On Tuesday, March 17, 2015, I went to Route 69 Auto Sales, 69 Waterbury Rd, Prospect, CT06712, (203) 527-9664, to look at, and possibly test drive, one of the vehicles I had seen on their website. When I entered the office I expressed my desire to look at the vehicle I had seen on the website. The man at the desk named Mike took me outside and on the way to the vehicle I asked how long the car had been there. Mike replied, “A couple of weeks”. We walked a few more feet, Mike stopped, pointed further down the row in the back lot and said, “It’s the blue one over there, I have to go inside and answer the phones”. He then left me there and walked away. I walked over to the car and was able to get a peek into the car. The car was unlocked but I was unable to get in as there were other vehicles parked very close on both sides and opening the door was not an option.
I then went back into the office and was directed to John the salesperson. I mentioned to John that I would like to look inside the vehicle and take it for a test drive. I also mentioned to John that the vehicle is listed on their website as $1,999 and on the sticker in the vehicle it is listed as $2,999. John went inside to get the keys and returned to me and said their ‘internet guy’ made a mistake and the car really is $2,999, but if I want the car for $1,999 I had to buy it today (3/17/2015), there is no coming back later today and getting the lower price. Fair enough. I asked John how long the car had been there and he replied, “A couple of months, we just got it out from under all the snow.” That’s funny, Mike said it was there for only a few weeks.
I test drove the car and after serious thought and being able to view the vehicle’s Carfax on John’s phone, I decided to purchase the vehicle. John drew up the sales order and noted on the order the two repairs I had requested to be completed before delivery, which was to replace the very loud heater/air conditioner fan and the check engine light, which was illuminated.
I gave a $500.00 deposit by credit card and was told by John the car should be ready by Friday, March 20, 2015. Before I left I asked John for a printout of the Carfax. John attempted to print the document but it would not print correctly as the ink in the printer was low. John called out to Mike about this, and without turning around, Mike replied in his best snarl, “It’s a $2,000 car”. Hmmm. First Mike points out the car to me on the lot without actually taking me to the car, promptly turns and walks back inside so he can ‘answer the phones’, and now he dismisses the fact that I would like a printed Carfax because it’s ‘a $2,000 car’ (and he also was not truthful in telling me the length of time they had the vehicle).
I called John on Friday, March 20, 2015, and was told he was with a customer and to call back in 15 minutes. Since this is the day I was told the vehicle should be ready and I had not heard anything to the contrary, I got a ride to the dealership to pick up the car and pay the balance owed. John said the car was not ready because I had asked for ‘a lot of things to be done’ to the vehicle. On Tuesday, I was told the car should be ready on Friday; there was no phone call from John in the interim regarding the two requested repairs causing a delay in delivery of the vehicle. Now I was being told the two requested repairs were ‘a lot’.
I asked when will the car be ready and John said, “Next week, give me a call next week”. I have to call him? He works for the dealership, not I, why must I call. Can he not afford me the courtesy of a phone call when the vehicle is ready?
I am now wondering why I am being treated so poorly. I firmly believe two things: 1) Mike was irked that the car was sold for $1,000 below the price listed on the vehicle and 2) I am a woman. They would not have done this to a man. These ‘stalling’ tactics are being done deliberately, as I believe they are waiting for me to reach the end of my rope, finally giving up in exasperation, canceling the order and having my deposit returned. They will then be able to list the car at $2,999. Fortunately this is not an emergency situation and I’m now determined to see this through to its conclusion to see just how far their underhandedness will go.
I discovered quite far.
Six days later (I have not heard from John) I called on Thursday, March 26 and asked John for the status of the vehicle. He said the repairs have been done but the car still has to be driven around to reset the computer so it will pass emissions (the check engine light was on during my test drive). He said it should be ready early next week but he was hoping sooner, and he will let me know.
Another six days has passed and I have not received a phone call so I called John on Wednesday, April 1, 2015, and asked for a status of the vehicle. He said, “They’re working on it now, it should be ready later today”. I said, “You mean from Thursday of last week until today the car has not been worked on?” John replied, “No, it has, but it has to be driven, sometime not many miles, sometimes a lot of miles, to reset the computer.” I was silent on the phone for a moment and heard others in the background having a conversation, which included several F bombs. John was distracted and chimed in to their conversation, even chuckling a bit before realizing he was still on the phone with me. I had not said a word during this time, waiting to see how long it would take before John acknowledged me so we could conclude our conversation. Unbelievable.
Not surprisingly, I did not hear from John by the end of the day on April 1.
