So finding that perfect new/used car is a pretty challenging process. One that most people dread going through. There is a reason for that. It's not just about finding the vehicle you really want, but so much more.
You need to consider things the basic things like does it have all the options you want? Is the price right? And will it meet your needs? But then there are other things to consider too like do you know your dealership? Are they fair? Will there be there to support your purchase after you sign the deal? Are they good on there word?
With that in mind, I thought I had found that perfect deal. But after giving 3 months of ownership of that perfect vehicle, it isn't to be.
First off, Silver Auto Sales had the vehicle I wanted, with all the options at a fairly good price, but now, I've since learned otherwise about how a good a deal it really was.
Now, it's not all that bad, they did buy my old car at an acceptable price and help me find the best financing, but they seem a little shifty and not forthcoming, as well as a little cheap.
My problems started just 3 days after bring it home.
#1. The seat was cheaply repaired. This is a higher end SUV with premium interior leather. (this vehicle was a treat to myself for a lot of hard work) It's a few years old, but no where near old and used up. My seat was patched and painted over with a very low budget repair job. I ended up taking it to a upholstery repair shop and they told me what they did and they it would be several hundreds of dollars to fix it and make it right.
#2. Missing things. The owners manual, floor mats, remote control and DVD for the navigation system were all missing. The add showed pictures with some of the items. I think when you spend this kind of money on a vehicle, something like this should have been corrected.
#3. The front windshield. The weather stripping along the front windshield popped out. First it was a slow roll peel away. So every time I go on the highway, it flaps like crazy and is very loud. I took this to a auto glass place and they said the windshield was replaced on this and done wrong. It leaks water and eventually could pop out or start to crack.
#4. A second key. I was told when I was looking at it that there was a second/spare key. But when I signed on the dotted line, they couldn't find it. They said they would contact so and so and get back to me with it. Again, it's been 3 months.
#5. The air conditioner. Its been a hot summer yes, but this AC only sometimes works to cool it down. It makes noises when on and causes the car to run funny too. I again took it in to have it looked at by a authorized service center and they said it was overcharged and will probably break by next summer.
I did contact the dealership and the salesman (Marty) as soon as the first problems started, but he was rarely around after the first call. I left voicemails and messages left for him. I did get through to him a couple times (I think I caught him off guard) but as of this date, nothing has been resolved. He told me that he would look into things and get back to me. I even emailed him with the issues. Still no resolution.
I did more research after the purchase of the car. I found out where they bought it from. I contacted that dealership. They told me those items missing were with the vehicle when they sold it to Silver Auto Sales. They didn't know about the seat or the windshield though. So not sure who did the shoddy repairs, but either way, Silver should have stood behind these. For them, it's pennies on the dollar to take care of.
I'm a little shocked they didn't take care of these things. Especially since when we bought the vehicle, we told them how we read reviews about them first, like this very place called Yelp. He told me he really wanted to make things right because it was there name on the line and he valued reviews. I told him from the beginning I would be fair as long as they were. Well...
I would say if you're going to buy a vehicle from this dealership, make sure you do ALL your homework. Make sure you get everything in writing and hold them to anything you have outstanding, before you sign on the dotted line because you probably won't hear from them again and you may be stuck with something less than perfect.
NOTE: BTW, please review all these reviews on here. There is something going on that one reviewer pointed out. There are a lot of 5 star reviews, from reviewers that have only reviewed one place, Silver Auto Sales. I hope Yelp can look into that and there isn't something even more fishy going on here. read more