ComplaintsforLow Cost Cars North

• Initial Complaint

  03/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Description: Vehicle was sold without notification it has severe rust damage to both sides of frame, at which the vehicle has been deemed by 2 different frame restoration repairers/mechanics to be unsafe to operate. There was no disclosure at time of or prior to purchase, discovered approx. 5 days after purchase, notified dealership. Was referred to 2 places that gave them estimates, first place did not wish to repair (A1 Discount Auto of Whitehall, who verified on video it was unsafe), second place (Farris Frame Restoration of Reynoldsburg, OH) gave estimate of $4717 to repair (wrote on estimate vehicle was 'Not Safe to Drive'). They only just now got the memorandum title to me, my temp tags expire in 4 days - I will now have to pay to get the actual plates, and they are only willing to supply parts ($1167), and want me to handle installation (well over $3000). The Denali that I test drove initially had brake rotor and suspension damage - is still on the lot. Owner states that he 'sells vehicles with rust damage all the time, it's expected in Ohio', other employee states that Owner 'sits at home and buys cars online to put on the lot'. I understand that As-Is is a thing, however this is not mere rust damage. This is a liability and a death trap to anyone driving it/potentially can bring harm to others on the road, and it is not okay not to disclose that to someone purchasing a truck for over 10,000 dollars. I have expressed that I just want the truck fixed, or want to reverse the sale and give it back to them, but they insist that they are only willing to pay for the frame parts, and I will be responsible for installation. I am in the process of contacting a lawyer, but was told by the BMV that a complaint needed to be filed in order to apply for a Hardship Tag, since they dragged their feet with my title. I am almost certain they are selling unsafe vehicles to other consumers - the GMC Terrain that I test drove, after my roommates and I all three told them there was something wrong with it, was test-driven by 3 other parties (one of them with a young child in accompaniment) while I was waiting on the loan approval for the truck. I am fine with some rust damage, that is expected - a vehicle that has been deemed unsafe to drive, not so much. The dealership has copies of the estimate from Farris Restoration. I also have video from the first shop (A1 Discount Auto)'s owner, ****, stating the truck is unsafe and the frame is at-risk of separating. I have a Google Document with a timeline of all issues and contacts, text messages, and photographs upon request.

  Business response

  04/15/2024

  Hello ******. 

  As per our previous conversations, we offered to purchase the frame pieces needed to repair your frame at no cost to you. You would just need to cover the installation costs. That offer still stands. 

  You purchased a 17 year old truck and we live in a heavy salt state. Most trucks here have some level of frame rust, even late model trucks. It is not hidden, you can get under them and inspect the frames easily. We also have signs posted in our dealership that state you are welcome to have any vehicle of your choice inspected by a mechanic of your choice prior to purchase. We cannot force you to do this if you choose not to. 

  Customer response

  04/16/2024

  [If you do not say why you are rejecting the company's response, BBB must close your complaint.] 
  
  Complaint: 21470916
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  a.) It is understandable that a vehicle in this part of the country will have SOME rust damage. I did notice the rust damage on the rocker panels of the truck, and am not complaining about that - THAT kind of rust is expected. I have lived in Wisconsin and purchased a 1998 3000GT there, which had rust on it. The frame was not about to fall out of it. There is a DIFFERENCE, in selling a vehicle with 'rust damage' and selling a vehicle that is against the law because IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. As a dealership, you have a duty of care to sell a vehicle that is not a death trap and will not, with no fault of the driver, at the absolute bare minimum, potentially result in the death of the driver and/or other innocent people due to a defect that either that duty of care was not done at the time the truck was put on your lot (you state clearly that the vehicle is detailed, the oil was recently changed, and no one noticed? Why was this not disclosed at the time of purchase, like you're supposed to disclose? Oh, right, because once someone buys it, you aren't taking it back because at the point YOU have to disclose it has frame damage, no one is going to purchase it, right? Makes sense. I was informed by an employee of the dealership that the owner 'buys vehicles online and puts them on the lot', and if this is how the lot is being run, where you all are selling cars sight-unseen, it's not only a shoddy business practice, it's setting you all up for a wrongful death lawsuit. I noticed the GMC I test drove that myself and both of my roommates informed you has something wrong with the suspension and the rotors, is still sitting on your lot. Funny.
  