Another six days has passed and I have not received a phone call so I called John on Tuesday, April 7, 2015, and was told the car was sent to a company called Foreign Car Repair, 717 Meriden Road, Waterbury, as Route 69 Auto Sales has driven the car about 300 miles (according to John) and the computer has not reset. John indicated the check engine light is not on but the monitors must open up so the car can pass emissions. John also noted that because Friday, April 3, was Good Friday, the car was not serviced on Friday at Foreign Car Repair or over the weekend.
I told John I was concerned that if the check engine light goes on after I have possession of the car, I’m in trouble because the car is being sold ‘as is’ with no warranty, which I was aware of the day I purchased the car. John said he would take care of me if that occurs. Not sure what that means, but I did not question him. John indicated the car should be ready today, April 7. I asked John if he could call me instead of me having to keep calling him. He apologized and said he will call me.
I then called Foreign Car Repair to confirm John’s information. I spoke to Mario who said he does have the car and it will take a couple of days to get it repaired but when he’s done with it, it will be 100%. Mario noted that he hasn’t been involved with the car himself, but indicated he will be sometime today, April 7. Sigh.
Another 6 days has passed and lo and behold I received a call from John on Monday, April 13, 2015. John indicated that the car needs a new catalytic converter and that ‘he’ (I don’t know who ‘he’ is) doesn’t want an after market catalytic converter, he wants to order one from Nissan. John also indicated the part should be in by Wednesday, April 15. John was apologetic and noted that they’re finally getting caught up because they have been so busy and his mechanic said fixing the heater/air conditioner fan is not a big deal. Wait…what? That’s interesting, John told me that the repairs to the fan were complete when I spoke to him on March 26. I didn’t question him, why bother, this is just so absurd. John did offer to refund the $500.00 deposit I had given on March 17. I said thank you, I’ll wait for the repairs to be completed. John thanked me for my patience and promised that when the car is ready (he noted by Friday April 17), it will have a full tank of gas.
Another two weeks has passed and I have not heard from John. I called on Monday, April 27, 2015, and spoke to John who indicated the car is not ready, the original repair to the heater/air conditioner fan has not been made and the catalytic converter has not been installed. He apologized and stated they’re just now getting caught up (something he told me on April 13). John also noted that service cars must be handled promptly on cars that have already been purchased.
I have submitted a formal complaint to the CT Dept of Motor Vehicles, CT Dept of Consumer Protection, CT Better Business Bureau, CT Attorney General.
Rt 69 Auto Sales & Service Reviews
On Tuesday, March 17, 2015, I went to Route 69 Auto Sales, 69 Waterbury Rd, Prospect, CT06712, (203) 527-9664, to look at, and possibly test drive, one of the vehicles I had seen on their website. When I entered the office I expressed my desire to look at the vehicle I had seen on the website. The man at the desk named Mike took me outside and on the way to the vehicle I asked how long the car had been there. Mike replied, “A couple of weeks”. We walked a few more feet, Mike stopped, pointed further down the row in the back lot and said, “It’s the blue one over there, I have to go inside and answer the phones”. He then left me there and walked away. I walked over to the car and was able to get a peek into the car. The car was unlocked but I was unable to get in as there were other vehicles parked very close on both sides and opening the door was not an option.
I then went back into the office and was directed to John the salesperson. I mentioned to John that I would like to look inside the vehicle and take it for a test drive. I also mentioned to John that the vehicle is listed on their website as $1,999 and on the sticker in the vehicle it is listed as $2,999. John went inside to get the keys and returned to me and said their ‘internet guy’ made a mistake and the car really is $2,999, but if I want the car for $1,999 I had to buy it today (3/17/2015), there is no coming back later today and getting the lower price. Fair enough. I asked John how long the car had been there and he replied, “A couple of months, we just got it out from under all the snow.” That’s funny, Mike said it was there for only a few weeks.
I test drove the car and after serious thought and being able to view the vehicle’s Carfax on John’s phone, I decided to purchase the vehicle. John drew up the sales order and noted on the order the two repairs I had requested to be completed before delivery, which was to replace the very loud heater/air conditioner fan and the check engine light, which was illuminated.
I gave a $500.00 deposit by credit card and was told by John the car should be ready by Friday, March 20, 2015. Before I left I asked John for a printout of the Carfax. John attempted to print the document but it would not print correctly as the ink in the printer was low. John called out to Mike about this, and without turning around, Mike replied in his best snarl, “It’s a $2,000 car”. Hmmm. First Mike points out the car to me on the lot without actually taking me to the car, promptly turns and walks back inside so he can ‘answer the phones’, and now he dismisses the fact that I would like a printed Carfax because it’s ‘a $2,000 car’ (and he also was not truthful in telling me the length of time they had the vehicle).
