Granted, I was a total idiot for trusting them, and NOT taking the used Volvo they swore was in great shape to an outside mechanic before dropping thousands of dollars on it, but still - the guys in charge Santa Fe Motorplex, sweet and charming though they are - are running a substandard business and selling unsafe cars. Within three weeks of buying my car, I'd already maxed out on AAA service calls. The battery was dead, the fuel pump was busted and...two weeks later - a sensor was shredded. Yes, they "fixed" the car each time, and graced me with rickety loaners, but good intentions are thoroughly meaningless when their mechanic is incompetent. Three months later, I took it to another mechanic - a good mechanic who didn't go out of his way to tell me how much everyone in town wanted to screw me because I'm a girl - who surmised my car needed about $2500 worth of repairs, including new brakes, which were down to the metal (I hardly think I wore my brakes out in three months), a new radiator hose, and a lengthy laundry list of annoying fixes, while pointing out that whomever worked on the car beforehand attempted a handful of lame, lazy and dangerous jerry rigs that were only doing more damage to my already sickly car.
When I followed up with Tim, one of the owners, he told me that unless the car makes a funny noise or drives wonky, they don't actually check them for safety or reliability.
Yes, a tough lesson learned on my part. Don't make the same mistake I did - either go elsewhere to buy your car, or have a real mechanic check it out AND maintain it. read more