  b.) You are trying to take the cheap way out, and cover the 1160 dollars in parts, but not the 3600 dollars in labor costs to get it put on. If I informed you that I did not have the money to have the truck repaired, and that if there was something wrong with it, four days after I discovered the issue and contacted you all (only for you to take your time getting back to me about it, I've had to chase you every step of this ordeal and that is not very kind nor nice of you, considering I have been absolutely nothing but polite and patient with you despite having several panic attacks because I have no choice but to drive this truck back and forth to my job (which was the whole purpose of purchase to begin with). I have not talked poorly about you to anyone but my personal friends - I have not posted anything online about this ordeal beyond said friends, I am not bad-mouthing you to other people. I am not going after you in regards to any other things I have found wrong with the truck, BECAUSE I understand it is a nearly 20 yr old vehicle and it will have some issues. Just last week I had to get the wheels sanded because corrosion was letting air out of the tires/preventing them from sealing. There is cosmetic damage that I knew about prior to purchase. There is the obvious rocker panels, also which I am not complaining about. The tailgate doesn't stay up, the bed cover needs to be re-weather stripped. All things I EXPECT from a vehicle of that age. You know what I don't expect? 2 inches of metal holding the frame together, and a dealership that seems to want to haggle over someone potentially dying from a catastrophic breakdown of something THEY sold, assumingly with the KNOWLEDGE it was as dangerous as it is, and without a doubt informed, now, by not one but TWO different specialists in that sort of repair.
  
  c.) I can't even recover my costs by selling this truck, because unlike yourselves, I HAVE to, BY LAW, disclose that there is frame damage. No one is going to pay what I have paid to even break even on this vehicle. The hoops y'all are jumping through to try and make this seem like you haven't made a massively horrible, lawbreaking action by having this truck (or any other vehicle with this kind of damage - I would hope you've brought your other vehicles in and checked them for this mess, because if not, wow!) on your lot for sale. Rust is one thing. Damage that makes it unsafe to drive, is something else entirely. I intend to move to North Carolina in the next couple of years - this vehicle would not pass a state inspection in that state, which is also illegal on your part.
  
  d.) I just want the truck fixed. That's it. At this point, it's obvious you aren't going to take it back, and it's past the time where you'd be forced to without a court order anyway. I am currently in contact with a lawyer, who is waiting to see if this matter is resolved here - if it is not, then I will be pursuing for court costs, lawyer fees, extensive amounts of stress, days missed from work dealing with this (having to travel back and forth to Columbus in order to get the truck taken to shops that ultimately, it feels as if there was no actual intent to have this repaired), and the costs of the repair. The choice is yours. I would much rather get this vehicle fixed, sign a form or letter or what have you that states when the truck is repaired, short of what is covered under the warranty otherwise, you all are free from any other liabilities as far as existing repairs. The one and only thing I want handled with this, is the thing that makes it unsafe - the frame repair. If that is not an option, then you will be hearing from my lawyer. I loathe going that route, and I hate having to 'be mean' with people for no reason when it can literally be handled simply, by fixing the issue. I have not hounded nor chased you all about this - even when I got the memorandum title and you all cost me the registration, title and tax fees because you listed the date of sale as 2/28, when it was 1/30, which resulted in my temp tags being 4 days out from expiration when I finally got the title, which meant the tags would be another several weeks to arrive - I had to go to the BMV to get the tags myself, and pay an additional 50 dollars, which obviously didn't bring you all any higher in my opinions list. Hopefully we can get this resolved for much cheaper than it would cost, were I forced to take you to court on the issue. I know you would rather not, and I certainly would like to spend my time doing other things than preparing for a case, but at this point you're quickly giving me no other option.
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** ****

  Business response

  04/17/2024

  Due to the fact you have mentioned pending legal proceedings, we have been advised by counsel to no longer discuss this matter with you. Your counsel may correspond with our counsel moving forward. This will be our final reply to this case. Thank you BBB for your attempts to solve the matter. 

  Customer response

  04/26/2024

  [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 accept the business's response to resolve this complaint. The parties involved will be hearing from my lawyers as soon as paperwork can be prepared.
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** ****

• Initial Complaint

  03/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This car cost $9,999 we paid $1,000 down payment and it’s cost $11,984.30 to get the correct things fixed that was already messed up on the car when bought. The company are not trying to help us in any way shape or form, this is so unprofessional. The car doesn't even go over 60 mph, they fixed 1 thing on the car and it didn’t resolve nothing.

  Business response

  03/25/2024

  It looks like the car needs a turbo and vacuum pump. This is a common issue with BMW's. You're being quoted an exorbitant amount to repair the car. 

