Joseph Clark

What is a handshake worth at Cecil Clark Chevrolet? During my initial test drive in January, there was an obvious HVAC/blend-door issue—the driver’s side was blowing warm while the passenger side was During my initial test drive in January, there was an obvious HVAC/blend-door issue—the driver’s side was blowing warm while the passenger side was working normally. Chuck identified the problem and specifically explained that replacing the blend door would be a labor-intensive repair because the dashboard had to be removed. I was told it would be fixed before I signed the paperwork. Months later, when the weather became hot, the same problem returned. I brought the vehicle back expecting the repair that had been promised at the time of purchase to be addressed. That is when I learned the blend door had never actually been replaced. Instead, it had apparently only been reset/recalibrated before the sale. I was then presented with a repair bill of more than $2,000 to fix the same issue I had been led to believe was already repaired before I purchased the vehicle. Because I purchased the vehicle in January, I specifically asked Chuck if there were additional AC issues would they take care of the repair. Chuck turned to Mr. Clark, the dealer owner, who personally shook my hand and assured me they would take care of it. Apparently, that handshake and assurance did not carry the weight I believed it did. I made repeated attempts over approximately two weeks to speak directly with Mr. Clark, leaving messages through Ashley, Nelson, Chuck, and another Nelson. Not one return call from Mr. Clark. At another point, I left messages every day for approximately a week simply trying to get an update on the status of my vehicle before finally receiving a response. For me, this stopped being about an $2,000 repair bill. It became a question of integrity and accountability. A dealership's reputation isn't built on promises made while paperwork is being signed; it's built on whether those promises are still honored months later when it costs them money. I relied on their representations when I purchased the vehicle. Had I been told, “We aren't replacing the blend door—we're simply recalibrating it, and if it fails later the repair will be your responsibility,” I could have made an informed decision before signing. Instead, I believed the problem had been fixed and relied on the owner's personal assurance that they would take care of it if the A/C problem returned. A handshake used to mean something in business. I expected it to mean something there. More

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