Complaint Review: Russ Darrow Nissan - Milwaukee Wisconsin

THINK TWICE BEFORE BUYING FROM RUSS DARROW

We are writing this review in hopes that you set aside the excitement of a new purchase and think logically before spending your hard earned money on a vehicle at Russ Darrow Nissan in Milwaukee (Russ Darrow). WE DO NOT HOPE YOU MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE AS WE DID. Unfortunately, we have learned the hard way and we are left dissatisfied with the entire process and all levels of management and personal. We now know the NEVER come back to Russ Darrow and tonot let ANYONE play any classic games we all have heard about that happens at dealerships like this one.

THE INSPECTION/TEST DRIVE (October 26)

When asked if the vehicle had Satellite Radio the salesman said “yes”, but was unsure how to make it function within the car. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, AFTER THE PURCHASE, THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE SATELLITE RADIO CAPABILITY THAT THE SALESMAN STATED IT HAD DURING THE TEST DRIVE!!!

We asked to see underneath the vehicle for any rust and, if any, the severity of the rust. The salesman stated all the lifts were taken. HOW CONVENIENT….

We discovered a crack in the windshield on the test drive (never disclosed to us… we had to find it ourselves 15 minutes into inspecting the vehicle). We were told it would be fixed prior to taking ownership of the vehicle. Was it fixed at the time? NO!

On the passenger’s inside of the car there was missing a panel. The salesman told us he would look into getting a panel for us. NEVER HEARD A WORD ABOUT IT AFTER THAT.

We also noticed scratches and dings throughout the vehicle, which we expected being that it was a used car. WE WERE TOLD THESE WOULD BE BUFFED OUT UPON RECEIVING THE VEHICLE…

WE WERE PROMISED ALL THE ISSUES WE DISCOVERED AND MENTIONED WOULD BE FIXED EITHER PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE VEHICLE OR ON THE FOLLOWING WEEK WHEN WE CAME BACK….

NEGOTIATING THE PRICE

Despite all the issues, we decided to make an offer on the vehicle based on Russ Darrow’s promise to have all the issues fixed on the vehicle. After being asked what we are willing to pay and afford our first offer was instantly rejected. ALL OF A SUDDEN the salesman returned to inform us that there is a couple taking the same vehicle we are interested in for a test drive and that they are ready to buy at full asking price and that we MUST come up in price. We came up in price and he came back saying it wouldn’t work due to the other couple willing to pay full price, BUT since we were interested in the vehicle first, they would honor that fact as long as we come up more in price. We unfortunately came up and a deal was struck based on promises.

THE SIGNING OF THE CONTRACT/PAPERWORK

The “Buyers Guide” stated there were discoveries of a “front differential leak”, “step rails rusted”, “drivers mirror inop & switch inop”, and “bad battery”. We raised questions about these issues and asked to speak to the Manager in regards to them. The Manager stated that the State of Wisconsin is the only State that requires a “Buyer’s Guide” and that the State itself is very particular in documenting the current condition of the car, whether they are minor or major issues. He assured us these are all minor issues with a used vehicle and no major issues would come of them in the immediate time being, but they are mandated to report them. THE AUTOMATIC STEP RAIL IS NOW HANGING OFF AND DRAGGING ONTO THE PAVEMENT WHILE MAKING LEFT TURNS A WEEK AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE!!! AS WELL AS ON OUR WAY TO GET OUR VEHICLE FIXED ON WE NOW HAVING WINDOW GUARDS FLYING OFF OUR VEHICLE AS WE DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE (THAT’S SAFE!!!)…AND THE MANAGER SAID THESE ARE MINOR TYPICAL ISSUES!!

We were then presented gap insurance options, but were unsure of which one to choose. So they had wrote out 2 separate contracts for us to sign depicting different prices based on two different types of gap insurance coverage. They stated we would have to call back on Monday to let them know what contract to submit to the lender. We called back Monday (10/28) to express our displeasure of being told the car did not have what they said it had (Satellite Radio) and the severity of these issues they called “minor”. I requested that the paperwork not be sent into the lender until we determine a solution for these issues. I was assured again the issues would be fixed and that if they could work out some different pricing, given the fact the car did not have the options we were told it had, they would. COME TO FIND OUT THE CONTRACT WAS DECIDED FOR US WITHOUT OUR VERBAL AUTHORIZATION OF WHAT CONTRACT TO SUBMIT TO THE LENDER.

DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE

Upon walking to the vehicle we notice a dent that was never disclosed to us during inspection and was not on the ever so “truthful” “Buyer’s Guide”. WAS TOLD THE DENT WOULD BE FIXED WHEN WE BRING BACK THE VEHICLE…

The scratches and dings were still there… I QUESTION IF THESE WERE EVEN WORKED ON.

