ComplaintsforFitzgerald Auto Mall

• Initial Complaint

  12/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We bought a truck on 11/30/2023 for over $34,000. We put $4,000 down payment on the vehicle and had traded a vehicle in. We drove the truck for a trip with our children that weekend. We found mechanical issues with the truck. Contacted the dealership and they “fixed” the truck. We took it back and realized it was not fixed. They supposedly ordered the part, got the wrong part and made us wait longer. They have now got the “wrong part” 3 times and have had our truck for a week, and been dragging us out on answers for 2 weeks. Our warranty with them says we can trade it within 30 days of the purchase but they refuse to allow us to do that. They threatened a lawyer and they asked us what do we think that will do? They gave us a cheap beat down Jeep Cherokee to drive and thinks this is a resolution to the problem. Can’t get in contact with corporate. This truck was not worth the money they charged us if the dealership has had it longer than we have. This dealership just keeps telling us a few more days. Again, we bought this truck on 11/30/23 and today is 12/18/23. We are almost out of the 30 day warranty exchange and they will not give us answers. I need this problem fixed.

  Customer response

  01/02/2024

  Since my last complaint, we still are dealing with this dealership and the problem of this truck. We asked several times for them to exchange it and they refused. After we got upset and called directly to manager after manager, we was offered an exchange of a truck that’s less and not as nice as the one we had purchased. When we voiced our opinion, we was told it was the only truck that would work with the exchange. We was also told twice that even with a 30 day exchange policy, we would have to trade the lemon truck in and go through the process to finance a different one. Again, we voiced our opinions and reminded them of the 30 day exchange in which we had asked several times in those 30 days, to exchange. It is now January 2 and we still do not have the truck we bought from them over a month ago. We requested they put a brand new transmission in it since they are giving us so many issues. They did agree to that, but initially tried charging us for the parts. Not okay. They have not reached out to us or tried to contact us to make this right. They have not offered much compensation for our issues and have yelled at us numerous times about our frustrations. This business is absolutely terrible and I will never purchase from them again. My next step is hiring an attorney

  Business response

  01/03/2024

  We are putting a new transmission in the vehicle for the customer. The vehicle did qualify for the exchange program but due to there large amount of negative equity it limited them on what they could get. We also put the customer in a $28,000 retail Cherokee while the vehicle is being repaired. With this being an older submission the customer does seem happy now and her husband wants her to remove the BBB and any other media outlets.

  Customer response

  01/03/2024

  We was advised today that the transmission just got put into the truck today after the technician was told to not touch the truck until after the new year. This Jeep Cherokee they speak of was not retailed at $28,000 and has cost us so much money in fuel since having it. As for the BBB and the reviews, my husband advised me that he did not tell them he was unhappy with the reviews and told them the reviews are not coming down. This business is persistently lying. 
  at this point, we are obtaining an attorney

  Customer response

  01/04/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I responded last night to this response from the business. They made notes and comments to not touch the transmission in that truck until after the new year. The jeep they gave us to use is not worth what they claim and has cost us so much in fuel. They will not communicate with us on fixing this issue. We had to pay the first month payment on a truck that we have had in our procession for less than 7 days in total since our purchase on Nov. 30th of 2023. My husband fully supports my communication with BBB along with the negative reviews I have left, so it is considered a lie on their behalf of what they insinuated about my husband, and their attempts of causing issues in our marriage. Again, we are consulting an attorney and have been advised to continue communication with BBB but also that this case will indeed go in our favor. As of 1100 hours on January 4, 2024, we still do not have the truck that we purchased on Nov 30th and very little communication with the business to rectify or make peace with us about compensation for our hardship this past month or the fuel we had to dump into the vehicle they had lent us. The vehicle we had to fight them to even get but absolutely need our truck for daily living on our farm. So we do not agree with just accepting the response from this dealership

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ****

  Business response

  01/19/2024

  I spoke in detail on 1/19 to ******* ****'s husband in regards to BBB complaint. I put them in a nice loaner the whole time, filled gas for them twice. even kept communication with the husband on days off.  We put a new transmission for $6500 dollars in the truck and he stated last night to me, he is happy and truck running fine. 

  Customer response

  01/19/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ****

• Initial Complaint

  11/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee was brought in on 11/8/23 they said that they found the head gasket needed to be replaced. They kept the vehicle and they called during that repair and said that the camshaft also needed to be replaced. I asked why this would occur and they said just luck of the draw. However, a couple of years ago when they changed the oil they failed to do it correctly and the seal was not on properly. On the way home the vehicle shut off and oil was everywhere. They came and got the vehicle and towed it and said they had corrected everything. Now I'm wondering if this had anything to do with the current issues. On top of it, they returned the vehicle back 11/15/23 after $5000 worth of work and on 11/16/23 I had antifreeze leaking from it in my garage. 11/17/23 8 am began calling. I did not get ahold of anyone until 10:30. They told me there was nothing they could do until Monday and when I asked for a loaner since clearly, this was due to their inefficiencies they told me there is none available. This is unacceptable!

