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Report: #1086140

Complaint Review: Austin's Affordable Autos Vancouver, WA - Vancouver Washington

  • Submitted:
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  • Reported By: ScammedBadly2013 — Vancouver Washington
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  • Austin's Affordable Autos Vancouver, WA 9316 NE Highway 99 Vancouver, Washington USA

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History:

Upon arriving at this car lot, we were greeted by a couple of people with paper signs stating they were scammed and not to buy a car here. They told us they were out thousands of dollars because of the dealership's shady practices and were now paying on a car they couldn't drive and could not get the car they traded in back. My wife and I took it as a bad personal experience for them and continued on into the lot. After looking at a few cars, we came across a dark blue 2001 Volvo V70 Cross Country wagon that seats 5 with additional seating to make a 7 seater. Just what we needed for our newly expanded family. We test drove the car, we liked it and eventually put $2000 down and signed the remaining finance agreements totaling just over $6700 with what turned out to be these scam artist, lying, scumbags…. we drove off the lot and headed home. The drive is about 20 minutes from dealer to house. After dropping off my wife and 7 week old son, I immediately took the car out, stopped for gas and had planned on running a few errands. I stopped at the local Arco at the corner of my street and filled the tank. I restarted the car and it instantly started idling horrible, sputtering and stalling out as soon as I step on the gas. This is not a diesel and I pumped the proper gas into the tank. I limped home placing the car in Neutral every time it would stall, restarting and quickly stepping on the gas to thrust the car a few more feet. Made it home finally and called the dealership.

We then contacted Austin’s…. through the few calls we had to make over the next hour, argument after argument, the bottom line in their eyes was that we purchased this car “As is” (and they force you to sign 5 different documents stating this and THEN take your picture with a sign that reads “I just bought this car As Is from Austin’s Auto”). They delivered their opinionated, thieving, dishonest, and scumbag message loud and clear as one salesman was screaming in the background while I was on the phone with another salesman “AS IS MEANS AS IS JACKASS”! Amazing customer service.

We took the car to a reputable Volvo mechanic on 9/19/2013 after I attempted to fix a few things myself over the next few days that were showing as error messages on the computer at Cost Less auto parts store. What I fixed was not helping the issue so we decided to take it in to a garage.

The Results from the mechanic is as follows:

1.       Right front hose attached to the turbo was completely disconnected to the airflow intake. He fixed it and put a clamp on it.

2.       The intake boot on the turbo had a leak. He fixed it and tightened it up.

3.       The radiator is newer and whoever put it in did it badly. There was one bolt missing and one that was hand tightened loose. The wiring around the radiator that clips to the car was all broken off… none of the wiring was broken however, but some of the covers were damaged.

4.       The mechanic said it looks like someone must have power washed the engine incorrectly because the cover that is normally on the ECU unit was missing, and so was the “air scoop” that keeps the unit cool while driving it. He said it seemed like the ECU had water damage as well.  

a.       The ECU is the main computer

b.      It controls the throttle, the idle, and the turbo

c.       It is not communicating to either unit correctly causing malfunctioning idle, misfiring, and other computer related issues.

5.       When the engine is cold, the car runs fairly well after all minor things were fixed. As soon as the engine (and the ECU) is heated, the misfiring and bad idle starts.

6.       The mechanic also states  that the disconnected hoses were absolutely done on purpose to keep the car running smoothly during a short test drive while the engine was fairly cool. 

The bottom line:

 

a.       The throttle body will need to be replaced by Volvo: $400 plus labor

b.      The ECU will need to be replaced by Volvo: $400 plus labor

c.       Both units replaced by Volvo need to by synced with Volvo’s computer. $200 plus labor

d.      I already replaced the MAF: $86

e.      I already replaced the boost control valve: $68

 

All in all, it’s looking like in the very least; we’ll be paying around $1500 - $1800 to fix this car within a week of buying it from the dealership. Every online report and every online review I have seen since this fiasco started is saying the same thing we now know…. Never buy a car from these guys. MANY people have been scammed as we have and MANY people have had it worse with vehicle that could not be fixed. These poor people have been left with high interest car payments for years; paying on a car they cannot even drive and all Austin’s can say is “As is means AS IS”.

