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NIMNICHT  CADILLAC  Jacksonville, Florida  -  Cadillac Fleetwood 1990  [03/28/00]  "My car was damaged while at this dealership for service.  I tried to show it to the service manager, Bill Hooper, but his only comment was that this is a 10-year-old car and that they didn't damage it.  He wouldn't even look at the damage."
NINO QUALITY MOTORS  Vallejo, California  -  Volvo 850 1997 [06/07/00] "After purchasing this car I found out that it had been in a serious accident.  I'd asked my sales person twice if it had ever been in an accident and he said 'no..'  The disclosure statement that came with the car did not mention an accident either. Nino Quality Motors has refused to honor its slogan '...Where the customer comes first.' They will not refund my money."
O'BRIEN NISSAN  Hawthorne, New Jersey  -  Nissan Frontier 2000 [06/25/00] "I took this vehicle to O'Brien Nissan twice for the same problem.  On both occasions I was told that it was repaired but it wasn't.  I contacted Nissan headquarters in California, and to say the least O'Brien Nissan wasn't happy about this. Since then they've never offered me a loaner vehicle, and they left my truck sitting on their lot for two days; I had to call and inquire about its status.  They told me that it had been ready only a couple of hours after I'd left it.  Next, the said that I should go to another Nissan dealership in the future because they'd not be able to satisfy me no matter what they did. They've been totally unprofessional and rude with me."
O'MEARA FORD  Northglenn, Colorado  -  Ford Windstar 2000 [04/19/00]  "At an inflated price, this dealership sold me a rear-seat entertainment console as an option with this vehicle.  They've gotten their money from the finance company, but I've never gotten the console.  All I get from them are excuses."
ONE  STOP  AUTO  South Bend, Indiana  -  Ford Probe GT 1993  [03/27/00]  "One week after buying this car,  the fuel-cut-off switch on the dash would come on and the car wouldn't start.  I called the warranty company and they said that the diagnosis and parts weren't covered.  I took the car in to the car care company to have it fixed.  They said that the trouble was caused by the computer, which they replaced with a new one.  I paid for the work,  but two hours later the same problem was back.  This time I took it to Ford. They said that that the problem was with the distributor, not the computer,  and they'd do the repair work for $1000.00.  I called the warranty office again with this updated information,  and again they said it was my problem, not theirs.  The bottom line to everyone who reads this...read the warranty and other paperwork very carefully before you sign anything."
POTAMKIN CADILLAC  New York City, New York  -  Ford Windstar 1998 [05/31/00]  "My car was scratched in two places while in this dealership's shop.  I brought it back to them because of this, and they gave me a rental.  When I went back to pick up my car, only one of the two scratched areas had been done.  This time, though, they refused me a rental because they said they had already lost too much money on my car."
POTAMKIN TOYOTA  Miami, Florida  -  Toyota Corolla  1999 [05/04/00]  "I leased this car June 21, 1999 through American Airlines's 'Advantage Auto Program' so that I could earn air miles for the full amount of the lease.  Potamkin Toyota told me that the necessary paperwork had been sent to American Airlines, but they had not. Dozens of calls from myself and American Airlines to this dealership have gone unanswered.  I sent this dealership a certified request on March 25, 2000 asking for an American Airlines auto program form, but got no answer.  On April 21, 2000 I wrote to the American International Automobile Dealers Association requesting help, but got no answer."
PREMITER FORD
ALLEN VIGIL FORD
BEAUTRY FORD
CAROLYN FORD
 Atlanta, Georgia  -  Ford Taurus 1993 [05/28/00]  "Even though I received a number of recall notices over the last two years on this model...motor mounts, head gasket, etc.,...whenever I took it in I was told that the recalls did not affect my car.  Since then I've had to replace the head gasket, motor mounts, transmission, etc.,.  I've written to Ford Motor Company without receiving any response."
