My letter to Dealership Owner (long read)
08-28-2006, 06:37 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
![[]V[]addog's Avatar](https://my350z.com/forum/images/avatars/30.jpg)
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Atlantic Canada
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My letter to Dealership Owner (long read)
To whom it may concern,
This letter is intended to let MacDonald Pontiac know how displeased I have been with my experience in purchasing a vehicle. I would also like to advise of the many potential safety risks that have surfaced since purchasing my car.
I purchased a high end sports car earlier this spring. (2003 Nissan 350z)
There were some discrepancies when I came in to view the vehicle. (in a separate warehouse location)
- The add on the auto trader was listed in KM; when I came to view the vehicle, it was from USA and was registered in Miles.
- I asked if there were any after market components on the vehicle; I was emailed a response noting a Corsa exhaust. (Included in this document is the exceprt from this email). Again, when I went to view the vehicle, this turned out to be a mistake. It turns out the exhaust was a Borla exhaust and not a Corsa as stated in the email.
This oversight, although not the end of the world, it was just the beginning of many oversights that will be included in this email.
I was impressed with the outside condition of the vehicle, under the hood, and the interior, etc. Car seemed to be very well maintained. One week after viewing this car I decided that I wanted to move ahead with the purchase. I then came up with a one thousand dollar down payment to secure the vehicle. When I handed over my deposit, which I was given a receipt for, I was reassured that the vehicle could not be sold to anyone else. Later in that same week I received a call from the sales representative I was dealing with stating that the car had been moved from the storage warehouse into the dealership showroom. Not only did he advise me that the car been moved but then he proceeded to tell me that there were several other buyers looking to purchase the vehicle. If this is the level of customer service one can expect from MacDonald Pontiac then that is very disappointing! Let me reiterate that I had already put down money on the vehicle and was convinced that this showed an obvious commitment to purchasing the car.
So let’s review the events up to this point: Incorrect information provided on the vehicle, vehicle moved to showroom floor after deposit made, and lastly deposit to hold vehicle still prompted what seemed like a typical pressure sales call.
At this point did I feel slightly frustrated? You bet I did, however I still really wanted the car so I continued with the purchase. After putting the paperwork through for financing and the sale, I then asked for a motor vehicle inspection to be completed. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly this was completed and felt as though my sales experience was taking a turn for the better. I couldn’t have been more wrong!
The day I drove the car off the lot, the tire pressure sensor came on, indicating that the pressure was very low. The manufacturers recommended tire pressure for this car is 35 PSI. When I gauged the tires after seeing this warning I was shocked to find out that the rear tires were far below 35 PSI, infact they were barely at 26 PSI. If this car had just been thoroughly inspected, I think something this obvious (sensor going off) would have been caught and corrected before I drove off. This was yet another frustration in my experience of buying a used car from MacDonald Pontiac.
Now since this was early spring, I did not drive the vehicle very often as I was waiting for the roads to clear up. Over a short period of time I noticed that the tire pressure continued to drop in one of the rear tires. Realizing that there was a leak I returned to the MacDonald Pontiac dealership to have it fixed. It turns out the vehicle was sold with a nail in the tire.
When the weather changed for the better about a month later, I was driving the car on a rainy day and was startled when the car began to hydro-plane in even the smallest amount of water. At that point I decided to take a closer look at the tread on my tires and was disgusted to see that both rear tires were past the wear bar. I’m sure that a persons first thought would be that I was driving hard on the tires and spinning the wheels, and I have no way to prove otherwise, but I after spending $35,000.00 plus on a car I can assure you that was not the case. Let’s revisit the day I purchased the car and my request for a new MVI to be completed on the car. I am not a mechanic but I do know that checking the depth of the tread on tires is mandatory and it would appear as though that the tires were overlooked, perhaps to close a deal a little quicker, not too sure. I do not like to make accusations here but understand that there is not much time between my purchase and my finding out that the rear tires were far from legal and unbelievably unsafe to drive on. To make this issue even more frustrating, when I brought the car in for the tire to be fixed for the leak mentioned earlier, the unsafe and non-legal tires were not raised as an issue and I was allowed to drive off the lot for a second time. Incredible!
