Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:24/01/2025

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  St Charles Motors response has failed to address the unfair sales practices used by their salesperson to make the sale of this vehicle. These include practices deemed unfair by the Manitoba Business Practices Act, including deceiving or misleading information, a representation that a better price was being given if we came in that day, exaggeration/innuendo about the intention of the business to fix any problems that would arise and our need to “trust” them, using undue pressure through verbal pressure and misleading information about the closure of *******, and taking advantage of two vulnerabilities ( that we were unfamiliar with the area, and that my husband relied on the information that was given verbally due to his language proficiency). The salesperson also expected full payment by cheque, and used the words “a mother of 4 from (our rural community), I’ll take a cheque from you”. The Business Act recognizes that the owner of the business is liable for the behavior of its employees. We were clear with *** the salesperson that we needed a reliable vehicle for our family of 6, and that we were investing our savings in this vehicle.  We contacted the mechanic ***** in December after the second breakdown. He asked us to wait to have it towed until December 28, 2024 when he could look at it. It is a basic courtesy that we were not charged for the diagnosis that the vehicle has a failed engine, and cannot be driven or fixed without a new engine. We paid two other mechanics to try to fix the vehicle when it broke down and have lost over $****** in total. We drove the vehicle lightly for just over 5 months. We contacted the owner of St Charles Motors in  January after the engine failure was diagnosed, and his mechanic told us he was familiar with the problems that ***** had with its VCM technology. Again we emphasize that it was not disclosed to us that the vehicle had this type of engine. As we shared with the owner of St Charles Motors, the sale of a lemon vehicle from them has been a devastating financial loss and emotional stress for our family at a time when we have faced other costs and health problems. We are extremely disappointed with the lack of integrity shown by the business, as we trusted that what we were told in the sales transaction would be honoured and that we were buying a vehicle from a trusted business that was true to its word.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** *** ***** *******responsibility, as that was verbally promised to us in the sale. The mechanic found misfires in the cylinders, and a failed valve. He notified us that the van needed a new engine. He indicated that he had been familiar that ***** had problems with its VCM technology.
  We are from outside of Winnipeg and *** used pressure in the sale- he promised us a lower price if we came in that day, he pressured us to make the purchase before test driving on the highway at 4:30 by saying ******* closed by 5. When we returned he told us another nearby was open later into the evening. He was dishonest about the AC, and insisted it worked. We asked to have it fixed, it required extensive repairs. We were hesitant to buy but he insisted that we “needed to trust”, that they “weren’t going anywhere”, that he wouldn’t want to give the business a bad name, and if we had any problems, to “come back and we’ll fix them”. As my husband’s written English is limited he relied on what *** said to sign the agreement.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 26/02/2025

  In follow up to the email complaint you received from ***** * ***** *******. The customers purchased a 2005 ***** ******* in June of 2024 which included a 1 month in house warranty parts & labour. We addressed the concerns about the a/c and repaired the air conditioning at no cost. We have sold many *******'s over the years and not once have we had any issues with the suggested engine failure nor were we aware of such with these particular vehicles. The customer contacted us in January about the motor expecting St Charles to diagnose & repair at no cost. Said customer had the vehicle towed to the dealership whereby I had my mechanic inspect the unit at no cost to the customer. The mechanic spent over 4 hours @ $*** per hour again at no charge. 

  The mechanic after performing a diagnostic did advise her of the issue and the available option being to replace the motor at her expense. We have been in business for a very long time and go over and above for our customers however to expect the dealer to repair at no cost is out of the question. Automobiles whether used or new do not come with a "life guarantee" ...

  We are sorry for the inconvenience however this is as far as we are prepared to proceed with the customer