ComplaintsforRuss Darrow Group, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  01/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought a 2016 Jeep Patriot from **** Darrow Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Milwaukee on September 20th 2022. I wholeheartedly believe the salesman took advantage of me not knowing what I was doing when purchasing my first car. Within the first year of owning the vehicle I had to do regular maintenance which included, brakes, rotors, lower control arm, an axle, and toe rods. I wasn't too upset about that with it being a used vehicle. Not long after that the transmission needed to be replaced. About 2 or three months after taking care of that issue, the throttle body failed making the vehicle again not able to be driven. My brother purchased a car from the same dealership not long after I got mine and he was informed by another salesman that the issues my Jeep had were known to the salesmen. I feel as if I was taken advantage of due to me not knowing what I was getting into and now I am stuck with a loan for a vehicle that has been nothing but a mechanical nightmare.

  

  Business response

  01/19/2024

  **** Darrows success is based on customer satisfaction with our products and services. All of our used cars undergo the mandatory State of ********* used car safety inspection. All components on this inspection sheet are check over before the vehicle is put up for retail sale. This vehicle was inspected, and all was noted to be in passing condition. A dealership cannot be responsible for issues that happen months after the purchase of a used vehicle. It is impossible to tell when and if a problem will arise. All vehicles are going to need maintenance to stay performing correctly. The vehicle was check over by a certified technician, and he found no issues. So, the allegations of the salesperson knowing of issues is simply not true. There did not seem to be any issues with the transmission when the other maintenance items mentioned were repaired. The technicians would have noticed at that time when they drove the vehicle. **** Darrow correctly checked this vehicle over before selling it. We are sorry you have had these issues with your used car, but again the dealership cannot be held responsible for the driving habits of previous owners of used cars. We can only fix what is wrong at the time it is our possession. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a 2017 Buick lacrosse on 12/30/23 From ***** At Russ Darrow Toyota. A day after purchasing the vehicle 12/31/23, my car was stuck in park and wouldnt go into gear. I called the dealership that following Monday and spoke with the general manager ***********************. ***** advised me to have the vehicle towed to my nearest ***** dealer and have it fixed at their expense. Meanwhile I live 4 hours from Russ Darrow Toyota. I received the car back on 1/4/24 from ************* Chevrolet thinking the car was fixed. On 1/8/24 I was trying to go to work and my car had the same issue so I had it once again towed back to the ***** dealer to get fixed. I notified *********** *****, the ** *****, and sales manager ****** of the issue and said I would like to return the car with a full refund of my purchase. I was told this was not an option and the only thing I could do was trade the vehicle back in and pay an additional $750.00 for a restocking fee. I was told numerous times by *********** and the ** that they have spoke to the previous owner of this vehicle and he has never had this issue arise. Come to find out on 1/4/24 that the service manager of the dealer has told me that this car has been in the shop for this issue prior to me purchasing this vehicle. After I contacted the ** at **** Darrow about this he proceeded to tell me that the previous owner remembered having this issue two years prior. While in the purchasing process I was also charged for a ********* title which is no good to me as I am a ********* resident and they should have added the taxes and fees to my loan as they provided financing. I have been lied to multiple time through email by the gm and salesman at **** Darrow and would like to unwind the car deal.

  

  Business response

  01/18/2024

  The ** at the dealership did offer to have the car diagnosed at the customers local dealer. And depending on the issue would possibly cover the expense. Which we did at $360. Initially the dealership was told by the previous owner that he had not had issues with the car. He is an 80 plus year old man, and when the ** subsequently contacted him a couple days later, he told me that in fact about two years ago he had the same issue and that ******************** had corrected the problem and that he had not any issue since that time. The offered to have **** return the car and purchase another car and I would give him his full selling price back toward a different car. It was explained to **** that we did not have an obligation to collect sales taxes and dmv fees for ********* on used cars. It also explained that the car must be titled in ********* first and then transferred to his home state, hence the title charge. We feel that we have been more than fair and accommodating to ***************. If the car is still acting up, he should take it back to who we paid to fix it for him. The ** finally offered to have him return the car and give him the selling price minus $750 for use and mileage. We feel we have been nothing but professional with him despite his threats and insults as demonstrated in emails sent to the dealership by ****************. At this time we feel we dont have any further obligations in this matter.    

