Carvilla – Fraudulent Car Sale, Hidden Damage, and Deceptive Practices! Kennesaw Georgia

I purchased a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 (VIN: W1N4M4GB5MW165297) from Carvilla, LLC on January 14, 2025, with a $10,500 down payment, financed through Cinch Bank. I needed a replacement vehicle because my previous car was totaled in a no-fault accident involving a drunk driver on January 1, 2025, with my 3-year-old and 2-year-old in the back seat. Carvilla assured me the vehicle was in excellent condition, but shortly after purchase, I noticed a rumbling noise and steering wheel vibration. Concerned, I took the vehicle to Mercedes-Benz of Newnan, where Service Advisor Hayden Gray and his team diagnosed a failed rack and pinion steering gearbox requiring $6,000+ in repairs. They also noted the vehicle appeared to have been in an accident, yet the Carfax report did not disclose any prior damage.

I attempted to contact Carvilla’s Service Manager, Jose, but he was unresponsive for over two weeks despite multiple calls and emails. My salesperson, Herb, also tried to get answers but could not. When I finally reached Jose on January 31, 2025, I took the vehicle to Carvilla’s affiliated service center, Grand Motorcars, where Jose denied any issues despite photographic evidence of undercarriage damage. Instead of addressing the issue, they performed an alignment, which did not resolve the problem. Mercedes-Benz also suggested Carvilla may have reset fault codes to hide defects before selling the vehicle, which would be fraudulent misrepresentation. I also filed a warranty claim through Intellidrive, but they denied coverage, determining the damage was from a pre-existing accident. If the vehicle had truly been in good condition at the time of sale, this repair should have been covered.

Adding to my concerns, Herb no longer works at Carvilla, and Adam Cooper was hired around January 21, 2025, as the new Sales Manager. The timing raises concerns that Carvilla replaced key employees to cover up fraudulent business practices. On February 14, 2025, I met in person with Adam Cooper, who admitted Carvilla’s service department had failed to follow proper procedures and assured me he would escalate the issue. The next morning, February 15, 2025, Adam called me at 9:37 AM and pressured me to remove my Google review, stating it was hurting his sales team’s livelihood. He said if I did not remove it, he would not help me. Later, at 1:33 PM, I called him back and told him I would not remove the review. He then refused to assist me further and demanded I pick up the vehicle, which he had given me permission to leave at Carvilla. When I said I would only remove the review if I received a refund, he said he would not help me and told me to "do what I need to do." He also claimed he would remove my Google review himself, which violates Google’s policies.

Carvilla violated Georgia’s Fair Business Practices Act by selling a vehicle with undisclosed prior damage, potentially resetting fault codes to mislead buyers, refusing to acknowledge Mercedes-Benz’s professional diagnosis, and coercing me to remove a truthful review. Their sudden employee turnover suggests a cover-up of fraudulent activity. Carvilla’s actions are a serious consumer protection issue, likely affecting other Georgia consumers.