Dealer Hell aka My Two RDXs
12-19-2010, 10:33 PM
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Dealer Hell aka My Two RDXs
So, I'm sending the letter below to Acura Client Relations in the morning. The funny thing is that this escapade all started the day that I posted in the "2010 RDX, 2007 Owner's Perspective" thread.
I know it's long, but if anyone cares to comment, share a similar experience, or give me an idea of what to expect, please do!
Acura Client Services:
For the past two months, I’ve been debating with myself whether there was any point to writing to Acura Client Services. Several times I sit down to write, only to stop after a few sentences because I could not stand the aggravation of re-experiencing the events by recounting them. My disastrous experience with every aspect of Acura – the quality of your automobiles, the honesty of your dealerships, the capability of your certified technicians, even the reliability of your roadside assistance – has made it impossible for me to enjoy, or even to trust my new car. And that is why I am now writing.
I think it’s important to first briefly put myself into context as an Acura owner. I am 33 years old. I’m a car guy and a tech geek. I vividly remember seeing the 1987 Legend at the Pittsburgh Auto Show and thinking that it was the coolest car ever made. I’ve been a loyal and vocal Honda and Acura owner. My first car at age 16 was a 1988 Honda CRX-Si – a decision that I started planning and saving for when I was 14. My first Acura was a 2002 TL. I wasn’t even deterred by the transmission recall on that vehicle because mine was replaced before problems appeared.
On 27 February 2010, I purchased a certified pre-owned 2008 Acura RDX Tech (VIN: 5J8TB18508A012511, Mileage: 13,000) at Smail Acura in Greensburg, PA. For about 6 months and 10,000 miles, it was a trouble-free ownership experience; it had its scheduled service done at Smail Acura. Then on 14 September 2010, my car overheated. I refilled the coolant and called Smail Acura to make an appointment to bring it in the next morning since I had a very busy workday scheduled. However, when it overheated again a mile later it became clear that the car could not be driven to work, let alone the 50 miles to the dealer. I called the dealer back and they told me to call Acura Roadside Assistance. This was where the assault on me as an Acura customer began. I baked in the sun in a bad neighborhood for over 3 hours waiting for a tow truck. The assigned towing company called me every half hour and assured me that they were minutes away. I missed work and cancelled appointments. When the driver finally arrived, he told me that he had just come onto his shift a half-hour. He was horrified to find my call that had been waiting for 3 hours and even had to wait for a truck to return to the shop to tow me. All the reassuring calls to me from the towing company were complete lies.
On 16 September 2010, Smail Acura called to tell me that my car had been fixed and was ready to be picked up. They told me that they had replaced the radiator and that it was covered under warranty. I drove 50 miles out to the dealer and picked up the car that afternoon. Heading home, about 5 miles from the dealer, smoke suddenly began pouring out of every part of the car: the hood, the tailpipe, even into the interior of the car. I quickly called Smail Acura while at a stoplight and they asked me if I felt like I could safely drive the car back to them. Considering my earlier experience with Acura Roadside Assistance, I decided that – although it appeared as if my car might catch fire - I would rather take my chances driving. When I returned to the dealer, several employees were waiting outside waving me frantically toward the back of the dealership. A potential customer might be put off by seeing an essentially brand-new RDX burst into flames on their lot. A technician opened the hood and stated that he could not understand why they had replaced the radiator; the smoke was coming from the back of the engine. I then drove the 50 miles home in the loaner vehicle.
Two days later – Saturday morning – I received a call from Smail Acura. However, the call was from the Sales Department, not the Service Department. The salesman asked me how I was enjoying the 2010 RDX Tech that I had been driving as a loaner. I replied that it did have a few new features that I appreciated. He informed me that they still were not certain what was wrong with my car. It appeared that part of the engine had cracked, but they were not sure whether it was the block or the head. He did tell me that my car could be repaired and that it would be under warranty, however the timeframe was unclear. He then proceeded to make me an offer: he could make me a deal on a demo 2010 RDX Tech with 6,000 miles that I would find very appealing. (VIN: 5J8TB1H54AA001310) He told me that I could move from my 3.9% loan on my current vehicle to a 0.9% loan on the 2010 model and that they would give me $2,700 less than what I had paid for my current vehicle 7 months and 10,000 miles ago. I attempted to bargain on the price of the 2010, but the best price they were willing to offer was $37,430. Considering that my car was in pieces in their shop, I was not in a very strong bargaining position. In fact, I was basically under duress. However, the appeal of ending this fiasco was so strong that I agreed to the deal. He told me that this car was prepped and ready. I could come out that afternoon, all the paperwork would be ready, and that I could drive home in my new car.
The fiasco was just beginning.
I drove the 50 miles out to Smail Acura that afternoon. The paperwork wasn’t ready, but I was assured that that they would get it ready while I unloaded my belongings from my 2008 RDX in the shop. I suppose it was lucky that the paperwork still wasn’t ready at that point because it gave me time to discover that the PA inspection sticker on my “new” 2010 RDX Tech was expiring in 12 days. I had already been waiting a while and the service department was basically closed. However, they found the key to the drawer where the inspection stickers were kept and a technician drove the new vehicle back to the shop to do its inspection. After another hour of waiting, it was past closing time at the dealer. When they brought the car out of the shop, I checked out the interior and it was obvious that the car had not been detailed. In fact, it had not even been vacuumed. There was crud on the stereo controls and on the center console. The carpet was dirty in places. The salesman apologized vigorously and attempted to do his best to clean up the car.
I am certain that Smail prepares their used Kias more carefully than they had prepped my $37,430 car.
Finally, the paperwork was ready. I always imagined that the day I would purchase my first brand-new Acura would be a very exciting day. In reality, it was somewhere between irritating and maddening.
I finally drove away in my new vehicle well after closing time to drive 50 miles home. About 8 miles from the dealership, the brakes began pulsating. I pulled over at a gas station and attempted to call Smail Acura. However, it was past closing time at the dealership, so my call went directly to the after-hours recording. I was infuriated. I emailed my salesperson. It was Saturday and I had no choice but to take this car – my car now – home. At home, a friend surveyed my “new” car and pointed out to me that the paint was chipped where the bumper met the fender on the driver’s side and that the bumper was misaligned. At this point I had no option but to stew in my anger until Monday.
I called Smail Acura the moment they opened on Monday. The salesman apologized and told me that Smail wanted to make this right. He asked if it was alright if they kept it for a few days to make everything about the car perfect. I told them to keep it as long as necessary to transform it into a car worth $37,430. To save me another 100 mile round trip to drop off the car, they sent a representative to my home to pick up the car and drop off another loaner.
Three days later, Smail called and cheerily informed me that they had replaced the rotors which had warped and painted and re-aligned the bumper. They had also completely detailed the car. After work, I drove the 50 miles out to Smail Acura to pick up my car. When I saw the vehicle, I was not totally satisfied with the alignment of the bumper: the gapping between the panels did not match the gapping on the passenger side. I expressed concern that the paint could be damaged by the bumper and fender panels rubbing against one another. However, they assured me that it was within tolerance range and that if issues arose with the paint that they would address it. Again, it was near closing time when I embarked on the 50 mile drive home from the dealership. Again, about 8 miles into the drive, the brakes started shuddering. Again, I called and informed the manager at Smail that I was turning around and heading back to them.
