ComplaintsforCloninger Ford of Hickory

• Initial Complaint

  09/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid my car off with ********* on July 29th (2018 Dodge Charger) Ive contacted my *** insurance and sent all necessary documents to get a refund on my *** coverage. My *** insurance company (First Automotive) sent all documents to Cloninger **** in Hickory **. The problem ** having with Cloninger **** is, They refuse to send my refund unless I drive 3 hours to the dealership to sign a request form in order to start the refund process. I was told by the *** insurance company that no signature is required because the policy has already been canceled. I also called Cloninger **** in Salisbury and they said they cant process the claim cuz I didnt buy the car there. The guy also said hes never heard of having to sign a form to request a refund after the insurance company has forwarded all the info to a dealership. ***** at First Automotive also called Cloninger **** in Hickory to find out why they refused to send my refund check and they sent her to a voicemail. The bottom line is, they know I live 3 hours away and they are using that as an excuse to not pay me. I cant just drive 3 hours away to beg them to give me my refund check. The *** representative and manager at Cloninger **** in Salisbury say theres no need for me to drive 3 hours to sign a piece of paper in order to (APPLY) for my *** refund Im work long hours and dont have time to drop what im doing to drive 3 hours for a refund.. I want what is rightfully mine. The check is a lil over $500 from what the *** representative said ******************* ************************************************ VIN *****************

• Initial Complaint

  05/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Purchased a NEW vehicle from Cloninger Ford of Hickory on 11/29/2019. Questioned the salesman (***** *****) extensively about the title, the mileage (>700), and the warranty. Was assured that warranty started on the day of SALE, that this was a NEW vehicle, and there were NO previous titles or owners. Try to have some warranty work done on the vehicle in May of 2022, and I am told that the factory warranty expired 4/30/2022. The dealership must have activated the warranty before the sale.I have called and emailed everyday since I discovered this and no one has ever gotten back to me. All I need them to do is change a date in the ***** system. ***** Palm is the general manager that has the ability to do this and he refuses to talk with me.

  Business response

  06/13/2022

  The Expedition the customer purchased was new and untitled when they purchased it. The vehicle was a previous Courtesy Transportation vehicle which are used sometimes when customers bring their vehicle in for extended service visits. When a vehicle gets added to the **** program with **** the dealership is to report the vehicle which activates the warranty.  Going into Oasis and changing the delivery date is not an option. If the customer would like to reach out to me directly I would be glad to see what I can do about getting involved with **** to see if we can extend some assistance. I apologize about any confusion with the warranty start date in reference to this issue. Please contact me so I can try to get some sort of resolution. Thanks

   

  ***** Palm

  General Manager

  Cloninger Ford of Hickory

  *************

• Initial Complaint

  04/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Bought 2018 ram 2500 49k miles. *** steering and brake issues. I take to dealer and they say no issues thats a lie I have an identical truck that doesnt make these noise nor have brake seized on it. Brakes in rear where locking up on way home this past Sunday. ***** in service hung phone up after I wouldnt accept there isnt an issue poor customer ********************** Ill be reaching out to local news stations as well as lawyer

• Initial Complaint

  03/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I bought a 2012 f150 January 17th2022. Its march 17th now Ive already payed the truck off and the truck is still registered to the previous owner. They have registered the truck. Transferred the license plate or fixed the truck like was agreed to in the paper work

• Initial Complaint

  01/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On December 18th I attempted to purchase a 2013 ******* ******** I traded in my 2010 Lexus Rx 350 and put a ******* dollar down payment on the car and signed all the paperwork and was able to dive the car home. The finance company that preapproved my deal fell through because the car had mechanical issues and I was told to return the car back to the dealership. Upon returning the car the dealership offered to repair the car so that I could obtain the loan. I declined their offer to fix the vehicle to avoid the risk of further complications. I told the dealership that I wanted my Lexus back since the deal was off. At that time I was informed by the finance manager at Cloninger **** in Hickory that they had made several repairs to my car prior to receiving funding for the new car. I was shown a **** in the amount of 2900$ for maintenance work completed and advised that I would not get my *******$ down payment back because of this. I never agreed to such terms and I feel like they owe me a full refund because this was no fault of my own. Also, I only received 1 key back to my Lexus when they were given 2 keys at the time it was traded. My OBD GPS and my jumper cables was removed from my Lexus and never given back upon the return of my car. I am requesting a refund of ******* for the down payment paid, lost key, and my personal items never returned after the deal fell through and I am seeking help from this process before moving forward with a civil demand.

