Business ProfileforMark McLarty Toyota

On Thursday, June 6, 2024, ** ***** ***** ******, purchased a 2021 Dodge Charger GT from Mark Mclarty Toyota.  After finalizing all paperwork, I noticed that the air conditioner would run continuously for about 15 seconds then it would shut off for 15 seconds. This was a continuous cycle.  I pointed this out to one of my salesmen who noticed this as well. After consulting with him, we both concluded that I should drive the vehicle home for the night and see if this discrepancy corrects itself and if not then I was to bring the car back the next morning. Upon my arrival home, I noticed the passenger side headlight of my vehicle was out and the air conditioning was doing the same thing prior to me leaving the dealership.

On Friday morning, June 7, 2024, I dropped my vehicle off for the passenger side headlight to be fixed and for the air conditioning to be looked at and fixed. On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, I went to pick up my car and was informed by one of the parts/maintenance reps that their maintenance department could not fix the air conditioning because they needed codes from Dodge that they were not allowed to have. The headlight was fixed but the air conditioner was doing the same thing. I was referred to ***** ******** ***** across the street, **** ****** ***** Sherwood, Arkansas. On Wednesday morning, June 12, 2024, I dropped my car off with ***** ******** ***** for them to diagnose and fix the air conditioner for this vehicle.

On Monday afternoon, June 17, 2024, I picked up my vehicle from ***** ******** *****. I was informed they were waiting on warranty coverage authorization before they could proceed further to work on or order parts for my vehicle. I was informed that my vehicle needed a new distribution housing, new ac actuators, a new fresh air inlet housing, and a new cabinet temperature sensor. I was stunned that a recently purchased vehicle labeled PROUDLY OWNED AND OPERATED BY MCLARTY AUTOMOTIVE would have so many issues with the air conditioning unit.

On Thursday afternoon, June 25, 2024, I received a voicemail from ***** ******** ***** informing me that the CNA Warranty for my vehicle would not cover the parts needed to fix the air conditioning for my vehicle. I was then informed that for $3539.42, ***** ******** ***** would be able to fix my vehicle air conditioning. After receiving this voicemail, I contacted my car salesman informing him I was on my way there and requested he have a warranty manager or a maintenance manager available if possible.

After arriving at Mclarty Toyota and waiting around for a few minutes a sales manager by the name of Terry Milligan came to talk to me. We went into an office to talk. He first stated he did not know why the CNA warranty did not cover the work I needed to have done. After more conversation, I was given my so-called options, one, I could sell the car back to the dealership and see what price we could work out for the resell, or two, I could bring the car back to the dealership for their maintenance department to look at again to see what DEAL we can make on the maintenance charges. I left the dealership and was stunned once again. My options are to take the car back to the dealership to work out a price for them to buy it back or let their maintenance department look at it again after I was told they couldn’t fix it weeks prior and see if we can make a DEAL on the maintenance charges? I was also informed from this sales manager that my vehicle went through an inspection prior to it going on to their sales lot. I left the dealership stunned once again.

On Friday, June 28, 2024, I noticed a squealing sound coming from what sounded like the front driver’s side wheel. On Friday, July 5, 2024, I dropped my vehicle off with ******** **** ******* in Beebe, Arkansas where it was confirmed that the squealing sound coming from the front driver’s side wheel was laminate that had been put on the rotor. Upon further investigation ******** **** ******* diagnosed the suspension on this vehicle needing front brake pads, front brake rotors, rear brake pads, rear brake rotors, and a rear caliper. The total for parts and labor was $610.97. The air conditioner still runs the same as it has been, runs for 15 seconds and shuts off for 15 seconds.  I have had one of the car salesmen actually approach me after all of this and apologized to me. I asked, “what are you apologizing for” and his response was, “I am apologizing for my dealership.”

This whole experience, in my opinion, has been wrong. It is wrong that I have had so many problems with a vehicle that was supposedly inspected and certified from a well-known and some may say respected dealership, Mclarty Toyota. They may say that it is not certified, but this vehicle was listed in the certified preowned section on their website. That is where I came across it at. The pictures of the vehicle on their website had the caption, PROUDLY OWNED AND OPERATED BY MCLARTY AUTOMOTIVE. That to me says that they are proud to have this vehicle on their lot even though the air conditioning unit does not work properly ($3539.42), and the brake pads and rotors weren’t in good shape ($610.97). Obviously, this vehicle was not certified or even inspected prior to going to their sales lot. So how many other customers are going to have to encounter this insaneness from this dealership and be dealt with the out-of-pocket expenses I have been in a vehicle that is so called PROUDLY OWNED AND OPERATED BY MCLARTY AUTOMOTIVE? Shouldn’t I as a customer shopping for a newer car be confident that the vehicle, I purchase from a known dealership be safe to drive and have all the major parts such as the air conditioning work as they are supposed to?
With those questions being asked, I feel it is fair that the vehicle I purchased should be equipped with working air conditioning and that should have been taken care of prior to this vehicle being placed on the sales lot. The same should have been done with the brake pads and brake rotors and caliper. One, the air conditioner is a luxury that every car is equipped with and brake pads and rotors and caliper are a necessity for the vehicle to obviously drive in a safe manner. I feel that the air conditioning should be fixed free of charge and the expenses already paid out of my own pocket for the brake pads and brake rotors and left caliper ($610.97) should be reimbursed to me since these things should have been identified through an inspection and fixed prior to this vehicle being placed on the sales lot.

(See Attached Letter for full complaint and Attachments)