When I returned, the manager expressed disbelief that anything could still be wrong with the vehicle. However, there was no reason for him to be shocked: when asked, he admitted that they had only replaced the front rotors and all four rotors were obviously warped. I asked if they had test-driven the car far enough for the brakes to warm up; they admitted that they had not. Since it was going back into the show anyway, I insisted that they recheck the alignment on the bumper. Again, I drove 50 miles home in the same loaner vehicle in which I had arrived.
To assuage my anger, I researched Pennsylvania law pertaining to right of rescission on auto loans where dealer fraud is involved.
Two days later, I was informed that the car was “ready” for me again. I drove the 50 miles to Smail Acura. At this point I told sales manager, “If I have to come back here again, God help you. I will start a website; I will rent a billboard across the street; I will not rest until Smail Acura is out of business.” I still wasn’t completely satisfied with the alignment of the bumper. However, my expectations for my new 2010 Acura RXD Tech have been lowered to the point that having the vehicle in my possession in operable condition is an upgrade.
This brings us up to today. This week, I took my vehicle to a mechanic that I trust – rather than the dealer, as I had with all my past Acuras – to get the items checked out for its first scheduled service. Without knowing anything about my history with the car, he asked me if I had already had an accident in it. He noted the bumper alignment, as well as a small blue crayon mark on the headlight assembly that he told me often denotes a replaced part. It now seems obvious that someone at Smail had an accident in my “new” vehicle. Since I’m the original owner, Carfax would be useless in determining this for sure.
Here are few final insults. It took Smail more than a month to pay off my original Acura Financial Services loan, during which time I almost had to pay on both loans. And finally, the temporary registration expires this week and I have not received my registration card. I left a message for them today.
Here’s the bottom line: I have been systematically defrauded at every point in this ordeal. Not only do I get no pleasure from the $37,430 I spent on my “new” Acura, I actually worry every time I drive it.
Like I said at the beginning, I’m 33 years old and have spent my entire driving career as a loyal – and vocal – Acura and Honda owner. Unless something is done to completely redeem my loyalty, I will never do business with you again. I have many new vehicle purchases in my future. As I also stated at the beginning, I’m a car guy: I spend a lot of time talking about cars. I can name at least ten people who have purchased Acuras based on my recommendation. This week, my best friend – also an Acura owner – decided to purchase a new Lexus rather than the 2011 TL he had been planning to buy because he watched my experience. So, now he’s a former Acura owner.
After everything I’ve been through, I realize that there is no recourse through Smail.
Here’s what Acura Client Relations can do: You can give me the new car that I paid $37,430 for.
Thank you very much for your time and attention in reviewing my situation.
Sincerely,
Jesse David Scheck
I know it's long, but if anyone cares to comment, share a similar experience, or give me an idea of what to expect, please do!
Acura Client Services:
For the past two months, I’ve been debating with myself whether there was any point to writing to Acura Client Services. Several times I sit down to write, only to stop after a few sentences because I could not stand the aggravation of re-experiencing the events by recounting them. My disastrous experience with every aspect of Acura – the quality of your automobiles, the honesty of your dealerships, the capability of your certified technicians, even the reliability of your roadside assistance – has made it impossible for me to enjoy, or even to trust my new car. And that is why I am now writing.
I think it’s important to first briefly put myself into context as an Acura owner. I am 33 years old. I’m a car guy and a tech geek. I vividly remember seeing the 1987 Legend at the Pittsburgh Auto Show and thinking that it was the coolest car ever made. I’ve been a loyal and vocal Honda and Acura owner. My first car at age 16 was a 1988 Honda CRX-Si – a decision that I started planning and saving for when I was 14. My first Acura was a 2002 TL. I wasn’t even deterred by the transmission recall on that vehicle because mine was replaced before problems appeared.
On 27 February 2010, I purchased a certified pre-owned 2008 Acura RDX Tech (VIN: 5J8TB18508A012511, Mileage: 13,000) at Smail Acura in Greensburg, PA. For about 6 months and 10,000 miles, it was a trouble-free ownership experience; it had its scheduled service done at Smail Acura. Then on 14 September 2010, my car overheated. I refilled the coolant and called Smail Acura to make an appointment to bring it in the next morning since I had a very busy workday scheduled. However, when it overheated again a mile later it became clear that the car could not be driven to work, let alone the 50 miles to the dealer. I called the dealer back and they told me to call Acura Roadside Assistance. This was where the assault on me as an Acura customer began. I baked in the sun in a bad neighborhood for over 3 hours waiting for a tow truck. The assigned towing company called me every half hour and assured me that they were minutes away. I missed work and cancelled appointments. When the driver finally arrived, he told me that he had just come onto his shift a half-hour. He was horrified to find my call that had been waiting for 3 hours and even had to wait for a truck to return to the shop to tow me. All the reassuring calls to me from the towing company were complete lies.
On 16 September 2010, Smail Acura called to tell me that my car had been fixed and was ready to be picked up. They told me that they had replaced the radiator and that it was covered under warranty. I drove 50 miles out to the dealer and picked up the car that afternoon. Heading home, about 5 miles from the dealer, smoke suddenly began pouring out of every part of the car: the hood, the tailpipe, even into the interior of the car. I quickly called Smail Acura while at a stoplight and they asked me if I felt like I could safely drive the car back to them. Considering my earlier experience with Acura Roadside Assistance, I decided that – although it appeared as if my car might catch fire - I would rather take my chances driving. When I returned to the dealer, several employees were waiting outside waving me frantically toward the back of the dealership. A potential customer might be put off by seeing an essentially brand-new RDX burst into flames on their lot. A technician opened the hood and stated that he could not understand why they had replaced the radiator; the smoke was coming from the back of the engine. I then drove the 50 miles home in the loaner vehicle.
Two days later – Saturday morning – I received a call from Smail Acura. However, the call was from the Sales Department, not the Service Department. The salesman asked me how I was enjoying the 2010 RDX Tech that I had been driving as a loaner. I replied that it did have a few new features that I appreciated. He informed me that they still were not certain what was wrong with my car. It appeared that part of the engine had cracked, but they were not sure whether it was the block or the head. He did tell me that my car could be repaired and that it would be under warranty, however the timeframe was unclear. He then proceeded to make me an offer: he could make me a deal on a demo 2010 RDX Tech with 6,000 miles that I would find very appealing. (VIN: 5J8TB1H54AA001310) He told me that I could move from my 3.9% loan on my current vehicle to a 0.9% loan on the 2010 model and that they would give me $2,700 less than what I had paid for my current vehicle 7 months and 10,000 miles ago. I attempted to bargain on the price of the 2010, but the best price they were willing to offer was $37,430. Considering that my car was in pieces in their shop, I was not in a very strong bargaining position. In fact, I was basically under duress. However, the appeal of ending this fiasco was so strong that I agreed to the deal. He told me that this car was prepped and ready. I could come out that afternoon, all the paperwork would be ready, and that I could drive home in my new car.
