ComplaintsforBoucher Chevrolet, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  10/11/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a vehicle in 2018 with advertised low miles (48K). Since, then the vehicle has needed over $9K in repairs, in addition to paying for a vehicle warranty at purchase. On September 2021, I received a letter from the ******************************* stating that the vehicle in question was involved in a odometer tampering scheme. The vehicle report (from Carfax) shows a June 2013 mile record of *****, however, the vehicle was purchased by dealer in 2017 with ****** miles. ****** did not question how or why a vehicle would only acquire ***** additional miles in 3 years. Per the Federal agent, in November of 2017, the vehicle actually had ******* miles. Federal agent suggested I call and speak with General Sales Manager. I called *** Paolo September 2021 and after I explained the situation and asked for options, he told me that the dealer was a victim and didn't offer any options. Additionally, he questioned the truthfulness of the letter and rushed me off the phone.

  

  Business response

  11/17/2021

  We have done a deep dive on this situation in an attempt to determine exactly what happened and better understand where and when the odometer fraud likely occurred even though that is, even with the benefit of hindsight, extremely difficult to do.  Because we are not experts in this area and simply did not commit any act of odometer tampering, we contacted Mr. ************************ ****** odometer fraud investigator, and shared with him our observations and wanted to know from him what his findings show as far the transactions that occurred prior to our purchasing the vehicle from the auction. **************** confirmed that there were a number of transactions that occurred in the months prior to our involvement as follows: Libertyville Chevrolet purchased from PJ ******************* and then sold it to S&M Autobrokers Auto Brokers, who sold it to our dealership. 

  
  

  Based upon his extensive research, **************** stated that the odometer fraud most likely occurred before the vehicle was purchased by Libertyville Chevrolet in November 2017.  **************** explained that fraudsters scour the market for vehicles that have large gaps in the vehicle history on Carfax/Autocheck - specifically where mileage is not shown on the report for a number of years.  This definitely was the case here. See attached Carfax report which shows a gap in mileage of more than four years from ****** miles on 06/18/2013 to ****** miles on 11/16/2017.  Because there could be a number of rational and reasonable explanations for such a small increase in miles and because the vehicle was purchased and sold three times before Boucher acquired the vehicle from Manheim, a very reputable auction company, ****************, based upon his vast experience, agrees with us as confirmed below in his email that, "I also view the Boucher dealership, as a victim in my criminal odometer fraud investigation, in that I suspect they bought and then sold this vehicle not knowing it was a rollback"  and further that "the Boucher Group dealership is not and was not ever a subject in my criminal investigation of odometer tampering."  

  
  

  For what it is worth, we purchased the vehicle for $11,075 (see Manheim documents attached below) and before selling it to **************** did the following work based upon the ********* State-mandated safety inspection: replaced a master window switch, performed a "brake job" including replacing front pads and rotors, diagnosed, repaired and replaced an A/C condenser and added refrigerant, re-programmed a key fob, mounted and balanced four (4) new tires, replaced the battery, fixed/replaced the left and right rear door speakers, replaced license plate lamp and right headlamp bulbs and paid  battery and tire disposal fees. (See the inspection report attached) as well as another maintenance repair and a ****** comprising three separate presale repair orders.  For this work, our service department charged our sales department a total of $3,232.48.  So, you can see that Boucher's profit on the sale of the vehicle was only $473.52.  This fact alone supports the argument that we, too, are victims here along with ***************.  

  
  

  Nonetheless in spite of our innocence, given that **************** is our customer, we have taken into consideration the burden imposed upon her and her family because of the fraud committed by another party.  While we are not admitting any fault or liability, Boucher is willing to make a good faith payment to the customer of $500.  Please share this response and goodwill offer with ****************.  In return, please also tell her we hope she will appreciate that gesture during the upcoming Holiday Season and ask only that she and her family continue to be our valued customers. Kindly, let us know what she says.

  
  

  Thank you,

  
  

  ***

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