I obviously had to purchase new tires if I wanted to live the next time I was out in the rain so I invested in some new tires. These tires are far from cheap as the uncommon size of 245/45/18 make them higher in price. Perhaps that might be a reason not to replace them before selling the vehicle to someone, not too sure. I had my new tires installed and balanced by the professionals at Champlain Nissan as my experience with MacDonald Pontiac was far from stellar at this point. As part of Champlain Nissan’s service to my car, they performed a complimentary alignment test on my car. I was advised that the alignment of the car was way off and should be corrected. I paid for the alignment and drove away. It’s really a shame that a recently purchased, late model car would not only be sold with bald tires (with a slow leak), but on top of that, the wheels would be out of alignment
Until last week I have enjoyed every minute behind the wheel of my car. What is it about this week that would change that you might ask? This week I was driving my car and upon applying my brakes I was welcomed with the screeching noise that only comes from worn out brakes. Immediately I call Champlain Nissan and take the car in for an inspection and sure enough my brakes were completely worn out and needed replacement. I was really disturbed to find out that the brakes would be worn out so quickly as I am the sort of driver who does mostly highway driving and do not use my brakes as frequently as most people would. This brings me back to the day of purchase. Wouldn’t the brakes on a car that was being sold be inspected and replaced before allowing a person to drive away? Is this not a common practice at MacDonald Pontiac? I would be quite interested to review the inspection completed on my car when it was first acquired by MacDonald Pontiac as well as the record of the inspection before I drove away with it.
I realize that the some of the responsibility falls on me to check these things out properly before I purchase a used vehicle, however I did not purchase a 1994 Sunbird here. I am appalled that MacDonald Pontiac would send anyone off in a 300 horsepower rocket knowing the safety risks of the bald tires and less then adequate brakes.
I have taken the time to write this letter, not to request compensation from Macdonald Pontiac but to advise the owner of this dealership of the questionable tactics performed by the various departments throughout the dealership. Many of my statements could be considered made up and honestly I have no way, other than service and inspection records to back myself up. My hope is that Mr. MacDonald will realize that this situation has occurred and that he will take some steps to ensure that these sorts of incidents do not happen to future clients.
I will not be purchasing another vehicle from MacDonald Pontiac due to the way I have been treated. I guess in the big picture that may not seem like much of a big deal but I assure you it is a little more than you realize. Firstly I am a young professional and my 350z is one of many purchases that I will make over the next couple of years, but I also am a member of many of the internet vehicle communities around New Brunswick and the maritime’s. I will be happy to share my experience with those who ask about experiences in dealing with MacDonald Pontiac. Knowing what a tight community Moncton and the surrounding areas really are, this could have more of an impact than you really think. This is not meant to be a threat and in no way am I trying to be rude or disrespectful. I guess in the end I just expected much more from a dealership that has been part of this great community for so many years.
If you feel compelled to contact me I can be reached at anytime at:
This letter is intended to let MacDonald Pontiac know how displeased I have been with my experience in purchasing a vehicle. I would also like to advise of the many potential safety risks that have surfaced since purchasing my car.
I purchased a high end sports car earlier this spring. (2003 Nissan 350z)
There were some discrepancies when I came in to view the vehicle. (in a separate warehouse location)
- The add on the auto trader was listed in KM; when I came to view the vehicle, it was from USA and was registered in Miles.
- I asked if there were any after market components on the vehicle; I was emailed a response noting a Corsa exhaust. (Included in this document is the exceprt from this email). Again, when I went to view the vehicle, this turned out to be a mistake. It turns out the exhaust was a Borla exhaust and not a Corsa as stated in the email.
This oversight, although not the end of the world, it was just the beginning of many oversights that will be included in this email.
