- Report: #35360
Complaint Review: Long Pontiac Hyundai of Chattanooga - Chattanooga Tennessee
-
Author Not Confirmed
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Long Pontiac Hyundai of Chattanooga
6035 International Drive Chattanooga, 37421 Tennessee, U.S.A.
Phone:
423-855-5664
Web:
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Long Pontiac, Hyundai of Chattanooga DECEIVED! Was sold a wrecked and repainted vehicle fraudulent ripoff business Chattanooga Tennessee
In February 2002, I was driving a 1991 Geo Storm and I definitely needed a newer, more reliable vehicle. I went to Long Pontiac in Chattanooga to purchase this newer vehicle who advertised this special claiming that if you had a job and $200, you could obtain a vehicle.
I am a college graduate, but because I had very little "revolving credit" (i.e. credit cards, mortgage), I would be classified as a 'special finance' customer.
Due to this classification, my options were pretty limited. I had done some research on a particular vehicle that we were about to close on, a 1995 Mazda Millenia "S" that would fall under the correct financing terms. The "s" on these vehicles stands for "supercharged" and therefore would not be financed by the company. So the salesman, Skip Jackson, and I searched for another vehicle. Skip 'found' a 1995 Honda Civic EX that fit under the financing terms. I have to admit that Hondas are better overall vehicles in terms of engineering than all but 4 automakers in the world according to Consumer Reports at the time. He told me to look it over and see if I liked it. I checked out everything under the hood, the interior and it 'appeared' to be mechanically fit.
It was at this point that I asked him a very direct question,"Has this car been in a wreck or had any major changes done to it?" I also told him to go check the records as well. He supposedly went to check and came back and told me the car had a "clean title" and it was fine. My own CARFAX report would later tell me the same thing.
The cost of the car was $8125 and about $8800 after taxes, fees and "customer services." I received a trade-in value of $1135 which was very much inflated for a Geo Storm in its condition as well as $160 in cash. This brought the amount to be financed at approximately $7500, which in all likelihood was the original price of the vehicle anyway. Hindsight is always 20/20.
Although the finance terms were outrageous (29%!!), I badly needed the vehicle and took delivery. It is a great car and mechanically superior to even some newer domestic cars in its class. However I realized that I was going to need a larger vehicle since the Civic was only a 2 door coupe and I attempted to trade the vehicle in...and this is where I have caught hell ever since.
It turns out that I was only getting lowball trade values of around $2000-3000 for this vehicle when it only had about 75000 miles on it which was ridiculous. Even the KBB and the NADA books listed this vehicle at around $5500-$6000 in value. Finally a few appraisers had told me why...
It turns out that this white Civic was originally GREEN and had been rear-ended!! I was furious beyond belief. I was told that such work on a vehicle could lower the trade value by at least 50% if not more. Therefore it became impossible to trade this vehicle in simply because no loan company or bank would finance so much negative equity (around $4000-$5000 'upside-down' in auto financing terminology).
I have called the dealership numerous times to explain the situation including sending a priority letter to the owner himself. Instead of hearing a response from the owner himself, I am contacted by his executive manager Scott Cook who does nothing, but attempt to find financing to trade me out. This is a waste of time b/c he is doing the same thing other dealerships have tried to do. He refused to listen when I suggested that he buy the car back. He knows that the value of the car has been lessened, but he refused to do anything about it.
Even before I wrote this information on this website, I contacted Mr. Cook again to see if they would do anything to rectify the situation. He said he does not want me as a customer and does not care about what happens with me or the vehicle.
This smacks of rudeness and piss poor customer service and I am determined to let everyone know about this shady dealership and its personnel. This is a dealership that has done nothing to achieve customer satisfaction with me and has had great difficulty calling people back. Even when I stated that what the dealership had done was illegal, manager Greg Toney refused to speak to me further and referred me to Long's legal department.
Their refusal to talk to me shows that they know they have committed fraud and are just hoping that I will go away simply because I was a special finance customer. I will make sure that everyone knows that Long Pontiac/Hyundai in Chattanooga is only concerned with the profits and not the customer. All I want is for this dealership to buy the car back and give me my down payment back since I realize that by November my original car is probably gone. I am really dreading having to go to litigation since that could take forever and cost more than the car itself.
I am willing to go to any length and any action necessary to let the world know that it is not wise to do business with this dealership!
Frank
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on GM & GM Products Products
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Hyundai
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Pontiac
I am a college graduate, but because I had very little "revolving credit" (i.e. credit cards, mortgage), I would be classified as a 'special finance' customer.
Due to this classification, my options were pretty limited. I had done some research on a particular vehicle that we were about to close on, a 1995 Mazda Millenia "S" that would fall under the correct financing terms. The "s" on these vehicles stands for "supercharged" and therefore would not be financed by the company. So the salesman, Skip Jackson, and I searched for another vehicle. Skip 'found' a 1995 Honda Civic EX that fit under the financing terms. I have to admit that Hondas are better overall vehicles in terms of engineering than all but 4 automakers in the world according to Consumer Reports at the time. He told me to look it over and see if I liked it. I checked out everything under the hood, the interior and it 'appeared' to be mechanically fit.
