ComplaintsforEchoPark Automotive

• Initial Complaint

  11/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On October 17th 2024 i purchased a vw taos.Sales person ********* informed me and my wife that return policy would be unlimited miles 7 days. Within 5 days i went back because vehicle was way too small for my family of 4 to exchange it with something else.They said its above the 250miles and out of return policy and i will have to exchange it then. Found out they wanted me to purchase another vehicle and cannot return this one and basically im stuck.They refused to do a flat cancel or exchange.

  

  Business response

  11/04/2024

  Mr. ****** purchased a white VW Taos (*****************) 10/12 and attempted to return/exchange the vehicle 10/17. At that time, he was made aware he was over the 250 mi limitation to return as he put an additional 866 miles on the vehicle since purchase. 250 miles is the limitation for return or exchange so Mr. ****** exceed it by 616 miles. In order to still provide a positive experience for him and his family, the manager on duty gave him options of trading or purchasing a second unit. The guest decided to purchase a second vehicle. Attached are the details of the return policy that is printed and onilne for everyone's review.

• Initial Complaint

  10/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On July 30, 2024, I purchased a 2016 Infinity QX80, with ******* miles on it from ********* in ****** *******. After driving the vehicle for a week, I discovered the vehicle had a bad transmission, the transmission was slipping. It was later discovered to have metal in the fluid. I had to go out of town for a family emergency. On August 13, 2024, I contacted the dealership and advised them of the issues, as I was well within the 30 Day 1000 Mile Warranty. I was advised Echo Park did not service transmissions and to take the vehicle to and Infinity Dealership & use my Extended Warranty. I took the vehicle to Infinity South & discovered the vehicle had other issues, that should have been diagnosed during the 190 Point Inspection, prior to being put out for resale. The Spark Plugs needed to replaced, Air Filter needed to be replaced & the Brake Fluid needed to be changed. The repairs cost me $1,122.90 out of pocket, I contacted Echo Park & asked to be reimbursed. I was given back, $100.00 for my deductible for a total transmission replacement. I was advised Echo Park would not cover the other expenses. I was advised they would not pay dealership ********** should've contacted them prior to authorizing the additional repairs. I was advised I would've been referred to ******** for the additional repairs, because their prices were more reasonable. In addition, I was advised the time of the purchase, the Appearance Protection Plan and the Paintless Dent Repair Package, ($1,258.00) were part of the cost of the vehicle. I was told These charges were in lieu of the dealership handling fees. I have more information about the back and forth between myself and *********. 2000 characters was not enough to completely document this incident. I believe I have given the gist of the irresponsible and unprofessionalism I experienced. I did not get the vehicle, until 10-12-2024.I am respectfully requesting to be fully reimbursed for all out of pocket expenses. I have documentation.

  

  Business response

  11/02/2024

  While it is true that Echopark completes 190 point inspection on its vehicles, that is not a guarantee that said vehicle will be issue free. With that being said, Echopark will honor its 30day/1000 miles warrantee for said vehicle. However, that does require guest gives Echopark the opportunity to confirm the issue and decide on a plan of action. Unfortunately, Echopark did not get the opportunity to confirm the issues for the above complaint. And in this cases Echopark did inform the guest that Echopark does not pay or reimburse guest for any unauthorized services. Echopark will look into refunding some or all of the Paintless Dent repair package  and will reach to guest to follow up.

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  10/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased the vehicle on 8/22/24 and was made to pay $699 for permanent plate protection which supposedly is on all the vehicles they sell and was told this covers vehicle inside and out for staining. Filed a claim with permaplate for spots on black trim and was denied because they said the product was only applied to painted surfaces.Misleading information on something I was forced to buy even though I didnt want it. should never be forced to pay for add one especially if your unable to use them.

  

  Business response

  11/04/2024

  We have made contact with the guest and are resolving his issues with the vehicle.