  Customer response

  01/18/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  The ** is falsely accusing me of threats and accusations of misconduct which I have not made. I have sent numerous emails trying to handle this issue in a very professional manner. I have screenshots of emails notating where the ** of Russ Darrow Toyota made false statements about no prior issues with the vehicle and then stating the previous owner randomly recalled a time when the car had this issue. I have physical proof in service records from my servicing dealer and are will to use those against the claims of the ** at Russ Darrow Toyota. I have also been ignored in my attempts to contact the ** at Russ Darrow Toyota and have had not success in resolving this issue in a civil manner. I have not made threats of any sort. I have made clear statements and observations. I am not happy with their actions at this time and will not accept their resolutions at this time.
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************

  

  Business response

  01/18/2024

  When a person trades a car in to a dealership. They are not going to tell us of any issues they have with the vehicle. The vehicle used car inspections was done by the State of ********* buyers guide guideline and had no issues at the time of inspection or at the time of the sale. This document was signed by you the customer showing no issues. What happened to a car 2 years prior is irrelevant. A used car is just that. Used. There is no way to predict any issues the vehicle is going to have, nor can the dealership control customer driving habits. There was not issues when it was taken in on trade, and no issues when it was sold. We paid to have the vehicle fixed for you. If it is still having issues, you need to return it to where it was supposedly repaired correctly. 

  Customer response

  01/19/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I understand that the vehicle I purchased was used and by no means did I expect to be perfect. I am upset that I took eight hours of my time to purchase a car with no issues and then have issues two days after the purchase. I feel like I was sold a defective product which is why I would like to return it. I understand that you cant see in your records that the car had not had this issue prior since youre not a GM dealer. I am getting the service records today on 1/19/24 to show previous history. I solely want to return this vehicle for the fact I was told numerous times that the vehicle was perfect and now I am paying for a vehicle in which I can not use. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  01/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We purchased a certified 2021 Jeep Cherokee from **** Darrow on 10/25/23. We were written a we owe document for a second key for the vehicle and to have a dent in the driver rear door repaired. Upon taking the key and vehicle to another dealer to have it programmed we were told the key was either no good or not for this vehicle which they were able to resolve for us. We brought the car in on Nov 1st to have the dent repaired and were told it would be no more than an hour. They had the car for three days. We were also promised the car would be ************** upon pickup as it was absolutely filthy when we initially received it. When we went to pick it up we were told the car wash had been broken for 4 days so they could not detail it. Upon looking at the car they had created more damage. When attempting to remove the dent they made the dent worse and damaged the paint, cracking it and chipping paint off the vehicle. Now the door requires repainting to fix the damage they caused at this poor attempt at fixing the dent. And the dealer is refusing to help us with anything. Upon talking to the manager we were told that the car wash was not broken and he had no idea why our car had not been cleaned.Car has still not been detailed and still has paint damage that will cause rust/corrosion on a $30,000 vehicle because of their negligence. We were told the vehicle would be in showroom condition, dent repair and clean upon pickup. Of which it definitely was not. I also have messages from the dealer stating these things if needed also.

  

  Business response

  01/16/2024

  The We Owe given to the customer goes hand in hand with work promised at purchase and as stated by the customer.  A key was promised and delivered along with the dent removed.  Not really sure where the cleaning comment comes from as the car was cleaned before delivery to the customer. As for the 3 days the customer states we had the car, The timeline of the conversation with the salesperson indicates the dent was fixed on Wednesday the 1st by dent wizard and returned on the 2nd. And there were no conversations of re-detailing the car in the texting strand. 
  The dent was pulled and done correctly by Dent Wizard and removed. It did crack the paint which is always a chance when a dent is removed on body lines. We tried to work with this customer on this issue originally and offered to repair the damage and wrote up another we owe for the repair and the customer refused to accept this offer. They wanted the entire door painted. We let know again this is always the issue with a dent removal and that we are not going to repaint the whole door which with type of paint causes more issues of blending, and the paint not matching.
  The Salesperson tried to talk to the customer as well as the dealership GM left them a message with no return calls.  