It was at this point that I asked him a very direct question,"Has this car been in a wreck or had any major changes done to it?" I also told him to go check the records as well. He supposedly went to check and came back and told me the car had a "clean title" and it was fine. My own CARFAX report would later tell me the same thing.
The cost of the car was $8125 and about $8800 after taxes, fees and "customer services." I received a trade-in value of $1135 which was very much inflated for a Geo Storm in its condition as well as $160 in cash. This brought the amount to be financed at approximately $7500, which in all likelihood was the original price of the vehicle anyway. Hindsight is always 20/20.
Although the finance terms were outrageous (29%!!), I badly needed the vehicle and took delivery. It is a great car and mechanically superior to even some newer domestic cars in its class. However I realized that I was going to need a larger vehicle since the Civic was only a 2 door coupe and I attempted to trade the vehicle in...and this is where I have caught hell ever since.
It turns out that I was only getting lowball trade values of around $2000-3000 for this vehicle when it only had about 75000 miles on it which was ridiculous. Even the KBB and the NADA books listed this vehicle at around $5500-$6000 in value. Finally a few appraisers had told me why...
It turns out that this white Civic was originally GREEN and had been rear-ended!! I was furious beyond belief. I was told that such work on a vehicle could lower the trade value by at least 50% if not more. Therefore it became impossible to trade this vehicle in simply because no loan company or bank would finance so much negative equity (around $4000-$5000 'upside-down' in auto financing terminology).
I have called the dealership numerous times to explain the situation including sending a priority letter to the owner himself. Instead of hearing a response from the owner himself, I am contacted by his executive manager Scott Cook who does nothing, but attempt to find financing to trade me out. This is a waste of time b/c he is doing the same thing other dealerships have tried to do. He refused to listen when I suggested that he buy the car back. He knows that the value of the car has been lessened, but he refused to do anything about it.
Even before I wrote this information on this website, I contacted Mr. Cook again to see if they would do anything to rectify the situation. He said he does not want me as a customer and does not care about what happens with me or the vehicle.
This smacks of rudeness and piss poor customer service and I am determined to let everyone know about this shady dealership and its personnel. This is a dealership that has done nothing to achieve customer satisfaction with me and has had great difficulty calling people back. Even when I stated that what the dealership had done was illegal, manager Greg Toney refused to speak to me further and referred me to Long's legal department.
Their refusal to talk to me shows that they know they have committed fraud and are just hoping that I will go away simply because I was a special finance customer. I will make sure that everyone knows that Long Pontiac/Hyundai in Chattanooga is only concerned with the profits and not the customer. All I want is for this dealership to buy the car back and give me my down payment back since I realize that by November my original car is probably gone. I am really dreading having to go to litigation since that could take forever and cost more than the car itself.
I am willing to go to any length and any action necessary to let the world know that it is not wise to do business with this dealership!
Frank
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on GM & GM Products Products
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Hyundai
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Pontiac
1 Updates & Rebuttals
The Great Thorn - Rip-off Report Consumer Advocate
Bayville,New York,
U.S.A.
Frank The Editor tells me you would like My help! Here it is. You have fun, OK?
#2Consumer Suggestion
Sun, May 11, 2003
Frank first let me say that I will post many addresses, email addresses and fax numbers for you. I need you to print off a "Printer Friendly Version" of your Rip Off Report right way. Make sure that it is a VERY CLEAR copy because many will read it if and only if you do what I would do. You say you want the whole country to read about this dealers deceptive ways. Well, your DREAM HAS COME TRUE. When I am done, and if you use all info that I post you will get the word out in a VERY BIG WAY! I call myself "The Great Thorn" because I want to be the most wooden irritator of car dealer scum worldwide. So let's get started. Step 1 we need to let carfax know how you feel that their service did you NO GOOD. I feel you should go directly to carfax by email or snail mail or by fax and tell their service SUCKS. What good is their service if they do not have the ability to detect Junk? Here is their contact info CARFAX.COMAdministrative Contact:Contact, Admin [email protected] Carfax409 Vandiver Dr Ste 100 Bl 3Columbia, MO 65202 573 874 0834 (FAX) 573 499 0570 Technical Contact:Contact, Tech [email protected] Carfax Vandiver Dr Ste 100 Bl 3Columbia, MO 65202 573 874 0834 (FAX) 573 499 0570 I feel that Carfax provides car buyers with a false sense of car buying safety. Next if