• Initial Complaint

  10/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My mother bought a car with 2 bald tires on October 2nd in *********, **. My daughter was driving me to LA on October 11th for a funeral of a dear friend and we had a very bad blow out on the I-15. *** told us the two front tires were bad. We drove on a donut for over an hour and a half in traffic that was going 70 which is the speed limit on the 15. I want reimbursement for the 2 tires I had to buy. I also want to car rechecked because I have absolutely no confidence in your company.

  

  Business response

  10/22/2024

  Good morning.  We are sorry to hear that you encountered a tire issue on your vehicle.  We understand that it's never convenient to face a vehicle issue and are glad to hear your family is safe. Our team will be reaching out to assist with your tire issue.  Our EchoPark 190 point inspection photos are attached showing the tires were not bald and had plenty of tread on them.  From the photos you sent, it shows the tire was driven with lower pressure overheating the sidewall and causing the rupture.  It is always recommended to pull over to inspect tire condition if the low tire pressure light illuminates while driving.

• Initial Complaint

  10/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased my vehicle on March 8th,2024 and in August ******************************************************************************************** March ********************************************************************************* it was nothing then they said it was my radiator which they said they fixed now that my car is not working they will not try to assist me with the repairs they stated it is because I did not purchase the warranty which they tried to charge me $3,000 for I am a single parent and the only income I only bring home $1,200 a month with no assistance and it is difficult trying to pay for the repair as well as household items and this is a major inconvenience the dealership was also extremely rude whenever I called

  

  Business response

  10/21/2024

  Spoke with Mrs. ******* about her situation. Let her know she is out of the 30-days/1k mi warranty EchoPark provides at no additional charge to our guests. She also stated she declined the vehicle service contract because of the price. I let her know we are well outside of the parameters where EchoPark has to assist however, understood her situation and want to help. I offered to get wholesale parts pricing for her to decrease the cost of the repair and offered to provide our price for labor instead of inflated dealer pricing. I also offered for her to pay for the repair on a credit card even though it would surpass our normal $500 limit. While Mrs. ******* said she could not afford to pay any repair, I committed to getting pricing for her just in case she can come up with the money.

  Customer response

  10/21/2024

   
  I am rejecting this response because: Although I understand that I am well outside my limit of the 30 day warranty I did bring this concern to them several times within that time frame and even as soon as a few days after purchasing and still nothing was done this incident has caused me loss of wages due to the lack of transportation as well as my daughter having to miss school again and even the emotional trauma of being discriminated against by an uber driver I am well aware of the 30 day warranty but if something was said prior to when I initially brought my vehicle to them for a diagnosis then all of this could have been prevented again I do not have the financial resources to deal with this situation on my own any longer 
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I came to the dealership. While I had made an appointment they seemed like they had no idea who I was and scrambled to find someone to help me. While my salesperson was GREAT, stayed after hours to help us. The problem is coming from the finance side of things. I bought my car over a week ago. It is still not showing up with Georgia on top of them asking me why I dropped insurance on my other car. My temp tag expires this month good for only a few weeks vs any other time they have been 45 day tags. I keep trying to make an online account for my lender and it cant find it so I call them and they say that everything has not been sent to them yet and thats why the loan has not been funded. Now I dont know what to do when my paperwork says I have to make a payment around the first of Nov and its already the 16th and Im worried about how to make my payment since they have yet to finish work. On top of this I am having to repair the hood of the jeep that I bought due to paint damage that the website says they repair before selling the cars, along with a dent in the fender when the website says "we repair all dents" I did not see this as it was at night but the pics listed you can see it since I know its there now. On top of that the website says problems with the inside are took care of as well but the back seat has a tear that I did not see until the daylight and the DASH is horrible. Going to cost me $1500 to replace quoted by a **** dealership that I am going to have to pay out of pocket along with the hood and fender that cost me $1768. New paint and a whole new fender due to the dent.