The fiasco was just beginning.
I drove the 50 miles out to Smail Acura that afternoon. The paperwork wasn’t ready, but I was assured that that they would get it ready while I unloaded my belongings from my 2008 RDX in the shop. I suppose it was lucky that the paperwork still wasn’t ready at that point because it gave me time to discover that the PA inspection sticker on my “new” 2010 RDX Tech was expiring in 12 days. I had already been waiting a while and the service department was basically closed. However, they found the key to the drawer where the inspection stickers were kept and a technician drove the new vehicle back to the shop to do its inspection. After another hour of waiting, it was past closing time at the dealer. When they brought the car out of the shop, I checked out the interior and it was obvious that the car had not been detailed. In fact, it had not even been vacuumed. There was crud on the stereo controls and on the center console. The carpet was dirty in places. The salesman apologized vigorously and attempted to do his best to clean up the car.
I am certain that Smail prepares their used Kias more carefully than they had prepped my $37,430 car.
Finally, the paperwork was ready. I always imagined that the day I would purchase my first brand-new Acura would be a very exciting day. In reality, it was somewhere between irritating and maddening.
I finally drove away in my new vehicle well after closing time to drive 50 miles home. About 8 miles from the dealership, the brakes began pulsating. I pulled over at a gas station and attempted to call Smail Acura. However, it was past closing time at the dealership, so my call went directly to the after-hours recording. I was infuriated. I emailed my salesperson. It was Saturday and I had no choice but to take this car – my car now – home. At home, a friend surveyed my “new” car and pointed out to me that the paint was chipped where the bumper met the fender on the driver’s side and that the bumper was misaligned. At this point I had no option but to stew in my anger until Monday.
I called Smail Acura the moment they opened on Monday. The salesman apologized and told me that Smail wanted to make this right. He asked if it was alright if they kept it for a few days to make everything about the car perfect. I told them to keep it as long as necessary to transform it into a car worth $37,430. To save me another 100 mile round trip to drop off the car, they sent a representative to my home to pick up the car and drop off another loaner.
Three days later, Smail called and cheerily informed me that they had replaced the rotors which had warped and painted and re-aligned the bumper. They had also completely detailed the car. After work, I drove the 50 miles out to Smail Acura to pick up my car. When I saw the vehicle, I was not totally satisfied with the alignment of the bumper: the gapping between the panels did not match the gapping on the passenger side. I expressed concern that the paint could be damaged by the bumper and fender panels rubbing against one another. However, they assured me that it was within tolerance range and that if issues arose with the paint that they would address it. Again, it was near closing time when I embarked on the 50 mile drive home from the dealership. Again, about 8 miles into the drive, the brakes started shuddering. Again, I called and informed the manager at Smail that I was turning around and heading back to them.
When I returned, the manager expressed disbelief that anything could still be wrong with the vehicle. However, there was no reason for him to be shocked: when asked, he admitted that they had only replaced the front rotors and all four rotors were obviously warped. I asked if they had test-driven the car far enough for the brakes to warm up; they admitted that they had not. Since it was going back into the show anyway, I insisted that they recheck the alignment on the bumper. Again, I drove 50 miles home in the same loaner vehicle in which I had arrived.
To assuage my anger, I researched Pennsylvania law pertaining to right of rescission on auto loans where dealer fraud is involved.
Two days later, I was informed that the car was “ready” for me again. I drove the 50 miles to Smail Acura. At this point I told sales manager, “If I have to come back here again, God help you. I will start a website; I will rent a billboard across the street; I will not rest until Smail Acura is out of business.” I still wasn’t completely satisfied with the alignment of the bumper. However, my expectations for my new 2010 Acura RXD Tech have been lowered to the point that having the vehicle in my possession in operable condition is an upgrade.
This brings us up to today. This week, I took my vehicle to a mechanic that I trust – rather than the dealer, as I had with all my past Acuras – to get the items checked out for its first scheduled service. Without knowing anything about my history with the car, he asked me if I had already had an accident in it. He noted the bumper alignment, as well as a small blue crayon mark on the headlight assembly that he told me often denotes a replaced part. It now seems obvious that someone at Smail had an accident in my “new” vehicle. Since I’m the original owner, Carfax would be useless in determining this for sure.
Here are few final insults. It took Smail more than a month to pay off my original Acura Financial Services loan, during which time I almost had to pay on both loans. And finally, the temporary registration expires this week and I have not received my registration card. I left a message for them today.
Here’s the bottom line: I have been systematically defrauded at every point in this ordeal. Not only do I get no pleasure from the $37,430 I spent on my “new” Acura, I actually worry every time I drive it.
Like I said at the beginning, I’m 33 years old and have spent my entire driving career as a loyal – and vocal – Acura and Honda owner. Unless something is done to completely redeem my loyalty, I will never do business with you again. I have many new vehicle purchases in my future. As I also stated at the beginning, I’m a car guy: I spend a lot of time talking about cars. I can name at least ten people who have purchased Acuras based on my recommendation. This week, my best friend – also an Acura owner – decided to purchase a new Lexus rather than the 2011 TL he had been planning to buy because he watched my experience. So, now he’s a former Acura owner.
After everything I’ve been through, I realize that there is no recourse through Smail.
Here’s what Acura Client Relations can do: You can give me the new car that I paid $37,430 for.
Thank you very much for your time and attention in reviewing my situation.
Sincerely,
Jesse David Scheck
12-19-2010, 11:14 PM
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hi supernullified, im sorry to hear about your situation - it would also drive me nuts if that happened to me. based on my objective read, i would assign most of the blame to the dealership. acura needs to rectify this situation of course, and i would definitely write the company about this. if this can happen to you, it can happen to anyone of us. i know it's not a fool proof solution, but in my case, so as to try to avoid these issues, i try to buy brand new vehicles and even if my rdx had 16 miles on the odo upon picking it up fm the dealership, i still sometimes have doubts as to whether it's really "brand new" or not. but that's just my take - send the letter for sure since you are on the right and nothing to lose in this case.
12-20-2010, 10:15 AM
#3
Wow, I can't believe you've been through all of that. Have you called Acura Client Relations? I had to call them because the service adviser at my dealership was telling me that some of the courtesy lights (which had gone out while still under warranty) were not actually features of my model (complete b.s. because he didn't wanna take the car in for service under warranty again). They were really nice/helpful when I called. Everything got fixed right in 2 days and I got follow up calls from Acura and the dealership the day after I picked up my car. I would send the letter and, depending on the response, I'd also give them a call. Good luck!
