McKinney Auto Expo Ripoff Deceived lied ripped off lemon junk mechanical failure Ripoff McKinney Texas
On February 12, 2005 my wife and I purchased a 1998 Ford Taurus from McKinney Auto Expo. At the time of purchase, several items were noted as needing work, the driver's side rear tire was flat, the front end knocked when test driven, the cd changer was missing, etc. The dealer agreed to having the car inspected and repaired 100% before it left the dealership.
First problem, we get it home and the doors don't lock, the door ajar light stays on all the time and after being turned off, the car doesn't start. The dealer has us bring it in, we buy a new battery and he gets the doors "fixed". Front end still knocks even though they replaced the power steering pump and we were told it would take up to 500 miles for the pump to get "dialed in" and the knock to go away.
We get the car home. Again it won't start and the passenger rear door sounds like a jet taking off when you lock it. Transmission is now knocking as well as the front end. We take the car to a mechanic who inspects the car, he says the car is missing ALL of the motor mounts and the transmission knocking is caused by the transmission mount being the only one holding it all in the car. Cost of repair $850. The dealer takes the car from our mechanic and has his mechanic "fix" it. The mechanic says NOTHING is wrong with the front end.
We take the car for an annual inspection as required here in Texas. Car fails miserably. Service Engine Soon warning light is burned out and the car will not pass smog. Rear tire is low, so they check it. Rear end needs an alignment and we need 2 new tires. I'm thinking ok, reasonable repair for a used car. We take it to a shop to have it done and learn that the front end knock was caused by both idle arms and ball joint sockets being completely trashed. Another $650 repair. Dealer is called. NOW he is saying, you bought the car as is. We say no, 3 month, 3000 mile warranty. He hangs up on my wife promising to call her later. Now he is refusing to return our calls and lying about being in the office and today, Brenda, his receptionist threatened to call the police if we come to the dealership to do anything but make a payment.
This guy is a fraud. He lied about repairing the car at purchase and has continued to lie throughout this process. We are actively seeking an attorney and hope to sue his funny butt into bankruptcy. Anyone who was burned by this dealer, please email me!
Richard
Melissa, Texas
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Richard
Melissa,Texas,
U.S.A.
Latest Update 5/05 DO NOT BUY A CAR FROM THIS DEALER!
#4Author of original report
Mon, May 16, 2005
Formal complaint now filed with the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Dallas. The BBB complain number is 80041023. The dealer has 30 days to reply to the BBB complaint. He has to reply by June 5 to rebutt the complaint.
Today we got the paperwork for a small claims lawsuit in Collin County. In compliance with Texas law, I have been faxing the dealership every 7 days asking about the status of the repairs. To date we have received one response dated 4-29-05 in which Monty Addison, the owner, threatens legal action, but he has done nothing.
According to an attorney we consulted, when the dealer signed the "as is" disclosure with a 3 month 3000 mile warranty, he waived his rights under "as is". I guess the next step is to file and take him to court. In the meantime, I'm paying $175 a month for a vehicle that we can't drive, that has expired inspection tags and costs me an additional $75 a month to insure.
DO NOT BUY A CAR FROM THIS DEALER!
Richard
Melissa,Texas,
U.S.A.
Latest Lies from the Dealer
#4Author of original report
Fri, April 29, 2005
The dealership offered to take the car back and put us into another car. The new car is $6,995. It has an NADA guide value of $4,775. The dealer wants $500 more down in addition to the $1700 he owes on the car. We were told initially that the dealer would fix the smog problem and the front end of the car. When they offered to move us into the new car, the owner, Monte, decided that this was a take it or "get bent" situation, meaning we could either accept the new deal or eat the cost of repairing the Taurus.
Arrangements were made on the new car, we would pay the $500 just to have a running, reliable car. Dealer then says the "bank" he sent the loan to is going to raise our payments from $175 a month to $246 a month and raise our interest rate from 15% at high risk to 25%. Total price on this car was now almost $10,000 for a car worth $4,775. It should be noted that the dealer has refused to tell us who the "bank" was that he went through and no inquiry from any lender appears on our credit reports as of today.
We have declined the dealers offer in writing. We have now filed a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau and are pursuing other remedies to put some pressure on the dealer. We have formally demanded, in writing, that the dealer repair his junk car or refund our money. We have yet to get any kind of response even though we have called multiple times today.
Richard
Melissa,Texas,
U.S.A.
Updated Information 4/21/05 being repaired and made safe
#4Author of original report
Fri, April 22, 2005
Those reading my report should take note that the vehicle was purchased in February, but was not delivered "repaired" until March 4, 2005 and the dealer still demanded his first payment on March 14, 2005, even though he had the car "being repaired and made safe" for over half of the month since its purchase. Today I also requested formal complaint forms from the Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Department of Public Safety, The city of McKinney and Collin County.
It should also be noted that while we have "owned" the car for almost 2 months, it has been on the street in our posession less than 30 days and we have put less than 250 miles on the car since purchase. The dealer altered the odometer statement on the warranty and when called on it, refused to change it since he "gave us" the warranty free of charge. The odometer difference was over 600 miles from the paperwork to the warranty.
DO NOT buy a car from this dealer. His salesman lies and even when they put everything in writing, like the warranty we got, they still will NOT FOLLOW THROUGH.