I don't advise you to read my entire review and all its updates. It's lengthy, and if you value good customer service as I do, you might feel as frustrated reading about my AutoNation experience as I felt living it. However, if you're interested, read on.
My wife and I visited AutoNation in Albuquerque at the end of January to buy a late-model SUV. Bobby D. patiently assisted my wife, and we were pleased with their offer on our trade-in. We purchased a popular German SUV along with an extended warranty. After months of searching, my wife was finally happy.
Update: Three days after our purchase, I still don't have the paperwork--no bill of sale, warranty documentation, etc. Our finance guy doesn't respond to my emails. After several reminders and a couple of phone calls, he finally emails me the documents while I'm on the line, but some are still missing.
Update: After a few days, we might need to use our warranty for tire and wheel protection since one tire is leaking. I requested guidance on how the warranty works and if the repairs could be done at AutoNation. One representative said it couldn't be done there, while another said it could. On a Saturday, the service department was closed, and I was promised an appointment for Monday, but when I called, there was no record of it. I ended up taking the car to Discount Tire, which communicated with AutoNation to get the repair covered.
Update: I found out that the interest rate on my financing package is 8.99%. I was initially told AutoNation would find the best rates, which were as low as 5.5% for high-credit-score borrowers. I went to a local credit union and secured a loan at three percentage points lower, saving thousands in interest. Now, I must make at least one payment on the AutoNation loan before requesting a payoff letter for refinancing. Lesson learned: don't take their financing. They make extra money on those unnecessarily high interest rates offered on their loans.
Update: While enduring this process, I received an email from Bobby stating his work isn't done after the sale and he's available for follow-up. However, when I replied, I received no response because he was on vacation. I assume these emails are automated, but it shows a lack of attention to detail.
Update: Throughout this ordeal, I sent numerous emails and left many voicemails, nearly all of which went unanswered. I even emailed the general manager twice with no response. As a small business owner for 40 years, I know that running a business in such a dismissive manner is a recipe for failure.
Update: After my experience, reading other reviews revealed a trend: most positive reviews are from people selling cars to AutoNation, while the negatives come from buyers.
Update: Today, I received a letter from AutoNation stating, "This is an informational notice only." It informed me that my credit score was just under 800 and noted that higher scores typically lead to better credit terms. Yet they offered me a rate three percentage points higher than I could get at any federal credit union in Albuquerque. Do they even understand the irony of sending this after my experience? read more