PREMIER PONTIAC  Kingwood, Texas  -  GMC Suburban 1994 [07/04/00] "In October, 1999, I took this vehicle in to Premier Pontiac to have the recall done on the brake-light switch.  On the way home, I noticed that I didn't have to use the accelerator hardly at all; the engine was idling high.  Next day, I was driving the Suburban when the engine suddenly went berserk!  It was all I could do to get stopped and switch the motor off. The vehicle was then towed back to Premier Pontiac where they determined that whoever had installed the alarm system or the brake controller for our RV had stuffed 20 feet of wire up under the dash.  This wire had wrapped around the accelerator cable and caused the cable to either break or come off at the engine. I told the service manager that this work had been done six years ago and we'd never had any accelerator problems.  I further pointed out that the only people that had been under the dash were the mechanics at Premier Pontiac. The service manager denied this, until I told him that they'd just done the recall work. It was also pointed out that fluid was seen coming from the engine after it went crazy...hitting some 5,000 rpm. The service manager said they'd check that out too.  Later they called and said everything check out okay. I found this wasn't hardly the case because there was almost no brake fluid in the vehicle, and the power-steering fluid was low. After getting home and checking under the hood, it was found that the our special K & N air filter had been stolen...worth about $50. This filter has a label on it telling any service person NOT to dispose of it because it's good for a million miles. Needless to say that, even though we'll be buying another Suburban next year, it certainly won't be from Premier Pontiac. We will never return there!"
UGLY DUCKLING CAR SALES  Van Nuys, California  -  Ford Escort LX 4-door sedan 1993 [06/06/00] "I bought this used car in October, 1999.  Beginning on the second day after I bought it, the check-coolant light came on, the car doesn't shift properly, the brakes are worn, the struts are completely useless, there's a leak on the passenger-side window (..front and back).  I just spent $800 in repairs to the radiator, alternator, water pump, and belts.  I've been sold a lemon by this shady, deceitful, unhelpful dealer.  Do not trust these people!"
UGLY DUCKLING Corporation  Garland, Texas  -  Mitsubishi Expo 1992 [07/20/00] "Ugly Duckling Corp. advertises 'quality used cars,' but the one I bought from them has had nothing but troubles; it's been broke down more than being on the road.  Because of all the problems with this car, I had to turn it back in and get another vehicle from a different dealership.  Ugly Duckling Corp, though, still reports non-payment to the credit agency on this car that they over-charged me $2000 for."
UNIVERSITY MAZDA Wilmington, North Carolina  -  Ford Mustang Cobra 1997 [06/29/00] "This dealership never disclosed to me that this car had been wrecked previously.  Also, a brake problem that I took it in to have repaired was not done correctly; they continue to squeal and exhibit other symptoms.  No one at University Mazda would address any of these things, but rather took an 'It's not my concern' attitude'."
USA DEALERS' CHOICE CORPORATION  Buena Park, California  -  Toyota Tercel 1996 [05/24/00] "This company gave me $5000 for my old car which, under the terms of their contract with me, was to go to Toyota Credit as a pay-off.  This deal was closed in February (..2000), and it's now May but Toyota Credit has not been paid.  I spoke to Mario Diaz and Larry Polinsky at USA Dealers' Choice.  I was told that Diaz is the owner, and Polinsky is his assistant.  They told me that they'd been undergoing some 'restructuring,' but that they'd pay off the car within 30 days.  I found out that they'd also sold my old car,  with Toyota Credit still holding the pink slip.  I'm left with damaged credit and no cooperation or help from Mario Diaz, Larry Polinsky, or anyone else at this company."
VALLEY FORD  Milford, Massachusetts  -  Ford Explorer 1997 [05/24/00]  "I took my Explorer in to this dealership because the passenger-side rear wheel was squealing.  They said that it was the emergency brake, and since they already had the wheels off that we should have the brake pads and drums changed.  They estimated $618 for the work.  I declined their offer, and paid the $60 they charged to tell me all this.  After calling around, I found places that would do the brake work for less than $100.  I also found out that the squealing noise from the rear wheel was nothing more than the built-in brake-wear-warning device, not the emergency brake."
VALLEY MOTOR SPORTS  Northampton, Massachusets  -  Yamaha V-Star 650 2000 [03/24/00]  "I picked up my motorcycle March 23, 2000.  After reviewing my purchase and for other reasons,  I decided that I couldn't keep it.  I called the dealer and they said, 'It's your bike now..!'  I thought that there was something about a cooling-off period in which I had 3 days to change my mind about a major purchase like this.  Valley Motor Sports also told me that because the motorcycle is registered and has been driven (..less than 20 miles!) it's now considered used."