12-20-2010, 01:18 PM
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Wow, I can't believe you've been through all of that. Have you called Acura Client Relations? I had to call them because the service adviser at my dealership was telling me that some of the courtesy lights (which had gone out while still under warranty) were not actually features of my model (complete b.s. because he didn't wanna take the car in for service under warranty again). They were really nice/helpful when I called. Everything got fixed right in 2 days and I got follow up calls from Acura and the dealership the day after I picked up my car. I would send the letter and, depending on the response, I'd also give them a call. Good luck!
let us know what happens super...
12-20-2010, 01:44 PM
#6
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Acura client relations is a joke(dealt with a guy named Jun there). I dealt with them the past month on a certified 2008 MDX that had a vibration that the dealer acknowledged it had right after I bought it and would fix, but after many unsuccessful attempts at fixing it, they said it is just "road feel". Really a steering wheel and seat that constantly vibrates at highway speed is called road feel now? They pretty much told me there was nothing wrong with it and to live with it.
The general manager of the dealer(whos been a great guy to deal with in the purchase of a previous Acura) finally came thru and took it back as a trade for a leftover 2010 RDX.
What I learned was that according to Jun at client relations, there is really not much they can do but act as a mediator between me and the dealer, it is up to the dealer to make good but I think he was full of shlt anyways. Pretty much was a waste of time.
The general manager of the dealer(whos been a great guy to deal with in the purchase of a previous Acura) finally came thru and took it back as a trade for a leftover 2010 RDX.
What I learned was that according to Jun at client relations, there is really not much they can do but act as a mediator between me and the dealer, it is up to the dealer to make good but I think he was full of shlt anyways. Pretty much was a waste of time.
12-20-2010, 02:05 PM
#7
StayAtHomeDad
WOW, some letter.....
In MA if you bring a car back for the same issue three times within the first month or three months and they are not able to fix it, it becomes a lemon and you get your money back.
A couple of little details though, neither one of these vehicles was new, right? One was a 2008 and the other one had 6K on the clock put on by people using it as a loaner or for test drives....and we know how careful people doing those are.
My car was also a Demo, aside from issues with the Stereo it has been problem free (knock on wood).
Not only your experience with this dealer is shitty, you had to make a 100 mile roundtrip to be disappointed.
At this point (and this is just my humble opinion) you should get them to purchase the car back and take your money elsewhere, if this is the closest dealership I don't see how things will get better in the future when the car will need more service/attention.
In MA if you bring a car back for the same issue three times within the first month or three months and they are not able to fix it, it becomes a lemon and you get your money back.
A couple of little details though, neither one of these vehicles was new, right? One was a 2008 and the other one had 6K on the clock put on by people using it as a loaner or for test drives....and we know how careful people doing those are.
My car was also a Demo, aside from issues with the Stereo it has been problem free (knock on wood).
Not only your experience with this dealer is shitty, you had to make a 100 mile roundtrip to be disappointed.
At this point (and this is just my humble opinion) you should get them to purchase the car back and take your money elsewhere, if this is the closest dealership I don't see how things will get better in the future when the car will need more service/attention.
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12-20-2010, 05:45 PM
#9
I would be super angry right now, both at the Dealership and myself for agreeing to the 2010 in the first place. However, several things occur to me here...I would not give up on Honda products because you had a bad experience at this dealer. I find Honda's and Acura's great cars and have had very good luck with them and I think many share this experience. Secondly, as wrestrepo suggested, I would check into the lemon laws that apply in your state. Even though this is a former demo, if you are the first registered owner, you may have some recourse under the lemon laws in MA. Third, nowhere in your letter do I find what you expect as a result of writing it. IMO, when you express clearly what you expect from the dealership to make you whole, I think you're in a better position. Whatever you do, focus on what is wrong with your car and what you expect from them to fix it. Just my $0.02 worth. Good luck with getting this resolved.
12-20-2010, 06:15 PM
#10
Safety Car
That's a tough spot to be in, but it's standard procedure in the industry -- when a client has an extensive problem -- to turn them over into a "new" car. There's no delay for the customer; no Lemon Law proceedings and the first car will be resold with a clean title.
Your window of greatest negotiating power was when you had their RDX loaner for the duration and they were on the hook to repair your car without triggering the Lemon Law.
The lesson in retrospect: if the new RDX isn't prepped or doesn't pass the test drive and independant inspection; walk out the door and drive home in their loaner.
I hope you can work this out now.
Your window of greatest negotiating power was when you had their RDX loaner for the duration and they were on the hook to repair your car without triggering the Lemon Law.
The lesson in retrospect: if the new RDX isn't prepped or doesn't pass the test drive and independant inspection; walk out the door and drive home in their loaner.
I hope you can work this out now.
Last edited by XLR8R; 12-20-2010 at 06:19 PM.
12-20-2010, 06:24 PM
#11
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Last line of his letter says he wants a new car.
This is kind of scary. I buy from a dealer to try and avoid this kind of nightmare.
My only other suggestion is to not give up on finding resolution through the dealer. Contacting Acura was a good step. I would also contact the bbb and anyone else who will listen. You may even want to seek council, a letter from an attorney for a few hundred bucks can be money well spent. Make the dealer aware of all your planned actions.
You need to make giving you a new car the best business decision for the dealer. At the end of the day that is what this is going to come down to since they clearly are not motivated by doing the right thing . If you make enough noise and rattle the cages it should be possible.
That was a well written letter.
Good luck
This is kind of scary. I buy from a dealer to try and avoid this kind of nightmare.
My only other suggestion is to not give up on finding resolution through the dealer. Contacting Acura was a good step. I would also contact the bbb and anyone else who will listen. You may even want to seek council, a letter from an attorney for a few hundred bucks can be money well spent. Make the dealer aware of all your planned actions.
You need to make giving you a new car the best business decision for the dealer. At the end of the day that is what this is going to come down to since they clearly are not motivated by doing the right thing . If you make enough noise and rattle the cages it should be possible.
That was a well written letter.
Good luck
12-20-2010, 06:41 PM
#12
entering purchase #2 was a bad decision. Instead of negotiating for the 2nd sale, you had the greatest bargaining power when RDX #1 was in the shop. You use their loaner till the wheels fall off. They raped you on purchase #2, which, you did NOT need to enter into, and, they glossed you over with the new-car vibe. Their biggest problem was fixing car #1. that was the card you were dealt. and that is when you needed to get ACURA involved and not leave it up to the dealer.
I went through 2 RDX's in 5 months, got a new vehicle as my 'replacement' and the next model year at that. The biggest misstep is to do what the 'dealer' wants. You did not have to do ANYTHING. You should have had Acura involved from DAY 1. dont read this as a reprimand.
on a side note, always get the used car inspected before you enter the transaction. You would have never considered RDX #2 if you had done so.
I went through 2 RDX's in 5 months, got a new vehicle as my 'replacement' and the next model year at that. The biggest misstep is to do what the 'dealer' wants. You did not have to do ANYTHING. You should have had Acura involved from DAY 1. dont read this as a reprimand.
on a side note, always get the used car inspected before you enter the transaction. You would have never considered RDX #2 if you had done so.
