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:09/12/2024

  Type:Product 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 6/24/2024 while on vacation with my spouse at the Delaware Beaches, I experienced an issue with my 2017 Jeep Wrangler. I contacted AAA and had it towed to the nearest Jeep dealership which happened to be 23 miles away - Preston Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Millsboro, 28380 Dupont Blvd Millsboro, DE 19966.
  
  On 6/25 they called me and informed me it would need a new Transfer Case at a cost of 6,000.00 and would be min. 5days. I called the dealer I bought it from to get another quote as I thought the price quoted was excessive. They stated they would have to look at it first which makes no sense as I've called other dealers since, and they've been able to quote a price.
  
  I live about 90 miles away and towing it closer to home seemed at the time not feasible since we had no other transportation and were on vacation. Our mistake in hindsight was we told the dealership the same and were stuck.
  
  We decided to get a ride to the dealership to possibly negotiate for a new Jeep since we were stuck and didn't want to sink 6k into the old Jeep which we were still paying for. After a long and stressful day of negotiating we purchased a new 2024 Jeep and traded in our 2017 Jeep. The dealer told me the trade-in value was 17,000.00 max and minus the 6,000.00 repair that left me 11,000.00 which is what I reluctantly agreed to. The payoff value for the trade was over 18,000.00.
  
  I have since learned if the Transfer case needed to be replaced it should have been half or less the 6,000.00 quoted. I've also been told by the way it broke and the symptoms it was most likely a Bushing or Cable which costs around 300.00 to repair. I've been told by Jeep mechanics It's near impossible to break the transfer case by shifting it from 2WD to Neutral or back which is what I did.
  
  I believe we were taken advantage of due to the circumstances of being 90 miles from home and being stuck while on vacation.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 09/13/2024

  Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the complaint submitted
  by ******* ****** concerning their 2017 Jeep Wrangler.
  We appreciate the opportunity to address this matter and provide
  clarification. The customer’s vehicle arrived at our dealership on June 24,
  2024, and following our inspection, it was determined that the Jeep had
  significant mechanical issues related to the transfer case. Our estimate for
  the necessary repairs totaled $7,348, which included a detailed breakdown of
  parts and labor as per the attached estimate worksheet.
  It is important to note that the decision not to proceed with
  repairs was entirely the customer’s. After being informed of the repair
  estimate, the customer expressed interest in trading in their 2017 Jeep
  Wrangler and purchasing a new vehicle. We agreed on a trade-in value of
  $11,000, which factored in the necessary repairs. The vehicle was subsequently
  sent to auction, unrepaired, given that the cost of repairs outweighed its
  trade-in value.
  As for the repair quote, we provided an estimate based on the
  issues diagnosed at the time. Our certified technicians determined the need for
  a transfer case replacement, and our pricing reflected the cost of original
  equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts and labor. While other dealers may provide
  differing estimates, ours was based on a thorough inspection and standard
  dealership labor rates.
  We regret that the customer feels they were taken advantage of,
  but we assure you that our dealership followed standard procedures in
  evaluating and quoting the repair. It is also essential to recognize that
  shifting a vehicle between 2WD and Neutral, while not typically causing a
  transfer case to fail, can still result in other underlying issues when
  combined with factors like age and usage.
  Attached to this letter are copies of the repair estimate and the
  details of the transaction, including the condition of the trade-in vehicle. We
  believe this demonstrates that we acted in good faith and provided the customer
  with all relevant information before they made their decision.
  We appreciate your attention to this matter and are happy to
  provide any additional information needed to resolve this complaint.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/24/2024

  Better Business Bureau:

  
  
  
  

  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint and have determined that this does not resolve my  issue.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

  
  

  The response provided (which I don't agree with) includes everything but the Transfer case. I purchased the vehicle in April 2023 as a Certified used vehicle with 76,539 miles. When traded in it had 80,247 miles, not even 4,000 miles in 14 months. The attached files are from the dealership I purchased it from which outline repairs made to the vehicle prior to listing it for sale from a trade in. Look at the difference between the documents from the two dealerships service department. The estimates provided were handwritten and I believe made up after the complaint was filed. 

   

   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Regards,

  
  

  Complaint ID: 22278349

  
   
  

  
  
  

   

  
  

   

  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/03/2024

  When a technician completes an estimate, it is the workflow decision of the technician how to document the information. Most often pen and paper are used because of the unclean nature of working on vehicles. Instead of attempting to remember all the details, then clean their hands and type the information out, it is simpler to write it down on a disposable medium. A service advisor typically enters the estimate into the system which is then printed.

  We provided the original hand-written copies of the estimate in an effort to show transparency and honesty. We stand behind the decision we have made, confident that the customer made decisions with educated consent. Our actions were based on the same information as we took the vehicle to auction afterwards where we were going to receive an unknown amount, listed as needing a transfer case. We did not repair and later list for a much higher cost. We did not profit from making a knowingly incorrect diagnosis. 

  Preston CDJR of Millsboro did not deviate from standard business practices, and after reviewing the process will continue to operate using the same procedures. The tech was not notified of the conditions of the customer prior to the estimate being done. As seen on the estimate the original price for repair was $7,348.00 and included the broken cables that the customer referred to in their original post. Only $6,000 was used as a repair cost on the valuation of the vehicle. 

  We do not think it fair for the customer to use opinions of others who did not diagnose, or see, the vehicle. We cannot comment on the cost of repair done by another facility due to the myriad factors that go into calculating cost, (part cost/genuineness, certified technician vs non-certified technician, geographical labor rates, shop overhead, etc).  

  We regret anytime a customer is dissatisfied with our service. As a long-standing dealership we operate on reputation with one of our core values being Integrity. It does not benefit us to make dishonest decisions at the customer's expense. We deliver vehicles nationwide based on that reputation and would have preferred to keep the Riello's as customers regardless their distance, but we must stand behind our sales and service departments when we believe they acted in good faith. We apologize for the Riello's poor perception of our service.