On 07/10/2016 I entered my RX8 and heard a loud buzzing sound. Everything was off and I hadn't used the car yet that day. in order to stop the sound the hazards had to be on. Turning them off again, the lights stayed on solid and the buzzing resumed. I went to the dealership angry. In 9 weeks this was now the 5th thing wrong with the car. Key fob was broken at purchase by Alan Webb employee, ignition ring was defective at time of purchase but had not been replaced, air conditioning was defective at time of purchase even though I asked about it specifically because I have a toddler, radio lost all power,buzzing in dash. All of these incidents required me to make a return trip to the shop. I'm now on my third loaner.
I told my sales person, Chris, that I didn't want a car with electrical issues. It supposedly went through their 150 point inspection (website says all cars have this) and I was told it was in "excellent" condition at purchase. I told him I wanted out of the deal or a different car with no electrical issues. I was given a loaner with no paperwork and sent home. Via text, Chris asked about my payments. I informed him I didn't want to pay more. On 07/11 I sent him my finance sheet so he would have a breakdown of all my numbers. The following day he again asked me, "So we can make sure right away if something will work what is your monthly payment you wouldn't want to exceed?" I again advised I didn't want to pay any more, monthly or total, and wouldn't authorize anything above the numbers I sent the day before.
I was told that Jarod (a sales manager?) could help; I asked if I could have a way to reach him. No way to reach Jarod ever offered. Called the dealership, spoke with the person who greeted me when I came in Sunday who took all of my personal info and all of the info on the situation so he could help since Chris and Jarod were both with customers. He said he would text me before the end of the day so I could have another point of contact. That was on the 10th, no text, no call, no email, no contact. I saw him when I came in on the 13th, he said Chris had informed him not to contact me
On July 12, Chris volunteered to send me a small list of vehicles before he left to see what would spark my interest. No email. I contacted Chris back July 13 6:00am asking for an update before the start of work since after hadn't panned out. Nothing. That afternoon the check engine light on the loaner car came. I texted a picture to Chris (no response), picked up my boyfriend, and drove back to AWM. I found Bobby the sales manager and updated him everything. He told me that Chris was "mistaken," they couldn't trade me in to anything comparable at the same price. Even though I've had this car for 9 weeks, since it "needs repairs" they could only buy it back for approx. $5,000 less than I owe, which I could roll onto another car if it was expensive enough to carry the negative equity or I could continue to pay to the bank. This would more than double my monthly payment.
After much talking and debate, Bobby said that they would cover the first $700 of repairs to the radio and unexplained buzzing, and he would fix two places where there was light body damage to try to rebuild our sales relationship. Up to this point they've repaired everything for free, setting a precedent that they are aware the issues are not my fault and they are responsible. He told me that Chris had neglected to inform service on Monday that my car was there so it's been sitting in their parking lot for 3 days having nothing done. They will look at it by Friday, per Bobby, and he will call me personally to update me. I was told by Bobby that, "sometimes cars break down. It's the risk you take," to which I replied this isn't breaking down, it's not mechanical, it's not that I've driven it a year and I'm not taking care of it. Its constant problems over a very short time span, one of which was caused by their techs, and which are primarily electrical. This is NOTHING that's any fault of mine for not taking care of the car. It should have been seen when they did their inspection, if they really inspect things at all. Considering all the issues and the fact that "needing repair" devalued the car enough they offered me less than half of my purchase price for a buy back/trade in, I'm betting it's another shady business tactic much like the wheel swapping (see my previous post, other peoples' posts). At this time, they have given me a fourth loaner car.
Even though I've been in multiple times for multiple issues, I had to bring my boyfriend in with me in order to speak to someone other than a sales man, and to have anything in writing on getting my problems fixed. AWM was perfectly happy to take a woman's money, but when it came to fixing my problems I was told that the car was too much for me to handle, I needed something easier to drive, and that I wasn't taking care of it. read more