12-20-2010, 07:09 PM
#13
Safety Car
They have a lot of manuevering room on the bumper as it is probably considered a minor cosmetic flaw in an otherwise sufficient repair. If they detail up the car, slap on new rotors and paint the bumper, they have met their obligations.
12-20-2010, 07:34 PM
#14
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First off, thanks to everyone for so much feedback and support. I agree with everyone that I let myself get in WAY too deep in all of this. While it was fucked up at every single point, at every step I believed (naïvely, as it repeatedly turned out) that resolution was just around the corner. I wasn't being dramatic when I said at the beginning of the letter that it took me a while to write because I would get so angry. I might have eventually just let it go - my present RDX doesn't have any overt problems at this point - but the realization that the car had been in an accident reignited it for me completely. Writing it all out made it even clearer just what a total scam this has been. And I'll admit, it's almost embarrassing. I mean, caveat emptor, right?
And of course I have to take the stance in my letter, but I still believe in Honda and Acura. I know that this is an aberration on both the car and the dealer. Although I seriously will lose faith if they won't do anything to help me. As for other dealers, there are 3 in the Pittsburgh area and they are all in the outer suburbs. Smail is probably the furthest, but they had the car I wanted initially. Baierl and Spitzer might be 10 miles closer.
Do I expect them to get me a new car like I asked? Not really, although the hit to them would only be perhaps $2000 - the markdown to resell mine as a CPO. Although an offer of anything less than several years of all scheduled maintenance would be a slap in the face. And probably cost them more.
Even though they'll have the letter in their hands tomorrow, somehow I doubt I'll hear from them until after the holiday.
And of course I have to take the stance in my letter, but I still believe in Honda and Acura. I know that this is an aberration on both the car and the dealer. Although I seriously will lose faith if they won't do anything to help me. As for other dealers, there are 3 in the Pittsburgh area and they are all in the outer suburbs. Smail is probably the furthest, but they had the car I wanted initially. Baierl and Spitzer might be 10 miles closer.
Do I expect them to get me a new car like I asked? Not really, although the hit to them would only be perhaps $2000 - the markdown to resell mine as a CPO. Although an offer of anything less than several years of all scheduled maintenance would be a slap in the face. And probably cost them more.
Even though they'll have the letter in their hands tomorrow, somehow I doubt I'll hear from them until after the holiday.
12-21-2010, 08:47 AM
#16
Acura client relations is a joke(dealt with a guy named Jun there). I dealt with them the past month on a certified 2008 MDX that had a vibration that the dealer acknowledged it had right after I bought it and would fix, but after many unsuccessful attempts at fixing it, they said it is just "road feel". Really a steering wheel and seat that constantly vibrates at highway speed is called road feel now? They pretty much told me there was nothing wrong with it and to live with it.
The general manager of the dealer(whos been a great guy to deal with in the purchase of a previous Acura) finally came thru and took it back as a trade for a leftover 2010 RDX.
What I learned was that according to Jun at client relations, there is really not much they can do but act as a mediator between me and the dealer, it is up to the dealer to make good but I think he was full of shlt anyways. Pretty much was a waste of time.
The general manager of the dealer(whos been a great guy to deal with in the purchase of a previous Acura) finally came thru and took it back as a trade for a leftover 2010 RDX.
What I learned was that according to Jun at client relations, there is really not much they can do but act as a mediator between me and the dealer, it is up to the dealer to make good but I think he was full of shlt anyways. Pretty much was a waste of time.
I learned that as well. Also, when your warranty is up, Acura client relations will be of no help whatsoever because in that case, they can't make the dealership do anything because the dealerships are independently owned. At least we're Acura owners...I had to deal with Mazda's client relations for my fiance's father's car, it was a nightmare to say the least.
supernullified - it sounds like that bumper/fender paint problem is a common issue on the 2010-2011s. Have you read any of the posts on here about it?
12-21-2010, 10:44 PM
#18
Not that it matters anymore, but my guess would be a stuck thermostat, they changed radiator and sent you on your way and the block cracked since no water was getting into it to cool it. OR, something turbo related that I'm not familiar with.
Either way, a potentially simple fix turns into a nightmare because of incompetence on ALL levels...from management (although they seem like they TRIED to appease) to the mechanics there to the salesman. Sounds like a really shitty dealership.
That said, I am sure you are pissed and of course you are not to "blame" but there are certain aspects of the story that you can't pass the blame on. Mainly the decision to grab a "new" car that you were advised was a demo vehicle...it shouldn't be shocking that it was in bad condition PLUS, you bought it at night when you couldn't see the imperfections...a minor fender bender on the dealer lot it sounds like.
My suggestion, take it back to the guy you trust, have him line the bumper up, do a once over on the brakes etc, and check all the control arms and frame to make sure it was just a cosmetic crash/fix...and call it a day. You still have your new car, they likely drove that car hard...at least now you have a newer one and hopefully at least a color you love. Separate the product from the experience/people and just don't do business with them ever again, even if it means a longer drive.
OR, hopefully Acura will make it right by giving you a REAL new car...or your money back.
Good luck, man!
Either way, a potentially simple fix turns into a nightmare because of incompetence on ALL levels...from management (although they seem like they TRIED to appease) to the mechanics there to the salesman. Sounds like a really shitty dealership.
That said, I am sure you are pissed and of course you are not to "blame" but there are certain aspects of the story that you can't pass the blame on. Mainly the decision to grab a "new" car that you were advised was a demo vehicle...it shouldn't be shocking that it was in bad condition PLUS, you bought it at night when you couldn't see the imperfections...a minor fender bender on the dealer lot it sounds like.
My suggestion, take it back to the guy you trust, have him line the bumper up, do a once over on the brakes etc, and check all the control arms and frame to make sure it was just a cosmetic crash/fix...and call it a day. You still have your new car, they likely drove that car hard...at least now you have a newer one and hopefully at least a color you love. Separate the product from the experience/people and just don't do business with them ever again, even if it means a longer drive.
OR, hopefully Acura will make it right by giving you a REAL new car...or your money back.
Good luck, man!
12-22-2010, 09:37 AM
#19
Safety Car
The smoking could only have been burning oil.
Most thermostats have a weep hole to allow minimal flow. But, even if it's possible the thermostat was blocking coolant flow, cylinder head temps would have been off the charts. The temp readout on the DIC would be maxed, the ECU would be throwing codes and the DIC would issue text warnings; all before it became an emergency.
The more likely culprit was the sudden radiator coolant leak. The car overheated and he refilled the coolant, so it appears to have been a coolant leak. It overheated again immediately, indicating a major coolant leak.
Running the engine with no coolant, even briefly, may have warped the cylinder head. Jesse, did you run the engine at all during the 3 hours you waited for towing?
Then they repaired the radiator coolant leak; crossed their fingers and hoped the head wasn't damaged. Shortly after, the warped cylinder head sprayed oil onto hot engine parts -- exhaust and turbo -- and the show started.
Most thermostats have a weep hole to allow minimal flow. But, even if it's possible the thermostat was blocking coolant flow, cylinder head temps would have been off the charts. The temp readout on the DIC would be maxed, the ECU would be throwing codes and the DIC would issue text warnings; all before it became an emergency.
