First off, McGhee Auto Sales ("MAS") did eventually pay some money for repairs, but it was a Pyrrhic victory for me. I felt it my duty to warn others of the practices of this dealership. In all my 20+ years of buying cars, from private people to national dealerships, I have never experienced anything close to the level of dishonesty this family-owned private dealership has shown to me.
My car got totalled, found a beautiful Dodge Charger online. I checked for any complaints at MAS at the BBB and Consumer Affairs websites, and here on RipOffReport. Nothing came up.
Looked at the CarFax, states MAS bought it at auction. It was a company car and was well-maintained according to all the service records on the report but it had an "accident to the rear - moderate damage." Not a big deal to me because my previous car was hit twice from behind and was repaired (no frame damage), and I didn't have any problems with it.
I come in and I asked the owner did he get the car checked out, any frame damage, etc. and he says yes and he "gaurantees" the car runs perfectly. Since I never ever got a used car checked out before in the past and never had a problem with them (lucky, I guess), I took him for his word and bought the car.
MISTAKE 1: Not getting the car checked out on my own.
The sales price was $3,000 below Edmunds for its condition and mileage, plus I got another $200 off the sale price. Interest rate for the 4-year loan was right where it should be for my credit score. I put most of 20% down the day I took possession. I signed a 30-day 50% parts/labor powertrain warranty. It stated the car was to be brought to MAS first for repairs and after that, he would pay 50% parts and labor.
The car runs perfectly, brakes are good, super-clean interior, etc. but while driving on the freeway to work the next day, I noticed it was pulling to the right.
MISTAKE 2: Not driving the car on the freeway on the test drive.
Later that day, while I was stopped at a light, a good samaritan told me that my rear right tire was wobbling horribly. I called MAS and told them about the back wheel and the pulling and was told to bring the car in. I bring the car later that same day. MAS gave me loaner off his lot and kept the car for two days. Now, remember - TWO DAYS.
I go to pick up the car and asked about the pulling. The owner said it was still doing it "a little bit but after 8 or 9 months when you get new tires, it should be okay." I assumed he TRIED to fix it because he didn't tell me what the problem was or where to take it to get it fixed. That didn't sound right to me but I took the car anyway and, you guessed it, and it was still pulling exactly the way it did 2 days ago.
That weekend, I go to MAS to pay the rest of the down payment withholding $60 for a wheel alignment to be done at a Dodge dealership. At this point, I thought that was all the car needed. The owner wasn't there so they get him on the phone and I asked him to pay for the whole $60 but he refused. I told him the car was this way when I drove it off the lot. He still refused to pay 100% stating the 50% warranty I signed. I was hot at this point but still wanted to work it out.
That next week, I came in to get my new license plate and tags. Still thinking the car only needed an alignment, I asked the owner once again to pay for it. Knowing full well an alignment wouldn't fix the pulling, he still refused and kept bringing up the 50% warranty. He even threatens to try to take the car back, like I'm that stupid. I ask him if he even checks out the car he buys. He then tells me he doesn't see why he had to check all the vehicles that he buys. So all that "guarantee" stuff and "I checked it out" were lies to get me to buy the car.
His hustle is he buys wrecked cars for cheap from auctions but doesn't check them to see if they're in need of repairs. If the repairs are too costly for him, he falls back on the warranty, and that's ONLY for the powertrain. Meanwhile, my front right tire is starting to wear on the inside and the car is guzzling like crazy because of it.
I pay the remaining $60 down payment and tell him don't think he's gonna get away with lying to me like that. I walked out of there, whole body red with anger.
The next day, the loan officer calls me to try to work it out. His ridiculous offer is MAS would to take the car to NTB and get the alignment done (he didn't actually say "get the car fixed") if I would forfeit the remaining 20 days on the warranty. *blank stare* I counter with MAS pays NTB for the alignment beforehand and I'll take the car there to get it fixed. Plus ain't no way in Hades they're getting my car after that threat to try to take it. Didn't get a call back on my offer.
That weekend, I left town on vacation and my brother flew in to take care of my kid, my dog, and my house. He took the car to NTB and come to find out there was damage UNDERNEATH the car. The car was safe to drive but the repairs totalled $400 (including an alignment) because the subframe was damaged and had to be fixed.
I faxed MAS a letter the next week with the invoice and my brother's credit card receipt demanding they pay 50% of the repair costs. The owner calls me and says my warranty states I'm supposed to bring it to him first for repairs. *blank stare* I told him I did that, you didn't fix the car, now pay. He says this work isn't covered under warranty. *another blank stare* Funny, it was covered when I was asking for $60 but now I'm asking for $200, its not covered. In order to end the conversation, he says he will contact NTB and will call me in 10-14 days. He also said not to call him before then because he will not return my calls. Fine with me.
On the 14th day, I call the owner and ask him what he intends to do about the repairs. He tells me to come in at 11 a.m. on Saturday. I do just that and he's not there. His people say to me that he's sick, he just got out of the hospital, etc. Whole body flashes red again, and I say thank you and storm out, fully intending to write this report here.
His loan officer, Luther, then calls me AN HOUR LATER to tell me they had a CHECK waiting for me but I stormed out. UNBELIEVABLE! I tell him it only takes you one second to tell me that as I was walking to the door. I didn't give him a chance, he says. I say okay, my fault so how much is the CHECK for? He refused to tell me the amount of the CHECK and says either come get the CHECK or don't. I'm laughing at this point so I tell him I'll be there in 10-15 minutes.
I then decide since I'm getting a CHECK from MAS, I would not write a report here nor any of the 10 links of reviews I saved. But . . .
IF LUTHER HADN'T BEEN PLAYING GAMES BY LYING TO ME AND WASTING MY TIME THAT DAY, THIS REPORT WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN WRITTEN:
So I get there and Luther tells me "He'll be back in 10 minutes." I don't know who "he" is. Luther couldn't just hand me the CHECK and be done with it; I have to wait for someone else to do that. All I could do was laugh again but I waited. And waited. And waited. After a half hour, another dude, not the owner, calls me into the office.
In a last ditch effort not to pay me the whole 50%, he asked me if I paid the $360 remaining on the down payment, even though he was the very same dude I gave it to weeks earlier. I ask him to check his receipt book and of course, it was there.
And get this; he gives me CASH. Not a check but CASH! There was never a check; just had to get one more lie in there before the deal was done.
ALL THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE OWNER HAD BEEN HONEST WITH ME ABOUT THE DAMAGE UNDERNEATH AFTER HE HAD THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS.
Buyer, please beware of McGhee Auto Sales. The only honest person in that whole place is the daughter, who did my paperwork. And don't trust CarFax or AutoCheck; GET THE CAR CHECKED OUT ON YOUR OWN. The owner is not a man of his word and that dishonesty permeates throughout this whole family-owned dealership.