  Business response

  12/18/2023

  Please accept our sincerest apologies for the events that unfolded at your recent visit. As trusted vehicle professionals, it is imperative that vehicles leaving our department leave fixed correctly. We understand our honest mistake caused an inconvenience to you and we hope that by correcting this mistake and doing our best to minimize the inconvenience, you will consider visiting us again in the future. Wishing you all the best this holiday season!
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On September 26, 2023 I went to visit the Fitzgerald Chevrolet dealership maintenance shop asking to inspect my car due to an vibration/noise when it is on parking mode., After about 1-1/2 hours the advisor Marty *** comes to me saying that my car does need two new wheels and four new tires, that each wheel cost is about $328.49 and the new tires cost is about $102.13 (He put that on a note made by hand writing) not an official invoice with the findings, then he does charge to me $176.96 just for that, really I don't ask him to check for that issue because my car tires are in good shape as well as the wheels too.

  Business response

  11/30/2023

  MR. ******* BROUGHT HIS VEHICLE IN STATING THERE WAS A BAD VIBRATION.

  FINDING AFTER INSPECTION: TIRES WORN AND WHEELS BENT NEEDED REPLACED. CUSTOMER REFUSED REPAIRS.

  NO REFUND IS WARRANTED AS THE CHARGE IS THE DIAG FEE FOR INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE AS REQUESTED BY THE CUSTOMER.

• Initial Complaint

  11/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought a Chevy Colorado zr2 august 8th and I was given a we owe receipt for a sports bar and light set for the truck, they would call me to have it installed free of charge when it came in. It's November 1st and still no sports bar and light. I've called and left several messages and no one will call me back with any information.

  Business response

  12/13/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2022/11/16) */ FAXED FOLLOWING RESPONSE 11/10/22 SPOKE TO CUSTOMER MADE AND APPOINTMENT FOR NOV. 18, 2022 TO INSTALL BACKORDERED PARTS TO VEHICLE.

• Initial Complaint

  08/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am writing this complaint because my husband and I purchased a used Toyota 4Runner from this dealership in May. The entire experience from the date of purchase has been horrendous. We ended up having to cancel the extended warranty we purchased from the dealership, because quite literally NO ONE would ever answer the phone to schedule an appointment or help. Same with e-mail. We have had the same issue since we purchased the vehicle multiple dash lights on, check engine light on, and many others. The car is clearly not safe to drive at all. It has been almost three months since we purchased the vehicle, and we have reached out at minimum once per week to Fitzgerald, urging them to make this right. They have yet to do so, or even acknowledge us. Once the sale was done Fitzgerald of Hagerstown could not care less. We have bought 6 cars from their sister company Fitzgerald Frederick, and never had anything comparable to this level of service. To reiterate Fitzgerald of Hagerstown sold us an unsafe, broke care & have offered ZERO resolution. At this point, I need the car restored to working condition with NO unsafe issues, OR I need a new car. These are the only suitable resolutions. If this cannot happen, I need refunded for every penny I have spent on it and this car bought back by the dealership.

  Business response

  09/27/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2022/09/08) */ LC 09/08/2022- The business called in to advise that in order to respond to the complaint, they'll need the VIN# to the vehicle in question. BBB asks that the consumer provide the VIN#.

• Initial Complaint

  05/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Myself and ***** golden went to Fitz Auto Mall to get a car and brought $5,500 to put down on a vehicle and get the rest financed now not only did the $9,000 vehicle turn into 14,000 after getting financed which I let that go because I assumed I was getting a good vehicle.I was not getting a good vehicle at all! To start off with,as soon as we get in the vehicle to leave we smell a musty smell automatically especially in the trunk & the seats are very worn and torn and Faded which I was told by Honda it looked like the entire car had been in a Flood. All they said to us would be fixed, hasn't.Like the Bondo on the side of the vehicle they were supposed to have fixed. (when it was hit before I bought) it is cracked in four different places allowing dangerous exhaust fumes inside of the car with me and my three children! 2days after leaving with the vehicle the engine light came on and it was running very terribly a loud noise underneath the hood inside of the engine,Well when I took the vehicle back and waited4 the code to come up; it was the catalytic converter & had to be changed & when you change a catalytic converter you change the whole exhaust system which they failed to do! Yet they kept my vehicle for 30-plus days! I return to get the vehicle it was even in worse shape than when I had it before they admitted that the trunk had a leak in it and it had been getting rain inside and that's why the spare tire was dry rotted and the Jack in the back was completely horribly not usable and rusted! In the time of 45 days since signing the papers I have had the vehicle in my possession for a total of 12 to 15 and they have had the vehicle the rest of the time because of all the problems there has been even more problems since then! We were told to come in and swap vehicles to something better when we did they made us jump through hoops and at the end Toda the 5500 we put down would not be switched over to the vehicle they would switch us into! Which isn't professional.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