Complaint Review: North Coast Auto Auction

I found my 2010 Nissan Altima with North Coast Auto on autotrader.com. I contacted John Range at North Coast Auto to begin the process. He provided me with the CarFax report, which did note the car had been in a minor accident with the previous owner, a rental agency. It noted only the front left fender had been replaced and that was all. John Range assured me this was all that was done with the car and that he wasn't one of those crappy salesman, but rather is up front with people and tells the truth so people know what they're really spending their money on. I said I would be in later in the week and, if all checked out, would be purchasing the vehicle.

Before I came in John told me the car would need an extra day because they were taking it to the Nissan dealership across the street to be fully inspected. I specifically asked what all that entailed and he said they do a full inspection and check the engine, brakes, fluids, tires and sensors in the car. A couple days later John said everything checked out and the car was ready to be picked up. During the test drive everything was fine, so I took the car home on June 21, 2010.

On Wednesday, June 23, 2010, I heard grinding noises on the left side while driving to work. I dropped it off at my local Nissan dealership only to find out the whole left side brake system had been repaired wrong and repaired with the incorrect parts, not Nissan parts. The total cost of repiars would total $1,044.00.

I contacted John to solve this situation and assume they would cover it since it was only two days after I purchased the car that it was out of commission. Additionally, my local Nissan dealership told me the brake system was so bad I was lucky the brakes didn't go out on me driving back from the dealership in the first place. After several attempts to contact John, he finally told me they would try and take care of it and referred me to their service manager, Branko Radic. I spoke with Branko the next day where he was VERY rude and wouldn't let me get a word in. He said the only way they would do it is if I got my car towed to a local mechanic where he would then mail that mechanic the parts I needed from a different Nissan Altima still on their lot at North Coast Auto. I was not able to contact Branko further, so I went back to John.

I told him I would be fine with taking the car to another mechanic, but since there was no way to verify the parts from the Nissan Altima they wanted to take from were actual Nissan parts, considering mine didn't have the right parts to begin with, the only way I would repair my car is for the mechanic to order new Nissan parts to put in my car. After several attempts and no return calls or e-mails I was forced to pay the $1,044.00 to repair my car since I had no other options.

Additionally, I actually made a phone call to the Nissan dealership across from North Coast Auto where John told me it was taken to be inspected before purchase and they had no record of my car ever being there and also stated they definitely do NOT do any inspections for North Coast Auto in the first place.

North Coast Auto has the WORST business practice and poor customer service I have ever encountered. They sell damaged, unsafe cars by lying and deceiving you. DO NOT BUY FROM NORTH COAST AUTO.