Just wanted to give everyone a heads up on here if you live in the Johnson City area of Northeast Tennessee. I bought a '04 Crossfire from Carl Gregory last year, and have had nothing but headaches with anything related to this 'stealership'. When I test drove the car, the ball joints were popping terribly, so when I negotiated on the price and insisted that those must be change before I would sign agree to purchase. They agreed to change them and told me I could pick up my car the next afternoon, as this would be completed. When I went to pick up the car, they tried telling me that my financing had not gotten approved, but that they could sell me a new car, as that was approved. After a very heated discussion with a lot of choice adjectives, they finally 'magically' got it approved, but they car had not been repaired because of this ordeal. I was told to pick it up the next day.

Well, nearly 2 weeks went by and I still did not have my car. So another heated discussion insued (with many more choice adjectives) and 30 minutes later, my car was sitting in front of the dealership with the ball joints replaced. They had it fixed the entire time, but for some reason, would not let me take the car. I finally left with it shortly after that.

Upon the next few days of driving it, I noticed that there was a terrible vibration in the steering wheel, so I called them up and they said, "it must just be a bent rim but we you have taken ownership of the car, so we will not fix it."

I wasn't buying that it was a bent wheel at first, so I changed almost every part in the front suspension trying to figure out what was causing this, but never got rid of it until about a month ago.

I took the car to get an alignment, and they had not corrected it after changing the ball joints. (I had not done this because I assumed that they had enough since to do so.) The shop that I had it done at told me that it was one of the worst aligned cars that they had ever worked on. (It was as much as 8 degrees negitive on one wheel) I was hoping that this would correct the steering when I was told this, but it actually made it worst. So I jacked up the car and starting checking to make sure everything was tight. That's when I noticed that front wheels would not move but about 1/2 turn and it appeared that the brake rotors were hitting the pads and causing this. So I took them off to reveal what had been causing the problem the entire time. Carl Gregory's gang of crack shot mechanics had not put any grease between the wheel bearings and the axle. (This too was never check because I once again assumed that they had that much sense.) There was so little grease on there that you could wrap your hand around the axle and nothing would come off on it. Greased up the bearings and the car now drives like a dream. I will however be replacing them soon, because I'm sure that they are burned up now.

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to give everyone a heads up about their service so it doesn't happen to another fellow forum member.

Oh yeah, one more thing. I had been getting the oil changed there a few times because they gave me a few free oil changes to try and get me to calm down the second time I went back. (They would then b*tch everytime I took the car for an oil change and say that it wasn't covered under that policy, even though they knew what type of car I had bought from them.) Anyway, I recently changed the oil myself to find out that during the 3 oil changes that I had performed there, they had not changed the oil filter at any of them. It still had a Mercedes filter on the car (as well as a reciept in the manual for an oil change performed just before I bought the car at a local Mercedes dealership.) I inquired with CG on whether they kept OEM Mercedes oil filters in stock, and was advised they do not carry them and cannot get them.

Sounds like a great way to run a business to me.

 

One of the best defenses for bad servce before purchasing a vehicle...is to walk out. Once they know how emotionally attached you are to the vehicle youre purchasing, they treat you like crap. You should always get a receipt and warranty for any "said" repair...follow thru with an outside inspection from a different dealership before purchase. . Never "fall in love" with the vehicle. Its like candy to a salesman.

 

I wasn't actually that attached to the car at the time. I was actually looking for a C5 Corvette when I came upon this car and only actually bought it because I got, what I feel to be, a good price on it. They were nice as could be, before I signed any paperwork but after that got signed, they were finished with me.

 

its a great car. I love the looks I get when im driving because no one knows what they are and you dont see many of them on the road

 

This brings back memories of when I worked for a dealership. From what I am reading here, I would classify you as a difficult to please customer with anger issues. The dealership owner used to deal with your kind by giving them their money back and telling them to get the f... off the lot

 

When I purchased my Miata new, the salesman was giving me a run around... well after a bunch of bs from him they called me to tell me my white Miata showed up in red, and they'd knock another 100 bucks off if I would take it (really wanted red..but heard cops like them too).. Still tweaked over my salesman I agreed.. but stipulated they would provide me another salesman to finish this deal out. At least he had to share his commission! And I drove away happy with the customer experience with my red Miata and new friendly salesman. Actually ended up working on the dealerships owners horse ranch about 10 years later. He was really a nice guy for being a rich snob.. LOL. My point here is it might not have been so much the dealer as your salesman!

 

This is funny because my uncle always told me that every car he ever purchased for the price he wanted all he had to do was use a few choice words , give them his business card and walk out angrily
He says it always works because most car salesmen and women are there for one thing and that's to sell and I'm sure for rare buyers only kinda cars like these that trick must work because I'm sure a salesmen doesn't want a car on his lot collecting dust for more then a few months , point is no one wants to see the customer walk away and take their money else where

 

This is a problem customer? It sounds like you and the dealership you worked is what gives dealerships a bad name. I would take my money else where and tell you and your dealership to f... off.

 

I agree.

And, until you've been burned and/or dusted off by Carl Gregory Ltd., you don't really know what being offended means. Post #68:

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ng-idle-4.html

...and read on. This is their dealership in Columbus GA. and I used to sing their praises. No more. These guys, and their brothren in Auburn AL. (Ford, Lincoln, Mercury the sign still says this) have both either tried or succeeded in screwing me.

I wrote a short, not-so-sweet letter to both Chrysler and F/L with some bitter complaints. Chrysler called back and I reiterated bmy issues, but to no avail.

Caveat emptor.

 

So, "to hell with the customer" is your policy?


+1

That one in Columbus had a Limited 6 speed Coupe I looked at about two years ago. I could tell they were creeps, guy started lying to me about the car. I think I had a thread here on my experience, I know I posted SOMEWHERE here what was said.

I feel for those who do not realize what is happening when they go there. But I didn't get mad, I just left, I was out little as my then-girlfriend lived 1/2 hour from Columbus so it wasn't like I drove across the state to go see the car.

 

I guess this specific dealership has a bad rep.

I was making a point. The dealer isn't always at fault. When reading post#1, it reminded me of the odd difficult, unreasonnable customer with anger issues. No matter how hard you try to please, it never seem to be enough. Yes they are known as "stealership" However, most of them aim to please and hope you will be a return customer.

I have been on the other side of the counter and am tired of reading about ppl bitching about how bad they are treated at the dealer, boo hoo! Tell me what you do for a living so I can find some way of telling you how you suck at it.

Nobody's perfect

 

I don't believe myself as being an angry customer, I only expect to have what I'm promised delivered. It is my money going into the dealership's pockets, so if they tell me that they are going to do something, I expect it to be performed. I'm sure if you feel like moving to East TN, than they would be more that happy to hire someone else there that shares the same attitude as you. Perhaps that attitude is the cause of "when I used to work for a dealership" instead of I work for a dealership.