Complain about a product or service

Redlands Mazda

Redlands, CA

Kevin of Redlands, CA, writes:

I recently purchased a Mazda Tribute ES V6 SUV. I spent more than a month researching until my wife and I agreed upon this specific vehicle, one fully loaded with all available options, including all safety items to ensure our family's security as best we could at a price we could afford. I was able via the internet and telephone to contact many dealers throughout Southern California requesting this specific vehicle with these specific amenities. I was contacted by "Scott," one of the sales managers at Redlands Mazda, regarding a recent delivery of a vehicle matching my specific request. We even agreed upon price including trade-in of my old car over the phone, with the condition that the vehicle he represented was everything I requested. This required the vehicle to include the following: 4-wheel drive, ABS brakes, cargo net, pearl emblems, floor mats, luxury package, and towing package. I went out and met Scott the next day. He was in a hurry to go home and thus introduced me and my wife to another manager "Tony" and salesperson "Rick". We inspected the SUV and were quite impressed. I did notice that the window sticker didn't mention ABS brakes. I inquired as to how one might know if ABS brakes were really on the SUV.

"Tony," with "Rick" standing silently in the background, opened the hood and pointed to several metallic lines and stated that "these parts would not be there if it didn't have ABS brakes". And then he went to the driver side seat and turned the ignition key. Several lights illuminated on the dash and he pointed to one of them and stated "see, that light means this vehicle has ABS brakes". The next day I was familiarizing myself with the SUV manual when I realized the car in fact did not have ABS brakes. Just then I was contacted via cell phone by another dealer, whom I had previously contacted online and via telephone, regarding the recent aquisition of the exact vehicle I had requested. He stated that it was very difficult to get a 4 wheel drive with ABS brakes as I had requested, but he had infact done just that. I asked him about the concern I had regarding ABS brakes and he was shocked at the response I recieved at Redlands Mazda; so was I. I had been blatently lied to by "Tony," sales manager of Redland Mazda. I had made a specific request, was assured that this purchase was to fullfill this request when it infact did not.

I called "Rick" the that day regarding this concern and he said that there was nothing he could do. But he did state I could "PAY" to have the ABS brakes, that I was previously assured were already on the car, installed at my expense. What am I to do? It may seem like a minor thing and "Scott" assures me I really don't need ABS brakes anyway, but I now realize that I am infact a victim of fraud, blatent fraud, and the safety of my family may one day suffer for their deception. Please advise.

I am an avid camper/off-roader and often enjoy taking my family to enjoy the snow. I purchased this vehicle in order to facilitate these activities. I specifically requested ABS brakes in order to insure the maximum safety for my family. Because of this deception, my family no longer has the maximum security as I requested. I spent many a long night studying the reports and studies and consumer comments in order to determine the safest alternative for a vehicle at a price our family could afford. That alternative was the Mazda SUV. But my family was deprived the maximum security this vehicle could have offered by the management of Redlands Mazda, "Tony" and "Rick".

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