WARD CHRYSLER-CHEVROLET  Du Quoin, Illinois  -  Ford Mustang GT 1994 [07/14/00] "I bought this car in December, 1999.  Since then it's been in Ward Chrysler-Chevrolet's shop three times, and is currently in there for the fourth time.  I've had to buy four new tires, the oil pump failed last January (..2000) causing additional engine problems that required a complete rebuild; now the car is losing oil pressure again. The air conditioner has failed twice, and there's been a tie-rod failure.  The last time my car needed work it took 1 1/2 months just to get it into their shop.  I'm totally dissatisfied with this dealership and their rude employees."
WATSON CHEVROLET  Tucson, Arizona  -  Chevrolet Silverado 2000 [06/27/00] "I paid $22,000 for this truck which has strange noises coming from the steering column, and moldings coming off.  This dealership claims that there's nothing they can do (..except glue the moldings in place) until a recall is issued by Chevrolet Corporation.  I called Chevrolet, but they said there was nothing they could do either because too much is left owing on the balance.  Back at Watson Chevrolet, I offered to return the new Silverado for a used vehicle, but they said that they'd lose to much money with that kind of deal. Furthermore, they said, that if I returned the truck it would go down on my credit history as a voluntary repossession.  The bottom line is that neither Watson Chevrolet nor Chevrolet Corporation are standing behind their product."
WEBB CHEVROLET  Oaklawn, Illinois  -  Chevrolet Impala 2000 [05/06/00]  "After telling my salesperson, Mike, that I couldn't afford more than $400/month in payments,  he quoted $22,000 for this car with a 1.9% finance charge over 60 months, but refused to put anything in writing.  Later we went to Webb Chevrolet's finance office, where I was told that for a price of $22,000 on the Impala the monthly payments would be $540 with $1,500 down.  I told the finance person that I'd told Mike I was limited to $400/month. He rudely told me that I wasn't really serious about buying a car.  I feel that Mike lied to me and was trying to trick me into buying the car at an inflated price. My advice is: do your homework first, and always get a quote in writing before proceeding."
LEW WEBB'S IRVINE NISSAN  Irvine, California  -  Nissan Pathfinder 2001  [04/02/00]  "I purchased the Pathfinder only to discover that this dealership gave me an SE model instead of an LE.  The sticker on the vehicle showed an LE, but the sales contract showed the VIN of an SE with the price of an LE.  The LE is $2000.00 more than the SE model.  Lew Webb's Irvine Nissan refused to rectify this, nor would they even listen to my complaint.  Instead, they threatened to remove me from their lot, even though I was a peaceable customer.  Beware of Lew Webb's Irvine Nissan in Irvine, California!"
WEIKERT FORD Lake Wales, Florida  -  Ford Windstar 1995 [06/16/00] "While looking at the mini-vans on this dealer's lot, our salesman steered us to one that he said we just had to see. It had 101,000 miles on it! The salesman told us not to concern ourselves with that because the previous owners had just had a 'new engine' installed which had only 12,000 miles on it.  Less than a month later we had to take the van in for work due to the following: coolant leak;  driver-side wheel clicking during turns; door ajar light coming on and the side door out of adjustment; ticking noise from engine when accelerating.  Weikert Ford fixed the coolant leak and the door problem, but were 'unable to duplicate' the other problems.  Next (..March 2000) the driver's-side CV axle had to be changed.  We then went on vacation to Pennsylvania, but on the return trip home to Florida the 'new engine' blew a rod. We were stranded in a remote location in South Carolina...no means of driving to distant food sources and surviving, with our two-year old son,  for two days on chips and cookies while relatives drove from Florida to get us. Upon our return home we went to Weikert Ford to find out what they were going to do. They said that they weren't going to do anything, that they'd never told us that the engine in the vehicle was new. Of course the salesman who'd said that it was a new engine was no longer with the dealership.  After threatening a law suit, Weikert Ford told us to bring the van in and they'd see what they could do; three days later they confirmed that the engine had indeed thrown a rod bearing,  and said that Robert Weikert would have to be consulted about what to do.  One week later the dealership called and said that Robert Weikert had given his approval to do the repairs.  Two days later I called to do a progress check and was told that they were awaiting parts. Later that same day, Rob Venters, Weikert's service manager, called and told me that they were going to pay only $1000 of the $3000 the repair work was going to cost. At that point we filed suit against Weikert Ford. Two months later their attorney sent us a copy of something called a 'Retail Buyers Order' which stated that, 'Any controversy or claim arising out of, or relating to this agreement or a breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration under the laws of the State of Florida.'  This was the first time we'd ever seen this document! Subsequently we were advised that our case probably would be thrown out of court.  However, since then we've located the salesman who sold us the mini-van and he's signed an affidavit stating that he'd been told by his manager, Bobby Ayers, to sell the van as having a new engine, and that a copy of the 'Buyers Guide' had never been supplied, even though federal law mandates this. We've contacted Ford Motor Company, the Florida Consumer Services, the Better Business Bureau, Ford Motor Credit, and our local TV stations...all without any results.  We're being forced to pay $2000 to have our van repaired."
