I went to Champion after losing everything in an... - Maus14
I went to Champion after losing everything in an apartment fire including my car. The dealer who helped me was Gary Love. I told Mr. Love that I had lost everything but my pajamas and 2 dogs and purchasing a Ford Focus, which he said was very reliable, relatively new. etc. In full disclosure, I should have taken the car and had it inspected, however as a college student, it was my first purchase at a dealer, so I was unaware that this is acceptable/recommended. Also, in the aftermath of the fire, I was not functioning at my best.
I agreed to purchase the car. His associate then pressed me to get the extended warranty on the vehicle because "what if the cylinder head warms or something. That would be very expensive."
Shortly after purchasing the car, it began to have terrible problems. I took it to the shop and the representative from the extended warranty came out and looked at the car. They called me and told me that the extended warranty I had purchased was nil and void because there had been so many modifications made to the car, including the removal of the catalytic converter. (This despite the fact that Champion Autoplex had put a brand new inspection sticker on the car stating that the exhaust was in good working order and that it met Texas emission standards!!) There was no muffler or proper exhaust system - just a straight 3" pipe. An after market header had been added onto and a myriad of other changes that as a car novice, I would not recognize as not original parts.
What was wrong with the vehicle was that the cylinder head was warped. What a coincidence! The extended warranty people were very gracious and said that if a catalytic converter were put on the car and it were repaired and in good working order, they would honor the warranty. The stipulation was that Champion Autoplex would have to replace the engine, which they balked at, telling me it was the responsibility of the extended warranty company. It was only when I mentioned getting the EPA involved over the fraud with the inspection sticker (not to mention selling the car without a catalytic converter, not disclosing it's absence etc.) that they agreed.
They did NOT put a Ford engine in it. They put some rebuilt piece of garbage in it. Since that time, I have been unable to find any mechanic willing to work on the car. The cannot order Ford parts and put them on the engine, exhaust system etc., because everything has been modified so severely. I have struggled with that car until recently, when I finally was able to purchase a new car.
At the time that I bought the car, Gary Love asked me to "let people know how he had treated me", so I am doing just that. I came in and asked him to help me find a reliable car. I was in an extremely vulnerable place financially and in terms of less tangible resources from energy, to internet access, to a vehicle to use to run around chasing things down, and he used that opportunity to pawn off the worst piece of crap on the lot. That's hwo Gary Love and Champion Autoplex treated me.
Now I agree with buyer beware and I like to think that I would have the knowledge and experience now to avoid this situation. At the same time, that does not exhortation Mr. Love or Champion Autoplex from the legal violations in that sale, nor from the tremendous act of fraud they committed. I would rather chew my own leg off than give them my business again./
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