• Initial Complaint

  01/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I recently purchased a vehicle from this dealership and have been overcharged and extremely mistreated. I was charged $3,800.75 for taxes, title, fees, etc. When I received the receipt it was only $2948.13. I went in person Dec 27th to request the refund in person. To my surprise I got no refund, but instead the dealership called the cops on me to trespass me, as well as make false statements to the officer saying I "hit the **** I requested the security footage for evidence to prove my innocents, but they refused to hand it over. The police requested it as well to have hard evidence against me, but of course the dealership refused to hand it over to the police as well since it would have only incriminated the employees at the dealership.Before any of the above issues, I was already overcharged for my trailer hitch install. They charged me $1800 for it, but the receipt shows it was only $1143.72. This would amount to a refund of $656.28. However I was somehow only refunded $550?! Several issues with this refund. 1. The refund isn't for the full amount. 2. According to texts, they charged me ********* taxes even though I paid taxes for the hitch already to ***** meaning they want to double tax me. 3. Of this $550, I only received $359.53 towards principal and $190.47 was lost to interest. The refund should have been for the full amount, as well as applied fully towards principal and nothing lost to interest. Since I have already paid taxes to *****, I was overcharged taxes on all of these overcharges too. The estimated I was overcharged on my purchase was around $1,508.90. All of the overcharges were still subject to taxes. The taxes I paid for overcharges is rougly $94.31.This puts me at an estimated refund total of $1,603.20, to which I have only received a principal payment of $359.53. Meaning I am still required a principal refund of $1243.67. I have reached out to you to assist me in obtaining my refund. As well as assisting in legal matters moving foward.

  

  Business response

  01/08/2024

  **** Darrows success is based on customer satisfaction with our products and services, so the issues presented in this complaint are taken seriously and every effort is made to provide a prompt and equitable response. **** Darrow has thoroughly investigated the complaint. It appears some miscalculations were done for the out of state taxes that ************** was charged. **** Darrow does not do a ************ from **************** state of residence. We now recognize the mistake and have fully refunded **************. Also, a pricing discrepancy was found by ************** on his accessories purchased. This has also been looked into and the amount due to ************** has been refunded. On behalf of the **** Darrow Automotive Group, we do truly appreciate your business and truly apologize for any issues you encountered during your purchase. Thank you, and we look forward to serving you in the future.  

  Customer response

  01/09/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  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. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Upon further review of the paperwork I realized I was charged $ **** for ****** which I had specifically asked about during our purchase interaction. The finance manager simply stated yes it is included in the warranty pack that I was buying. I was never told there was an extra fee nor was asked about it. When I asked *********************, the finance manager he stated that the sales associate should have told me that all vehicles are sold with this. This is an optional item, and I had the opportunity to remove it, but was never given the opportunity nor asked, they flat out, refused to refund me. This is straight up theft and shady Business practice. They tricked me into signing papers quickly and never gave me the option to pick whether I wanted a $**** ****** add-on.

  

  Business response

  12/28/2023

  **** Darrow Metro Mazda strives to achieve the satisfaction of every customer. We apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding that *** have occurred. Our goal is that you understand everything about your purchase and all of your optional product choices at the time of delivery. Sometimes all of the options and paperwork can be confusing. The ****** product is and optional item to purchase and you are not obligated to purchase it in any way. We will be happy to cancel this product for you and refund the cost plus any tax on the product to either you, or if you financed your vehicle, we are required by the lender to send the refund to them to apply toward your principal loan amount. A check will be issued right away. You *** check your loan balance if you financed, or you will receive a check made out to you within 10 days. We value All our customers, and we look forward to our continued relationship.

  Customer response

  12/28/2023

  
  
  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 as long as I am fully refunded. Thanks. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This I purchased this car by a salesman named ***** of course since Im a female of course they to play me. The car had cracks in the windshield I to wait days for that to be fixed. It was rainy and cold the day I purchased the car. I seen a few kinks in the body of car and was told by ***** they would buff out but never did. The car later leaked oil I brought it back the first time they claim to fix it I brought it back again after speaking to ** who stated he will take pics of under the car for me to see me because after fully inspecting the car it looks like it has been in a accident which I wasnt told at the time of the purchase this car is financed at nearly ***** which is not worth it at all. I was over charged and completely played by this shady dealer and my car is still leaking. It hasnt been 30 days I want a new car that is worth the 19k I will be paying over the years. If I keep this car and trade it in the value is already down because the car is dented up. They knew this and took advantage because Im a female that was in a desperate need of a car but I shouldnt have to settle for a dented up oil leaking 2019 ***** trax. I Was not told at the time of purchase that this car was in an accident but after further looking I see it was. Also when I spoke with ** who works there a well he stated they dont sell cars in accidents which is obviously a big lie. When Im supposedly done paying off this car it will be 40k which is a big rip off this car is not worth it all its its banged up and leaks oil which means its people something wrong with the engine, will become a bigger problem down the line. I want a different car. I have already contacted the lemon law of *********. This is a lemon they sold me. I just expressed to them how my ******* that people kept trying to steal because ******* and **** are known to be stolen in Milwaukee and mine just so happened to be stolen days prior and it was crashed played off my desperation and sold me a lemon.

