This review could be said for any car sales lot/reps, and the bottom line is that the responsibility belongs entirely to the consumer, but this is the lot that we dealt with, and feel that the experience should be shared for the education of others who are purchasing a used car.
My very first recommendation is that you go to Washington or California to buy a used car. There is no consumer protection in Oregon for used cars. Car dealerships are not even required to look under the hood of a car, and certainly do not have your best interest in mind when selling you a vehicle. This dealership certainly did not for us. When we purchased our car, I noticed a few things that were missing or broken that the sales reps said they hadn't noticed (dome light console broken and lumbar support knob completely missing). I wondered to myself how this could even be. Well, straight from the Attorney General's office, it's because they aren't required to notice. A used car doesn't even have to pass a general inspection in Oregon to ensure basic components are present-- like headlights. Our headlights did not work, which due to our own ignorance and lack of due diligence, did not notice until we got home. We called the dealership the next day, and they were willing to have the car checked out by their mechanic. We were preparing to move out of state in about another week and lived about 45 mins from the dealership, so we just took it to the Chevy dealer as we already had an appt established to have a key fob programmed, as the car did not already have one (of course this wasn't factored into the price of the car). To replace the dome light, lumbar support knob, get a fob, and have the headlight (as well as the windshield wipers, as we found to be another problem) issue diagnosed and fixed, we spent a thousand dollars less than one week after purchasing the car!!! On top of the already outrageous price we paid for it!! Which brings me to the next lesson learned and piece of advice.
Do your homework. Call around to other lots. And if you feel that a car is overpriced, don't be in such a rush that after they decline what you feel is a fair offer, you just accept it. WALK AWAY. I called this lot about a specific car and was told not to be deterred by the price listed on the site, it's not concrete and could be negotiated. This was not true. Saturn Vue 2008, Kelly Blue Booked in the present condition at 6,995 retail, 6k fair market value. Other lots in a 150 mi radius were selling this very car for 6-6,500. They were asking 7,995. I offered 6,995. They declined but did offer 300 more toward cash value on the car I was trading in, totaling 800. When I mentioned this information, I was told that the other lots had the luxury of doing so as they are larger and buy at auctions. I was also told "yea well, if you want a used car in good condition, it's just the price that you pay." Well, it's not, and that's why fair market value and Blue Book standards exist. But that is my fault. Also, it wasn't until after I purchased the car, but did call these other lots, and the above actually wasn't true of any of them. They were just as small. I should have walked away. I accepted, and it cost us dearly.
Regarding the headlights I did speak to the salesman that sold us the car about the issue and asked if we could trade it for a car with functioning basics. He was reluctant, but did say it was possible, that he'd speak to his colleague and call me back that day. He never did. We went to the lot three days later to pick up our plates (which he said he would mail to us in AK, but apparently forgot), and not a single one of them even acknowledged us.
The customer service while we were there was pretty decent , but customer service should apply beyond the point of purchase, so for this reason they earned 2 stars. As I drive this car I can't help but wonder what else is wrong with it that wasn't disclosed, and worry about the safety of my family. read more