• Initial Complaint

  12/30/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This dealership continues to call me at least once per week trying to sell me a car. I have told them numerous times that I am not interested and to stop the harassing phone calls, yet they continue to have different employees call from different numbers to try to sell me a car. I am tired of the harassment from Cloninger *****

• Initial Complaint

  10/13/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  The mechanic shop has had my 03 expedition since August. It wouldn't crank and so I investigated issue myself and a lock ***** told me it was my "pcm" so had it towed to ***** Was told that the part would be $600 and labor would be $300. Weeks go by-I call them...short answers, but ultimately car isn't done yet. So during all these weeks that go by in talking with multiple peopl(other than the first person I talked to whom had to be out for covid) During this time I find out that the pcm didn't work for my ************ asking ******* (one of the workers who took over while ****** was out with covid)does he think **** could of sent a bad part...he said 'thats possible'. So ******* asked me did I want to come and get my car-I asked 'well its not fixed is it' he says "NO" so I say get it fixed. So ****** comes back to work calls me and tells me the part they used wouldn't sync with my vehicle and that the part was USED and they want me to pay for 10hrs of work with nothing to show for it

• Initial Complaint

  09/21/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My husband and I have been back and forth with Cloninger all for over two months over the vehicle we had purchased. It is very clear that the vehicle that was sold to us had issues prior to us purchasing it. When addressed in the beginning it was told it was an oil overflow and it would dissipate. Two weeks after being told it was the oil, while driving with my children, the vehicle starts sputtering and continuously blowing thick, white smoke from the exhaust. We did not feel safe to drive the vehicle any longer, so we contact **** to let him know and he informs us that he was told it would eventually go away as well, we had taken it to a ****** dealership closer to home and they told us that is was obviously very bad and due to the warranty with Cloninger, it would be better to take it to you all. Over two months later and three inconvenient loaners, in which the one we currently have now has the engine light on. As soon as it came on, we had contacted them and now still no word.

  Customer response

  09/24/2021

  After receiving the statement from the BBB, Cloninger never reached out until I had sent an email to the General Manager who has not spoken to us throughout the whole process but instead having a sales manager named Damian trying to work with us. After speaking to Damian on the phone, he did not seem to completely understand how to resolve the problem and instead telling us that "in the end we no longer have to deal with each other" and that "they do not have to resolve the problem due to NC buy back laws". I do not think they will be in any hurry to resolve the issue.

  Customer response

  09/27/2021

  Consumer indicated they have heard from the company, but the issue has not been resolved. Comments follow below:
  Cloninger had contacted us to offer a new purchase with "a better deal". On 9/27 after traveling over an hour to the dealership, they offer a much smaller for our family, and more expensive option. We would have to go through the entire buying process and damage our credit further. We take yet another loaner, for the time being. We call to the Nissan dealership that they had previously stated the vehicle was located. They tell us Cloninger has had the vehicle for over a month. We call Cloninger again and ask about the vehicle, they tell us that the car is basically unsalvageable and we won't be seeing it again. That was the first time we had heard that. Not only had the continuously lied to us about the status of the vehicle but had never once mentioned that is was a lost cause.

  Business response

  10/06/2021

  We have given these customers vehicles to drive while we have had their Nissan in the Service Dept and we have also tried to trade the customer out of the Nissan but due to their credit history and the strict guidelines from the banks that will approve them they declined the alternative vehicles.  Their vehicle is currently here and ready for them to pick up or if they prefer we can deliver it to them.  A NC DMV officer was also here yesterday due to a complaint from this customer and we provided all documentation that was asked by the DMV officer that cleared us of any wrong doing.  Again..I will be glad to trade the customer out of this vehicle or see if we could possibly get better financing terms with a more qualified co-applicant.  Thanks

  Customer response

  10/10/2021

   
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely, ******* ********

  Business response

  10/26/2021

  Cloninger Ford of Hickory has made every attempt to make this situation right for the customer including trading them out of the vehicle and at this point I am not sure what else I can do to help this customer.

• Initial Complaint

  08/15/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  After purchasing a vehicle from Cloninger Ford on July 12th, 2021, we had noticed a white cloud of smoke emerging from the exhaust. We called Cloninger and they stated that it was because there was too much oil, resulting in the thick white smoke. Two weeks go by, still expressing the smoke, and while driving with three young children in the back, the vehicle begins stalling and the smoke does not stop coming from the exhaust. I call them and they tell me to bring it in. Being they are a Ford dealer and they sold us a Nissan, we took it to a Nissan dealership to get a second opinion and after losing trust in Cloninger. Since it is under warranty we had taken it back to Cloninger and they had no idea who we were or the problem after multiple phone calls. They told us it would be atleast a week for all of the service workers were on vacation just like the manager who I spoke to previously. It has now been two weeks without a word from them.

• Initial Complaint

  08/11/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I bought the vehicle from this dealer it was a 2011 Toyota Tundra I also purchased a gap insurance through them as well I totaled the vehicle and gap refuses to pay for there part because they say they are denying me due to the fact that the truck previously had a salvage title which I knew about when I bought the truck and so did they because they took the monthly payments and they had the VIN so they knew everything about the truck the gap needs to do there job it took them 2 months just to deny me I wrecked on May 26, 2021 and they didn't tell me until the end of July they need to do there job so I can get this behind me

  Business response

  08/26/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/08/13) */ I am sincerely sorry for the issues you have had since your total loss. First of all I hope nobody was hurt. Secondly, I was able to reach out to the GAP company and have been informed by them that they are going to push everything through as the contract was designed. Everything on their end will be pushed through today 8-13-2021 and should be approved by Monday 8-16-2021. It will take a little extra time for the policy to actually pay out but I can assure you the process is started. Thank you ***** P*** General Manager ********* **** of Hickory Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2021/08/14) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) I accept because they have got the GAP to do what they are supposed to do

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