Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  08/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 5-3-24 I purchased a 2002 F150 from this dealership and paid cash. I drove the vehicle home (about 1 mile). The next morning when I started it up, the vehicle made a loud knocking noise then the cab of the truck began to shake. I drove the truck back to the dealer and had the sales person hear what it was doing and he confirmed my concern. His name is **** and he told me they use a very reliable mobile mechanic and he would call him to take a look at it. After several days of calling and getting put off again and again by ****, I took my truck into a reputable repair shop to diagnose the issues. I was told the shaking was from bad cam sensors and the knocking noise was from the either the timing chain or guides. Per their diagnosis, with these issues and the mileage of the vehicle, it needed a new engine. I was also informed his mechanic found that apparently someone suppressed the engine codes on the cam sensors. I drove back to the dealer and again spoke to **** about this. He said he would call his mechanic and give him my number to call me directly. The **************************** called me and asked me to drop off my truck in the morning at the dealer. About 3 hours after I dropped off my truck, ***** called me. He informed me he could not get the truck to shake like I described. He said the noise might be coming from the timing chain, but he was not positive. He said he could not find any issues with the cam sensors. When I picked up my truck, **** told me ***** could not find any issues and that I should keep driving my truck and if anything happens to let him know. I took my truck into a Ford dealer and was given the same diagnosis of needing a new engine. On 5-22 I traded my truck in at a significant loss, less than a week later that truck was back on the lot for sale. My 2nd truck I traded for needed a front hub and bearing replaced immediately after I bought it.

  Business response

  08/20/2024

  ************** purchased a (2004) 20 year old truck with high mileage.   He was fully aware at the time of BOTH sales that they were sold AS-IS.   I have attached the federal buyers guide that ************** signed for both purchases.   ************************* from Scans 4 U did look at the truck and did not find the problem that the local **** dealership said was wrong.   The local **** dealer is known for trying to upsell customers on problems that do not exist.   We paid Scans 4U to look into his concern. We do not own or have any control over when he responds to customers.   We did not have to but in good faith we were taking care of him after the sale.   He was in no way forced to buy either truck from us and the 2nd vehicle the 2008 F150 was inspected at ***** ******** and did pass inspection. The 2008 f150 was marked down from $12,500 to $11,500 at the time he traded the 2nd time.  We have since sold the 2004 F150 that he traded back into us and the new customer has not had any complaints of issues with this truck.   We did not clear any codes on these trucks.  What was done to them by previous mechanics or owners we have no control over.   
  
  
  I am attaching the AS-IS buyers guides for both trucks, the bill of sales  and the inspection on the last truck.   
  
  
  Once again, ************** was never forced to buy any truck and knew they were both  AS-IS.   The work and time we did do was all in good faith on our part. 

  Customer response

  08/21/2024

  Complaint: 22111042
  
  I have reviewed the business' response and am rejecting it because:

  I was well aware of the "as is" part of the deal, but when buying a vehicle it is expected to last longer than 24 hours before having significant mechanical issues and the **** representative **** did state to me that if there was a major issue, they would help with it and he heard knocking in the engine and saw the truck shudder. The local Ford dealer is a reputable dealer and was not attempting to upsell me. Besides that, the Ford dealer was the SECOND reputable repair facility that diagnosed the major problems with that first vehicle. The first facility that diagnosed the issues, does not do major engine repairs, so the notion of an upsell with them would be ridiculous. That fly-by night mechanic they use, is the one someone should question. As for the discounted price of the vehicle, that was NOT something done to help me out, it was the "cash" price that had been quoted to me when I was first looking at vehicles. Yes, I made a mistake buying my first vehicle from this shady dealership, but I had no choice on the second vehicle. I could not take that first vehicle into any reputable dealership and expect to get anything out of it with a damaged engine. Then to turn around and immediately have another significant repair on the second vehicle is not a coincidence. I know this dealership will never even attempt to negotiate a common ground solution, I found that out when they cut me out of $3500 when I traded back my first truck after just a couple of weeks. A truck they put back out on their lot at the same price less than a week after I traded it back in.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

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