Imperial Select Germiston ****ty treatment

The service and treatment I received from Imperial Select Germiston specifically is appalling to say the least.

1st June 2018 this year (just last month) I bought a vehicle with them after my finance application was approved. The vehicle was a 2013 Ford Ecosport (oh what a beauty she was) I initially saw the car using the Auto Dealer app and was in contact with the dealership. I dealt with what believed was the best sales person ever. Together myself and the sales person went through the application and during this process the salesman and I were communicating via whatsapp about the deal, basically getting daily text regarding the status of the application and/or any other additional information or documents he needed to complete everything. Once the deal was finalised I then had to go take collection of my beautiful car. At this point the salesman had assured me there are no issues with the car. If anything the previous owner of the car took excellent care of the car that it was practically new, he said. I asked about any dents or scratches on the car. And like a good salesman, he assured me the car was in perfect condition.

It was about a week or two after collecting the vehicle when my tracking company came to install a unit into my car that the technician noticed that the had what he called "a big problem" The car had clearly been in some kind of an accident and repairs were done on the vehicle. This is something the dealership did not disclose to me. Not sure if they took advantage of the fact that I am a young woman who knew little about cars.

Upon this discovery, I texted the salesman to ask "Has the Ecosport been involved in any accidents?" The salesman declined and said "Nope! Not at all" The technician from my tracking company then took me through the car to show me all the parts of the car which had been repaired. Traces of welding was clearly visible between panels and other parts of the car. At this point I'm taking pictures of all this. I then sent to the salesman and advised him he wasn't being truthful and I that I want to return the vehicle.

A day later my brother and I visited the dealership, and we were introduced to the sales manager named Bruno. We put our argument to him and requested advise and assistance. Bruno initially portrayed the impression he was not aware of this, yet he was quick to offer that they properly repair the car as whoever fixed it did a messy job. He attempted to persuade us to consider this option as he believed "this isn't a big problem. Nothing was replaced, they merely fixed the existing parts of the car. So it wouldn't be a problem at all" We then decided we would take the car to AA for a full report and have an understanding of what exactly could I be inheriting if I kept the vehicle. Bruno's story was the previous owner had not disclosed that the car was involved in an accident and thus they did not know about this. We then posed a question to say "do you not send your car to AA for a report on the car before buying and selling them?" He then said they only take the car for a road worthy test.

The following day we visited the AA branch and upon arrival we were told we had to book an appointment and at a cost of R2000+. We explained to the gentleman who was assisting is as to why we needed to do this report. And immediately he looked at the car from behind and said "even the paint colours from the drivers side to the left passenger side is not the same. We showed him they areas where the technician from the tracking company showed us and to our surprise he showed us even more areas we couldn't see from a professional eye point of view. He frankly told us that the report will not only confirm the car was involved in an accident, but it will give us even more reason to not keep that car. At this point I personally did not see reason to waste R2000+ on something that's been confirmed by 2 people from merely looking at the car using their eyes. I went back to the dealership and told them I did not want the car no more. They requested I give them 3 days to try and look for another car within the same price range and low mileage as the Ecosport.

What really shook me was that, on this day we met the dealer principal who had a different tale to feed me and my brother saying "we buy cars from auction and wouldn't get all the necessary history information of the car"

Hmmmm... so first Bruno said one story and now the dealer principal is saying another. I'm already sceptical about the sincerity of these people. While the salesman remains grounded to say he had no idea about all of this. Fast forward to 3 days later, they couldn't get me another vehicle. They then requested I return the car and they would refund the bank. The sales manager then tells me the process might take 4-5 days for the process to be complete and I get back onto the market to look for another car elsewhere.

Now, this is the time when I truly get their worst, most unapologetic or sympathetic treatment. They take their vehicle back. Don't offer me a temporary vehicle or anything while I wait 3-5 days for them to pay back the bank. In addition to this, I had a tracking unit fitted into the vehicle that was romoved from my old car, replaced and fitted into the Ford at a charge of R870. I now have to go through the same process and I was frank in telling them I would not be liable for this amount as it is not that I am returning the car because I don't like it no more... no! I am returning the car because I was sold a car that's being in an accident and this was not disclosed to me. The inconvenience I was caused was never realized nor did I get an apology for that matter. The ever so brilliant Bruno the sales manager tried selling me a Bull**** story that I just needed to call my tracking company, tell them to remove the unit and keep it until I get another vehicle as "that unit is yours" and they will not change you for it. This guy must really be taking us for fools he can just smoothly talk himself away from anything.

I escalated the matter to their head office and an email was sent to them to attend to my issue urgently. On the 25th of June was only when the car was paid off. I requested for a confirmation letter from the salesman which I am still waiting for today. All I got was a blue tick to my whatsapp messages. I ultimately called the bank myself to ask for the letter so I can start looking for another car.

Fast forward to today, I found another car and I want my tracking unit installed on it. Bruno had said whenever I want the device removed, the car will be available and they will sort out the change for the deinstallation and re installation. Today I have to listen to their salesman now give me grief about an invoice to be sent to them before they "just make a payment to whoever knows who..." Wow!

This is after I forwarded him the form I received from the tracking company and the banking details I was provided and I added on an Idemnity form the salesman had sent me to fill in. Today I am told about a quotation. So my question was, given that I had paid for that unit to be installed into the car our of my pocket, had I demanded a refund, would they want an invoice/quotation from me too? He arrogantly says yes. May I kindly rin you again that these people have greatly inconvenienced me and I have never heard an apology from them, today they are giving me a tough time to pay for my unit to be removed from their shady car.

I am compelled to take this further than Hello Peter. I want people to know exactly how Imperial Select in Germiston treat their clients. Is it because I am a woman, young also and maybe even because I'm black that they feel it is alright to treat me with such disregard? I hate pulling the race card on this matter but I just know this would probably would have been treated differently from the get-go if I was a little lighter to my skin tone. I probably would have gotten a fruit basket and a card as an apology for the inconvenience caused.

This experience has left me in a position where I no longer have faith in car dealerships. Most of all Imperial Select. They speak highly of their values to not sell cars which have been involved in accidents but I somehow ended up with one in my home with their name written all over it. This speaks volumes about Imperial Select as a brand entirely to me.

I hope my story can help someone else make informed decisions when looking to purchase a vehicle from them. All I want is for my tracking unit removed from your car immediately. An immediate payment be made to Cartrack and I cut all ties with that company. I dread the day I got into business with that dealership.

You treated me like I was an inconvenience to you guys as opposed to it being the other way round.