I called John on Friday, March 20, 2015, and was told he was with a customer and to call back in 15 minutes. Since this is the day I was told the vehicle should be ready and I had not heard anything to the contrary, I got a ride to the dealership to pick up the car and pay the balance owed. John said the car was not ready because I had asked for ‘a lot of things to be done’ to the vehicle. On Tuesday, I was told the car should be ready on Friday; there was no phone call from John in the interim regarding the two requested repairs causing a delay in delivery of the vehicle. Now I was being told the two requested repairs were ‘a lot’.
I asked when will the car be ready and John said, “Next week, give me a call next week”. I have to call him? He works for the dealership, not I, why must I call. Can he not afford me the courtesy of a phone call when the vehicle is ready?
I am now wondering why I am being treated so poorly. I firmly believe two things: 1) Mike was irked that the car was sold for $1,000 below the price listed on the vehicle and 2) I am a woman. They would not have done this to a man. These ‘stalling’ tactics are being done deliberately, as I believe they are waiting for me to reach the end of my rope, finally giving up in exasperation, canceling the order and having my deposit returned. They will then be able to list the car at $2,999. Fortunately this is not an emergency situation and I’m now determined to see this through to its conclusion to see just how far their underhandedness will go.
I discovered quite far.
Six days later (I have not heard from John) I called on Thursday, March 26 and asked John for the status of the vehicle. He said the repairs have been done but the car still has to be driven around to reset the computer so it will pass emissions (the check engine light was on during my test drive). He said it should be ready early next week but he was hoping sooner, and he will let me know.
Another six days has passed and I have not received a phone call so I called John on Wednesday, April 1, 2015, and asked for a status of the vehicle. He said, “They’re working on it now, it should be ready later today”. I said, “You mean from Thursday of last week until today the car has not been worked on?” John replied, “No, it has, but it has to be driven, sometime not many miles, sometimes a lot of miles, to reset the computer.” I was silent on the phone for a moment and heard others in the background having a conversation, which included several F bombs. John was distracted and chimed in to their conversation, even chuckling a bit before realizing he was still on the phone with me. I had not said a word during this time, waiting to see how long it would take before John acknowledged me so we could conclude our conversation. Unbelievable.
Not surprisingly, I did not hear from John by the end of the day on April 1.
Another six days has passed and I have not received a phone call so I called John on Tuesday, April 7, 2015, and was told the car was sent to a company called Foreign Car Repair, 717 Meriden Road, Waterbury, as Route 69 Auto Sales has driven the car about 300 miles (according to John) and the computer has not reset. John indicated the check engine light is not on but the monitors must open up so the car can pass emissions. John also noted that because Friday, April 3, was Good Friday, the car was not serviced on Friday at Foreign Car Repair or over the weekend.
I told John I was concerned that if the check engine light goes on after I have possession of the car, I’m in trouble because the car is being sold ‘as is’ with no warranty, which I was aware of the day I purchased the car. John said he would take care of me if that occurs. Not sure what that means, but I did not question him. John indicated the car should be ready today, April 7. I asked John if he could call me instead of me having to keep calling him. He apologized and said he will call me.
I then called Foreign Car Repair to confirm John’s information. I spoke to Mario who said he does have the car and it will take a couple of days to get it repaired but when he’s done with it, it will be 100%. Mario noted that he hasn’t been involved with the car himself, but indicated he will be sometime today, April 7. Sigh.
Another 6 days has passed and lo and behold I received a call from John on Monday, April 13, 2015. John indicated that the car needs a new catalytic converter and that ‘he’ (I don’t know who ‘he’ is) doesn’t want an after market catalytic converter, he wants to order one from Nissan. John also indicated the part should be in by Wednesday, April 15. John was apologetic and noted that they’re finally getting caught up because they have been so busy and his mechanic said fixing the heater/air conditioner fan is not a big deal. Wait…what? That’s interesting, John told me that the repairs to the fan were complete when I spoke to him on March 26. I didn’t question him, why bother, this is just so absurd. John did offer to refund the $500.00 deposit I had given on March 17. I said thank you, I’ll wait for the repairs to be completed. John thanked me for my patience and promised that when the car is ready (he noted by Friday April 17), it will have a full tank of gas.
Another two weeks has passed and I have not heard from John. I called on Monday, April 27, 2015, and spoke to John who indicated the car is not ready, the original repair to the heater/air conditioner fan has not been made and the catalytic converter has not been installed. He apologized and stated they’re just now getting caught up (something he told me on April 13). John also noted that service cars must be handled promptly on cars that have already been purchased.
I have submitted a formal complaint to the CT Dept of Motor Vehicles, CT Dept of Consumer Protection, CT Better Business Bureau, CT Attorney General.
Underhanded - Untruthful – Deceitful – Deceptive – Misleading – Shady – Shifty – Disreputable - Shameful