WESTERN SLOPE CHRYSLER-PLYMOUTH-DODGE  Grand Junction, Colorado  -  Plymouth Voyager 1998 [05/29/00]  "This car has only 6,000 miles on it, but has been dead in our garage many times. Just before starting on a trip recently, it had to be jump started.  Western Slope Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge said to bring it right down and they'd check it out. The dealership is 60 miles from our home.  We were told that a new alternator was needed, but the part would have to be ordered from Denver.  We left the car, and several days later went to the dealership because they'd never returned any of our calls. They said that they'd had to re-order the alternator from Detroit!  Overall, service at this dealership has been awful, causing much inconvenience, time off from work, and aggravation."
WESTFIELD FORD  Countryside, Illinois  -  Ford Windstar 1995 [05/12/00]  "I left my car with this dealership's service department because the engine was over heating, probably due to a head gasket failure.  They called to tell me that the total cost would be $1,684.00!  They'd done a tune up (..which had already been done 6 months previous), and performed other work that had nothing to do with a head gasket.  They'd done work on my car that I hadn't authorized.  Westfield Ford refuses to even discuss this with me."
WILLIAMS FORD  West Hartford, Connecticut  -  Mercury Sable 1996 [06/14/00] "The overhead interior light in this car wouldn't turn off.  The service advisor at Williams Ford didn't even look at the car,  just told us to leave it and they'd check it out the following Monday (..we went to this dealership on Thursday) He said that it was probably a major problem and would take several hours to repair.  Rather than leave our car, we went to Newman Lincoln-Mercury.  The service man there was polite.  All he did was jiggle some dials on the dashboard and the problem was solved.  No charge!  The difference in attitude between the two dealerships was amazing.  At Williams Ford the service advisor was rude, condescending and obnoxious.  His counterpart at Newman Lincoln-Mercury was a gentleman who thought a moment, then immediately suggested how to solve our problem, then did it.  In the future our service and repair work will be done at Newman Lincoln-Mercury."
WOBURN FOREIGN MOTORS  Woburn, Massachusets  -  Jaguar S-Type 2000 [05/12/00]  "We purchased this $40,000 vehicle May 2, 2000.  Within 48 hours the left speakers cut out completely when the CD player was turned on,  and the dynamic stability control lamp and malfunction indicator lamp illuminated.  The service department at Woburn Foreign Motors told us to bring the car in on May 8, and advised us it would be all right to drive unless sluggish performance was noticed.  That weekend, the car would only start after repeatedly trying.  We managed to get the car to the dealer's service department the following Monday.  Later that same day the service department told us that they'd found a loose wire, but they wanted to keep it over night for further testing.  Next day they told us that the problem still persisted.  Two days after that they said that they now thought the problem was with the computer, which they replaced.  They kept the car over night again for testing.  When we finally got our car back, we discovered that 250 miles had been put on it between Monday and Wednesday!  And then, within ten miles of the dealership, and after having the car four days, the same lights as before, plus the battery light, came on.  Next morning we once more had trouble starting it,  the automatic door locks malfunctioned, and the compass driver's side rear view mirror fell off.  We have made a legal, written demand to Jaguar that they immediately take the vehicle back and provide us with a new one.  The dealership has refused to replace the vehicle, but the sales manager at Woburn Foreign Motors told me over the phone that he would support us if Jaguar agreed to replace it.  However, after I tried to confirm this via fax, he contacted me and said that what he had actually said was that he would 'assist us'  by providing another vehicle from his lot if Jaguar agreed to the replacement.  A more professional and proper course would be for Woburn Foreign Motors to replace the car, then deal with the manufacturer themselves, rather than leaving that task to us.  In light of the numerous problems with this luxury car in such a short period of time, the inability of the dealership to effectively diagnose the problems, the excessive mileage put on it by the service department, and the aggravation and stress we've undergone, I expect nothing less than a timely agreement to replace the vehicle.  I will report further developments on Auto Dealer Complaint Registry as they occur."
