Complaints

This profile includes complaints for McConnell Automotive LLC's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  McConnell Automotive LLC

  3150 Dauphin St Mobile, AL 36606-4039

• 

  McConnell Automotive LLC

  3150 Dauphin St Mobile, AL 36606-4039

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:04/24/2024

  Type:Customer Service 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.

  I do not understand why I can never get anyone to answer the phone. Now they have a new phone system that sends random texts asking what they can do for you and when you respond they still do not get back with you timely. Not 100% sure how they are in business. I have been dealing with them for 10 years and their service is awful. My 2023 AT4 has a transmission issue that is under warrantee and they blamed me for bringing the vehicle without an appointment like I purposely damaged the truck and it's an inconvenience to them to deal with my vehicle. On the other hand a different dealer 6 hours away is going to tow my truck that far to service it and has offered me a truck to drive. I will drive hours if I must in the future for oil changes just to never have to go there again. Awful, awful, awful. Never again. I am considering not buying GM products anymore over this.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/29/2024

  ****************,

  Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. I understand your frustration, and I sincerely apologize for the difficulties you encountered with our service department, particularly in reaching someone by phone. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we continuously strive to improve our customer service.
  

  Upon receiving your truck on 4/22, we promptly initiated the diagnostic process, and by the end of business on 4/23, we had identified the issues. While we encountered a setback with parts on national backorder, we diligently pursued alternative avenues through our dealer network to secure them promptly. By the following day, we had successfully obtained the necessary parts and arranged a rental car for your convenience.
  

  However, before we could inform you of these developments, we were disappointed to learn of your intention to have your vehicle towed to another service department. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused you and acknowledge our failure to communicate effectively during this time.
  

  Please know that we are actively working to address the challenges in our service department, including the issue of accessibility to our service advisors. Our automated system is designed to alert us of missed calls so that we can promptly respond to them, but we understand that this was not sufficient in your case.
  

  I want to assure you that your concerns are being taken seriously, and our General Manager, ***** McConnell, attempted to reach out to you last week to address them but has yet to hear back from you. Although we value constructive criticism, we were taken aback by the extent to which you chose to publicly share a situation where we agree, communication could have been improved. However, it's important to note that we promptly addressed the issue with your time and satisfaction as our top priority.

  As a small business that is family owned and operated we rely heavily on word of mouth to keep the doors open. At the same time, we understand bad experiences can be detrimental to our business which is why we would welcome the opportunity to hear back from you personally to allow the opportunity to share any additional information you feel we should know, in hopes of alleviating any remaining tensions.

  Respectfully,
  ***** McConnell

  McConnell Buick GMC

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/30/2024

   
  Complaint: 21620695
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  When I returned ***** McConnell's call I was sent through a switch board with no ************ to get to him and when I did get someone on the phone and told them I was returning *****'s call they sent me to a females voice mail in another department in which I explained I was returning his call. This shows me that there is absolutely no way to successfully get someone in this company on the phone. I do not require another call back as I am not going to continue to call this place and be given this run around. I will simply make sure to take my business elsewhere in the future. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business Response

  Date: 05/07/2024

  Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience and frustration this situation caused the customer. Aside from the customer's frustrations regarding phone communication, our service department upheld our commitment by quickly diagnosing the vehicle, locating parts (despite a national backorder) and preparing a rental car for the customer to use while repairs were completed. Unfortunately, the customer elected to take his vehicle elsewhere for services before we were able to complete repairs here. The customer has made his dissatisfaction abundantly clear at this point and it seems he is no longer interested in discussing the matter any further. If something changes, we would be more than happy to discuss in hopes of coming to some type of resolution. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/24/2024

  Type:Customer Service 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.

  On approx. the 12th of Dec 2023 I purchased a certified used vehicle from this dealership that was presented as being a perfectly clean vehicle 1 owner with a clean carfax and in prestige condition due to the fact that it was a certified used vehicle. A month and 2k miles later I get a check engine light and I bring it in to the closest gmc dealer to me where I find out that it has an oil pressure code and upon further investigation from the dealer I brought it to to perform the repairs I was told the truck had major engine repairs (Lifters and camshaft replacement) right before it was sold to me. The above major engine repairs were performed at the dealer that sold me the truck (McConnell) a couple weeks before it was sold to me and now I am already having issues again that could be related to that repair. These repairs were never disclosed to me before buying the truck nor were they on the carfax however there is reports on the carfax from McConnell but its just basic maintenance, why would a carfax reporting dealer only report the basic maintenance but not the major repair to carfax and not only that but since they done the work they couldve told me before buying and I probably wouldnt have bought it. In my personal opinion they didnt disclose it because they were afraid theyd lose a sale and now Im having issues a month later that could be related to this repair. I contacted the dealer to see if theyd be willing to simply allow me to return truck and give me what I paid for it back and Id also let them find me another truck and Id still buy from them as long as I was shown all service records and any work outside of maintenance was disclosed to me and I was told this simply wasnt an option and they would not give me what I paid for truck they did give me a lowball trade in offer on truck for about 7k less than I paid them a month ago which I took as an insult. I feel this dealership intentionally covered this up as to not lose a sale. Thx for any help

