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  • Report:  #149213

Complaint Review: Steve Westphal Used Car Factory - Cape Coral Florida

Reported By:
- Venice, Florida,
Submitted:
Updated:

Steve Westphal Used Car Factory
2607 Del Prado Blvd Cape Coral, 33904 Florida, U.S.A.
Phone:
239-458-7469
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
Bought a 96 Corvette from Westphals Auto Showcase in Punta Gorda.

Vehicle had massive oil leaks, didn't see this till two days after picking car up. My wife made contact with F&I person, he explained it was the weekend couldn't do anything about it till the repair facility was available. He told her to have me call on Monday. Called on Monday talked to F&I person, explained the oil leak was massive, asked why his repair facilty didn't report this and what could we do about it. He was going to check with repair facility and call me back. He never did. I called several times asking for him and just got ignored or excuses he wasn't free to talk.

Underside of vehicle was covered with oil, could have caught on fire. I took it to a repair facility that I knew could work on LT1 engines. The estimate came to 3000 dollars and I was told the engine had at least 7 quarts of oil in it. It is a 5 qt capacity!!!! The oil blew the seals out of the engine resulting in a major seal up at my expense. I also was without the car for a month.

WARNING.....Don't sign the "AS IS" until you had the vehicle checked out!!!!!

I contacted the credit card co. to put the down payment in dispute, they couldn't help me because of the "AS IS". I contaced the loan co. they couldn't either, same reason.

Went to pick up the 96 Vette, the person that worked on the vehicle told me it had been in an accident. He had problems putting the front end back on because of that.

Summary....Westphals made the Vette buying experience a total disaster! Selling an unsafe car, that should never happen. No matter how smart this F&I person thinks he may be, word of mouth is very effective, and I have a big mouth.

REMEMBER!!!! Be selective where you buy and watch for that "AS IS" paper!!!!! Very Disappointed

John

Venice, Florida
U.S.A.


8 Updates & Rebuttals

Screwed In Oklahoma

Mustang,
Oklahoma,
U.S.A.
Same Deal in OKC

#2REBUTTAL Individual responds

Thu, May 28, 2009

I had the same thing happen in May 2008 here in OKC. The car came from...Fla. I think it's a sister company, Car Factory of OKC. I guess they ran out of folks down there that knew what kind of crooks they were, so they sent the rest of the wrecked cars up here to OKC. We bought the car because we were told it had been Gold Check Certified. NOT. They lied. In the past year, it was totally fallen apart. The Gold Check Certified mech. missed: bent raditor, bend front frame, head and tail lights out of socket. I guess liars are all CAR FACTORY SALESMEN!


Steve

Tucson,
Arizona,
U.S.A.
Creative revenge

#3Consumer Suggestion

Thu, July 14, 2005

If I were you I would tow the car to a place on a main road as close to this dealer as I could, park it and hang a sign on it saying "this piece of crap bought at Used Car Factory. They can screw you, too"


Michael

Barnegat,
New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Then only one option...

#4Consumer Suggestion

Thu, July 14, 2005

You need to take your contract paperwork to a Contract Law attorney for your state and have him take a look over them. If any where on your contract the dealer made a check mark, x-mark, highlighter mark, etc as an indication of where you should sign your paperwork, they might be in violation of coersion. There's a chance they might be able to get the contract voided, which would force the store to let you out of the deal. Best of luck!


John

Venice,
Florida,
U.S.A.
reply to consumer rebuttal-

#5Author of original report

Thu, July 14, 2005

Thanks for your rebuttal! I WAS foolish for not having the car checked out. I did try the loan holder and they did not have substancial grounds to go back against Westphals. Never-the-less, I still think selling a car that may catch on fire from something, I am sure they knew about, is pretty lousy business!! You were of help! You reminded me how it is so easy in this state (FL) to be a Con-artist. Also not to drop your guard against people risking YOUR life for a BUCK!!!


Michael

Barnegat,
New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Did you have the car checked out?