In order for the salesman to smooth things over a bit he stated he had one of their employees go put gas in the vehicle. Got in the vehicle and noticed they put a 1/8^th of gas in the tank to give it ¼ of a tank. WHAT A NICE GESTURE OF RUSS DARROW TO SPEND $15 AFTER WE HAD JUST SPENT OVER $20,000 ON THE VEHICLE.

Once we entered in the vehicle we discovered the crack in the windshield was still there that we were promised would be repaired prior to receiving the vehicle.

Prior to leaving the lot we were once again assured all issues with the vehicle would be fixed at Russ Darrow’s expense.

POST PURCHASE

We made an appointment for the following Wednesday (10/30). Halfway there I called to confirm our arrival in order for our service to be expedited as they promised (we live 2 ½ hours away) to only have them cancel the appointment on us. Would it have been that difficult for them to pick up the phone first thing in the morning and inform us they could not accommodate us that day so that we both would not have taken off work and save us gas money? I voiced my extreme displeasure at this point only for the salesperson to smooth things over by assuring us they would work around our work schedules the following week and to inform us that we purchased the vehicle cheaper than we thought. The salesperson informed us that my fiancé was not approved for the agreed upon price and they lowered the amount of the car to put us at our maximum financing limit. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE WERE EVER TOLD THIS!!! We have yet to confirm this and I question the reason for not telling us right away. It would not surprise me if it led us down another dark alley about this experience. We called back on Friday of the same week to setup an appointment for Wednesday (11/6) only to be told that Wednesday would not work for their schedule this after being assured by our sales person that Russ Darrow WOULD work around our work schedules. I asked to speak to a Manager and the Manager stated they would honor their commitment to have the vehicle looked at and worked on that day. We both took off another day of work and dished out another $75 in gas money only be told on arrival that they will have to put us in a loner vehicle and we would have to come back because they cannot work on the vehicle that day. UP TO THIS POINT IN TOTAL WE SPENT $125 IN GAS, 2 DAYS OFF WORK (the both of us) FOR A LOSS PAY OF $800 AND A TOTAL NET LOSS OF $925. AND NOW THEY ARE ASKING US TO COME BACK AND TAKE AN ADDITIONAL DAY OFF WORK AND MORE MONEY SPENT ON GAS FOR A TOTAL NET LOSS THAT WOULD PUT US NEAR $1,500?!?!?

At this point we have been as patient as anyone could be in the situation we were being put in and we politely ask to speak to the Manager. A Manager comes over and we express our displeasure with the vehicle and its problems that we feel were down played along with the service being provided. We then inform them we would like to return the vehicle if possible. He says he is unsure if that is possible and leaves. As we were sitting there for approximately 5 minutes and seeing only one potential customer in a cubical and all the Sales Managers just standing around, we again ask to speak to the Manager. The salesman again made a final smooth it over type pitch and reminded us that we had gotten a better deal than we had thought. However, we were tired of the constant run around and games being played that nothing he could say or do at this point could possibly smooth anything over. Instead of the Sales Manager being brought out, the Financing Manager is brought out to explain the breakdown in numbers within the purchase. With two different contracts being signed and this “new” sales price we were told about DAYS AFTER THE PURCHASE, numbers were being thrown at us left and right to the point we couldn’t make heads or tails out of it all. He then asks if we have any questions and we ask AGAIN to speak to a Sales Manager. After about another 5 minutes of waiting a different Sales Manager sits down and informs us that he understands there are issues with the vehicle and that he would be happy to look at them, but COULD NOT PROMISE THEY WOULD FIX ALL THESE ISSUES BASED ON PRICE. THIS WHOLE TIME WE WERE PROMISED THAT THESE ISSUES WOULD BE FIXED AND NOW THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THAT PROMISE?!?! I make him aware of our displeasures and state that we would like to return the car based on their constant attempt to down play the issues that we discovered and what was stated  in the “Buyer’s Guide”, including them not honoring their original promise to have all the issues fixed at the cost of Russ Darrow.  He states that my fiancé signed the contract and that we should have read it more carefully. Then proceeds to tell us the contract is made final and they would not even look at the vehicle at this point. I then inform him of the options we have legally, as a purchaser, that I would be contacting the Wisconsin DOT while seeking legal representation in this matter. He stood up and said “GET OUT OF HERE AND YOU CAN HAVE YOUR ONE ATTORNEY GO UP AGAINST OUR 30” with a smirk on his face. I then proceeded to the sales cubicle next to the one we were in and tapped a lady, who was interested in a vehicle there, on the shoulder to inform her of our experience at Russ Darrow. We began to walk out only to be cursed at for informing the lady. As we walked out she walked out right behind us. I only wish someone would have tapped us on the shoulder that day to inform us.

THIS IS OUR TAP ON THE SHOULDER TO YOU!!!

Good Luck in Your Search and We Hope Your Experience is Better Than Ours!