Complaint Review: Ugly Duckling Car Sales

Being a disabled vet I frequently am in need of treatment both as an in and outpatient at the VMAC in Long Beach, CA. I live alone and have no desire to be a burden to any one.First and formost in single senior living is dependable transportation. Enter UGLY DUCKLING, King of the car scam artists.

Because of my dire transportation needs combined with bad credit, I contacted Ugly Duckling Car Sales in Wilmington, CA.
who informed me I was eligable to purchase a car from them.
BUT, the salesman told me since I was A first time sucker, there were only 3 or 4 cars that I could purchase. I selected a 1995 Mazda 626 showing 106, 445 miles on the odemeter. that looked and ran great. Little did I know that Ugly Duckling shop people doctored the car to hide the major mechanical problems prevelant to the car. This was on 12/29/01.

During the next four months I changed the oil twice, replaced all interior and exterior lights, oil switch, ignition wires, coil, minor items, yes? These repairs were getting to be expensive.

However, the the car would never idle correctly and after the second month began to run hot. In addition to my $384.00 car payment these repairs were now becoming expensive and taking a toll on my fixed income. For 24 days in April I was an inpatient at the Veterans Administration Medical Center,LB.CA. The car was not driven.

Since my discharge from the hospital, I have replaced every item related to the Mazda's cooling system at a cost of $700.00 + dollars, only to find out the car has a blown head gasket.The mechanic that worked on the car states that stopleak had been put in the car raditor and when I had it drained and flushed, hoses and thermostat , replaced, coolant return tube given an acid bath, coolant tank replaced because of stopleak hardening, the stopleak in the coolant system dissolved resulting in the head gasket going. So, here I am back to busing it as thousands others do. Every step is agony and again I am house bound, trying to think of a legal way to go after these thieves.

I have driven the car a total of 3,800 miles in 4 months. My car payments total $1600.00. Repair bills total almost $1300. I have no idea what it would cost to repair the present problems. I know I can not afford it. What I do know is that UGLY DUCKLING is guilty of fruad And of not acting in good faith with their clients. Any assistance I could get from others who have been victimized by these criminals, I would appreciate.

James P.
Long Beach, California