Extremely Disappointed
I previously purchased a work van…read morethrough Cars.com from another dealer for about $25,000. It arrived exactly as described and was in excellent condition. Because of that experience, I searched for two more identical vans and found Cobb Luxury, which had many similar vans listed. From the photos, they all looked great.
Before purchasing, I repeatedly asked for additional photos showing different angles and the interiors. I never received them. When I called, I was told, rather rudely, "Why do you need more pictures? They're already on the website." The only additional photo I eventually received was a single picture taken from far away showing multiple vans parked together, making it impossible to inspect the condition of either vehicle.
I also explained that I was buying both vans from out of state and asked if they could coordinate transportation if I paid in full immediately. I was told yes, and that any additional transportation costs would simply be billed to me. Based on that assurance, I wired the full payment for both vans.
After that, communication almost disappeared.
Weeks went by without receiving the titles or paperwork. After nearly two months of repeated emails and phone calls, I was finally told the person responsible was on vacation. Eventually, after several more weeks, I finally received the documents.
When I asked about transportation, I was suddenly told the vans were now my responsibility because they had already been titled in my name. When I hired a transport company, the driver informed me the dealer couldn't even tell him where the vans were located. They had moved each van to different remote storage lots without notifying me. That caused several more weeks of delays.
I finally received the vans almost four months after I had paid for them in full.
The condition was nothing like I expected:
Both batteries were dead.
One van had a failed transmission control module.
One had a serious engine oil leak spraying oil throughout the engine compartment.
Another had an empty power steering reservoir due to a costly leak.
Door locks did not work properly.
One door could only be opened from the outside by lowering the window because the inside latch was broken.
Break pads and manual brake system full rusted and in bad condition.
The mechanic said the engine oil appeared not to have been changed for a very long time.
Before using either van for even one single day, I had already spent over $5,000 in repairs.
To make matters worse, one of the vans has a defective ignition switch. The engine will randomly shut off even while the van is in Park because the switch has an intermittent electrical contact. My mechanic told me the only proper repair is to replace the ignition switch with a new OEM Mercedes-Benz part, which is very expensive. This was yet another major issue that was never disclosed before the sale.
Last week the first van came back from the mechanic, we started installing shelving and tools inside. That's when I noticed sunlight coming through the roof. Upon closer inspection, the roof was full of rust holes. Multiple body shops estimated another $1,000 to $2,000 just to repair the roof.
At this point, I still have not been able to use either van for work.
I understand these are used vehicles and I never expected perfection. What I did expect was honest communication, basic customer service, and vehicles that reasonably matched their advertised appearance. Unfortunately, my experience was the complete opposite.
They had dozens of similar vans in inventory. If they had been honest about the condition of each one, I would have gladly paid more and selected the better quality vehicles. As I explained to the salesperson over the phone, I wasn't looking for the cheapest vans, I was looking for clean, well maintained work vans that would provide many years of reliable service without requiring major repairs right away. Instead, because they hide information, I was never given the opportunity to make an informed decision.
If you are going to buy from this dealer, make sure you visit in person with a mechanic!