I was impressed with the outside condition of the vehicle, under the hood, and the interior, etc. Car seemed to be very well maintained. One week after viewing this car I decided that I wanted to move ahead with the purchase. I then came up with a one thousand dollar down payment to secure the vehicle. When I handed over my deposit, which I was given a receipt for, I was reassured that the vehicle could not be sold to anyone else. Later in that same week I received a call from the sales representative I was dealing with stating that the car had been moved from the storage warehouse into the dealership showroom. Not only did he advise me that the car been moved but then he proceeded to tell me that there were several other buyers looking to purchase the vehicle. If this is the level of customer service one can expect from MacDonald Pontiac then that is very disappointing! Let me reiterate that I had already put down money on the vehicle and was convinced that this showed an obvious commitment to purchasing the car.
So let’s review the events up to this point: Incorrect information provided on the vehicle, vehicle moved to showroom floor after deposit made, and lastly deposit to hold vehicle still prompted what seemed like a typical pressure sales call.
At this point did I feel slightly frustrated? You bet I did, however I still really wanted the car so I continued with the purchase. After putting the paperwork through for financing and the sale, I then asked for a motor vehicle inspection to be completed. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly this was completed and felt as though my sales experience was taking a turn for the better. I couldn’t have been more wrong!
The day I drove the car off the lot, the tire pressure sensor came on, indicating that the pressure was very low. The manufacturers recommended tire pressure for this car is 35 PSI. When I gauged the tires after seeing this warning I was shocked to find out that the rear tires were far below 35 PSI, infact they were barely at 26 PSI. If this car had just been thoroughly inspected, I think something this obvious (sensor going off) would have been caught and corrected before I drove off. This was yet another frustration in my experience of buying a used car from MacDonald Pontiac.
Now since this was early spring, I did not drive the vehicle very often as I was waiting for the roads to clear up. Over a short period of time I noticed that the tire pressure continued to drop in one of the rear tires. Realizing that there was a leak I returned to the MacDonald Pontiac dealership to have it fixed. It turns out the vehicle was sold with a nail in the tire.
When the weather changed for the better about a month later, I was driving the car on a rainy day and was startled when the car began to hydro-plane in even the smallest amount of water. At that point I decided to take a closer look at the tread on my tires and was disgusted to see that both rear tires were past the wear bar. I’m sure that a persons first thought would be that I was driving hard on the tires and spinning the wheels, and I have no way to prove otherwise, but I after spending $35,000.00 plus on a car I can assure you that was not the case. Let’s revisit the day I purchased the car and my request for a new MVI to be completed on the car. I am not a mechanic but I do know that checking the depth of the tread on tires is mandatory and it would appear as though that the tires were overlooked, perhaps to close a deal a little quicker, not too sure. I do not like to make accusations here but understand that there is not much time between my purchase and my finding out that the rear tires were far from legal and unbelievably unsafe to drive on. To make this issue even more frustrating, when I brought the car in for the tire to be fixed for the leak mentioned earlier, the unsafe and non-legal tires were not raised as an issue and I was allowed to drive off the lot for a second time. Incredible!
I obviously had to purchase new tires if I wanted to live the next time I was out in the rain so I invested in some new tires. These tires are far from cheap as the uncommon size of 245/45/18 make them higher in price. Perhaps that might be a reason not to replace them before selling the vehicle to someone, not too sure. I had my new tires installed and balanced by the professionals at Champlain Nissan as my experience with MacDonald Pontiac was far from stellar at this point. As part of Champlain Nissan’s service to my car, they performed a complimentary alignment test on my car. I was advised that the alignment of the car was way off and should be corrected. I paid for the alignment and drove away. It’s really a shame that a recently purchased, late model car would not only be sold with bald tires (with a slow leak), but on top of that, the wheels would be out of alignment
Until last week I have enjoyed every minute behind the wheel of my car. What is it about this week that would change that you might ask? This week I was driving my car and upon applying my brakes I was welcomed with the screeching noise that only comes from worn out brakes. Immediately I call Champlain Nissan and take the car in for an inspection and sure enough my brakes were completely worn out and needed replacement. I was really disturbed to find out that the brakes would be worn out so quickly as I am the sort of driver who does mostly highway driving and do not use my brakes as frequently as most people would. This brings me back to the day of purchase. Wouldn’t the brakes on a car that was being sold be inspected and replaced before allowing a person to drive away? Is this not a common practice at MacDonald Pontiac? I would be quite interested to review the inspection completed on my car when it was first acquired by MacDonald Pontiac as well as the record of the inspection before I drove away with it.