  

  Business response

  12/26/2023

  **** Darrow's dealerships success has always been attributed to customer service. Every complaint is taken seriously, and details of all complaints are looked into. The vehicle that Ms. **** purchased passed the ********* Safety and condition inspection without any oil leaks. After driving the car for a period of time Ms. **** ****** the vehicle in advising it was leaking oil. The dealership replaced a TURBO line on the vehicle, with no charge to the customer. As far as Ms. **** stating that she was not told the car was in an accident, she indeed was provided and signed every page of a car fax history report. This report that she signed indicated the vehicle had been in an accident in June of 2020. Over 3 and a half years ago. The report also reported it was front impact with another motor vehicle, but the vehicle had NO damage, and the air bag did not deploy. Again Ms. **** signed this page with this information on it. As far as the cosmetic defects, Ms. **** knew exactly what she was purchasing. None of the defects were being hidden from the customer. From the pictures provided most of the blemishes are noticeable to the eye. Had all of these blemishes been repaired the vehicle price would have been more. The vehicle was priced according to its condition. The vehicle again passed the ********* Used Car Safety inspection and only had minor issues that were repaired. The Lemon Law is valid only on new vehicles. The Lemon does not apply to used vehicles because used vehicles have had multiple owners, and the car manufactures cannot control driving habits of individuals. The purchase price of the car was ******* Not ****** as indicated by Ms. ***** Ms. **** chose to purchase an extended service contract to protect her from mechanical defects during the term of the warranty contract. This was added to the price along with taxes and purchase fees. As far as the interest rate and total of payments, that is based upon the financing companies' approval. Factors such as credit history are taken into consideration by lenders when granting terms of a loan. All of the financing loans with the exception of new vehicle leases are simple interest loans at **** Darrow. That means you can pay your loan off early and not be charged the full amount of interest. This payback goes to the finance company not to the dealership. The dealership has no control over the payback amount. We understand it can be stressful having to purchase a vehicle. That is why when Ms. **** said she wanted to purchase this vehicle; we did everything we could to get her in it so she could move on. We look forward to having Ms. **** as a **** Darrow customer. 

  Customer response

  12/27/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  This is bull crap! **** Darrow has sold me a lemon. Rather its new or used if you have to keep coming back for the same problem especially when its within a 30 day window its considered a lemon. You guys had all my paperwork already printed up before ever excepting any type of warranty so the car was already priced at 19k. Its clear as day damage to the car from an accident so how is it thats your putting in the paperwork no damage when the hood is clearly dented up. Thats damage right its body damage to the front of the car as well paint messed up that ************* ***** stated they would buff out and never did. Your saying I drove the car for a several period of time I got the car right before Thanksgiving and had to bring the car right after thanksgiving so how is that several period of time the car should have been inspected. The day I purchased the car the check oil light was on. I asked ***** why he stated they just have to turn the light off which was a complete lie obviously because this is why I was having the initial problem with my oil leaking. This company is a rip off and Im standing on it  I will slander this business forever!!! **** Darrow at metro Auto mall sold me a lemon thats it thats all!! This company does whatever it takes to get a dollar out someone. And that guy that sits in that office that talks really fast where you can barely understand what hes saying he knew exactly what he was doing to just to get a sale. I would never recommend no one and I will be going to fox 6 next! 
  
