Complaint Review: Garys' Cars & Trucks - Port Townsend Washington

My story is rather lengthy, but vital to my complaint. However I do apologize up front and appreciate your time.

I bought a used 2003 Ford Ranger from Garys' Cars & Trucks for $7200

Garys' Cars & Trucks is a used car lot in Port Townsend, WA 98368.
Phone: (877)-493-8901
Website: http://garyscarsntrucks.com

Outright, it seemed like a good deal. The down side is that I am paying 23% interest to a creditor but that's expected as I didn't have any credit established yet.

A week into driving the truck, the transmission began to fail. The O/D light began to blink and after tons of research on the Internet, I realized I had a lemon that would end up costing me a few thousand more to deal with.

So I took the truck back to Gary and explained that I wanted my money back. He wouldn't honor that. Instead he took the truck back to repair it, and supplied me with a loner car. I asked for a loner truck because I bought a truck to work with. He refused. I took the car.

A couple of weeks go by and I get my truck back. I drive it less than 10 miles and the O/D light flashed again, therefore realizing the problem wasn't fixed or thoroughly tested before returning it to the customer. I return again, with frustration in that I am barely making it by financially and I'd appreciate my money back rather than take on volunteer work to test used car dealership practices.

The truck was gone another three weeks with a second loner car. This went on for a few more cycles.

When the truck was returned to my possession again for the Nth time, I noticed that the truck was all dented up on the front passenger quarter panel as well as the window brows. The O/D light began to blink again with shifting hard like behavior. I returned the truck and demanded the quarter panel and window brows be fixed to the way I bought it.

The truck returned again to my possession roughly a month, or maybe longer. Meanwhile I am making payments to a creditor at 23% interest as well as paying for full coverage insurance.

The last time the truck return to me was about a month or two back from today. Gary said the transmission was replaced as well as the computer. I thought, wow, great.. The problem is resolved resolved finally. I noticed the new quarter panel paint job. The dents were all fixed, but the paint didn't match the rest of the truck, nor did the painters bother spending any time masking or removing decals, nor did the bother covering up the windshield when they sprayed. I had to remove the paint with acetone and a razor blade. The decals and plastics all show a sloppy job painting the quarter panel.

A few days ago, the O/D light begins blinking again and the transmission shifts hard and sometimes doesn't shift! I also notice that the steering began to make noise. The tie rod ends are shot. While under the vehicle examining the tie rod ends, I notice that the front driver's wheel is negatively cambered in due to something smashing into it. To prove that the damage wasn't done by me, I examined the tire wear and this too reveals a large amount of time rolling on a crooked axis point (top of the wheel/tire is slanted inward). Thinking back, the truck had a flat tire when I wanted to test drive it originally. I said I'd buy the truck if he put new tires on it. Rather, he put new tires on the rear and not the front. With a front wheel all crooked, it makes sense why he didn't replace the tires in front as this would reveal the secret of a screwed up front end by making the steering pull to the left or right down the road. In addition to these major issues, the passenger window doesn't roll up right as the door must have been through an accident and never fixed properly (it leaks). The "check engine" light came on in the last few days, so I plugged in a vehicle scanner to clear it, so as to see if the error was a fluke. Since it has not returned on, but I am not going to hold my breath. Driver's window motor stalls out and has to be jerked to make it work. If you hold the window button up or down too long the fuse blows.

Every time I've taken the truck back, I demand my money back.

Well today, I wrote up a letter explaining all the things that are wrong with the truck that I didn't buy. I explain things that make or break the reliability this truck can offer me. I explain things I can't settle for as I will have to eat the cost myself; the reason I went with a newer used car to begin with. I just wanted to turn the key and go.

I have a document that I can supply you with that I put together and dropped off, as well as my keys, and the truck, today, at the car lot. I handed the gentleman my letter and said "the truck isn't working out". He said "Thanks.. have a good day".  So I left.. I had to walk home.. no loner car, nothing.. This is when I realized that I would have to contact the State Attorney General and the BBB, for which I have already completed.

In my letter, I explain that THEY need to rectify the problem or further action, though not desired, will be taken. I explain that I like to keep my business local. I also explain that I want to be a happy customer..

In the complain process to the BBB, they ask what would it take to resolve the problem. I said, "To get my money back.." The reason for this, is that I don't trust any product, now witnessing how Gary does things, from his car lot. I would be money and stress free ahead, to find a reputable business to deal with, if I can somehow reverse this ongoing, and spiraling downward process.

In the time of owning the truck from Garys' Cars & Trucks, I have heard numerous complains of other people regarding any business they had with Gary.  I believe some to be so burned by Gary, they can't even talk about it without turning red in the face with anger. Others are willing to file BBB complains and stand out in front of his business waving signs that say "I was screwed by Gary! Come see me before you buy".

Gary has sold to many in our community. It doesn't take any effort at all to gather factual stories from other who have had similar, if not worse transactions with Gary.

Meanwhile I will generate a list of people who are willing to complain so that action can be taken. If I am to get worse credit from this transaction; if I am to be out $7200 plus payments made; if I am to be without a vehicle, then that is fine as long as I know Gary doesn't sell one more vehicle.

To this day, I have not heard one positive thing about Gary and his business dealings.

I have no idea how to deal with this legally. I and others  from my community need help. I and possibly others are legally bound to financial contracts without a way out of our misery of dealing with Gary. There are quite literally good trade-ins being made against lemons.. Now these lemons sit in people's driveways leaking oil and falling apart; totally undriveable. I feel for these people. My transaction alone is not a fluke or an accident.

Please help guide us in what to do.

Thank you