DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND STAY FAR AND AWAY FROM THIS SHADY DEALERSHIP!
I've bought many new and used cars over the years, and I've never had an experience like this.
My wife and I were looking for a commuter car because of high gas prices. We found a Honda Accord Hybrid that seemed perfect. We test drove it, liked it, and completed all the paperwork.
As soon as we finished signing, the salesperson immediately began pressuring us to leave a positive review, saying it would really help them out. Between signing the paperwork and receiving the keys, we were asked at least 4-5 more times to post a review before we even left the lot. I'm very glad we didn't.
I drove the car to work that same night since I work nights in the Bay Area. The drive to work was fine, but everything went downhill after that. When I got off work the next morning, the car wouldn't start.
I contacted Prestige, and they wanted me to either tow the car back to Modesto at my own expense or find a way to jump-start it and drive it to them. I was able to jump the car and make it home, but just around the corner from my house, the check engine light came on.
I contacted the dealership again, and they told me to have it towed to their mechanic. While the AAA driver was loading the car onto the tow truck, he actually apologized to me and said he frequently tows vehicles purchased from this dealership. He even recommended never buying a car from them.
Their mechanic kept the car for about a week and told me it only needed spark plugs. They replaced the battery and spark plugs, and I got the car back. About a week and a half later, it broke down again with the exact same check engine light.
This time, I was told the car has a blown head gasket--an extremely expensive repair. The mechanic I spoke with said there was no way the dealership didn't know about the issue, especially considering how quickly the problem returned after their "repair."
For well over a week, my wife and I have been trying to get some kind of resolution from Prestige. Instead, we've gotten nothing but the runaround.
At this point, I wish they would simply take the car back and refund our money. Initially, I was willing to let them repair it, but after everything that's happened, I have no confidence in the vehicle or the dealership. Who knows what other problems are waiting to surface?
In the one month I've owned this car, I've only been able to drive it for about one week. I'm making insurance payments and a car payment on a vehicle that has spent most of its time sitting broken.
Please do yourself a favor and avoid this dealership. Whatever deal you think you're getting isn't worth it. Read through the negative reviews, and you'll notice a pattern of questionable business practices. In my opinion, one reason they have so many positive reviews is because customers are heavily pressured to leave them before they've had any real experience with the vehicle they just purchased.
Yes, I realize I should have had the car inspected by an independent mechanic before buying it. I've never done that with previous vehicles because paying over $200 for every car you're considering simply isn't realistic for most people. But after this experience, I wish I had.
I hope my experience helps someone else avoid going through what my family has been dealing with. read more