The more likely culprit was the sudden radiator coolant leak. The car overheated and he refilled the coolant, so it appears to have been a coolant leak. It overheated again immediately, indicating a major coolant leak.
Running the engine with no coolant, even briefly, may have warped the cylinder head. Jesse, did you run the engine at all during the 3 hours you waited for towing?
Then they repaired the radiator coolant leak; crossed their fingers and hoped the head wasn't damaged. Shortly after, the warped cylinder head sprayed oil onto hot engine parts -- exhaust and turbo -- and the show started.
Last edited by XLR8R; 12-22-2010 at 09:41 AM.
12-23-2010, 03:12 PM
#21
StayAtHomeDad
Letter from a Lawyer, very very helpful. My father in law is a lawyer and he was having issues with the manufacturer paying for his engine replacement after it blew up due to sludge. He sent them letter with his letterhead and he got no response. He asked one of his friends to send them a letter as if he was representing him and guess what, they paid for the engine replacement.....
12-23-2010, 09:34 PM
#22
Senior Moderator
What a maddening experience. That is just terrible. Really makes it difficult to enjoy your car even after things are fixed.
Glad this experience hasn't completely ruined your outlook on Honda/Acura, though. This same thing could happen with any manufacturer. I would definitely go to another dealer from now on - they can vary drastically in their service and customer support and IMO it is worth every penny to go to a reputable dealer. I, too, drive a long distance to go to my preferred dealer, even though there are many closer to me.
Also, next time, now you know not to agree to a deal before checking out the car yourself! You'd think that a vehicle with only 6000 miles would be in fairly good condition, but you really just never know. Good luck with everything from here on out.
Glad this experience hasn't completely ruined your outlook on Honda/Acura, though. This same thing could happen with any manufacturer. I would definitely go to another dealer from now on - they can vary drastically in their service and customer support and IMO it is worth every penny to go to a reputable dealer. I, too, drive a long distance to go to my preferred dealer, even though there are many closer to me.
Also, next time, now you know not to agree to a deal before checking out the car yourself! You'd think that a vehicle with only 6000 miles would be in fairly good condition, but you really just never know. Good luck with everything from here on out.
12-31-2010, 12:48 PM
#24
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***update***
Acura received my letter on 22 December 2010 and I actually missed a call from them the very next day. I played phone tag with Jonathan at Acura Client Relations for a few days, but we finally got to talk yesterday.
Of course, he started off with profuse apologies. He was nearly tripping over his words about how awful and inappropriate and unacceptable my experience has been. He took pains to mention that he had read my entire letter and not just skimmed it. Of course, the next thing that he said was that it seemed that my problems centered on the dealer and that dealers are independently owned and blah blah blah. . .
I cut him off and said that while I'm aware that dealers are not owned by Acura, it's the dealers that carry Acura's reputation in their hands every day. He agreed with me. I said that I was certain that at the very minimum Acura Client Relations was responsible for acting as an intermediary in these kinds of disputes. He agreed. I reiterated what I said in my letter: If Acura can't do anything for me, then I will not be able to do anything in the future for Honda/Acura.
Surprisingly, he didn't treat my request for a new car as ridiculous or out-of-line, but he stated that resolution like that would have to come by way of the dealer. He said that he hadn't spoken to the dealer yet and I basically cut him off at that point.
I told him that, while I appreciated his very prompt call to apologize and to let me know that he received my letter, he needed to contact the dealer, put some work into this and then get back to me. He agreed. I said that at this point, if I had to go into Smail Acura, it would probably be with an explosive device. He said that he totally understood.
I asked him if he needed any more records or documentation from me. He said he could access everything he needed with my VINs from the two cars. He said he would contact Smail and get back to within a week. I thanked him very much and we wished each other happy holidays.
So, the speed of their response was the only big surprise. I'm sure their first level response is to try and fob the issue off on the dealer, but I made it clear that this was their responsibility. I was pleasantly surprised that he didn't treat my request for a new car as laughable. I probably would have. Hahaha!
We'll see what happens next week!
Of course, he started off with profuse apologies. He was nearly tripping over his words about how awful and inappropriate and unacceptable my experience has been. He took pains to mention that he had read my entire letter and not just skimmed it. Of course, the next thing that he said was that it seemed that my problems centered on the dealer and that dealers are independently owned and blah blah blah. . .
I cut him off and said that while I'm aware that dealers are not owned by Acura, it's the dealers that carry Acura's reputation in their hands every day. He agreed with me. I said that I was certain that at the very minimum Acura Client Relations was responsible for acting as an intermediary in these kinds of disputes. He agreed. I reiterated what I said in my letter: If Acura can't do anything for me, then I will not be able to do anything in the future for Honda/Acura.
Surprisingly, he didn't treat my request for a new car as ridiculous or out-of-line, but he stated that resolution like that would have to come by way of the dealer. He said that he hadn't spoken to the dealer yet and I basically cut him off at that point.
I told him that, while I appreciated his very prompt call to apologize and to let me know that he received my letter, he needed to contact the dealer, put some work into this and then get back to me. He agreed. I said that at this point, if I had to go into Smail Acura, it would probably be with an explosive device. He said that he totally understood.
I asked him if he needed any more records or documentation from me. He said he could access everything he needed with my VINs from the two cars. He said he would contact Smail and get back to within a week. I thanked him very much and we wished each other happy holidays.
So, the speed of their response was the only big surprise. I'm sure their first level response is to try and fob the issue off on the dealer, but I made it clear that this was their responsibility. I was pleasantly surprised that he didn't treat my request for a new car as laughable. I probably would have. Hahaha!
We'll see what happens next week!
12-31-2010, 01:58 PM
#25
Safety Car
Originally Posted by supernullified
I said that at this point, if I had to go into Smail Acura, it would probably be with an explosive device.
Last edited by XLR8R; 12-31-2010 at 02:05 PM.
01-09-2011, 07:41 PM
#26
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Wow, that is the worst Acura experience story I've seen to date. Good luck with getting things back on-track. I've bought and own from 2 Acura dealers and they've been nothing but more than great on sales/service.
01-12-2011, 12:09 AM
#27
Acura received my letter on 22 December 2010 and I actually missed a call from them the very next day. I played phone tag with Jonathan at Acura Client Relations for a few days, but we finally got to talk yesterday.
Of course, he started off with profuse apologies. He was nearly tripping over his words about how awful and inappropriate and unacceptable my experience has been. He took pains to mention that he had read my entire letter and not just skimmed it. Of course, the next thing that he said was that it seemed that my problems centered on the dealer and that dealers are independently owned and blah blah blah. . .
I cut him off and said that while I'm aware that dealers are not owned by Acura, it's the dealers that carry Acura's reputation in their hands every day. He agreed with me. I said that I was certain that at the very minimum Acura Client Relations was responsible for acting as an intermediary in these kinds of disputes. He agreed. I reiterated what I said in my letter: If Acura can't do anything for me, then I will not be able to do anything in the future for Honda/Acura.