 

Something needs to be done about this place. It needs to be shut down. ASAP before more people are scammed. Please investigate them! Help me to show the state of Washington and the city of Vancouver that this business needs to be closed before they sell a vehicle that kills someone and their family.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 09/20/2013 03:24 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/austins-affordable-autos-vancouver-wa/vancouver-washington/austins-affordable-autos-vancouver-wa-sold-us-an-unsafe-engine-damaged-vehicle-that-br-1086140. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
2Author
4Consumer
0Employee/Owner

#6 General Comment

why

AUTHOR: buck - ()

POSTED: Friday, September 27, 2013

So u run into unhappy customers before you get into the car lot. Thats a red flag.....they get you too sign 5 documents stating...as is condition.. red flag. Then hole time you never thought to get the car inspected. Sorry to say this you did this yourself.  

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#5 Consumer Comment

Call my bluff

AUTHOR: coast - ()

POSTED: Monday, September 23, 2013

If you answer my question (third request), then I will provide you with information that will make you 99% confident that you are wrong about your claim that I work for Austin's Affordable Autos. Call my bluff by answering the question: Did you report the use of force to the Vancouver police department?

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#4 Author of original report

A sap's last response

AUTHOR: ScammedBadly2013 - ()

POSTED: Saturday, September 21, 2013

 I will choose to respond to your recent rebuttle only to say that after this post, I am done with responding.

Buyer beware..... do your research. My wife and I unfortunately did not, just as MANY, MANY others did not. And we were all ripped off beyond belief.  DO NOT BUY A CAR FROM AUSTIN'S AFFORDABLE AUTO. That is my only message.

OPINION: I don't believe for one second that you have zero stake in this company... you are either a salesman (and I have a feeling I know which one) or possibly the owner Matt himself. It has been proven several times that Austin's writes fake reviews for the sake of counteracting the plethora of negative reviews they receive. So again.... integrity is lost on this company.

And lastly, I bust my a*s for my family... I always have and always will. I am a college graduate working in the science and manufacturing industry, my wife in the home health care industry. We are normal, hard working people with 4 children who were looking for a good deal without breaking the bank. We, and most people we know were hit hard by the recession. Intregrity and credit worthyness has nothing to do with this situation.

 

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#3 Consumer Comment

$150 is only 1.75% of $8700

AUTHOR: coast - ()

POSTED: Saturday, September 21, 2013

Why would a person with integrity purchase a vehicle from a subprime lender? Could it be your credit history implies questionable integrity? Of course it does.

You failed to respond to my question, "Did you report the use of force to the Vancouver police department?" Is it because you were not forced to sign the AS-IS agreement? Of course that's why.

I believe you were ripped off but I just don't understand why someone wouldn't pay a mere less than 2% additional to hire a qualified mechanic to check out the vehicle prior to purchase ($150 is only 1.75% of $8700). Apparently your "newly expanded family" wasn't worth the few extra bucks.

I have never been employed by any auto dealer so the "scumbag" remark was not appreciated. I can live with the "jackass" comment because I was a bit rough on you. Good luck on your next auto purchase, sap.

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#2 Author of original report

Proof of "Fantastic" customer service

AUTHOR: ScammedBadly2013 - ()

POSTED: Friday, September 20, 2013

Apparently I struck a nerve with this salesman who is obviously the Austin's Affordable Autos review watch dog and rebuttal guru. Your sarcasm is funny. I appreciate it. And as I am not and unintelligent neandherthal, I completely understand what "As is" means, but with that said, you scumbag, dishonest piece of trash, what you do not understand is common decency and respect for your customers in regards to both their hard worked for finances and their safety. I wonder how your sarcasm will fit into a conversation that involves young children or a family being injured or worse because you knowingly and willfully sold them a damaged vehicle like you do to EVERY other customer?!! I will continue writing reviews condemming this business and make my payments as scheduled because I DO have integrity and signed on the bottom line. You will not repo MY car as you have MANY others so you can patch it, disguise its issues and resell it again...

DO NOT BUY A VEHICLE FROM THESE GUYS! YOU WILL REGRET IT WITHING HOURS!

Happy motoring yourself....jackass. ;) 

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#1 Consumer Comment

AS-IS means AS-IS

AUTHOR: coast - ()

POSTED: Friday, September 20, 2013

"they force you to sign 5 different documents"

It is unlawful to force someone to sign a document against his or her free will. Did you report the use of force to the Vancouver police department?

"one salesman was screaming in the background while I was on the phone with another salesman 'AS IS MEANS AS IS JACKASS'"

It does appear that you are having difficulty comprehending the concept of an AS-IS sale even after signing five documents that state you accept the terms (unless you were actually forced to sign).

"We took the car to a reputable Volvo mechanic"

Too bad you didn't do that before the sale.

Happy Motoring!

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