ComplaintsforCarlton Motorcars, Inc

• Initial Complaint

  08/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I leased a. Shucks from this dealership. The salesperson lied about details of the car ( real leather and real wood interior). The car was delivered with a horrible smell which they later explained that was due to it coming from the Mercedes’ plant in South Africa and they user lesser quality in the “ cheaper cars”. I was promised if I ever needed a loaner car that I would be given a Mercedes’ yet when I got a flat and needed a loaner they gave me a filthy beat up Jeep Compass. When I leased the vehicle I was told if I ever got a flat to NEVER get it patched or plugged, only to replace the tire because they are run-flat tires ( and that I confirmed with several Other Mercedes’ dealerships and online and with several tire manufactures) yet when I got a flat they simply patched my tire. When I questioned it, they said “ it was fine to simply patch it”. When I called a few days later for a receipt of the work that had been done on my tire, they had no record of work being done and no one return my calls about it. I sold the car back to them because I did. It trust their ethics or the car/tire any longer, they were unfair in price but then placed it on the lot for a huge profit!

  Customer response

  09/03/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  The dealership never responded back to my questions and concerns about the letter they have sent me.  I completed the docusign for the $840 for the refund of the sent package I a paid for ( by law they have to return that) but they never responded to receiving the docusign ( and I requested confirmation) nor did they respond to my rejection of them not refunding my down payment.  I have heard nothing from them since that letter was sent to me. 
  
  
  Regards,
  *** ******

  Customer response

  09/06/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *** ******

  

  Business response

  09/07/2022

  August 31, 2022
  
  VIA USPS FIRST CLASS MAIL & EMAIL
  
  Better Business Bureau
  Upstate South Carolina
  408 North Church Street, Suite C
  Greenville, SC 29601
  
  RE: *** ******
  Complaint ID: ********
  
  To whom it may concern:
  
  Thank you for your letter and giving us the opportunity to respond. Carlton Motorcars, Inc. (hereafter,
  “Carlton”) respectfully responds as follows:
  
  The complaint *** ****** filed with your office is without merit, evidence, and each of her accusations
  are hereby denied. Her complaints and allegations against Carlton are inconsistent, drawn out of
  context, and grossly mischaracterize events. In many cases, Ms. ******’s allegations are conclusions of
  law. Carlton has gone above and beyond at every request by Ms. ******.
  
  1. Ms. ****** was never told that her vehicle was equipped with real leather, and multiple records
  of fitted equipment were made available to her prior to purchase which include the federally
  mandated Monroney sticker and the vehicle’s “build sheet” she signed and received a copy of
  on May 24, 2022. Ms. ******’s new car also had the same upholstered seats as her 2021 trade-
  in. The wood trim was disclosed in the same manner. Carlton exceeded state and federal law in
  disclosing equipment and pricing to Ms. ******.
  
  2. Ms. ****** was never told the “smell” in her vehicle was due to it coming from South Africa or
  because it was cheap. Even though Carlton inspected and found the car to be as designed on
  several occasions, we completed a second detail at no charge as a gesture of good will. Ms.
  ****** even complimented Chris C*******, detail manager, for how well he did. Ms. ****** also
  told her salesperson that her parking garage had an odor of garbage, residual vehicle emissions,
  and dust in the parking garage where she lives. Perhaps, the parking garage air is the cause of
  the smell in her vehicle.
  
  3. Carlton provides loaners, and our policy was explained in detail to Ms. ****** on multiple
  occasions. Unfortunately, during COVID all dealers faced a significant shortage of inventory, so
  Carlton worked with an outside rental company to provide transportation to our clients.
  Unfortunately, we are still at the mercy of rental car companies on their vehicle availability, so a
  
  Ms. *** ******
  pg. 2
  August 31, 2022
  
  customer may receive a Honda, Toyota, Jeep, etc. Please see the attached letter to Ms. ******
  dated August 16, 2022.
  
  4. We repaired Ms. ******’s tire according to the specifications of the tire manufacturer. Had Ms.
  ****** requested and paid for a new tire, one would have been installed for her. Please see the
  attached letter to Ms. ****** dated August 16, 2022.
  
  5. Ms. ****** has been provided duplicate receipts of all relevant repair orders during her
  ownership. Please see the attached letter to Ms. ****** dated August 16, 2022.
  
  6. Ms. ******’s claim that Carlton did not return her calls or otherwise failed to communicate with
  her is without merit or proof and is expressly denied. Ms. ****** has had several recorded
  conversations with dealership staff including three calls on July 26, two calls on July 27, once on
  August 1, and once on August 3. Ms. ****** had many contacts with Carlton staff prior to her
  selling her vehicle, and there are dozens of text messages between Ms. ****** and Carlton staff
  to substantiate this. None indicate a lack of communication. On August 16, 2022, Carlton
  employees were advised to cease all contact with Ms. ****** amid her unfounded threats of
  legal action and defamatory personal attacks on Carlton employees.
  
  7. Ms. ****** sold Carlton her vehicle because she wanted an Audi. The transaction was negotiated
  at arm’s length and in good faith. Ms. ****** took leave from the dealership to think it over,
  calling later to accept the offer via recorded call. Ms. ******’s enthusiasm to conduct a second
  transaction with Carlton is at odds with her statement that she didn’t “trust [Carlton’s] ethics”.
  Her claim that Carlton acted unethically is baseless.
  
  8. Ms. ******’s conclusion that Carlton was unfair in pricing is unfounded. To the extent Ms. ******
  felt this way, she never communicated this to Carlton during any negotiations. In fact, Ms.
  ****** did not accuse Carlton of being unfair until her email dated August 11, 2022 – 15 days
  after she sold Carlton her vehicle. Carlton at all times acted reasonably, in good faith, and at no
  time acted illegally or unethically. Furthermore, Carlton was under no obligation – legally or as a
  Mercedes-Benz franchise requirement – to repurchase Ms. ******’s vehicle from her.
  
  9. Ms. ****** lacks any proof that Carlton placed her car “on the lot for a huge profit”. Ms. ******
  lacks material details regarding expenses involved in the reconditioning, certification,
  advertisement, and the final selling price of her vehicle. As a banker, Ms. ****** should also
  notice that Carlton is a for-profit business. Like banks, Carlton reasonably expects to earn a
  profit on its transactions.
  
  10. It would have been nice if Ms. ****** had mentioned to you that the day of her flat tire, that
  Carlton had our roadside assistance vehicle and a technician to her in less than 15 minutes
  instead of having her vehicle towed. This is but one more example of how Carlton went above
  and beyond for her.
  
  Ms. ******’s bad faith claims lack any evidence and amount to nothing more than seller’s remorse for
  which there is no legal remedy. At no time did Carlton break any law or franchise requirement, and Ms.
  ****** had no obligation to sell Carlton her vehicle. To the extent Ms. ****** would like to pursue this
  matter further, Carlton respectfully requests Ms. ****** provide some proof to substantiate her claims. I
  
  Ms. *** ******
  pg. 2
  August 31, 2022
  
  have also enclosed the letter I sent to Ms. ****** on August 16, 2022 in response to her previous
  complaints.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  
  
  Matthew *. S*******
  General Manager
  
  Enclosures

*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. ↩