Xcite Motors Newport Motors *****BUYER BEWARE***** USED CAR SALES FRAUDS**** Lynnwood, Washington

Pat Bender, (Jons dad), came outside to appraise my trade-in and take it for a test drive.  When he returned I asked what they were willing to offer me.  They would not give me a specific dollar amount answer, yet Jon Bender took me outside to show me what would work for a straight across trade.  He showed a 2001 Mercedes ML320 with 95,000 miles to me, assuring me it would be a straight across trade.  I took it for a test drive, all the while doubting the vehicle, the salesmen, etc.  When we came back from the test drive, I asked to see the Carfax on the Mercedes.  The copy that they showed to me showed a CLEAN history, NO accidents.  I asked to see another vehicle to make a comparison and they would not let me look at any other cars.  I was still waiting for them to give me a number/dollar amount for my trade.

Next, Pat Bender came out and saidOh I just realized that your Tahoe is a 2WD.  Its my fault for not seeing that but if you want the Mercedes, we will charge you $2000.00 in-house financing.  Now, at the time, I was in a rush (I needed to get my daughter to a birthday party in Arlington), I was feeling like it might be a good idea to trade the Tahoe since many other dealers had turned me down.  I went against EVERY gut feeling and took the deal.as Im rushing through the paperwork.signing..then realizing after I got home that I had a defective vehicle and a $2000.00 in-house loan at 29.90% interest.

Now.for the ride home..the gas gauge didnt work AT ALL.  A strange rattling started to make noise behind the dash, the engine light came on, as well as two other lights in the dash.  The windows began to fog up.  Believe me, I knew within my first ten minutes in that vehicle that I had been taken advantage of, big time.

As soon as I got home, I called Xcite Motors.  I was told they were closing for the day.  I called first thing the next morning.  I was told they would call me back.  I called Monday morning.  Same thing.  NO ONE would return my calls.  I only needed to spend two minutes on Google looking for information about these guys to realize my worst nightmare..HORRIBLE business practices and car fraud is their specialty.  Three weeks ago, they changed their name from Newport Motors to Xcite Motors.  The key businessmen owners are Timothy Shin and Kevin Truong.  Pat Bender and Jon Bender (father and son team) and a few relatives of Shin run the sales/scam floor.  According to many reviews, they SCAM people right and left; selling cars with adjusted odometers, fraudulent Carfax reports, salvage titles, etc.

When I finally reached someone there at Xcite Motors, I told them I wanted to return the Mercedes and get my Tahoe back.  They said they had already sold the Tahoe.  I then told them that I wanted my money back.  They told me to bring the Mercedes down to them and have their mechanic look at it.  Now why would I trust their mechanic??

I took the Mercedes to a nearby franchise Ford dealership with my story, asking them what I could do.  They agreed that I had been seriously, without a doubt, SCAMMED.  When they ran a vehicle report on the Mercedes, it has a SEVERE ACCIDENT REPORT listed.  MAJOR SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT of the vehicle, thus explaining the defective gas gauge, whirring sound from the dash, engine lights, etc.  The salesman at Ford called Xcite Motors and told them about this.  The owner, Kevin, hung up on him.

Realizing that the Mercedes was not even SAFE to drive around in, I traded it in at Ford, for $5000.00.  Now, think back to my original situation.  I had a Tahoe worth almost $15,000.00.  I drove away with a Mercedes worth $5000.00 AND a loan of $2000.00 at 29.90% interest.  My net equity was $3000.00.

I now have a vehicle from the Ford dealership, which I had to finance.and roll the $2000.00 balance from Xcite Motors into that loan so that Ford could get the title from Xcite Motors for the Mercedes.  They are, by the way, still waiting for the copy of the title to the Mercedes.

I had simply been looking for a straight-across trade into a reliable vehicle with better gas mileage..and this is where I ended up.

Three weeks ago, Newport Motors changed their name to Xcite Motors, Im guessing due to the numbers of negative reviews online.  The owner and employees are still the same.  CHANGING THE NAME OF A BUSINESS DOES NOT CHANGE ITS REPUTATION.

Owners:  Kevin Truong, Timothy Shin