#6Consumer Suggestion

Wed, July 13, 2005

Only one question here... did you have the car checked by an outside mechanic before you made the deal? If and when you buy a used car any dealer should be willing to allow you to do this- if they aren't, don't buy the car. Hate to say it, but you bought the car 'as-is', and now you know why the dealer wasn't willing to warranty the car. Once a car is over 7 years old or over 100,000 miles, the dealer is under no obligation to warranty the car. You did, however, check with the finance company and make sure they were aware the car was sold 'As Is'? Sounds like you did talk to them from what you wrote, just it's pretty rare to have a bank which will take 'As Is' cars for exactly this reason. The car doesn't work and they have a contract out on it, makes it far more likely someone would be delinquent or allow it to go to repossession (not at all suggesting you would do that, mind you- just stating the bank's thinking). You might want to see if the finance company can put any pressure on the dealer to help you out here. They have a vested interest in this, just like you do. There's a very slim chance they might be able and willing to help out- about the only chance you've got here that I can see. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.


Michael

Barnegat,
New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Did you have the car checked out?

#7Consumer Suggestion

Wed, July 13, 2005

Only one question here... did you have the car checked by an outside mechanic before you made the deal? If and when you buy a used car any dealer should be willing to allow you to do this- if they aren't, don't buy the car. Hate to say it, but you bought the car 'as-is', and now you know why the dealer wasn't willing to warranty the car. Once a car is over 7 years old or over 100,000 miles, the dealer is under no obligation to warranty the car. You did, however, check with the finance company and make sure they were aware the car was sold 'As Is'? Sounds like you did talk to them from what you wrote, just it's pretty rare to have a bank which will take 'As Is' cars for exactly this reason. The car doesn't work and they have a contract out on it, makes it far more likely someone would be delinquent or allow it to go to repossession (not at all suggesting you would do that, mind you- just stating the bank's thinking). You might want to see if the finance company can put any pressure on the dealer to help you out here. They have a vested interest in this, just like you do. There's a very slim chance they might be able and willing to help out- about the only chance you've got here that I can see. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.


Michael

Barnegat,
New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Did you have the car checked out?

#8Consumer Suggestion

Wed, July 13, 2005

Only one question here... did you have the car checked by an outside mechanic before you made the deal? If and when you buy a used car any dealer should be willing to allow you to do this- if they aren't, don't buy the car. Hate to say it, but you bought the car 'as-is', and now you know why the dealer wasn't willing to warranty the car. Once a car is over 7 years old or over 100,000 miles, the dealer is under no obligation to warranty the car. You did, however, check with the finance company and make sure they were aware the car was sold 'As Is'? Sounds like you did talk to them from what you wrote, just it's pretty rare to have a bank which will take 'As Is' cars for exactly this reason. The car doesn't work and they have a contract out on it, makes it far more likely someone would be delinquent or allow it to go to repossession (not at all suggesting you would do that, mind you- just stating the bank's thinking). You might want to see if the finance company can put any pressure on the dealer to help you out here. They have a vested interest in this, just like you do. There's a very slim chance they might be able and willing to help out- about the only chance you've got here that I can see. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.


Michael

Barnegat,
New Jersey,
U.S.A.
Did you have the car checked out?

#9Consumer Suggestion

Wed, July 13, 2005

Only one question here... did you have the car checked by an outside mechanic before you made the deal? If and when you buy a used car any dealer should be willing to allow you to do this- if they aren't, don't buy the car. Hate to say it, but you bought the car 'as-is', and now you know why the dealer wasn't willing to warranty the car. Once a car is over 7 years old or over 100,000 miles, the dealer is under no obligation to warranty the car. You did, however, check with the finance company and make sure they were aware the car was sold 'As Is'? Sounds like you did talk to them from what you wrote, just it's pretty rare to have a bank which will take 'As Is' cars for exactly this reason. The car doesn't work and they have a contract out on it, makes it far more likely someone would be delinquent or allow it to go to repossession (not at all suggesting you would do that, mind you- just stating the bank's thinking). You might want to see if the finance company can put any pressure on the dealer to help you out here. They have a vested interest in this, just like you do. There's a very slim chance they might be able and willing to help out- about the only chance you've got here that I can see. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

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