Complaint Review: Flemings Ultimate Garage - Rockville Maryland

Earlier this year I purchased a 69 Camaro from Flemings.   As I was unable to inspect the car myself I relied heavily on the information provided firstly by the salesman,  Tom and then by the sales manager, Matt.  I exchanged numerous phone calls and e-mails with them.  I also viewed the video posted on the website (which turned out to be two years old) and other pictures they sent me.  I was assured the car was rust free and in their words it was a beaut as it had been  beautifully  restored and modified.
 
Since receiving the car in Australia I have had nothing but trouble with it.   I have spent the last three months trying to get Flemings to put things right.
 
The car was advertised as having an aluminum radiator.  It obviously didnt and when I questioned them about it they stated it was a mistake in the advertisement but they  would put it right.  I am still waiting.
 
The car was also advertised as having new glass so I assumed all exterior glass was replaced.  They had replaced the windscreen and rear window but not the side glass and both the drivers and passenger windows have excessive scratches on them.  There reply to this.  We never said it had ALL new glass.
 
It has rust in the boot from numerous water leaks. They had failed to put all the rear bumper bracket supports back on and the holes left in the rear quarter panels have allowed water to get in.
Surely if the car was restored properly this would not have happened.
 
It also has rust in the lower quarter panel after they specifically promised me the car was rust free.  The rust is clearly visible to the naked eye and any decent salesman would have mentioned it to any prospective buyer.
 
They also promised fully enclosed and insured transportation to California as part of the purchase price.  When the car arrived in California it had gouges and scratches in the paint along the drivers side of the car.  The damage was documented on receipt by my shipping agent but when I requested the insurance company details from Flemings they failed to return my e-mails. This leads me to doubt that the car was ever insured in the first place. 
 
After collecting and driving the car less than a mile it broke down.  The cause was found to be a faulty distributor.  As a result I have had to replace the distributor, coil and leads.  All of which were in poor condition.  They were definitely not the sort you would find on a restored car. 
 
The new tachometer and dash clock fitted by them do not work.  I was put onto the service manager whose attitude at first was,  "It was working when it left here".  However after lengthy negotiation they agreed to replace the instruments as they were still under warranty.   I am still waiting.
 
The engine leaks excessive oil which I found to be coming from the rear main.  Not a cheap fix in any country.  Their attitude is that it is an old car so of course it leaks.  I would also expect a car of its age to have fluid leaks.  What I dont expect is for it to be a major leak.  If Flemings has its own service department, surely they would fix these problems before selling the car.
 
Finally, the repairs and the paint work are already starting to fall apart.  I have only driven the car for a total of 50 miles maximum.   Cracks have appeared in repair work on the bonnet, rear quarter panel (where the panel has been replaced), around the hole to mount the aerial in the front guard and around the rear tail lights.  Dont get sucked in by their mirror finish paint job in their advertising.   It is just a cover up for shoddy and poor quality repair work.  Although admitting to carrying out some of the repairs, Flemings refuse to take responsibility and arent willing to do anything to fix it.
 
To show their total lack of respect and their disregard for their customers, no one at Flemings has replied to my last few e-mails.  Initially they kept saying they were willing to put it right but in the end they used their gety out of jail  free card,  "The car was sold  as is  and really we dont have to do anything.  It appears that because I am so far away they decided to gnore me and my issues withn the car despite all the reassuring promises at the start.  Well all I can say that is that if that is their attitude I would encourage anyone considering to by a car from these crooks to look elsewhere.   It appears that the art of customer  service  or moral obligation (especially once they have your money)  does not  exist in  this company.
 
Flemings push the fact that their staff are all car enthusiasts and care about the product they sell.  What a load of bull.  To some people the problems I am having with the car may seem minor, but basically it appears to me that  firstly;  Flemings do not  sell cars to the quality or standard they purport them to be and secondly; once they have your money they will do nothing to rectify any probelems and any ones language that is just ripping the consumer off.