously have not read anything I have written, if you had you would know that:

A)     The contract was changed drastically AFTER we signed it

B)      Therefore we were NOT aware of everything as it was NOT presented

C)      What was presented was completely misrepresented by Randy Bonar and Dan Cox

D)     We were told that the $8,500 we gave ($3,500 truck repairs paid + $1,000 truck + $6,000 cash) was a down and that the 2002 Dodge Van (Kelly Blue Book value at the time: $7,000 if in top condition) would still cost us only $6,000 more (i.e. $10,500 given + $6,000 due = $16,500)

E)      $16,500 was NOT the case it ends up that your salesman Randy Bonar pocketed the down and put NONE of it toward the van

F)      Dan Cox must have been in on it with Randy Bonar because HE WAS THE ONE who said he cancelled the coverage and sent it in to the bank NOT US as mentioned I had to call him several times after we signed the cancellation papers in his office, in his face, but this never happened according to Citizens Auto Finance

G)     So in essence youre saying yourself that Dan Cox sat there then and told me a bald-faced lie because he specifically said once we cancelled the coverages THROUGH HIM that the payments would be lowered from $350 per month down to just $200 per month; they never were, nor did we ever get one single solitary bit of help while we were paying them even though we received many promises such as the van breaking down 3 days after we got it which was why Id contacted the Iowa State Attorneyetc

H)     So in truth, all told, were paying $28,000 for a $7,000 van, thanks to your companys wonderfully ethical team, its a dream come true and we should be SO happy to be idiots right?  According to your apology thats what it sounds like your underlying message is to us

I doubt if youd do this to YOUR FRIENDS and FAMILY, but, then again, maybe you all would, I dont know, you did it to a couple of  perfect strangers, just a couple of dupes right?  Well one thing you didnt know is that I will not let the truth stay hidden I will continue to provide rebuttal here as long as you write in so that I am not coming out looking like some idiot but through the truth people can see I was just an overly trustworthy person who believed in the lies presented (Ive since been told jokingly that good liar is a key element for hire at car dealerships yet Ive purchased vehicles elsewhere and this has never been the case must be a Deery Bros. joke). 

But in all seriousness, please do remember how it all started (that Ed had a $1K Chevy truck, took it in and asked the Deery Bros Service Center TO LOOK at some issues, which they, WITHOUT PERMISSION repaired and promptly charged us $3.5K+!!! Ed, not being me, paid that RIDICULOUS amount including EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS LABOR TO CHANGE 5 LIGHT BULBS!). 

And you doubt my veracity?  I have the bill showing this charge sir.  I have the two separate contracts with the different prices, etc.  Just because your company has not been sued, tried and convicted certainly does not mean that it is innocent in any means.  We, on the other hand, ARE victims of Deery Bros. in West Burlington.  Yes we have to pay it off,  yes we have no recourse, but again, that doesnt make your company the victor because in all honesty it ripped us off. 

As Ive said before lesson learned and youre getting your darned money every month for it, you got a giant down for free, a good Chevy truck so please quit rubbing it in by pretending to respond with any feeling because the way you respond does nothing to ease the situation but feels like salt in an old, deep wound that well get over as soon as the thing is paid off.

In closing, I hope this makes it clear that we know what went on and were not the dupes we were 3 years ago.  We still have 1-1/2 years or so to pay on the broken down thing and my 1994 Buick STILL runs better than the 2002 Dodge van probably ever will.  Well fix our trucks and El Camino and move on, probably sell this thing as soon as its paid off, cut our losses, and keep hoping there are actually honest, hardworking people out there that appreciate good paying, longstanding customers.

So thanks but no thanks to your warm and oh so heartfelt apology.  Please just let us pay this off and leave it alone.

   I am sorry you have experienced the issues you have.  It does appear that you are aware of everything you were presented to read and sign when you purchased your last vehicle.  It sounds as if you have a payoff on your vehicle.  It is required to send any cancelation refunds to the primary lien holder, so if you canceled any coverages the amount should have been sent to the bank that holds the title to the vehicle which is applied to your toward your loan.  This will not alter the contract that you entered into with the bank, therefor it will not lower you payment.  If you are interested in lower your payments contact the bank and refinance. 

   I am also sorry to hear how you feel about the Burlington area and those of us from this area.  Burlington has a great many things to offer.  Good luck on your endeavors. 

Regards,

Terry Mertens

Deery Brothers 

It feels like the Deery Bros. dealership made you say what you did because I even spoke with the Iowa State Attorney and the U.S. Department of Justice regarding this disgusting greedy move.

Deery Bros. has NEVER honored ANY agreement with us - they didn't even give us 1 oil change even though we were paying $150.00 per month more to do so.  Well the whole story is on this site and it is true to the letter.  I don't think that after 2+ years of Ed and I paying on the damned crappy (and broke down) van at $350 per month + full coverage (and we STILL) have 1-1/2 more years to pay!!!, that you try to lay the blame on us.

The truth is:

1. Deery Bros. ruined the first truck without authorization on the various repairs as only the sticking door was supposed to be fixed.

2. The salesman was supposed to let us trade the crappy van for a Chevy Tahoe, but had already earmarked it for his brother, so after letting us have it for 3 days he demanded that we purchase BOTH or else he'd take the Chevy Tahoe back (and later we found out he DID give it to his brother - big surprise there)

3. When the finance manager said that we could take off the 'extra care package' which was supposed to include oil changes etc (ha! never even 1) to lower the monthly payment to $200 per month.  We agreed and he supposedly took that off but we're still paying $350 per month.

Anyway...it's all water under the bridge sir, Deery Bros. dealership is like many businesses around this area, shady and underhanded, willing to ripoff honest, hardworking people who barely have 2 nickels to rub together but have continually done the right thing despite the evil that surrounds them in this vortex.  I would really be amazed to find 10 honest, ethical individuals that live within a 15 mile radius of my home.  That is why I work, shop, play, go to school and everything else I can - online.  To quote the incomparable Stephen King 'They're all IT, in some way' and that is exactly how I feel and nothing will change it.

We'll pay this thing off, but we'll be darned if we'll retract anything about how we were screwed out of $25,000 (this vehicle is worth $6,000 blue book) and Deery Bros. took a $2,500 truck plus $6,000 cash AND made us pay $16,500+ to through financing - and you're saying we were told that? Pishaw sir, we were told that because of the $2,500 truck and the $6,000 cash all we'd owe was $4,000 - but yeah...that's all words - and we KNOW Deery Bros. doesn't know what 'living up to your word means'

So in closing thanks for the 2 year coming feeble attempt at an apology but we've already put a different strategy in place - just paying it off and moving far from here.

All copies of service contracts are provided to the customer.  The contract which is signed by the customer and the dealership will have all covered items and components on the back of the contract.  What items are not covered are the maintenance items.  Regarding the repair on the truck.  All documents are signed by the customer approving the repairs or else we would not conduct the repairs as we would be out the cost of the repairs and labor.  Please contact me directly for any questions or concerns.

Terry Mertens

General Manager

Deery Brothers

(319) 752-6000

email: tmertens@deerybrothers.com