Buyer Beware! Have the car inspected by a shop before you buy!
I purchased a car last year from Orlando Preowned used cars and the car that was delivered to me ended up needing over $5000 in repairs.
The first day I drove the car to work I noticed the driver's side wheel was missing a lug, so I had to purchase a new one. A couple days later I had the car inspected at a VW dealership. The number of problems with the car I could not believe.
The cars catalytic converter had been removed, tires were worn out showing only 3/32 to 4/32 of tread life, wrong type of coolant was added, driver`s side wheel bearing was worn out, clutch throw out bearing was chattering and needed to be replaced, starter was failing and needed to be replaced, front sway bar endlinks were worn out and the all-wheel drive system had failed including the Haldex rear differential clutches, fluid pump and module. That alone was over $3000 for the parts and labor.
The other issue is that it`s illegal in the state of Florida to sell or trade a car without a catalytic converter. I notified Leo Braz(sales manager) That the car had no catalytic converter and all the other listed problems. He replied, "the car was sold as is and you signed the contract." What Mr Braz didn`t understand is that a signed purchased as is document doesn`t apply to an air pollution device that is mandatory by Florida law to be installed on the car before it`s sold.
At first, Mr Braz, wanted me to drive a non-street legal car to Orlando about 75 miles without a catalytic converter where at any time, I could have been pulled over and given a citation. I requested Mr Braz to send a tow truck and have the car towed from Tampa to Orlando and back. He refused, so I filed a complaint with the Florida Department of Motor.Vehicle, and it was referred to an investigator who directed Mr Braz to decide to pick my car up via tow truck and returned.
Finally, after weeks of negotiating, Mr Braz picked up the car and fix it taking 4 days then return it. Orlando Preowned was cited by the FDMV for selling a motor without air pollution device on his business license.
I have purchased about 10 cars in my life, and this was the worst experience I have ever had with a car dealership. The website was misleading because it stated at the time, all the cars had a 132-point inspection which come it find our mine did not. All Mr Braz cares about is selling as many cars has, he can stay in business and when there is a problem, lie to you and hide behind the "purchased as is" contract.
My advice to you is have the car your purchasing inspected by an independent shop before you buy it.After contacting Mr Braz on the phone and advising him of the plethora of problems with the car. I told him that since your service department failed to notice the vehicle had no catalytic converter and the tire were worn out to the point where it would be dangerous to drive 75 miles in the rain to Orlando. Mr Braz became argumentative on the phone and at first refused to tow the vehicle. The last time I spoke to Mr Braz I told him he can tow the vehicle, fix it and return it or I`ll contact Florida Department of Motor Vehicles and file a complaint. The last words Mr Braz said was "Do what you got to do. "and hung up. After Mr Braz was contacted by the Florida Department of motor vehicle investigator only then, did his attitude change and agree to have the vehicle tow the vehicle in and install a used catalytic converter.
It took 4 days to fix the car and months going back and forth but finally the vehicle it was repaired. Mr Braz at first would rather inconvenience the customer by having me to drive the car 140 miles round trip and miss time from work all to install a catalytic converter which his service department failed to discover was missing. read more