the car dealer knew that your car has had major damage, then your car dealer likes to Rip Off Banks. Sounds like this dealer provides banks with a false or untrue market value of the cars they sell. Step 2 You need to fax a "Pinter Friendly Version" of your Rip Off Report to some banking commissioners offices. Let some banking people know what has happened to you. Car dealers lying to banks is not a good thing. Maybe if some banks would make their highly paid employees get off of their lazy asses and put in place a program to filter out this kind of fraud and deception you, my Fellow American would not be in the bucket of bolts you are currently in. Banks not filtering out this kind of deception makes me feel that most banks and car dealers share the same dirty mattress at night. If this is true, God only knows what happens at night between the sheets with the banks and the dirty car dealers. Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions The Nashville City Center 511 Union Street, 4th Floor Nashville, TN 37219 615-741-2236 Fax: 615-741-2883 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.state.tn.us/financialinst/ Department of Banking & Financial Institutions 1400 L St. NW Washington, DC 20005 202-727-1563 Fax: 202-727-1290 Web site: www.dbfi.dc.gov Step 3 You might have fun sending a "Printer Friendly Version" of your Rip Off Report to a the biggest auto industry publication. This publication likes to know what is going on in the auto industry. I feel they do nothing for the consumer, but they will see that bad car dealers in fact are being EXPOSED and they can't stop it! use every email I post and email them a copy of your Rip Off Report. Keith Crain Editorial Director 313-446-6001 [email protected] Anne Wright Asst. Managing Editor/1-313-446-0366 [email protected] Kathy Jackson Automotive Marketing Editor 313-446-0371 [email protected] MAKE Sure this next guy gets a call or a email. Call him up and ask him for is direct fax number Dave Guilford General Motors Reporter 313-446-0321 [email protected] Victor Galvan Web Editor 313-446-0345 [email protected] Charles Child News Editor 313-446-0365 [email protected] Chaz Osburn National Editor 313-446-1677 [email protected] Jack Teahen Senior Editor 313-446-0362 [email protected] Rick Kranz Product Editor 313-446-0360 [email protected] Let's give an industry editor something to put in his pipe to smoke. Dale Jewett Industry Editor 313-446-6091 [email protected] Julie Cantwell Marketing Reporter 313-446-0374 [email protected] Make sure Lindsay Chappell gets a copy of your Rip Off Report. her department is Bureau Chief, Mid-South Region, Nashville 615-371-6654 [email protected] KC Crain General Assignments Reporter 313-446-1681 [email protected] Laura Clark Geist Automotive Marketing Editor 313-446-0364 [email protected] Donna Harris Reporter, Washington 540-668-7295 [email protected] Maybe their web reporter would have fun reading your Rip Off Report Gail Kachadourian Web Reporter 313-446-1638 [email protected] Arlena needs to read your Rip Off Report. Arlena Sawyers Used Cars and Auctions Reporter 313-446-0380 [email protected] What about a Washington reporter. They might have fun chewing on your Rip Off Report Harry Stoffer Reporter, Washington 202-662-7212 [email protected] Step 4 Lets go show some of your local reporters your Rip Off Report. Knoxville News likes to hide their reporters email address, so email their web master. I am sure he or she will foward your email to the right department. [email protected] Give this newspaper's business something hard to chew on. make sure all email addresses get a copy of your Rip Off Report. Newspapers need to know that car dealer deception MUST BE EXPOSED! A job most newspapers are not willing to do. BUSINESS NEWS: [email protected] Business Editor: Sonny Albarado, [email protected] Deputy Business Editor: James Overstreet, [email protected] Clubb, Deborah, [email protected] Flaum, David, [email protected] Moore, Linda, [email protected] Obermark, Jerome, [email protected] Roberts, Jane, [email protected] Thompson, Richard, [email protected] Watson, Mark, [email protected] Step 5 is your locat TV stations. Now I am willing to bet that none will do anything, But they will know that car dealers are being exposed. Chattanooga WTVC 410 W. 6th Street Chattanooga, TN 37402 (423) 756-5500 [email protected] Jackson WBBJ 346 Muse Street Jackson, TN 38301 (901) 424-4515 Kingsport WKPT 222 Commerce Street Kingsport, TN 37660 (423) 246-9578 [email protected] Nashville WKRN 441 Murfreesboro Road Nashville, TN 37210-0212 (615) 369-7222 [email protected] Chattanooga: WRCB-TV 900 Whitehall Rd. Chattanooga, TN 37405 http://www.wrcbtv.com Memphis: WMC-TV P.O. Box 4420 Memphis, TN 38104 http://www.wrcbtv.com Knoxville: WBIR-TV 1513 Hutchinson Knoxville, TN 37917 http://www.wbir.com Nashville: WSMV-TV P.O. Box 4 Nashville, TN 37202 http://www.wsmv.com Send a copy of yoour Rip Off Report to CBS Dan Rather at [email protected] How about Mike Wallace? Call up 60 Mintes and ask for their main fax number. 60 Minutes 524 West 57th St. New York, NY 10019 PHONE: (212) 975-3247 How about Charles Osgood CBS News Sunday Morning Box O (for Osgood) 524 West 57th St. New York, NY 10019 E-MAIL: [email protected] Frank if you are willing to make sure that all of the above get a clear copy of your Rip Off Report, your word will get out in a BIG WAY!