Surprisingly, he didn't treat my request for a new car as ridiculous or out-of-line, but he stated that resolution like that would have to come by way of the dealer. He said that he hadn't spoken to the dealer yet and I basically cut him off at that point.
I told him that, while I appreciated his very prompt call to apologize and to let me know that he received my letter, he needed to contact the dealer, put some work into this and then get back to me. He agreed. I said that at this point, if I had to go into Smail Acura, it would probably be with an explosive device. He said that he totally understood.
I asked him if he needed any more records or documentation from me. He said he could access everything he needed with my VINs from the two cars. He said he would contact Smail and get back to within a week. I thanked him very much and we wished each other happy holidays.
So, the speed of their response was the only big surprise. I'm sure their first level response is to try and fob the issue off on the dealer, but I made it clear that this was their responsibility. I was pleasantly surprised that he didn't treat my request for a new car as laughable. I probably would have. Hahaha!
We'll see what happens next week!
Of course, he started off with profuse apologies. He was nearly tripping over his words about how awful and inappropriate and unacceptable my experience has been. He took pains to mention that he had read my entire letter and not just skimmed it. Of course, the next thing that he said was that it seemed that my problems centered on the dealer and that dealers are independently owned and blah blah blah. . .
I cut him off and said that while I'm aware that dealers are not owned by Acura, it's the dealers that carry Acura's reputation in their hands every day. He agreed with me. I said that I was certain that at the very minimum Acura Client Relations was responsible for acting as an intermediary in these kinds of disputes. He agreed. I reiterated what I said in my letter: If Acura can't do anything for me, then I will not be able to do anything in the future for Honda/Acura.
Surprisingly, he didn't treat my request for a new car as ridiculous or out-of-line, but he stated that resolution like that would have to come by way of the dealer. He said that he hadn't spoken to the dealer yet and I basically cut him off at that point.
I told him that, while I appreciated his very prompt call to apologize and to let me know that he received my letter, he needed to contact the dealer, put some work into this and then get back to me. He agreed. I said that at this point, if I had to go into Smail Acura, it would probably be with an explosive device. He said that he totally understood.
I asked him if he needed any more records or documentation from me. He said he could access everything he needed with my VINs from the two cars. He said he would contact Smail and get back to within a week. I thanked him very much and we wished each other happy holidays.
So, the speed of their response was the only big surprise. I'm sure their first level response is to try and fob the issue off on the dealer, but I made it clear that this was their responsibility. I was pleasantly surprised that he didn't treat my request for a new car as laughable. I probably would have. Hahaha!
We'll see what happens next week!
I wish you well on your quest but its been a while and its too bad to see only spinning wheels and smoke from this. Get aggressive, seek counsel, and put the heat on the dealer to make things right through this. Values are weighed here and the dealer must then make a decision as to how to proceed. You also need to understand the lemon laws in your state. If they cannot fix the car then your recourse is statutorily based as well, the dealer can easily go through Acura for this, and remedy the transaction. Letter writing is good, but right now futile. Keep excellent records of all dates/times of communication and those you speak to (which looks like you have). If they cannot fix the car, you have recourse. What is the present status of RDX #2? Did you get any objective proof of a prior accident with this VIN#? ANYTHING? if not, and the RDX is mechanically sound, if you are looking for a remedy and the dealer wants to play the nice guy, a substitution of collateral may be down the road.
Good Luck.
01-14-2011, 11:16 AM
#28
Safety Car
I just don't see anything coming out of this.
So...Acura Roadside hooked him up with a lousy towing outfit -- not good. But after the first missed ETA, I would have been calling Acura Roadside every time the tow dispatcher made a new promise; keeping them in the loop and expecting action. At any rate, as a gesture of goodwill, Acura Client Services should extend his Roadside coverage, send him tickets to a ballgame, or something. Otherwise, Mike is right, they are going to hold his hand and make soothing sounds while they direct him to the dealer.
Sure, the dealer didn't have RDX #2 prepped or inspected, but that's incompetence, not fraud. He bought it anyway. Absent a collision report, RDX #2 had only a brake problem, which was fixed in two attempts -- again incompetence, not fraud.
What's a lawyer going to do? Make scary noises? RDX #1 is gone -- never existed, no legal relevance. RDX #2 has no sufficient cause for Lemon Law. Neither car was new; he bought a CPO and a demo. A new replacement is entirely out of the question.
But they'd be happy to make a new deal.
So...Acura Roadside hooked him up with a lousy towing outfit -- not good. But after the first missed ETA, I would have been calling Acura Roadside every time the tow dispatcher made a new promise; keeping them in the loop and expecting action. At any rate, as a gesture of goodwill, Acura Client Services should extend his Roadside coverage, send him tickets to a ballgame, or something. Otherwise, Mike is right, they are going to hold his hand and make soothing sounds while they direct him to the dealer.
Sure, the dealer didn't have RDX #2 prepped or inspected, but that's incompetence, not fraud. He bought it anyway. Absent a collision report, RDX #2 had only a brake problem, which was fixed in two attempts -- again incompetence, not fraud.
What's a lawyer going to do? Make scary noises? RDX #1 is gone -- never existed, no legal relevance. RDX #2 has no sufficient cause for Lemon Law. Neither car was new; he bought a CPO and a demo. A new replacement is entirely out of the question.
But they'd be happy to make a new deal.
Last edited by XLR8R; 01-14-2011 at 11:22 AM.
01-14-2011, 02:11 PM
#29
Sorry, i was a bit confused as to the facts of RDX's. He mentions the RDX #2 being new and also low mileage so who knows. Additionally, an attorney would only be relevant if this guy had any actual claim, which to my understanding, remains unclear. As far as an attorney just being the substitute for his voice, probably wouldnt even happen because any decent attorney would identify a potential claim/damages for anything to this point, which again, remains unclear. If RDX #2 is totally fine, this thing is over. Maybe Acura will massage it over with something like some free service visits. To substitute a car over bad service, with RDX #2 being mechanically sound, is dreaming.
02-15-2011, 12:54 PM
#30
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I guess it's time to eat her hat! VICTORY IS MINE!
VICTORY IS MINE!!!
So, there's been a lot of back and forth. From the starting point of my request being called "patently absurd" by the dealer, we then went to an offer of taking mine back for wholesale and selling me another one "at cost." Then the offer went to an even exchange for another 2010 CPO with the same miles.
However, what really turned the tide in my favor was the email below. Enjoy:
Joe:
It’s been two weeks since you told me that you and/or Mark would get back to me to resolve this within a few days. I had felt at the end of our last conversation that you were finally going to do what it took to make things right. Since you haven’t contacted me to tell me when to pick up my new car, I can only assume that I’m being jerked around just like I’ve been jerked around since the day I brought the original RDX in to be fixed.
If you’ll recall in my letter, I said “… God help you! I will start a website, I will rent a billboard …”
So, here’s the website: http://www.smailautoripoff.com . I just put it up today. It’s really just a placeholder; it doesn’t say anything negative about Smail. I’d really like to take it down today.
