A Warning to Prospective Buyers: Do Your Research Before Purchasing from Wilde East Towne Motors…read more
Earlier this year, I purchased a 2021 Honda Passport from this dealership, and the experience has been extremely disappointing. I feel that important information about the vehicle was not adequately disclosed to me, and I have been dealing with ongoing issues ever since.
When I initially went to test-drive the vehicle, the salesman assigned to me brought up a previous issue involving the gas tank or fuel system. He made a comment along the lines of hoping he wouldn't regret mentioning it or "putting his foot in his mouth." He then assured me that the dealership had addressed the problem and replaced all necessary parts. Looking back, this should have been a major red flag, and I wish I had taken more time to investigate the vehicle's history before proceeding. Unfortunately, I was there without my husband or another person who might have thought to ask additional questions. I did, however, request that the rear windshield wiper be replaced because it was not functioning properly. The salesman assured me this would not be a problem.
I also raised concerns about the vehicle's exterior condition after noticing several issues that had not been disclosed in the online listing. For example, the driver-side portion of the front bumper appeared to be sticking out, and the alignment in the middle did not look right. When I asked about it, the salesman brushed off my concerns by simply referring to a "minor accident."
The purchasing process itself was another major frustration. Despite arriving with a certified bank check and being prepared to pay the remaining balance by credit card, the paperwork and financing process took more than four hours. During that time, I was presented with various additional insurance and coverage options--I stopped him politely and said, I want nothing extra, he replied that he had to go through each one, even though it was a waste of my time.
At one point, the finance representative informed me that vehicles from 2020 and newer were required to include an interior cleaning/detailing package costing approximately $1,500 (I do not recall the exact amount). I explained that I did not want this package, had never been informed of this requirement beforehand, and lived approximately two hours away, making it unlikely that I would even be able to use the service. After another employee overheard our conversation, I was offered an alternative: free oil changes for the remaining life of the vehicle. I accepted this offer, although I knew that living two hours away would make it difficult to take advantage of it. To this day, I have not been able to utilize that benefit.
I was also informed that the vehicle came with only ONE key fob. WHY? Unfortunately, I am now dealing with issues involving that single key fob as well. After recently replacing its battery, the lock and unlock buttons still do not function. The fob will only start the vehicle.
Finally it was time to leave and at that point, I was already feeling uneasy about the entire experience, but I remembered to check to make sure the rear windshield wiper had been replaced as promised. It had not.
The very next day, the check engine light came on. I contacted the dealership, and they asked me to bring the vehicle back so they could inspect it. They provided me with a rental vehicle while they looked into the issue. Fortunately, I was only a couple of towns away visiting family, so returning the vehicle was not as inconvenient as it otherwise could have been.
A few days later, I was informed that the problem involved the catalytic converter and that the dealership would take care of the repair at no cost to me. They also acknowledged that this was an UNUSUAL issue for a vehicle with fewer than 60,000 miles.
During that drive home after the repair, I noticed that the vehicle's BRAKE warning indicator and associated safety alerts kept activating repeatedly, even when there was no apparent danger or vehicle entering my lane. The problem has become so frustrating that I now have to turn off that safety feature every time I drive to avoid the constant beeping, steering wheel vibrations, and occasional automatic braking. More concerningly, I do not feel comfortable relying on the vehicle's safety features, especially when driving with my two young children.
There is also a noticeably loud banging and clunking noise coming from what sounds like underneath the front driver's side of the vehicle. Whenever I drive above approximately 40 mph, something sounds as though it is loose, repeatedly flapping or clunking underneath the car. None of these issues were brought to my attention during the purchasing process, nor would noticeable during our very short, rural, low speed test-drive.
And now, months later, the check engine light is on AGAIN and has remained illuminated.