Fenway Auto

Fenway Auto Company tried to scam me, FINALLY GOT CAUGHT Haverhill, Massachusetts

4th of Jun, 2011 by User357461

A couple months back me and my GF were interested in buying a car which we saw at this business. The owner told us to head to their so called other location just over the state line to get the deal done. LUCKILY, my gf decided that she didn't want that car, and it didn't dawn on us until now that we almost got ripped off.... IF YOU HAVE BEEN SCAMMED BY THIS COMPANY CALL THE POLICE, AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS IN BOSTON, MA Today in the news: http://www.eagletribune.com/haverhill/x1517689205/Last-chance-for-used-car-dealer HAVERHILL City officials are promising to revoke the license of a well-known used-car dealer with a history of disputes with customers if they receive one more complaint against him over the next year. Police say they have responded to Fenway Auto Park of Haverhill at 1175 Main St. numerous times to investigate disputes between customers and dealership owner Robert Kalil. Problems include failure to return deposits, issues with sale contracts, and possible violations of the state's Lemon Law. Joseph Edwards, chairman of the city's License Commission that oversees used-car dealerships, said he and other city and state officials have received numerous complaints from consumers about Kalil. The commission has given Kalil one-year probation and one infraction will cost him his dealership. "We gave you a license to sell cars in Haverhill, and we can just as easily take it away," Edwards said to Kalil at a commission hearing Thursday. "You've had many consumer complaints, and they can't all be wrong and you're right." But Kalil said he has recently made many policy and personnel changes at his dealership, including firing the store's manager and hiring a second mechanic, to eliminate problems. "My police problems are over," Kalil said. Kalil said his dealership does a large volume of business and that satisfied customers greatly outnumber those with complaints a characterization disputed by police Sgt. Robert Pistone. "Four members of our command staff couldn't believe how badly this woman was treated," Pistone said. "They want something done about this guy. People are being bullied and jerked around and it has to stop." Pistone was referring to a woman who paid Kalil $5,000 cash Feb. 26 for a 2001 Maxima. But, according to a police report, when the woman returned to take delivery of the vehicle, a salesman told her the company was not making enough money on the deal and she needed to provide a trade-in vehicle to complete the sale. The woman provided police with a receipt showing she paid $5,000 for the vehicle in full and it made no mention of needing a trade-in. The woman insisted on taking the car, but a manager told her to take back her money and leave. Kalil threatened to have her escorted off the property, the report says. "The bottom line was that Kalil was refusing to turn the vehicle over and (Kalil) told her to 'take me to court,'" according to the report written by Officer Lance Dawkins. When the woman agreed to take her money back, Kalil allegedly gave her only $4,000 and said she could get the remaining $1,000 at a later date. Kalil also tried to get the woman to accept a receipt that said she was given all her money back, the report says. When he visited the dealership to investigate, Dawkins said the salesman appeared "very nervous" and could not answer why he refused to deliver the vehicle or there was no purchase and sale agreement despite the fact that money had changed hands. "He was sweating and stammering and at one point handed a phone to Officer Dawkins," the police report said. "Officer Dawkins took the phone and answered 'Haverhill Police.' Whoever was on the phone seemed surprised and asked 'who is this?' Officer Dawkins again stated 'Haverhill Police' and the line was silent. ...(The salesman) made the comment that it was the owner but who knows. It appeared (the salesman) was stalling." "Perhaps no laws were violated, but the dealership appeared just on the brink and certainly deceptive," Dawkins wrote. Edwards said he also received at least one complaint from someone who said Kalil tried to get him to complete the sale in New Hampshire, which has no Lemon Laws covering used cars a practice which the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation cited against Kalil in 2009. In that case, a customer said when he purchased his truck at the dealership on upper Main Street in Haverhill, a salesman from the store made him drive across the New Hampshire line to a Plaistow dealership to sign papers for the sale. When that customer tried to return his truck under the Massachusetts Lemon Law, Kalil told him the law didn't apply because the vehicle was purchased in New Hampshire, according to the office of consumer affairs. Robert Duffer of Andover also attended Thursday's meeting to talk about his bad experience of buying a car from Fenway on March 3. Three weeks after he purchased it, Duffer said, he began to have problems with the vehicle. He said Kalil would not repair it and that he has complained to the state Attorney General's Office and taken court action against Kalil to try to get his money back. "My vehicle doesn't even run, and I'm not sure it's even repairable now," Duffer said. Kalil said he sold Duffer a 12-year-old vehicle and that it passed inspection when it was sold. He said he paid to repair it once, but that when it broke down a second time, Duffer refused to take it to the garage where Kalil has his vehicles repaired. Kalil said that under the state's Lemon Law, he only has to guarantee vehicles with over 80,000 miles for one month. He said his refund policies are similar to those of other used-car dealerships in the area. "A lot of people try to bring the car back for repairs or a refund after 30 days, and that's where the problems come in," Kalil said. "Sometimes I still will pay for the repairs because I want happy customers because that's the best advertising and because I want repeat customers." License Commissioner Gerald Sewell wanted to immediately revoke Kalil's license to sell used cars, but is colleagues voted to put Kalil on probation for one year. "We're going to watch you and if there's one more problem, we'll revoke you and we're serious," Commissioner Thomas Sullivan told Kalil. After hearing from police and customers, Edwards asked police to immediately let the commission know if they hear about any more problems or consumer complaints against Kalil or Fenway Auto.

Track this Report 0 Comment | Post a Comment