  Regards,
  
  Sierra Wash

• Initial Complaint

  12/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought a 2016 Ram **** Cummins 6.7 turbo from Russ Darrow Toyota in ********* on November 30th, 2023. They listed the truck as $31,500 but with the taxes it ended up being $35,000. They sold me the truck with and engine code of p229f which is NOx sensor circuit. This makes the car stall. On December 2nd, 2023, the code came back on. On my way to bring it back to the dealership, The truck stalled which caused me to have an accident where I rear-ended somebody because I was unable to break and control the vehicle. I could have gotten severely injured because they did not check the vehicle over well enough. We did contact Russ Darrow Toyota, where we asked them to fix the damages to my vehicle and the other parties vehicle and they simply declined to do so. The General Manager hung up while in conversation to try to work this out. The professionalism he showed is what I hope the dealership does not promote. I would appreciate any help you can give to us since they were aware of the code.

  

  Business response

  12/04/2023

  **** Darrows success is based on customer satisfaction with our products and services, so the issues presented in this complaint are taken seriously and every effort is made to provide a prompt and equitable response. **** Darrow has thoroughly investigated the complaint and has taken information provided by the complainant and the dealership into consideration.   

  The dealership sold the truck to the customer on Thursday November 30th. The truck was inspected properly and showed no warning lights. The inspections was performed to the State of *********** ********** of Transportations guidelines. The truck had been in the dealership inventory since November 10th before being purchased. It had been test driven several times with no issues reported. The Purchasing customer, ***************************** contacted the dealership on Saturday December 2nd, to report a service light had come on. The dealership immediately told ****************** we'd be happy to take care of the issue and asked him to bring it into the dealership.

  The customers father, ****** called a bit later to say the truck would not slow down from 12 miles per hour to allow a car in front of him to turn. The customer stated the vehicles was in limp mode, which according to the manufacture does not affect braking or handling. But will cause non-essential items such as air conditioning and etc. to shut off. We told him that we would fix the truck no problem. He then demanded we replace the damaged bumper. The customer was then told that would be up to his insurance not the dealership. At that point the father became belligerent and began cursing. and the call was ended at that point. Shortly after the customer and his father came into the dealership provided a loaner vehicle to be used while the technicians diagnosed and fixed the engine issue. It turned out the truck was in need of a sensor that would cost approximately $1800 to fix, which the dealership will fix at no charge. 

  Customer response

  12/04/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Please type your response here.]
  I am glad that they are fixing the trucks code but again because of that code I got into a accident I need them to give me something more then what they where going to do before the crash they can swear up and down they did everything right and they can say that it cant cause it but it didnt allow me to get out of a crash know I got to pay more on for insurance if they cant fix this again the other guys vehical and mine should be fully repaired if they do that I will be satisfied  it was a new truck to me I was driving it with care it was the ditch or hitting another car. So something happened I between to make it do that 
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business response

  12/05/2023

  The **** Darrow Auto Group strives to achieve the satisfaction of every customer. And we value every customer and look forward to all continued relationships. But as stated before a vehicle in limp mode would have no issues with braking. Only acceleration would be limited. Acceleration would cause the vehicle to possibly stall for a moment but would not affect braking system. The vehicle had apparently been driven for a while the day of the accident and must not of had any braking issues then. ******* was only mentioned due to an accident. If the vehicle was deemed not be safe to drive, it should have been towed to receive the repairs. Everything on the truck was in working order when the vehicle was sold. The dealership cannot control driving habits and conditions that *** have caused the vehicle to have an issue. However, even though under no obligation to repair the vehicles issue, The dealership did indeed provide goodwill and fixed the engine sensor issue. This however had nothing to do with the accident. **** Darrow will not be covering any repairs to any vehicle related to the customers accident. 

• Initial Complaint

  10/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Oct 17, 2023 I scheduled an Oil change with Russ Darrow Toyota in *********. During the oil change the tech cross treaded a bolt on the crash pan that had to be taken off to get to the oil reserve. This caused damage to the plate and the cross member bolt to which the plate attaches to be broken while using a. high impact tool. At first they owned up to it telling me it had to now be sent to an auto body dealer for repair etc. I was shocked as my 50k truck is in near mint condition even with 93k miles on it. They ten noticed my last oil change was at another Toyota dealer, International Toyota of *********, and blamed it on them sending me on my way with a dispute that seemingly has no where to go. The damage is thought to be 2-4 thousand and one dealer is blaming the other and pushing blame to the 'other guy' The manager at the West Bend dealer was rude and bullied me saying "you get a lawyer, I'll get a lawyer" and walking away. They did not charge me for the service which was surprising since they said they did not cause the issue but the bolt broke etc when I believe the tech was trying to put the plate back on the vehicle. How come the bolt came off ok?....They did the oil and then the issue came about. Seeking a repair and compensation to depreciation of vehicle which is a Toyota TRD pro 2016. It is a limited truck with only **** made nation wide. Truck is in immaculate condition.

