Faulkner Buick GMC

Approximately two years ago, we purchased a 2017 Ford Escape from your dealership. During the purchasing process, I observed certain issues with the vehicle, specifically gaps in the passenger rear door and loose interior plastic at the bottom. When I brought these concerns to the attention of the sales representative, I was assured the vehicle had not been in an accident. Despite visible issues, the salesperson adamantly denied any accident history, even attributing the car's trade-in origin to a family member of the sales manager or another employee. Trusting the dealership’s integrity, we moved forward with the purchase. The door issue was initially repaired but recurred within weeks, requiring excessive force to open due to the same interior plastic catching. When we contacted the dealership, John Simonelli, the General Manager, offered to inspect the vehicle and address the issue in your body shop. Given our distance from the dealership—an hour to an hour and a half away—this was a significant inconvenience. However, we trusted the dealership's word and refrained from pursuing the matter further at that time. Subsequently, a local mechanic confirmed the vehicle had likely been in an accident, citing signs such as "orange peel" on the paint. Despite this, we opted to keep the vehicle until recently, when we attempted to trade it in. The inspecting dealership confirmed the passenger-side door had clearly been involved in an accident, a finding that not only validated our earlier concerns but also could also diminished the vehicle's trade-in value. At this point, we were advised to contact Faulkner regarding the vehicle’s undisclosed accident history. I reached out to Mr. Simonelli and, while he promptly returned my call, his tone and level of professionalism were disappointing. When we reiterated our concerns and the impact of the undisclosed accident on the vehicle’s trade-in value, he appeared dismissive. He referenced a possible KBB value in excellent shape of around 8100 or so and that if the dealership I was working with was offering me $8,300 to take it. The new dealership WAS NOT OFFERING ME THAT, they said that would be the value in Excellent shape. Mr. Simonelli misunderstood what I said, or I did not articulate it well enough. I clearly stated our expectation that Faulkner Buick GMC West Chester, INC. take responsibility by repurchasing the vehicle and covering the outstanding balance, given the deceptive information provided at the time of sale. Despite my explanation, Mr. Simonelli diverted the discussion to irrelevant matters, such as the age of the purchaser. When I inquired about the relevance of this, he responded with some junk about well if they are minor... What does that have to do with anything !!! He then dismissed our request entirely, stating that the dealership would not take any action. When I mentioned that we would pursue legal avenues, his previously unprofessional demeanor further deteriorated, and he responded in an argumentative manner. Almost to the point of I bet you won't do that. I made it very clear that this is going to cost far more in legal fees for you as opposed to doing the right thing. As the conversation became increasingly contentious, I felt it necessary to end the discussion. We intend to pursue this matter further, including sharing our experience publicly and legally until a resolution is reached. Consumers place trust in longstanding dealerships like Faulkner Buick GMC West Chester, INC. to conduct business transparently and ethically, and this situation reflects a breach of that trust in my opinion. We hope for an amicable resolution to this matter.