I realize that the some of the responsibility falls on me to check these things out properly before I purchase a used vehicle, however I did not purchase a 1994 Sunbird here. I am appalled that MacDonald Pontiac would send anyone off in a 300 horsepower rocket knowing the safety risks of the bald tires and less then adequate brakes.
I have taken the time to write this letter, not to request compensation from Macdonald Pontiac but to advise the owner of this dealership of the questionable tactics performed by the various departments throughout the dealership. Many of my statements could be considered made up and honestly I have no way, other than service and inspection records to back myself up. My hope is that Mr. MacDonald will realize that this situation has occurred and that he will take some steps to ensure that these sorts of incidents do not happen to future clients.
I will not be purchasing another vehicle from MacDonald Pontiac due to the way I have been treated. I guess in the big picture that may not seem like much of a big deal but I assure you it is a little more than you realize. Firstly I am a young professional and my 350z is one of many purchases that I will make over the next couple of years, but I also am a member of many of the internet vehicle communities around New Brunswick and the maritime’s. I will be happy to share my experience with those who ask about experiences in dealing with MacDonald Pontiac. Knowing what a tight community Moncton and the surrounding areas really are, this could have more of an impact than you really think. This is not meant to be a threat and in no way am I trying to be rude or disrespectful. I guess in the end I just expected much more from a dealership that has been part of this great community for so many years.
If you feel compelled to contact me I can be reached at anytime at:
![[]V[]addog is offline](https://my350z.com/forum/blueevolution/statusicon/user_offline.gif)
08-28-2006, 07:07 AM
#3
Wow. That is some crazy stuff. You did the right thing and brought your issues to their attention. Its hard to believe that they would not check these things over before selling the car, let alone selling it after you put down a deposit. Shady dealership.
08-28-2006, 07:18 AM
#4
Registered User
iTrader: (20)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Houston, TX & WPB, FL
Posts: 1,946
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
just a suggestion, but maybe include the miles of when problems arose and miles when purchased, since you said it had been months and the car wasn't driven often. Hopefully you get some kind of real response from them so you know that they take notice of what happened
08-28-2006, 07:38 AM
#5
Originally Posted by masterj26
just a suggestion, but maybe include the miles of when problems arose and miles when purchased, since you said it had been months and the car wasn't driven often. Hopefully you get some kind of real response from them so you know that they take notice of what happened
Nice letter, well written!
BTW, is the owner a clown? j/k
08-28-2006, 07:54 AM
#6
Registered User
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,298
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So, did you get a reply back from the dealership?
As you stated in your letter, "I realize that the some of the responsibility falls on me to check these things out properly before I purchase a used vehicle".
That's very true. Regardless of the sales pressure or the timeline, you should have inspected the car inside-out.
When I buy a used car, I usually take it to the manufacture (Nissan, I.E.) to have it inspected. When you ask the "seller" to inspect the car, you're getting a biased inspection in my opinion.
As you stated in your letter, "I realize that the some of the responsibility falls on me to check these things out properly before I purchase a used vehicle".
That's very true. Regardless of the sales pressure or the timeline, you should have inspected the car inside-out.
When I buy a used car, I usually take it to the manufacture (Nissan, I.E.) to have it inspected. When you ask the "seller" to inspect the car, you're getting a biased inspection in my opinion.