  

  Business response

  10/23/2023

  We truly do appreciate you doing business with Russ Darrow Toyota. We strive to provide our customers the best customer service experience possible. **************** brought his vehicle in for service at our dealership. Upon ************** removing the shield to perform the requested service, ************** struggled to remove the skid plate due to a Cross threaded bolt. This was upon the removal process, not the re-installation process. This would indicate that the bolt was stripped the last time it was replaced. In cases such as this our technicians will record such occurrences. The dealership has video of the technician struggling to remove the ******* due to the cross threaded bolt. The service manager tried to explain to the customer that this had to have happened the last time the shield was replaced, not taken off. Russ Darrow Toyota is not in any way at fault with this issue. 

  Customer response

  10/23/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Please type your response here.] I was notified initially when they removed the shield that there was a known issue and it was only after I went to service area after 1 hr and 15 min and observed three men pounding on the skid shield. I went into service area and the service manager initially "owned" up to the issue saying they'd send it out to a body shop for repair and get me in a loaner. They suggested to me that they were able to do oil change ok and that bolt issue came about when they tried to put shield back on putting the issue in the hands of the young tech at **** Darrow. Again, at no time did anybody say or come to me in the waiting room to tell me of the issue. I found out by walking out and observing for myself that there was an issue. It was only AFTER the service manager noticed or looked to see where the last oil change was that the story seemed to change and put blame on International Toyota of ********* who did the last oil change. The General manager for **** Darrow was abrasive and rude saying "you get a lawyer, I'll get a lawyer." I do have video of that conversation. And I should note I was never shown any video from **** Darrow showing any of the process of removal of the bolt or of the oil change. I have contacted Toyota about this issue, the consumer protection agency in Madison and contact six in Milwaukee and have not ruled out having to get legal representation. It seems they are just trying to 'pass the buck' to one another and I'm left with a damaged vehicle. I of course did not see the entire process at either dealer but I do feel if the issue was immediate at **** Darrow why would they not have come and told/shown me the issue right away. Luckily I walked out after almost 90 minutes and saw the struggle and inquired about same. International Toyota Service manager said they should not have ever used high impact on bolt which they told me they did and he's never seen this sort of issue in his 28 years in the industry. I am a consumer in the middle. Someone is not telling the truth I believe.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  Customer response

  10/23/2023

  Consumer meant to say he was NOT notified in the first sentence of his last rebuttal. 

  

  Business response

  10/24/2023

  The Service Manager was initially under the impression that we made the mistake. The customer caught him while he was just getting in the middle of it. He was not being very pleasant, and the Service Manager spoke out of turn wanting to calm the customer down to take care of our customer. Telling the customer that in fact if we had done this that we would take care of it. Which we do in all cases of damage that *** be cause from our mistakes. He just did not have all the facts and information yet. Upon further investigation, we did not do the last oil change, and the damage was not from us using an impact. This damage was from the prior company that put the plate back into place after the last service. Our dealership struggled to get it off in order to complete the requested service. After our Service Manager pieced everything together, he explained the situation to the customer. This damage was not done by our dealership, and Russ Darrow Toyota is not liable for the damage. 

  Customer response

  10/24/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Please type your response here.] Thanks for admitting that your service manager, ******, changed his story after he noticed that I had received an oil change at another dealership. At no time, initially or during the process of getting my oil changed, did ****** or anyone come to me while I was in the waiting room to notify me of anything unusual or problematic of the situation. It was only after an hour and fifteen minutes did I walk out into the service area and witness three men banging on the "skid plate" which **** my attention. I went into the area and was then first told of a problem. They (************************** and another tech whom I did not get the name of) told me that there was an issue of a cross threaded bolt and that the damage caused would have to be fixed at an auto body shop who would cut into the frame of the car and re-weld it back together.  He said I would be given a loaner vehicle. Of course this was of great concern to me as my vehicle is a limited release TRD pro and is in near perfect condition and a vehicle that I hope to have for decades to come. I was shocked and upset that something so wrong could have happened and not one person felt the need to notify me of it and consult with me about a course of action to address the issue. Rather, this was all told to me after they were done with the oil change and tire rotation.  The bolt was broken and the tac weld broken by your technician using a high impact driver.  The oil change and tire rotation was done by this time.  I should also say I spoke to your General ************************, who was unapologetic and rude. He suggested I get an attorney and that the dealership would as well. I was not charged for any of the services. I have reached out to contact six in Milwaukee, the Consumer protection agency in Madison, and have been in contact with Toyota **************** numerous times to try and resolve this very unfortunate situation.
  