  

  Business response

  10/21/2024

  This guest is not in our system, and we dont have any records of them on file. We reached out to the individual via phone/text but they dont have voicemail set up and were unable to connect with them to get more information.

  Customer response

  10/21/2024

   
  I am rejecting this response because:
  They reached out - said that it was sent to the atlanta dealership and not the one in ********** and that someone would reachout to me. They never did. I have made numerous attempts to contact them and they have not returned my calls or emails.  

  

  Business response

  10/24/2024

  To Whom it May Concern:

   

  Mr ***** and I connected to review his concerns and have come to a solution. 

  The concern regarding his loan, being able to make his first payment has been resolved. Mr. ***** is able to login to his account and see the status and information regarding his auto loan. 

  The concern regarding his registration has been resolved. Mr. ***** got information from EchoParks Tag and Title team, as well as connected with his local DMV to ensure that he has what is needed to register his vehicle. 

  The concern regarding the crack in the windshield has been resolved. Mr. ***** stated it was more of a chip, and could have been done on the drive home. Regardless, his insurance covers this with no deductible to resolve this problem if it does turn into a crack. 

  The concern regarding the issue of the leather in the rear seat has been resolved. Mr. ***** shared that it was not a puncture, rip, or tear. Therefore there is nothing that we could fix since there is no hole. I explained that being a used vehicle, there is natural wear and tear on the vehicle. And due to it not being rip or tear, we would not be able tor repair. 

  The concern regarding the fender dents and scratches has been resolved. Mr. ***** stated that the scratches look to have been attempted to be buffed out. The dents are small and can only be seen in certain lighting. I explained that being a used vehicle, EchoParks standards would not have us fix dents that are below a certain size and not visible among direct line of sight. Mr. ***** understood. 

   The concern of the dashboard is something that we are going to find a solution. It is bubbled up and pealing due to being leather. This does not meet our standards. We are working with some local vendors to find the best solution to improve how this looks. Mr. ***** got a local quote and we are doing the same to see the best route to go. This will be addressed and improved. 

   

• Initial Complaint

  10/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am an active duty uniformed service member that was in the process of ****** to Europe on *** orders. I needed to sell my Nissan Rogue and Echo Park offered the best deal. Around the 22nd of July I was able to sell the car to ********* and to my dismay, in late August I received a ***** envelope with some paperwork that needed to be sent back indicating the *** was still in my name. I completed the paperwork and sent it back from the closest ***** location I was able to find. If you look closely at the document, I signed/completed everything that was asked of me, as indicated by the "Sign Here" tabs on the document. On 10 October, I received an email indicating that documentation was needed to take the *** needed to be taken out of my name. ***** tracking indicated that the person in the email requesting a DMV document be completed was the one who signed for the ***** drop off. I submitted screenshots and pictures to them via email. The tune changed and the person indicated over the telephone that there was some internal conflict with document completion, and their staff wrote on the document; which in turn, invalidated the document. The representative informed me of this via telephone call, upon request of an emailed explanation reiterating why paperwork needed to be completed again...the representative did not reply by the time this complaint was drafted and submitted. This appears to be a negligent business practice and without further investigation on my part made this whole situation appear to be fraudulent. Screenshots included. I am in ****** and calling stateside starts to cost money, not to mention ***** drop-offs are not common in the area where I am stationed.

  

  Business response

  10/14/2024

  Thank you for your valued feedback and patients as we work through this process together. We will continue to be in contact with you during this process to ensure transparency and completion of paperwork. If you have any other questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.   

