Time heals all wounds? Absolutely not!
My beloved Volkswagen died on me last year after 300,000 + wonderful miles on the road. I have always purchased used, and usually have opted for the reliable "beater." I decided to purchase a nicer used car through a dealership, with the anticipation that even though I am paying a service fee to the company, the car has been looked over by a qualified mechanic, and maybe some other perks would be added in. After a month of searching I found the perfect car. Yes, it was a slightly higher price than blue book, but this was because the car fax record was so well documented, the car's value increased. It was also a more reliable car, so the dealership assured me. I used my own financing, basically paying in cash. It was a win-win situation right? Wrong.
As a condition for the sale, there was an abs light illuminated, that I requested fixed. I also asked for a full tank of gas. They asked me to take it to cherry hill Volvo to be fixed and they would pay the bill. It was fixed, but cherry hill said that Exton would not authorize all the recommended work that went along with fixing the system. When I called Bob, the head mechanic at Exton, he said it was because those fixes were unnecessary precautions that Volvo recommends. He didn't bother mentioning the other things that cherry hill told him about. My guess is that he already knew.
On the day that I picked up my car, not only did they send me home with a half tank of gas, shortly after driving home, I started getting a spinning in the transmission at a certain speed. I second guessed myself because it was just off the lot and checked by the dealerships own head mechanic. A few weeks later I called and told them of what I continued to hear that made me uncomfortable. I also did a little research, and figured it was probably a component of the transmission, rather than the whole thing. They asked me to bring it in so they could check it out.
Fast forward to the test ride at Exton with Bob and my sales person: the car would not replicate in entirety the problem. Of course! I explained what I thought it was. From the back seat I heard Bob tell the sales associate in a joking way " that's why he never lets his wife go online, because she'll end up believing everything she reads." I gently reminded him that I have ears by repeating what I found and offered some solutions. I didn't want to waste my breath informing him I got my degree in research. His solution was for me to take it back to cherry hill, since they have the specialized equipment to diagnose my issue.
So back to cherry hill Volvo I go ( they're wonderful, btw). Tests confirmed a transmission issue and they recommended that it be replaced for around 6000.00! I was devastated. When I called Bob to raise my concerns about this, he asked me to drop it off so they could take it to stillman Volvo, who they work with often. After several days I called to check on it. But first I called stillman. Apparently it was looked over and returned a couple days prior, and just sitting at Exton. No one bothered to call me. I asked what they found out. They said they found no error codes. At this point I was getting livid, and highly suspicious of what was going on. So I called cherry hill and had them take another look at their records. They confirmed the transmission error codes. I asked why stillman found no codes? He said they could have been reset. I then asked if these errors had been found the first time that I brought it to them for the abs? He confirmed that they had, and that they had informed Bob at Exton of the issue.
I immediately called Exton. They asked me to come pick up the car. I talked to the manager. They were going to do nothing for me. I asked why if Bob didn't catch it before the sale (something I highly doubt a head mechanic would overlook, but a layperson would spot after driving over 20 mins), he would claim ignorance of the problem after cherry hill told him about it? I also suggested that it was very unusual that codes would just disappear after they had my car in their possession, and took it to a Volvo dealership they had a self proclaimed close business relationship with. Did they not trust cherry hill, or just not like the results? He basically said they did all they could do and that I was on my own, and pleaded absolutely no knowledge of the problem with the car. Hands washed.
A few months later, when I could afford it, I took my Volvo to a specialists (amazing mechanics). They fixed the problem. I was right! They also finished the required work necessary for the abs that Bob refused to authorize and a few other minor things they found. It cost me 2500.00.
So if you're considering purchasing from this dealership, I highly recommend you go anywhere else!!! Save yourself from the hassle and the attitude and the dishonesty you'll encounter here. Oh, did I mention Exton also over charged me 12.00 in taxes, and still have not refunded me! read more