As for the billboard: as it turns out I won’t have to rent one. My family owns one. It’s adjacent to our printing company on Washington Boulevard in Pittsburgh. Obviously, it would reach more of your customers if it were in Greensburg. But it’s free to me for as long as I want it and I’m certain that among the 30,000 cars that pass it each day there is at least one potential Smail customer. I’ve attached a street-view map of where it will be located.
I didn’t want it to get to this. But I think you’ve underestimated who you’re dealing with. If you’ll recall, I said that I don’t want to be on a campaign against Smail, but I can’t help but feel that Smail has been on a campaign against me. I also said that the most negative customer situations can be the opportunities to turn around and dazzle that customer. We’re basically at Smail’s last chance to dazzle me.
Please contact me.
Jesse David Scheck
So, following a bit more back and forth, I just got a call from the owner of the dealership. They are giving me a brand new (OK, it has 59 miles on it
) 2010 RDX Tech SH-AWD. Crystal Black exterior, Taupe interior. They are doing an exchange of collateral on my loan with Acura Financial Services, so I can keep my 0.9% rate. I made one concession when I talked to the dealership owner last night. After my weeks of terrorism, I offered a token gesture. For my new car, I offered them - wait for it:$500. And I agreed to take down the website.
It's coming from an Acura dealership in New Jersey (I'm in Pittsburgh, PA). I can pick it up Thursday night or Friday morning.
So . . . how did I do?
02-15-2011, 06:09 PM
#33
So . . . I realize it's been a long time since I've updated everyone on the situation. But, it's a good time to update because:
VICTORY IS MINE!!!
So, there's been a lot of back and forth. From the starting point of my request being called "patently absurd" by the dealer, we then went to an offer of taking mine back for wholesale and selling me another one "at cost." Then the offer went to an even exchange for another 2010 CPO with the same miles.
However, what really turned the tide in my favor was the email below. Enjoy:
Joe:
It’s been two weeks since you told me that you and/or Mark would get back to me to resolve this within a few days. I had felt at the end of our last conversation that you were finally going to do what it took to make things right. Since you haven’t contacted me to tell me when to pick up my new car, I can only assume that I’m being jerked around just like I’ve been jerked around since the day I brought the original RDX in to be fixed.
If you’ll recall in my letter, I said “… God help you! I will start a website, I will rent a billboard …”
So, here’s the website: http://www.smailautoripoff.com . I just put it up today. It’s really just a placeholder; it doesn’t say anything negative about Smail. I’d really like to take it down today.
As for the billboard: as it turns out I won’t have to rent one. My family owns one. It’s adjacent to our printing company on Washington Boulevard in Pittsburgh. Obviously, it would reach more of your customers if it were in Greensburg. But it’s free to me for as long as I want it and I’m certain that among the 30,000 cars that pass it each day there is at least one potential Smail customer. I’ve attached a street-view map of where it will be located.
I didn’t want it to get to this. But I think you’ve underestimated who you’re dealing with. If you’ll recall, I said that I don’t want to be on a campaign against Smail, but I can’t help but feel that Smail has been on a campaign against me. I also said that the most negative customer situations can be the opportunities to turn around and dazzle that customer. We’re basically at Smail’s last chance to dazzle me.
Please contact me.
Jesse David Scheck
So, following a bit more back and forth, I just got a call from the owner of the dealership. They are giving me a brand new (OK, it has 59 miles on it) 2010 RDX Tech SH-AWD. Crystal Black exterior, Taupe interior. They are doing an exchange of collateral on my loan with Acura Financial Services, so I can keep my 0.9% rate. I made one concession when I talked to the dealership owner last night. After my weeks of terrorism, I offered a token gesture. For my new car, I offered them - wait for it:
$500. And I agreed to take down the website.
It's coming from an Acura dealership in New Jersey (I'm in Pittsburgh, PA). I can pick it up Thursday night or Friday morning.
So . . . how did I do?
VICTORY IS MINE!!!
So, there's been a lot of back and forth. From the starting point of my request being called "patently absurd" by the dealer, we then went to an offer of taking mine back for wholesale and selling me another one "at cost." Then the offer went to an even exchange for another 2010 CPO with the same miles.
However, what really turned the tide in my favor was the email below. Enjoy:
Joe:
It’s been two weeks since you told me that you and/or Mark would get back to me to resolve this within a few days. I had felt at the end of our last conversation that you were finally going to do what it took to make things right. Since you haven’t contacted me to tell me when to pick up my new car, I can only assume that I’m being jerked around just like I’ve been jerked around since the day I brought the original RDX in to be fixed.
If you’ll recall in my letter, I said “… God help you! I will start a website, I will rent a billboard …”
So, here’s the website: http://www.smailautoripoff.com . I just put it up today. It’s really just a placeholder; it doesn’t say anything negative about Smail. I’d really like to take it down today.
As for the billboard: as it turns out I won’t have to rent one. My family owns one. It’s adjacent to our printing company on Washington Boulevard in Pittsburgh. Obviously, it would reach more of your customers if it were in Greensburg. But it’s free to me for as long as I want it and I’m certain that among the 30,000 cars that pass it each day there is at least one potential Smail customer. I’ve attached a street-view map of where it will be located.
I didn’t want it to get to this. But I think you’ve underestimated who you’re dealing with. If you’ll recall, I said that I don’t want to be on a campaign against Smail, but I can’t help but feel that Smail has been on a campaign against me. I also said that the most negative customer situations can be the opportunities to turn around and dazzle that customer. We’re basically at Smail’s last chance to dazzle me.
Please contact me.
Jesse David Scheck
So, following a bit more back and forth, I just got a call from the owner of the dealership. They are giving me a brand new (OK, it has 59 miles on it
) 2010 RDX Tech SH-AWD. Crystal Black exterior, Taupe interior. They are doing an exchange of collateral on my loan with Acura Financial Services, so I can keep my 0.9% rate. I made one concession when I talked to the dealership owner last night. After my weeks of terrorism, I offered a token gesture. For my new car, I offered them - wait for it:$500. And I agreed to take down the website.
It's coming from an Acura dealership in New Jersey (I'm in Pittsburgh, PA). I can pick it up Thursday night or Friday morning.
So . . . how did I do?
02-16-2011, 10:28 AM
#37
10th Gear
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I think that whatever damage they did to the demo must be even more than what I uncovered for them to be doing this. I'm crossing my fingers until I pick up the new 2010 tomorrow!
02-16-2011, 11:29 AM
#39
sounds great, they did the substitution of collateral. excellent pushing.
but, if the dealer was anything substantial, you would have had a nice lawsuit on your hands if u did that billboard, lol. good thing you didnt do it, would have cost you even more money, regardless of whether you would have prevailed in court.
but, if the dealer was anything substantial, you would have had a nice lawsuit on your hands if u did that billboard, lol. good thing you didnt do it, would have cost you even more money, regardless of whether you would have prevailed in court.