WORLD FORD of PEMBROKE PINES  Pembroke Pines, Florida  -  Ford F150 2000 [07/04/00] "In March,2000 I purchased my third vehicle from this dealership. Rex Meyers was my sales representative.  After taking delivery, I had some problems with the air conditioner, the CD player not functioning correctly, and a two-month wait for my vehicle tags.  I contacted Meyers and he told me to bring the vehicle in.  The air conditioner was repaired, and I was given a free tank of gas because of the long delay in receiving my tags. Meyers advised me to have the CD player repaired when my pick up was brought in for its first scheduled service.  He said that I should first contact him so that he could have a rental vehicle ready for my use.  One week before time for the scheduled service I tried to contact Meyers several times but could only leave messages on his voice mail. He never returned any of those calls. When I did go in for the service I located Meyers and asked him why he'd never returned any of my calls. He told me that he had received the voice mails, but that he only returned calls on Mondays. I explained to him that if I'd have been able to talk with him...as he'd recommended...he could have a rental car ready and I wouldn't have to miss a day's work. His response was, 'I sell 30 cars a month and don't have time to contact every single one of my customers when they have a problem.'  I stated to him that apparently he didn't care about his customers after the sale. Meyers then turned and walked away. I've been a Ford customer for some eight years and have never been treated so rudely and unprofessionally before."
WORLD WIDE AUTO SALES  Trenton, New Jersey  -  Ford Probe 1993 [06/08/00] "I didn't know it when I bought this car but the mileage had been turned back from 164,000 to 86,000 miles.  The transmission failed, costing me $4,000.  I called the owner of this dealership to see if I could return the vehicle and he hung up on me."
WYLIE MUSSER  Terrell, Texas  -  Suburban 1999 [06/24/00] "I've owned five other Suburbans since 1984. When I needed service on my current Suburban I took it in to this dealership.  At 25,000 miles I'd put new front tires on and wanted a front-end alignment done.  The service person at Wylie Musser told me that because there were no slots in the wheels for alignment purposes he would remedy that by having slots cut...for $180!  He told me that all Suburbans have to have the slots cut.  This is false!  My other four Suburbans never needed slots cut, and I know that the new 2000 model doesn't require them either."
YOUNG CHEVY  Layton, Utah  -  Chevrolet Blazer S-10 1999 [03/25/00]  "Even though I bought this vehicle used just one week ago, it's been in the shop three times due to the engine light coming on.  It's still under factory warranty.  The trans-axle was found packed with mud,  but Young Chevy still wants to charge me for pre-existing conditions on the vehicle."
SATURN of 31 Clay, New York  -  Saturn SL2 1997 [06/16/00] "I bought this Saturn new in 1997.  All went well until an accident; the front of the car was smashed,  but the airbags did NOT deploy.  It was explained to me that the car had to be hit directly on the front of the bumper for the airbags to open.  Saturn of 31 did the repairs, and I assumed that they had checked everything.  Later, this vehicle developed transmission problems. Back to Saturn of 31, where the mechanic said that the transmission cylinder was cracked.  I wanted a second opinion so I went to another garage.  They told me that there was internal damage,  and their mechanic told me that transmission failures are common with Saturns.  Other mechanics I talked to said the same thing,  and that the cylinder wouldn't crack under normal driving conditions.  Also, I found out that most garages won't work on Saturns because the parts are too expensive.  Now I've also found out that my car's steering pump has a leak. I will never buy another Saturn, and will advise everyone I can not to buy a Saturn."
SATURN of CERRITOS  Cerritos, California  -  Saturn SL2 2000 [05/12/00]  "This dealer will not honor Saturn's  thirty-day-1500-mile customer satisfaction policy.  When I tried to return a 28-day old Saturn lease with only 875 miles on it, the dealer threatened to take me to court.  He assaulted my character, and accused me of fraud.  This after two of his salesman confirmed the satisfaction guarantee policy before I returned the car. Advice: don't buy more than one new Saturn; once you're in 'the family' you learn that it's just as sleazy as every other car dealership."
