This was the worst car-buying experience I have ever had. - tpm7551
This was the worst car-buying experience I have ever had.
One of the primary reasons I chose to lease a Volvo XC60 Plug-in Hybrid was because I needed a way to keep the vehicle cool for my dog while I was inside a restaurant or store. My previous Audi Q5 PHEV had this capability, and I specifically asked the salesperson at Gunther Volvo whether the XC60 could do the same.
The salesperson assured me that it could, explaining that as long as the hybrid battery had sufficient charge, the vehicle could maintain cabin cooling while parked. He was unable to demonstrate the feature because the battery was not charged, but I relied on his representation and proceeded with the lease.
To further support his claim, the salesperson even sent me a Google search result stating that the vehicle could maintain cabin cooling for 1 to 3 hours with the vehicle turned off. Because there was so much conflicting information available online, I relied on what I believed was the expertise of the dealership and its sales staff.
The very next day, I discovered that the vehicle only provides stationary climate control for about four minutes. After numerous phone calls and text messages with the salesperson, I eventually learned that the only way to keep the car cool for a longer period is to use the Volvo app to remotely start the vehicle. Even then, the car can only be remotely started for 15 minutes at a time, twice in succession. After that, you must physically return to the vehicle and start it with the key before remote starting is available again.
Had I known about these limitations before signing the lease, I would not have leased this vehicle.
What concerns me most is that no one at Gunther Volvo seemed to fully understand the capabilities and limitations of the vehicle they were selling. As a customer, I depended on their product knowledge when making a major financial decision. Instead, I was given inaccurate information about a feature that was essential to my purchase decision.
I am now stuck with a vehicle costing approximately $75,000 that does not meet my needs. I strongly recommend that prospective buyers at Gunther Volvo independently verify any important features and insist on a live demonstration before relying on a salesperson's assurances.
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