  ***************************

  

  Business response

  10/25/2023

  The customer was not notified right away of the issue due to the Service Manager being in a meeting. Our technicians report such issues to the Service Manager, and the Service Manager informs the customer. Or the service manager will inform a service representative to inform the customer. The technician was unable to report the issue to the Manager when he encountered the problem, so he asked other technicians after a bit for help, until he could inform the service manager. When the service manager's meeting was complete, he was then informed of the problem. This is why he was not fully aware of all the details when the customer approached him. 

  Customer response

  10/25/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Please type your response here.] I was also never told of any possible solution to the said issue. They took it upon themselves to use high impact drills to get the bolt out and in doing so also broke the "tac" weld of the nut on the cross member. (Part of frame of vehicle) It was only til the end of the process did any of this come to light.

  I have been notified in the past about any issues or other services offered when I've had my car in for service. That is why I wait and am so close and available for any discussion. A serious situation like this one should have come to a halt immediately and handled in a proper way. 

  The fact your service manager was in a meeting is not my issue or an excuse for how this was handled.  They could have stopped the moment they noticed an issue with the bolt. Again, I had to notice that there was a problem by walking out into service area and saw three men around my vehicle about one hour and fifteen minutes into the job. ****** was one of the men talking to the others. Russ Darrow Toyota did the damage to my vehicle. 

  I also want to point out that my skid plate only has one bolt holding it on and I have to continue to drive for work. This is a liability for **** Darrow since they caused the damage and left it in its current state. I hope it does not come off causing an accident or puncture my gas tank under the vehicle. They must find a way to fix this immediately before the situation worsens.
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  09/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  i bought a car recently about a week ago. i went online searching for a car ive found one i wanted for ***** now they asked for a downpayment of **** and i gave them that and then when i got home i went to work after that i went to check my papers and a cretid company called me ans told me that they overcharged me for a price of the car i have a picture of the car with the price i was looking at i dont belive its legal for them to overcharge me as i was excited to buy a car for my mother and no one told me about the price of the car at the business as i am a smart man and i seen the price on the internet of what it costs so i didnt bother to ask them either

  

  Business response

  10/09/2023

  We do thank you for being a **** Darrow Customer. We apologize for any confusion with the internet pricing. Our "Live Market Pricing" Structure for internet advertised vehicles is based on current ** to the day live market pricing. These prices change daily based upon many factors of makes and models for sale in the marketplace. One of our representatives reached out to the customer and explained the pricing structure. Again, thank you for your business and we look forward to serving you in the future. 

  Customer response

  10/09/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

  well i understand if i agreed to the price

  but no one has told me about the car being priced as that amount as i went to buy a car i excpected it to be that price and if i knew of a higher price i would not  have a problem

  but i belive that  it is unkind and very rude to not tell me the price

   as even when i asked  the sales man i said   ita 12k right he said yeah yeah

  they had me sign a bunch of papers and i am ******* i do not read fast and i had no time to go over every single documents

   as my mother who came from ****** to america she knew no english

   and dealerships

   just like nissan used that to their advantage without any considiration in their hearts

   i just do not like being played

   i would kindly ask for  the dealership to keep their end of the bargain

    the cars market value would be lower

   it has  oil leak

   scratches

   upper control arm rubberpiece is ripped

   the sonar parking detection is broken

   it has been in an accident

   and front bumper is not put it well

   i would understand  the priceing to go up or down if it was not in bad shape

   but you just rose the price because you saw an  opirtunity of a happy person who came in to buy a car without reading documents

   i was looking for an infinity qx 80

   which costs 20000

   and i wouldve bought it

   but i seen a nissan armada for 13k which is why i came there

  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  

  Business response

  11/08/2023

  There have been many discussions with the purchaser. The ********* buyers guide did disclose that there was some engine noise present. The vehicle was purchased as is and no work will be done on the vehicle. The dealership offered to cancel the sale, but the customer refused. Therefore the dealership is under no obligation to do anything when the offer to buy the vehicle back is turned down. There is nothing further to be done by the dealership. 