SATURN of ROSEVILLE  Roseville, California  -  Saturn SL2 1993 [05/05/00]  "When we bought this car there was no extra keys, and the door panel was askew; we had to argue with this dealership just to get them to fix it for no charge.  Two days after taking delivery, the emission system failed, although Saturn of Roseville had claimed that they'd given it a 150-point inspection.  Then the battery died and they refused to replace it because it wasn't original equipment.  Numerous letters to Saturn headquarters have brought no response other than a form letter saying that there was nothing they could do. We've had the car now for 9 months and have been trying for 2 months to sell it.  Finally we had to trade it in...for about 3/4 of what we'd paid less than a year before. This car has been the worst purchase I've ever made, and the worst buying experience too."
SCHAUMBURG AUTO SALES  Schaumburg, Illinois  -  Isuzu Amigo 2000 [04/12/00]  "I traded in my car that had a value of $8,000.00 and on which $1,200.00 was still owed.  This dealer told me that in order to get financing for the Isuzu they couldn't show a 'negative equity.'  They said that they would give me $1,200.00 for my car, which was $4,000.00 more than I should have gotten.  Then they were supposed to raise the purchase price of the new vehicle by the same amount so that the two would be a wash.  Instead, they raised the purchase price for the new Isuzu by $5,500.00, which meant I ended up paying $1,500.00 more than I should have."
SCHUMACHER  VOLKSWAGEN  Lake Park, Florida  -  Volkswagen Passat 1998  [03/29/00]  "My car has been in to this dealer's service department 3 times since December, 1999 for the same problem:  when you turn the ignition key, the car won't start but the trunk pops open and then won't shut.  The service department tried to tell me that it was my remotes, or that I was popping the trunk myself when trying to start the car."
SCOTT TOYOTA  Phoenix, Arizona  -  Toyota 4Runner 1997 [06/29/00] "This dealership changes the price for some vehicle when it's time for the customer to sign the contract.  They also add insurance that isn't required. None of these changes are explained to the customer. After realizing that this had been done to them, my parents tried to return the vehicle the very next day, but Scott Toyota just said that there's nothing they can do."
SEELYE-WRIGHT  South Haven, Michigan  -  Plymouth Voyager 1996 [04/27/00]  "This dealership sold us this van knowing that it had a history of transmission, engine, and electrical problems."
AL SERRA  Grand Blanc, Michigan  - Chevrolet Cavalier 1996 [05/30/00]  "After my car was totaled and taken to this dealership, their body shop started work on it without any authorization from either me or my insurance company."
SHIRETOWN FORD  Plymouth, Massachusetts  -  Ford Escort SE 1997 [05/13/00]  "We took our car to Shiretown Ford after the engine warning light came on and the car began shaking.  They replaced the ignition wiring and upgraded the computer, but their diagnostic equipment keeps showing 'Misfire in Cylinder 4.'  They can't find the problem!  We think the engine should be replaced, but Shiretown Ford won't do it."
SIGNATURE LINCOLN-MERCURY  Las Vegas, Nevada  -  Mercury Grand Marquis 2000 [05/06/00] "After buying this car I found out that it had had body work done because of damage. The rear doors were still misaligned. None of this had been disclosed to me before buying.  The dealer said that they didn't know about the damage, and offered to repair the car further. I only wanted either a refund, a credit, or a new car.  Both Signature Lincoln-Mercury and Ford Motor Company have been unresponsive. No more Fords for me!"
SIMON MOTORS  LaQuinta, California  -  Cadillac Deville 1990 [04/29/00]  "I took my car in to Simon Motors service department because of engine noise and irregular rpm.  After a $348.52 payment for various 'may have caused' repairs,  the car was returned with the same engine noise.  Turns out the problem is with the air-conditioning compressor; that will be another $1500.00.  It seems that the $69.50 diagnostics done on my car should have found this problem. I want my money back!"