• Initial Complaint

  10/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I bought a car middle of July at Echopark ********* and was offered the protection plan. However, I declined all the offers and we thought the salesman (****** *******, if I remember correctly) understood it. We told him that it is out of budget and he stopped trying to offer it not once but after several times we have rejected it. He also offered an employee discount for it that he can use but we respectfully declined because we really dont need it. Little did we know that he did not follow what we have asked from him. When we signed the contract, we asked him why there is still a charge of the protection plans and he told us that it is just to put something in the contract for the warranty and no way to remove it. I was fixing papers for the car to follow up on the plates since I have not received it yet until now. While going through the papers, i found out that I have paid a total of $2346.00 (699+649+499+499) and that all the protection plans were added - catalytic converter anti theft, dent protection, paint protection, permaplate etch and surface protection which we definitely do not need, i only noticed that he added them all when I went through all the papers and the protection plan details page was included in the envelope and it wasnt showed to us when I bought the car so I did not have an idea that it was added. This is clearly fraud and them deceiving customers to their advantage. I trusted that they will be honest because of the reviews online but when I went here at BBB website and check their reviews, other customers experienced the same. I demand that all these fees and interest from the fees be taken off our bill as we have not asked for it in the first place.

  

  Business response

  10/14/2024

  Thank you for your valued business and feedback. We are sorry to hear that your experience did not live up to your expectations. We attempted to reach you to further discuss this matter but were unable to reach you. Please return our call at your earliest convenience so we can attempt to resolve this matter. 

  Customer response

  10/18/2024

   
  I am rejecting this response because:
  They wouldnt refund the whole amount for the add-ons that we did not ask for in the first place and is unused. This is UNFAIR and UNACCEPTABLE 

• Initial Complaint

  10/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I am writing to file a formal complaint due to the denial of warranty coverage for my 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which I purchased used in July. Despite driving less than ***** miles since the purchase, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic engine failure.The issue first arose when the check engine light turned on two months after my purchase. I promptly attempted to schedule an appointment with the authorized **** dealership to address this issue. Unfortunately, the earliest available appointment was a month away. I did not operate the vehicle after the check engine light came on, and I received no overheating warnings from the vehicle's systems.Regrettably, the engine failed before the dealership could inspect it. When I submitted a warranty claim, it was denied on the grounds of supposed engine overheatinga condition that was neither indicated by any vehicle warning systems nor caused by any action on my part. This denial has left me with a non-operational vehicle and significant financial strain, without support from the dealership or the manufacturer.I believe this situation points to a severe oversight in terms of vehicle inspection and service responsiveness, as well as an unfair application of warranty terms. The failure to promptly service the vehicle upon the activation of the check engine light, coupled with the unsubstantiated claim of overheating as the cause of the engine failure, suggests that I was sold a vehicle with undisclosed pre-existing issues.I request that the relevant oversight body investigate this matter thoroughly and assist in mediating this dispute with the dealership and manufacturer. I am prepared to provide all relevant documentation to support my claims and seek a fair resolution.Thank you for your attention to this matter.

  

  Business response

  10/16/2024

  Jasnil Prasad, we are glad we were able to connect to discuss and attempt to resolve this matter over the phone. We will continue to be in contact with you as we work towards a solution. 

  Customer response

  10/16/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Thank you. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On August 31, 2024, I went to ****************** to explore the possibility of purchasing a used C300. I was charged a $699 fee for an appearance protection plan, which was clearly marked as optional in the contract. Despite this, the staff insisted that the plan was mandatory and could not be excluded from the purchase, claiming it was necessary for the sale. They also mentioned that a product had been applied to the car's interior and exterior, but the manager was unable to provide any proof of this application or details about the product used. The PermaPlate warranty paperwork explicitly states that purchasing this protection plan is not required for financing, leasing, or buying a vehicle. After using the car for a month, I find the $699 service to be of no value and continue to believe that it was forced as part of the sale. This approach contradicts fair business practices.

  

  Business response

  10/23/2024

  Mr. ** visited our dealership on several occasions in which we discussed this issue at length prior to his purchasing the vehicle. We discussed that our vehicle, with all fees included, was less than what he could purchase it for anywhere else. After leaving that night to think it over he returned the next day to purchase the vehicle. We provided him with copies of everything he signed including the appearance protection product. We are happy to provide him with additional copies. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