  Business Response

  Date: 02/23/2024

  I appreciate the customers detailed message and want to express our sincere apologies for the concerns raised regarding the recent vehicle purchase. We understand the gravity of the situation and want to assure the customer that we take vehicle disclosures very seriously.
  Upon further investigation into the specific circumstances surrounding the vehicle's history, we found that the engine repairs in question were conducted under ** warranty during the vehicles previous ownership. It's important to note that once the vehicle entered our inventory, it successfully passed the rigorous ** Certified Pre-Owned inspection process.
  Our internal inspections maintain high standards, but it's essential to highlight that a ** Certified Pre-Owned inspection represents the pinnacle of scrutiny. ** mandates a list of conditions that would render a vehicle ineligible for Certified Pre-Owned status, such as frame damage resulting from a car accident. However, vehicles with prior mechanical repairs such as this one remain eligible for the ** CPO designation.  Furthermore, unlike prior damage resulting from a collision which can lead to safety concerns and affect future valuations on a vehicle, prior mechanical repairs should not impact vehicle safety or affect future valuations of said vehicle.
  We empathize with the customers frustration over experiencing a mechanical issue shortly after purchase. Fortunately, the vehicle is still under warranty so the customer should not have incurred any out-of-pocket expense. Due to convenience, the customer took the vehicle to a closer ** repair facility. This is not any fault of the customer but as a result we werent able to expedite the repair in hopes of satisfying the customer.  Based on the customerscomments, it had not been confirmed yet whether the issue is related to any prior mechanical repairs. Having said that, if the issue is related to a prior repair, it would still be covered under the vehicle warranty.  Our goal for customers is to ensure that any concerns are promptly resolved, and the vehicle meets the standards of safety and reliability that our customers expect. Hopefully, the repair facility that performed the work was able to complete the work and the vehicle is now operating to their expectations.
  As a dealership with almost 70 years of history, we consider customer satisfaction and repeat business as our utmost priorities. Deceptive practices are contrary to our principles, and we would never intentionally mislead a customer to sell a vehicle. We value your trust and are committed to rectifying the situation to your satisfaction.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/25/2023

  Type:Service or Repair 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.

  Approximately the first of August 2023 I had my car towed to McConnell Automotive for repair. I had it at another shop and they said they could not repair it. They said I probably needed to have it sent to the dealership. After it was sent I was told my car had a bad battery and cables and that they would need to be replaced for a cost of $1,000.00. My battery was under warranty but they would not let me replace it as, I was told, "We are not a Non-profit organization" and "it would not make good business sense for people to bring in their own parts" also, "If you can't afford a new battery how are you going to afford this repair". I paid $100.00 to have my car towed home. They lied about the battery not working as I cranked it right up. They tried to defraud me. this is not ethical. I have sent Buick Corporation a letter and also filed a complaint with McConnell. My car is a **** Buick LaCrosse with only ****** miles. I believe I was discriminated against because of the age of my car. I do have the Repair Managers name and the Service Manager's name. I am very disappointed in this company.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/06/2023

