Complaint Review: Max Cars - Hollywood Florida

On July 22nd 2015, after a long search for the specific type of car I was seeking, Max Cars (520 S. Dixie Hwy, Hollywood, FL 33020) Advertised one on Craigslist.org.

When my fiance and I made an appointment to test drive the vehicle, we were (not surprisingly, in retrospect) treated with the type of sugary sweetness only a true con-man (deserves to be a convict IMO) is capable of. Who knows, maybe I was under the eithers, being so excited to finally find the car IN THE (ostensible) PRICE RANGE I WANTED.

Anyways, we were given little hassle test driving the car. There was a check engine light on, which was a concern I voiced during "closing" conversations. 

Maybe I'm a bit old fashioned, or maybe I assume others in the business world would treat me, as I treated them, but when Max Arcadier looked me directly in the eyes and ASSURED ME he would take care of the check engine light, I beieved him. He was urgent that we sign and deal with the car that night - to which I declined.

I told him no problem, I want the car at the price negotiated, but I'll wait for the underlying check engine light to be taken care of first, and can you please email me a car-fax report in the meantime.

Again, he ASSURED me the car would be ready the following day. He even kept his word and emailed me the carfax report. I was impressed that the car was a corporate car and had been well maintained. So far, everything looked great, at least on the surface. I was sold.

Max, as a person, was respectful, kind and seemed like a sincere and honest man. I liked him and how helpful he seemed to be. So much so, that I put a good faith $300 deposit down, to let him know my sincere intentions, to purchase the car.

All of that quickly changed however, when I took possession of the car. Before I give you the list of reasons Max Arcadier (Max Cars, 33020) should have his license taken away (possibly even be locked up for fraud) - I will let you know that once troubles began, he, Vanesse (his henchwoman) and everyone else I had the misfortune of speaking with in the office become more slippery than a crisco-coated water wenie.

It was amazing how quickly things changed once they had our money. Here's the bullet point play-by-play, as I picked the car up.

- Vanessa (Max Arcadier's Henchwoman / Secretary / right hand) ask me to please bring the additional $1,100 deposit in cash. I agreed, due to their kindness up until that point. If I could save them a few dolars on credit card processing, I was eager to help.

- During the signing of the contract, we were given a FINAL PRICE. Max Arcadier looked me directly in the eyes and confirmed the price he had given me was FINAL and INCLUDED THE DEPOSIT. I even opened the calculator application on my phone and deducted the (at that point) $1,400 deposit from the final number, showed it to him, and confirmed that the number displayed on the phone, was what I owed. HE LOOKED ME IN THE EYES AND AGREED.

- We signed paperwork, purchased a warrenty (I wanted one) and then drive off off the lot.

- About two blocks away, the check engine light came on.

- I called and they told me they would take care of it. The next day I took the car back to them - they promised to fix it, and I was WITHOUT MY CAR FOR THREE DAYS.

- We carefully looked at all the paperwork we were given. Max Arcadiar fraudulantly indicated that we were employed at a resturaunt we had never heard of (to ensureteh laon went through). At this point I was worried.

- Three days later when I was told the car was ready, I picked it up. It was clean, but a full quarter tank of gas was burned up. I wondered where they took it and what they did with my car?

- Initially, I was relieved to find the check engine light was off. About 10 blocks later, guess what? Check engine light was on again.

- I was angry at this point. I again, called and let them know. Not only was the engine light on, the compass wasn't working and the brakes were having issues.

- I was told to take the car to the dealership (that represented the car manufacturer)- which alarmed me. During previous conversation, Vanessa (max Arcadiar's henchwoman) told me the car had been taken to that dealership.

- When I took the car to the dealership, I was there for a full day. Upon further investigation, there was a componant ($800 +) that needed to be replaced in order for the car to function safely. This is where these "folks" at Max Cars became slippery.

- I was instructed by the dealer, once they did homework, that the car had been there, and that they told Max Cars of the problem, specifically. That was day one when I was without my car, Which leads me to believe they attempted to hack the computer system to get the check engine light to falsly turn off so they could save $.

- I was livid at that point. I don't like being lied to. When I called this time, I was told there was a warrenty on the car, and they would put it through the warrenty.

- I left the car at the dealership (Manufacturer's dealership) and waited. Three days later I was still in the dark, paying for a car I had no access to.

- After some persistant calls to Max Cars (33020) I was told if the warrenty people call me to LIE TO THEM. "Tell them the check engine light came on two days after you took it home from the dealership, Max Cars.) At that point, I was beside myself. Max looked me in the eyes, told me he wold fix it, and there I was, without a car, dealing with a liar, who was trying to save a dollar at MY EXPENSE.

- A few more persistant calls to the dealership (I ended up speaking to a third person there, who was a bit more forthcoming with info, because Vanessa couldn't possibly have been troubled to deal with me at that point, and speaking with Max Arcadiar was entirely out of the question).

I had finally secured the name of the person who was in charge (as in sold to Max) of the warrenty. He had indicated that he was in Max's dealership, just the day before, HAD SPECIFICALY ASK IF THERE WAS TROUBLE OF ANY KIND - to which Max told him no. Because of that, he sent the warrenty papers snail mail, due to no issues. Again, more wasted time for me, being wihout a car.

- Three days later, still without a car, I was informed by the warenty people that the repair was not covered under warrenty. About 15 more calls to the delership, I was told Max was OUT OF TOWN, ON VACATION AND TO WAIT UNTIL HE WAS BACK. Now we're into the second week of August, and I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR THE WHOLE TIME.

- Max got back from vacation, attempted to pin the repair on us and rationalized his reasoning for us to lie to the warrenty company. If we told the truth, HE would be the one to foot the bill. How about that?

- After my better half was in tears on the phone, he said "You win, the repair won't break me, I'll pay for it." really??? That's what I had been told close to a month ago by this snake. We win, this was a game? We just wanted a car.

- 10 days later, I finally had my car. The Manufacture's dealer told me that warrenty company would have sent an adjuster out to check the computer in the car, which would have given the check engine light a timestamp, and rightfully put the responsibility on Max Arcadier anyways. He also indicated that he had told Max Auto that.

- Finally, the Max Cars nighmare was over. Or so I thought. When the car note came in the mail, I was perplexed that I somehow owed the FULL PRICE of the auto. NOT THE NUMER WE BOTH agreed to in final negotiations. 

- I ask the bank for a detailed summary of charges, and how that number was arrived at. That's where the hidden charges started to rack up. I was told I should have been delivered the contract, by Max. I hadn't.

- They stopped accepting my calls, so I was persistant with my calls. Finally, Max got on the phone and became confrontational. He told me "SHUT UP, YOU'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO ME, ARE YOU CALLING ME A LIAR? NOW I'M GETTING PISSED OFF." Then he hung up. 

- Wow. Unbeliaveable. He lies to me, keeps my car hostage for almost a month, rips me off, belittles me on the phone, and he's somehow the victim?

- I finally get the actual contract in my hands. I saw numbers we had never seen before, forged (initials) signatures and numbers that don't even correspond with bank documents.

That summarizes my experience with Max Arcadiar of Max Cars, 520 S. Dixie Hwy, Hollywood FL, 33020. I urge anyone who has had a similar experience with this person to file a formal compaint with the DMV Regional office, located 1135 Banks Road, Margate FL, 33063. (open M-F 8-5). Their phone number is 954-969-4216. Collectively, we can demand honest businesses. I uge you to take action of this delership has caused your troubles too.