Colonial South Chrysler Jeep Dodge RAM

ajc242 responded

Thank you for taking the time to respond, Joshua. And to be completely transparent, I only posted publicly because it was the only way to get any sort of meaningful response from anyone at Colonial. To your credit, you’ve shown more concern than Larry, Pat, or even Stellantis. However, since this is now a public conversation, I want to clarify a few points so readers understand the full picture. First, I did not come to Colonial South simply looking for “an aggressive deal.” I came to you because Colonial Hudson misdiagnosed my previous Jeep, broke it, and left me with a repair bill that never should have existed. This was not a one time occurrence either. Mistakes happen but after 3 or 4 failures at servicing my vehicle, that is unacceptable. After that, I reached out to Larry Gordon and Pat Brown, who told me they wanted to earn my business back and make the situation right. Instead, I ended up in another vehicle with major issues less than five months later. Yes, my old Jeep had negative equity, but it was manageable. I also could have gone elsewhere and traded into a different vehicle, using an EV tax credit to absorb that equity. I chose not to, because I trusted you, Larry, Pat, and Colonial South and because I preferred to stay with Jeep. That trust is exactly why all of this is so frustrating. Second, while you emphasize that this is a manufacturer recall, the concern is not simply that a recall exists. It’s the fact that when I reached out for help with a vehicle now considered a potential fire risk, I received no genuine support, clear guidance, or consistency. I was told multiple conflicting things including that I would need to pay out of pocket for a rental or loaner. While my landlord is expressing safety concerns about the vehicle sitting on their property. I am already paying a significant monthly payment for a Jeep that has had four recalls in the five months I’ve owned it. Being told to take on even more cost is unacceptable. Putting my family's home, and other vehicles at risk is also unacceptable. Third, I never pressured anyone to buy back the vehicle. I simply asked what options existed: buyback, swap, rental, loaner, or any other reasonable solution until there is a remedy to the recall. My request isbased on the statements made earlier this year that Colonial wanted to stand behind me after what happened at the Hudson location. Asking for options is not the same as pressuring anyone. Lastly, your response suggests that my concerns were “addressed.” In reality, every time I reached out for clear information, I received vague or conflicting answers, no actionable follow-through, and no steps that made me feel safe in the vehicle I purchased from you. That is why my trust is gone not just because Stellantis issued a recall, but because of how my situation was handled by two Colonial dealerships. I appreciate your willingness to keep the conversation open, but it’s important that readers understand the full context behind why this review was written. I also sent an email earlier this week, in which 3 people had the opportunity to pick up the phone, and call me to discuss the situation, which has not been done.

Colonial South Chrysler Jeep Dodge RAM responded

We’ve already spoken with you multiple times about your situation, and I want to clarify a few important points for anyone reading this. First, the experience you had at the Hudson store happened during a management transition on their end — not an excuse, but it explains why your service there fell short. When you came to Colonial South afterward, we stepped up, traded you out of that problem vehicle, and gave you a very aggressive deal to help you get into something safe and reliable. We treated you with honesty and respect the entire way through. Now, the issue you’re facing is a manufacturer-issued recall from Stellantis. This is not a problem caused by Colonial South or any dealership — we don’t build the vehicles, we sell them and support them. We currently have more than 30 customers navigating this same recall, including myself as a Jeep owner. Despite explaining all of this to you, you’ve continued to insist that we buy your vehicle back or trade you out again. Unfortunately, that is not something Stellantis has authorized, and it isn’t how recall processes work. A dealer cannot create programs the manufacturer has not offered. Posting a negative review after we already addressed your concerns and tried to help — all in an effort to pressure us into doing something outside of the manufacturer’s guidelines — is unfair to my team and misrepresents the situation. We’re still more than willing to help you with the recall process and advocate where we can, but we cannot create solutions that Stellantis has not approved. If you’d like to continue the conversation, I’m available anytime. – Joshua Braga General Manager, Colonial South Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM