If you are reading this, it's probably because you are looking to buy a car from Auto Source…read more Listen to the scores of bad reviews, they are trying to save you the trouble of dealing with Auto Source, and Oahu's most notorious predatory used car salesman, Rima Braden.
First of all the car that caught your eye, is likely just a shell of what it appears to be. Many of the cars sold at Auto Source have serious mechanical problems. You will be told not to worry, that all maintenance is included in their Carousel program and wont cost you a cent. What that really means is that you are not permitted to have anyone else check the vehicle, only AS can repair the vehicle, per their contract. And they will ignore requests for repair, gaslight you and treat you as if you are problematic when you do need repairs. Registration and safety checks are also allegedly included, and they are almost as difficult to get done as actual repairs. They also do their own safely checks and do not comply with state law, I can prove that they slapped a safety check sticker on my vehicle, when it did not have a working headlight or brake lights or safe tires.
Used car salesmen often use a tactic called 'the waiting game', where the customer is left alone for long periods of time. This is done to create decision fatigue, as isolation lowers your resistance to bad terms. This is Rima's favorite tactic and it will be replayed every time you need something. He has asked me to come in to speak with him about my vehicle, which was in the shop repeatedly for the same issue, only to leave me alone in a room for hours. After HE made the appointment. Ultimately I sat there for nothing, despite Rima's text advising he would switch the car out, he did nothing to rectify the situation. His staff also commonly switches their phones to airplane mode, when they answer a call that they don't feel
Like dealing with.
The red flags are there from the beginning. Don't ignore them. Look around you. Customers are being given iPads to sign their contracts on, after hours of being stuck in the dealership. They are anxious and discouraged from reading the contract. Once signed, AutoSource will not automatically send a copy. In fact, they won't give you a copy of it even if you request numerous times. They will tell you that they report to credit agencies, they do not. They will tell that you are entitled to the unused portion of your security deposit, if you end your lease before the two year period is up, they will not. They will tell you that you are entitled to rebates for purchasing EV from them, you are not getting any rebates because they are not an authorized dealer.
In my case, I leased a car via Carousel+ program. I already had a car and was trying to improve my credit. The salesman and Rima lied to my face because they do not report to credit bureaus. The vehicle I leased smelled of oil at the test drive. I was told it was from a spill, not to worry, the car had been owned by an elderly gentleman. I seriously doubted that, and would intimately find out that the car was in a terrible accident where a pedestrian was maimed. Nice.
Anyway, I kept taking the car back in for the same problems over and over. Many times they would have it for a week or more. In August of 2025, they had it more than I did. And no, they did not supply a loaner car, as promised at purchase. Twice I got loaners, only after practically begging. Both times they were clunkers. At one point my car's interface was telling me that the engine was malfunctioning, and would not ho over 40mph. AutoSource knew this for months and would gaslight me as if I were lying, despite taking it in and showing them They admitted the car did the same thing during their test drive and they did nothing. Ultimately I was told to return the vehicle and the unused portion of my deposit would be returned. Spoiler alert: it was not. To make things even more fun still get billed because these guys kept the car in my name, and frequent parking garages in kakaako that charge my card. For context, I returned the car 7 months ago. And yes, of course I told Rima and of course he did nothing.
I realize that a lot of used car dealerships have bad reputations, but AutoSource makes most of them look like saints. I invite you to look Auto Source, and Rima up on ecourtkokua. Look at the pages and pages of lawsuits filed against this business, the BBB's non recommendation, and lastly these reviews. You will see a common theme. Believe your neighbors over the guy who gets commission for making another sale for Rima.