SISBARRO BUICK  Las Cruces, New Mexico  -  Chevrolet Silverado 1996 [04/22/00]  "I bought this pick up one year ago.  At that time I asked for the GM extended warranty.  When it came time to use the warranty, though, I found out it was only a in-house warranty instead of the GM warranty for which I paid.  For any warranty work, I have to take my pick up to Sisbarro Buick, a distance of 50 miles.  If I happen to be 100 miles or more from Sisbarro and need repairs, another dealer has to call them for authorization."
BOB SMITH TOYOTA  La Crescenta, California  -  Toyota Corolla 1998 [05/13/00]  "I bought this car brand new, and it's still under factory warranty. Because of a factory fault, rain water fills up the trunk compartment, then floods under the back seat to cover it and the floor.  This dealer promised to repair the defect,  but the car has been taken in to them 6 times in 1 month and all they do is roll down the windows to dry it out.  Today (..5/13/00), they told me that they wouldn't fix anything, and then told me to get lost.  I've called their customer complaints department, but they never call back.  Additionally, there are many electrical problems in this car, including windows that don't work, and spurious displays on the instrument panel."
BEV SMITH TOYOTA  Fort Pierce, Florida  -  Ford Windstar 1995 [04/21/00]  "I bought this van on February 3, 1999.  For the first 3 months of owning it I had it just 2 weeks.  On February 23 it went into the shop because of a defective coil assembly.  On June 15, 1999 it had to have the engine replaced.  On August 04, 1999 the transmission had to be replaced, and then again in April of this year (..2000).  Bev Smith Toyota refuses to help in any way."
SOUTHLAND  IMPORTS  INC (affiliated with SUNTRUP NISSAN-VOLKSWAGEN)  St. Louis, Missouri  -  Nissan Altima 2000  [03/28/00]  "We paid $16,530.00 for this car.  Our salesman said it was the best deal we could get...it just doesn't get any better.  Since he claimed to be a fellow Christian we believed what he said and signed all the necessary papers.  That evening I noticed an automobile ad from a different dealer in the newspaper for a new Nissan Altima for $15,800.00.  The following Monday I contacted Southland Imports about the newspaper ad.  They did give us a check for $530.00, but their newspaper ads proclaim that if they can't beat other dealers' prices,  they'll pay $1000.00.  Furthermore they refused to take the car back because the contract had been signed."
ST. CHARLES NISSAN  St. Charles, Missouri  -  Hyundai Elantra 2000 [06/12/00] "I traded in my old car and purchased this Elantra on April 7, 2000.  The dealership filled out all the necessary papers, I signed, then drove off in my new car.  Two days later, while 'surfing' the internet I happened across a Hyundai website that indicated that there was a $750 rebate available to anyone who purchased a new Hyundai during the month of April.  I reviewed my contracts, but could find nothing about a rebate anywhere; in the spaces provided for rebate information was entered 'N/A'  I contacted the sales manager at St. Charles Nissan.  His way of 'fixing' the discrepancy was to rewrite my contract and adding $750 to the initial price of the car so that the $750 rebate could then be subtracted.  The dealership would not give me the rebate though.  Their employees are rude and have unethical business practices.  I've since contacted the Better Business Bureau, the Missouri States Attorney General, the Missouri State Licensing Bureau, and a local TV station's consumer action group.  The state has received at least 5 other complaints on this dealer,  and now has a criminal investigator involved."
STANFORD NISSAN, Inc   Palo Alto, California  - Nissan Maxima SE 1997 [05/14/00]  "I brought this car in to this dealer's service department because of a transmission problem that had just developed...slippage and not shifting until around 4500 rpm.  The mechanic drove the car,  then insisted that the transmission performance was normal, even after I told him that the problem had first appeared only a week before.  A few weeks later, the transmission totally failed.  It was repaired at another Nissan service center at a cost of $2805.92 to me.  Because Stanford Nissan failed to properly diagnose the problem or even listen to what I told them about it, I feel that they should accept responsibility for a large part of the amount I had to pay after the transmission failed."
STAR FORD in GLENDALE  Glendale, California  -  Chevrolet Suburban [06/19/00] "This dealership has the worst customer service people I've ever encountered. Bill at the used-car lot is discriminatory. Mr. Wolf in the finance department is very rude, and George in the finance office would never return phone calls. I'll never do business here again; they are very unprofessional."