  The turbo can be purchased for less than $600. Here is a link 

  ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

  The vacuum pump can be purchased for less than $100. Here is a link. 

  ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

  It calls for 7 hours to replace those components. A reputable independent repair facility will charge about $100 an hour. That would put the total repair costs under $1400. About 15% of the quote you were given. They are trying to take advantage of you. You bought the vehicle as is and declined all service contract coverages. We cannot provide any monetary compensation but as we have told you previously we would be happy to refer you to a reputable independent repair facility that will not take advantage of you. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  01/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We bought a truck from low cost cars North. On January 6th 2024. On January 17th 2024 I looked under the truck and the frame is broken into eye contacted. Low cost cars North. The manager was not in. I was told he would call me the very next day. I waited until 11 o'clock on the next day. He did not call so I contacted him. He told me that he did not know that the frame was rusted into and that we bought the truck as is. And there was nothing he would do. This truck is a danger to anyone who Drives it We drove this truck from the dealership to our home, which is about an hour and 20 minutes way. In the next few days we had loved ones in our vehicle. That is a danger. I contacted a Toyota dealership. They said the truck is not fixable and is unsafe to drive low Costco's. North is still unwilling to fix or replace the truck. The 2006 Toyota Tacoma.

  Business response

  01/29/2024

  Hello *****.

  Vehicle in question: 2006 Toyota Tacoma, 214,000 miles.

  We are extremely sorry to hear you are so unhappy with the 2006 Toyota Tacoma. Unfortunately rusty frames is a very common issue with these trucks that most Toyota buyers are aware of. It's quite rare that we get a customer that isn't aware of the frame issues with these trucks. Toyota made such a bad frame, they did a national recall on the frames. You can view the details of the recall at this link below. 

  ****************

  Even though the recall period has passed, most reputable Toyota dealers are still honoring the recall. If you went to a Toyota dealer to have the frame inspected, I am really surprised they didn't mention this to you. They should fix the frame for you at no cost to you.

  Please remember, we didn't manufacture your truck, Toyota did. We didn't build a substandard frame for your truck, Toyota did. 

  Customer response

  01/31/2024

  And the

   

  and he new about the frame from low cost cars north so how was he able to sale this truck for someone to get killed in since he new about the frame and not everyone falls the news about Toyota or any other vehicle so your saying you would put your  family in danger to get killed or kill somebody else in this truck 
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I accept the business's response to resolve this complaint.
  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ****

• Initial Complaint

  01/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Low cost cars sold me a 2008 Chevy truck with rusted frame causing me to be without vehicle cost of repair 7k

  Business response

  01/03/2024

  Good morning Mr. ******. 

  Firstly, accept our deepest apologies as we do not like to see any of our customers having a tough time with a vehicle purchased from us. That is not the type of operation we run here. 

  This vehicle, a 2008 Chevy Silverado with 150,000 miles was purchased from us on 09/21/2022, 16 months ago. This is the first we have heard of this complaint. Unfortunately because the purchase was so long ago, we cannot help out monetarily but we can provide you with some help. Ohio is a rust belt state, and it is common for frames to rust. It is very common for them to be repaired, in fact there is about 10 shops just in Columbus who specialize in frame work. Whoever quoted you $7,000 to replace the frame was trying to take advantage of you. Most frames can be repaired without a frame replacement, but in the event they cannot, the cost to replace a frame is about 25% of what you were quoted. You can find good used frames on this website www.car-part.com and they run $300-$1,000. You can view them prior to purchase to make sure they are good. It costs about 10 hours of labor to replace the frame so that cost will depend what shop you use. One we recommend immensely is Farris Frame in Columbus. They do a great job. It will be incredibly cheaper than what you were quoted. More than likely your frame can be repaired without being replaced. 

  While I am sure this isn't exactly the resolution you hoped for, we hope that this advice will help you from being taken advantage of by a bad shop. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I recently bought a vehicle from this location in the last week, and within 2 days of having the car, I noticed issues with the car shuttering while driving. I took the vehicle to 2 Certified Car dealerships, and they both came to the same conclusion, that the transmission needed replaced. I asked Low Cost Cars North of any issues with the vehicle before I purchased it, and they told me "No". I contacted them and informed them of what the other 2 dealerships had found, and they informed me since the car was bought "As Is" there was nothing they could or would do about it. This is an absolutely unethical practice that a business would sell a vehicle a with such a major issue and not disclose it to the buyer, or make any attempt to remedy the problem. I wasn't looking for them to pay the full cost of the repair, but expecting me to take full responsibility for their shady business practices is absurd.