  After receiving this complaint, I reviewed our records with the hope of finding a way to satisfy the customer.  When the customer initially called our dealership, we informed them that we no longer accept **** model year and older vehicles (unless we already have an established service history of that vehicle in our shop.) According to the customer, the car has been disabled for 6 months and been to several repair shops because the vehicle will not crank. Unfortunately, none of the repair shops were able to fix this issue so they reached out to our dealership. Given the customer's situation and our desire to help, we made an exception to our policy and agreed to attempt repairs to their vehicle. The vehicle was towed to our dealership, and we were unable to crank the vehicle to begin diagnostics.  We tested the battery with our GR8 machine which proved the battery to be bad.  The technician also noted improper battery connections as well as damaged battery cables. Given that the vehicle would not crank, this is an obvious first step of repairs before determining if anything else is contributing to the vehicle's no crank issue.  The customer was not happy with these diagnoses or the price for the battery. The customer requested to speak to our service manager who agreed to install a less expensive battery supplied by the customer that they found elsewhere. The customer expressed to us that they could not afford the price quoted to perform the installation and replacement of battery cables.  Our service manager advised them to reconsider proceeding with any repairs if they were not able to afford the battery components. He went on to explain that we could not guarantee that this repair alone would fix the issue and that more expensive repairs may be needed.  He then volunteered to waive our diagnostic fee of $175 and told the customer they could pick up their vehicle without incurring any charges from our dealership.
  In summary, it is not a fair assessment to suggest that we did anything dishonest in our attempt to repair the vehicle. We attempted to help the customer with diagnostics and repairs but ultimately the customer did not agree with our pricing. Our technicians are trained to diagnose vehicles to the best of their knowledge and address the customer's complaints. In the case, the vehicle has had a history of not cranking and ************** could see clear areas of concern that could be causing that to happen. We were disheartened by the customer's reaction to this and the perception that we were doing anything but trying to help in properly repairing their vehicle. We try our best to ensure situations like this do not occur and apologize for any misunderstandings that led to the customer's dissatisfaction. Our goal is to advise and recommend to our customers and do so in a respectful and transparent manner. Ultimately, it is up to the customer to decide if our price is fair for the service provided.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/07/2023

   
  Complaint: 20517164
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  The car will crank.  The battery was never dead.  There was no fee waived because a diagnostic was NEVER performed on the vehicle.  They are rude and condescending to customers.  Their response if fabricated.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business Response

  Date: 09/12/2023

  We're sorry to hear the customer feels that our response is fabricated. We made multiple exceptions to our policies in our dealings with the customer in hopes of helping them with their vehicle.  It's important to note that the customer had their vehicle towed to our dealership with the specific complaint that it would not crank and we duplicated this concern once it arrived because the vehicle would not crank for us either.  The customer's claim that the vehicle cranked with no issue once towed home is something we are unable to comment on other than the fact that a no crank issue was the customers initial concern for having it towed to us for repair. Contrary to the customer's belief, we did in fact perform diagnostics on the vehicle, which resulted in our trained mechanic's recommendation to replace the battery (it failed a GR8 battery test) and battery cables (we observed that the cables had been altered, the metal clamps on the ends of the cables had been removed and the wires were directly connected to the battery post which is an improper connection.)  When speaking with the customer prior to the vehicle being towed here, we explained that we have a diagnostic fee to which they agreed to pay. Our manager waived this fee in an attempt to satisfy the customer given their disagreement with our evaluation.  In summary, the customer did not agree with our recommended repair and was unhappy with the prices we quoted for our parts and services. They paid a tow service company directly to pick up their vehicle and incurred no charges from our dealership. Had the customer paid us a diagnostic fee we would be more than willing to reimburse them as a sign of goodwill. During our investigation we were unable to find any fault or wrongdoing on our behalf, the customer did not pay for any of our services and therefore we feel this case should be considered resolved. Again, we never want scenarios to occur that result in dissatisfied customers and certainly wish this incident could have been avoided for the sake of both parties involved. We would like to extend our apologies to the customer for any inconvenience this may have caused.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/20/2023

   
  Complaint: 20517164
  
  I am rejecting this response because I don't feel their response as fabricated - they are total lies.  My car was towed because of other issues - not the battery.  The battery works fine.  The car will crank at any given time.  You cannot perform a diagnostic with the battery not working. Is McConnell magic?  The battery cables and clamps are not an issue.  There was never any fees agreed upon.  Like I said you cannot perform a diagnostic if the battery is not working so how was this performed?  The battery works fine.  ************ has lied to me.  The have been very condescending.  You don't tell a customer they don't they can pay a bill.  Their financial situation has nothing to do with McConnell. McConnell repair is writing this as if they have delusions of grandeur and the average person has below average intelligence.  These are outright lies they have told.  This makes me even angrier.  Clients should not be treated this way. I will continue to tell the truth and not let ******** put words in my mouth or try to deny what they have done.  LIES!

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/19/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore 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.

  I purchased a truck from McConnell that turned out to be a lemon. I was sold an extended warranty by McConnell. Upon trading the vehicle with another dealership, they contacted the warranty company and was advised that I was due a refund and that McConnell was responsible for the refund. We contacted the representative at McConnell and they confirmed that was accurate. I could never get them to send the check. I personally met with the McConnell brother that was the sales manager. He said that he would get the situation resolved. He didnt. I have moved out of the area and have sent detailed demands to the McConnell brother that is the General Manager. He will not respond. They owe me a refund and will not pay.