08-28-2006, 08:32 AM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: ohio
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
kind of shocked that you didnt notice the tires were worn out. brakes must have been close to needing replaced if they just started making noise. these are things you could check yourself. just look in the wheel and see no pad left. the other thing that I caught was, you didnt spend 35k on an 03 did you???
Trending Topics
08-28-2006, 08:52 AM
#8
Originally Posted by Billinohio
kind of shocked that you didnt notice the tires were worn out. brakes must have been close to needing replaced if they just started making noise. these are things you could check yourself. just look in the wheel and see no pad left. the other thing that I caught was, you didnt spend 35k on an 03 did you???
08-28-2006, 09:07 AM
#9
New Member
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Rocklin, CA
Posts: 393
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Billinohio
the other thing that I caught was, you didnt spend 35k on an 03 did you???
As of 08-28-06
That still seems quite high for an 03.
08-28-2006, 09:26 AM
#12
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NJ
Posts: 577
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would theaten to sue the Pontiac Dealer under whatever "Lemon Laws" you have in Canada. A good lawyer should help you put the screws to the Pontiac Dealer and get you a nice settlement!
Give them BACK the Z and go to the Nissan dealer you mentioned and get a Z THERE! That's what I'd to do!
Funny thing about buying a foreign car at a domestic car dealer...seems like there is always some f*ckery in this scenario.
I bought a '93 Toyota MR2 from a Ford Dealership....although my problem wasn't as severe as yours, it was still kinda f*cked up.
Turns out the MR2 was broken into....Passenger window was smashed, but they DID replace it....I didn't realize under a month or so later...I found glass several shards under the passenger seat and the new window had some kinda tape on it beneath the door panel....I just put 2 + 2 together.
The replacement window operated fine as did the rest of the car...so I guess I made out ok.
BUT, maybe they felt they weren't obligated to tell me this...had I known I would have negotiated for a lower price!!
Give them BACK the Z and go to the Nissan dealer you mentioned and get a Z THERE! That's what I'd to do!
Funny thing about buying a foreign car at a domestic car dealer...seems like there is always some f*ckery in this scenario.
I bought a '93 Toyota MR2 from a Ford Dealership....although my problem wasn't as severe as yours, it was still kinda f*cked up.
Turns out the MR2 was broken into....Passenger window was smashed, but they DID replace it....I didn't realize under a month or so later...I found glass several shards under the passenger seat and the new window had some kinda tape on it beneath the door panel....I just put 2 + 2 together.
The replacement window operated fine as did the rest of the car...so I guess I made out ok.
BUT, maybe they felt they weren't obligated to tell me this...had I known I would have negotiated for a lower price!!
Last edited by NewJerZ; 08-28-2006 at 09:32 AM.
08-28-2006, 09:29 AM
#14
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NJ
Posts: 577
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by JMT
35,000.00 Canadian Dollar = 31,571.40 US Dollar
As of 08-28-06
That still seems quite high for an 03.
As of 08-28-06
That still seems quite high for an 03.
Good luck with the situation...in all seriousness!!
08-28-2006, 09:43 AM
#15
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 807
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by semtex
Umm...someone correct me if I'm wrong, but there were no 2003 models of the 350Z that were 300hp, were there? I believe your car has 'only' 287hp.
08-28-2006, 09:48 AM
#16
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by GFrnk69
He was saying it as a figure of speech, it's close enough to 300hp, plus it looks better on paper, i doubt the owner macdonald is gonna say "it's 287 not 300"
08-28-2006, 09:50 AM
#17
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by GFrnk69
He was saying it as a figure of speech, it's close enough to 300hp, plus it looks better on paper, i doubt the owner macdonald is gonna say "it's 287 not 300"
08-28-2006, 10:15 AM
#19
Registered User
iTrader: (43)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Lone Star State
Posts: 2,757
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You paid $31,571.40 (U.S.) for a 2003 model? They saw you coming, alright . . . not to be mean but when buying most older used cars, they have the disclaimer "AS IS."