STAR IMPORTS  Lynchburg, Virginia  - unknown vehicle  [03/29/00]  "Although I reside in Virginia, in 1997 I bought a 1997 VW Cabrio from a dealership in Florida.  I wouldn't have done so had I known how pathetically Volkswagen is represented in Virginia.  I took my car to Star Imports for a front-end alignment,  but they told me that they couldn't do it because their technicians weren't able to use the alignment equipment.  On another occasion I was having trouble with the car's rear window.  I was told that their technicians couldn't find anything wrong, but months later I'm still stuck with a rear window that won't back up.  After going to a different dealer, I'm told that the window's regulator needs to be replaced."
COURTESY MITSUBISHI  San Jose, California  -  Mitsubishi Montero Sport 2000 [04/29/00]  "I was lured into this dealership by their '0% financing for 36 months, 0% down, $0 payment for 90 days' offer.  I was told that my credit 'wasn't quite established.'  Actually my credit card has a $9,000 limit.  I also have an AMEX corporate card that has no limit, and I earn $5,500/month.  Courtesy Mitsubishi told me that I'd have to put some $10,000 down on the Montero Sport, and pay some ridiculous monthly payment.  I got ready to leave, but then they asked how much I was willing to pay.  After I told them, the down payment suddenly decreased to $5,000 and the monthly installments went down too.  I then said that I wouldn't pay MSRP for the vehicle, but they would only tell me what the monthly payments would be, not the actual price or interest rate.  I eventually signed with the impression that they had actually reduced the price of the vehicle to make things more affordable.  Subsequently I discovered that they had charged me $30,000 for a car that has a MSRP of $29,000 and an invoice price of $26,000, and diverted a $1,600 cash-back from the manufacturer to themselves.  To make matters even worse, Mitsubishi isn't the financing agency, as I'd been told; instead the creditor is a company that's charging me 9.5% interest...not even close to the 0%.  I'll end up paying an additional $4,000 in interest.  I called Mitsubishi headquarters and was told that there was no record of Courtesy Mitsubishi applying for a loan on my behalf.  Mitsubishi, though, won't do anything at all about this issue."
CYBER AUTO SALES, Cranston, Rhode Island - "Cyber Auto Sales never processed the warranty paperwork. Now they refuse to do necessary repairs on my car." 
o them that, after spending $514.00 on the timing gasket job, my engine was now completely wrecked because a mechanic forgot to put in oil."
DIABLO LINCOLN-MERCURY-AUDI-KIA, Concord, California - "I bought my brand new Audi A-4 at Diablo Lincoln-Mercury-Audi-Kia in March, 2005. Almost immediately I had problems with the airconditioner (it wouldn't cool). This is when I learned how worthless the service department is at this dealership; I never received a single call-back from any of the service people--Manny,Charla,Keith,Rusty, or John. A few weeks after the airconditioner problem the CD player went bad. Again it was the same old song and dance: "Someone will call you when the parts come in." The car went in in November, 2005. It's now late January, 2006 and I still have NOT gotten a single call from this dealership. They are obviously the kind of place that, once they get your money, it's '...hit the road jack, and don't bother us again.'"
DORSCH FORD-KIA & AFFORDABLE AUTO CREDIT, Green Bay, Wisconsin - "This dealership also has an in-house financing program called 'Affordable Auto Credit' which targets individuals with less-than-perfect credit. They charge 25% interest on above-blue-book salvage vehicles. Throughout the time I dealt with this company, the manager Mike Dorsch and the finance manager, Tom Leander, repeatedly lied and deceived me. I was having trouble making the weekly payments so I contacted Tom Leander. He told me that everything was just fine, then proceded with repossesing my vehicle. Next I talked to Mike Dorsch and he assured me that the process would be stopped. On December 26, Tom Leander sent two of their mechanics who threatened me with physical violence. Both Mike Dorsch and Tom Leander are absolutely untrustworthy and dishonest. Because of their actions my credit has been ruined."
DRIVETIME, Wilmington, California - "I bought my car from Drivetime on March 1st. Two days later the speedometer stopped working. I returned the vehicle to Drivetime for repair. They had it for two days. On the day after I picked it up from Drivetime the speedometer still wasn't working. Since then I've been trying to resolve this issue with Drivetime, but they refuse to return any of my calls, and have even hung up on me. I went to the dealership but the problem was not resolved.  Conveniently for Drivetime, the warranty coverage ended March 31!"