THIS WAS THE WORST CAR-BUYING EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS DEALERSHIP TO ANYBODY WHO IS INTERESTED IN BUYING A CAR. AFTER DRIVING 3 HOURS TO GET TO THIS DEALERSHIP TO PICK UP WHAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE A HELL OF A DEAL, I GOT SCREWED.



THIS PLACE SOLD ME A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE THAT HAD, SUPPOSEDLY, PASSED A 74-POINT INSPECTION BEFORE I REACHED THE DEALERSHIP. I PURCHASED THE VW BEETLE DURING THE DAY AND SAT IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR 3 HOURS. WHEN ALL WAS SAID AND DONE I DROVE THE CAR HOME. LITTLE DID I KNOW ALL OF THE TROUBLE WAS JUST WAITING TO SURFACE.



THAT NIGHT I TURN THE LIGHTS ON IN THE CAR AND COME TO FIND OUT THE BRAKE LIGHTS DIDN'T WORK. BOTH OF THE REAR BULBS WERE BURNED OUT. WHEN I KICKED THE CAR INTO REVERSE I FOUND OUT THE PASSENGER REVERSE LIGHT WAS OUT AS WELL. THAT IS $200 WORTH OF SERVICE, NOT DONE.



THE NEXT DAY I WAS IN THE CAR AND WENT TO PLUG AN AUXILARY CABLE INTO THE AUX PLUG FOR MY IPOD AND THE PLUG ON THE CAR'S END FELL THROUGH AND BROKE. IT WAS LIKE SOMEBODY HAD JUST GLUED A FEMALE END OF AN AUX PLUG INTO THE DASH OF MY CAR FOR LOOKS. SO NOW MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE BROKEN, MY REVERSE LIGHT ON MY PASSENGER SIDE DOESN'T WORK, AND THERE IS A HOLE IN MY DASH WHERE MY AUX PLUG IS SUPPOSED TO BE. BUT THAT IS NOT ALL.



I GO TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK, AND THE LATCH WON'T RELEASE ALL OF THE WAY. SO THE CAR THINKS THE TRUNK IS OPEN, BUT IT WON'T LET ME CLOSE IT. THE CAR NOW WON'T LOCK AND WON'T STOP BEEPING AT ME.



AT THIS POINT I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT A VW DEALER BY MY HOUSE, THINKING THAT SOUTH BAY VOLKSWAGEN WILL TAKE CARE OF THE BILL ONCE I GET AN INVOICE. THE AUX PLUG AND THE TRUNK ARE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE LIGHTS ARE NOT. I CALLED THE SALES MANAGER AT SOUTH BAY VW AND NICELY EXPLAINED THAT I NEEDED THE $200 CHARGE FOR THE LIGHTS TAKEN CARE OF. HE BASICALLY ACCUSED ME OF LYING ABOUT THE LIGHTS AND SAID THAT I "NEVER SHOULD HAVE REMOVED THE CAR FROM THE LOT WITH ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS."



WHEN SOMEBODY BUYS A "CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED" VEHICLE, DO THEY HAVE TO DO A 74-POINT CHECK ON IT THEMSELVES? THIS SALES MANAGER WAS VERY DEFENSIVE, AND ACCUSED ME OF HAVING A "CRAPPY ATTITUDE." HE TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD NEVER PAY FOR THAT SERVICE TO BE PERFORMED AT RIVERSIDE VW OR ANY OTHER VW LOCATION, BUT IF I DROVE THE 3 HOURS TO SOUTH BAY, HE WOULD HANDLE IT FOR FREE.



WHAT KIND OF A DEALERSHIP HAS THESE KINDS OF STANDARDS? THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST EXPERIENCE I HAVE EVER HAD BUYING A CAR. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT SOMEBODY WOULD SPEAK TO A CUSTOMER IN SUCH A NON-PROFESSIONAL WAY. IT IS AN $800 ISSUE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE THE CAR WAS SOLD. GOOD THING THE AUX AND TRUNK ARE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY.



IF YOU WANT TO BUY A CAR HERE, DO IT KNOWING THAT THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO SELL YOU CRAPPY CARS THAT THEY NEED TO GET RID OF. THEY HAVE NO REGARD FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND PROBABLY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A "CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED" VEHICLE IS.