  Customer response

  11/08/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Please type your response here.]
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  09/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I visited **** Darrow Metro Mazda of Milwaukee on 9/20/23. I inquired about a 2020 ****** Forester, which was listed on their website of $21,821. After test driving the vehicle, I was given an ******* of information which also stated the price of $21,821. I then made an offer to buy the vehicle, paying the $21,821 asking price plus tax, title, and the dealer fee of $449. My offer was rejected and their counteroffer was then presented with an extra fee of $1,999. It was then explained to me that there were extras that had been added to the car, which amounted to fabric and paint protection for $1,999. I tried to decline these options but was told that they are added to all of their vehicles and they can't be declined. If "extras" are added to the vehicle prior to the purchase, then they should be included in the advertised price of the vehicle or clearly stated on the pricing sheet. I reviewed all documents and their website, but only see that the price excludes tax, license, and a dealer fee of $449. I explained to the salesman that I was unwilling to pay this fee as it was not previously stated prior to my attempt to purchase the vehicle. The manager was unwilling to sell the car for anything less that the advertised price plus tax, title, and a dealer fee that amounted to $2,500. I believe this sales tactic is false advertising and should be discontinued immediately. I would also like to opportunity to purchase this vehicle for the advertised price.

  

  Business response

  10/06/2023

  On September 20th at 7:21 PM, we received an internet lead scheduling a test drive for 8 PM. We tried calling to confirm the appointment at 7:35 PM but was not successful so a voicemail was left and we texted our address to the customer. Although we did not confirm the appointment, we did check and make sure the vehicle was available and ready. 
  
  After the test drive, the ******** spent roughly 20 minutes talking to each other about purchasing the Forester; they decided they were ready to move forward with the numbers, but never committed to buying the vehicle. 
  We presented our "Guest Sheet", a general sheet of what the customer hopes to accomplish to them. The customers were not willing to buy the vehicle without the service records; this was not something we could obtain for them, as it was originally not our unit. We suggested that we could send them an ******* and the Carfax, but that was the extent of what we could do.  
  Our online price that night was $21821; the ******** offered $21000 out the door on their Guest Sheet with their insurance payout and outside financing. It was explained to ****** that was not something we could do, given we were currently the best price in the market, and especially with funds not available the day of; We thanked them for coming in so late, but we were too far apart. They said that they still wanted to see what our numbers were. The salesperson said he thought they had seen value in the Xzilon package and felt confident they would purchase it. I offered the Xzilon at a discounted price to $1495 from $2299 plus our Etch at $499. Almost immediately, he came back and stated they in fact did not want the Xzilon. I gave him new figures with **** only. They said no to the Etch as well. The sales manager then talked to them because they had never once  signed a commitment with their initials to purchase the Forester. After talking to them, they still planned on financing with their own bank and were not willing to do anything that night. After that the customers left as we were not able to do anything without a commitment, funds,in-house financing, or service receipts. 
  They mentioned throughout the process that their 2014 Forester was totaled after being a "crap car" with plenty of mechanical issues.Although they did not trust their previous Forester, they still wanted to explore our 2020 Forester, but nothing else on our lot.

  Customer response

  10/06/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  Although the business response provides details, some of which is irrelevant or inaccurate, it still does not explain the added charges to the advertised price. I directly asked that this line for the extra item be removed and expressed my displeasure with the added fees. It also did not help that the line item was labeled generically as extras and did not detail what it was for. I had to ask the salesman to explain the extra $2,000 charge. We were also buying this car with cash and without a trade, which seemed to irritate the dealership. We had funds in our account and were ready to purchase that night. We also signed the final offer sheet, which was almost immediately rejected due to the $2k adder for extras being removed from our offer. We only received one offer from the dealership, we did not receive a second, discounted, counteroffer. When signing the offer, we explained that we intended to purchase that night.
  
  Regards,
  ***********************

*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. ↩