Complaint Review: Ryan's Auto Sales

I bought a 2001 Ford Explorer from this dealer on October 27, 2011. 3 days later, the check engine light came on and the engine started to make noises. I called Mr. Luby, the owner of the dealership. He basically told me that it was my problem and that there is nothing he can do about it. I took it to be diagnosed by a certified Ford service center where they told me that the engine has a blown head gasket and that it is going to need a new engine because of the extent of the damage. They charged me $250.00 and I was on my way. the tech also told me that there'd had been a LOT of new parts put on to try to correct the misfire caused by the blown head gasket.

I drove directly to Mr. Luby's lot to tell him what the tech had found. He wasnt there when i arrived, but i went into the repair shop next door and asked the guy behind the counter if he was the mechanic that worked on Mr. Luby's cars. He laughed at me and told me that Mr. Luby couldnt afford him. He asked what the problem was and I told him about the head gasket. He told me that it was unlikely that the head gaskets were bad and offered to come outside to check it out free of charge.

When we were walking out to the vehicle, Mr. Luby was just getting back from wherever he had been. He met us at the vehicle. The mechanic checked it out and agreed with the diagnosis from the other shop. He was surprised and said it would have had to been severely overheated in order for the head gaskets to blow. He looked at Mr. Luby and told him that the engine had a blown head gasket, cracked head or block, it either way that it was a catastrophic engine failure. The mechanic continued that it was not recent damage and that it had been that way for a while. The mechanic looked at Mr. Luby and said "but you already knew that". At that time, Mr. Luby did not deny knowledge of the engine's condition, but later he maintained that he didn't know about the problem, but did manage to tell me that he ovheated the engine driving it back from the auction he bought it from and had to have it towed to his lot. Apparently, Mr. Luby didn't think this was pertinent information to pass along BEFORE I laid my $4000.00 on his desk.

When I was leaving the car lot, I went back to the shop and thanked the mechanic for his help. He told me that he knew that Mr. Luby was aware of the engine damage weeks before because he heard him talking to his mechanic about it outside. He told me that Mr. Luby's mechanic was suggesting that he fix it right, but Mr. Luby didn't want any part of fixing it.

Mr. Luby offered to help out with the repair IF I would help him sell one of his cars.

The bottom line here is that I was sold a vehicle with major mechanical problems. I was lied to about the condition of the vehicle and I shouldn't have to help this guy sell cars off of his lot In order for him to take care of the problem.