  Business response

  03/24/2023

  Hey so this is definitely and odd situation here. We purchased this vehicle fully guaranteed to have a good motor and transmission. Also w 21 days to return if we had an issue. Drove perfect at the auction so we then took to the dealership. Drove great at the dealership as well. Had on numerous test drives and never had any complaint regarding the transmission or any kind of shudder. The only reason it was never sold was due to finance issues which is a common problem at our dealership on vehicles over $12,000. **** took the car out on a drive and we mentioned no concerns at all so we finalized a deal. He called in and mentioned the issue. I spoke to several techs and they were all extremely confident the fluid would likely be contaminated and suggested a drain and fill on the fluid. They stated if the problem was still there it would need a torque converter. But the shudder would not need a transmission replacement. I read forums on the issue and spoke to A1 Discount Auto, Rices Auto, Miguels auto and Brake, and Also Pats Auto. I personally feel the dealers are trying to make a job that should be around $800/$1000 a $5000 job for personal gain. You dont replace an engine when ya need a valve cover gasket ya know. Will it fix the problem? Sure but not necessary. Were unable to cover the replacement on a transmission. Would be willing to cover up to $500 on a torque convertor replacement. 

  Customer response

  03/29/2023

  [If you do not say why you are rejecting the company's response, BBB must close your complaint.] 
  
  Complaint: 19594309
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I agree completely, that buying component, that don't need replace would be idiotic. With that being said, i decided to take my car to a 3rd place. It was a local shop, not a dealership this time, just to see if they would come to the same conclusion. They hooked to car up to their diagnostic machine, which fould an issue, but they said the only way to truely know the extent of the damage would be to pull the transmission. I said that would be fine, but only under the stipulation that they take pictures of the damaged components. After, the transmission was pulled, it was deamed that the torque converter needed replaced, and the transmission needed replaced orrebuilt as well. The cost before taxes for these repairs is $4600. I'm hoping to have the car back by the end of the week, then I will attach the receipt for repairs, and the pictures from the repar shop.
  
  Regards,
  
  **** ******

• Initial Complaint

  06/24/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Description: Consumer, ******* ****** is calling for his mother, ***** *******

  On Feb 28, 2022, consumer purchased a 2011 Land Rover Range Rover (Vin: *****************) from Low Cost Cars North.

  Consumer stated when the vehicle was purchased, the check engine light was on. The dealership agreed to purchase the parts needed to repair the vehicle and the parts were to be installed by the consumer. The dealership purchased parts and consumer installed the parts, however, these parts did not repair the vehicle. The vehicle started having issues within a week of purchase. Consumer stated the vehicle is currently inoperable.

  Purchase mileage:113686 Current mileage: 115619 Purchase Price: $18,000 No email No Atty

  Business response

  07/25/2022

  Please ask the consumer to send us a copy of the diagnostic report so we may try to help out. 

  Customer response

  08/02/2022

  I am rejecting this response because: 

  The vehicle has not been running since April 23rd.  I cannot take it to have a full diagnostic done, which is what the vehicle needs.  The last time I took it in, the diagnostic showed more codes than I can remember.  When I test drove the vehicle, I took it to Auto Zone.  Two codes came up.  I told the salesperson about it and he said he could buy the part for me and I would need to have it put on.  I did this and the car drove worse after this. I want a refund for this car or I need it fixed.  You knew there was something wrong with the vehicle when I bought it. 
  

  Business response

  08/02/2022

  We have no way to help you if you will not get the vehicle into a shop to have it checked out. If it doesn't run, you'll need to get it towed. That is step 1. Would you like us to refer you to a towing company or a mechanic shop?

• Initial Complaint

  02/07/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have not received my title within 30 days and the vehicle has a lien on it.

  Business response

  02/07/2022

  Your title was completed on 01/25. We notified you by email on 01/25-01/26-01/27 to let you know, because the phone number you provided to us is inaccurate or out of service. The title is currently in our office and ready for pickup anytime mon-sat 10am-6pm. We will hold in our office until you pick it up. 

  Customer response

  02/07/2022

  ** ******* ****** ** ******** **** ***** ********* **** ********** ** *** ********** *********  ** *** ***** *** *** ****** ** ****** ******* **** ****** ******** *******
  I accept the business's response to resolve this complaint. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** ******

  okay thank you. I will wait for a response from Low Cost Cars North 

  in regards to this complaint. 

*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. ↩