Trend Auto Trader

I bought a 2014 Chevy Sonic from Trend Auto Trader in June of 2023. When I test drove the car, the AC system had no cooling capacity. The salesman, Robert, had their mechanic check it out. They found no leak but recharged the system with refrigerant and it seemed to work. Robert promised that, if I bought the car and the trouble with the AC system reoccurred, I could bring the car back to Trend Auto Trader for a repair or I could take it to any certified mechanic under the three-month warranty that Trend Auto Trader would be giving me. I purchased the vehicle and within two days the AC system again had no cooling capacity. And I discovered that the warranty (a "Basic" warranty from Integrity Warranty, see picture) does not cover the AC system; it only covers some parts of the powertrain. I took the vehicle back to Trend Auto Trader to be repaired a second time. They claimed to replace the condenser and expansion valve. The AC system had some cooling capacity when I picked it up, but again in two days the cooling capacity was gone. Again I took it back, they claimed they replaced a leaking valve stem in this third repair attempt; again the AC system lost its cooling capacity within two days. I gave up on having them repair it; they are either unable or unwilling to fix it properly. Other problems: the TPMS broke on the way home from purchasing the car. Within the first month I had to get an oil change and replace the streaking windshield wipers, the headlight and turn signal bulbs on the front passenger side, the engine air filter and the cabin air filter (which appeared to be clogged with rodent feces – see picture); the car was filthy, with trash under the spare tire (see picture), grime covering the dashboard, and dirty upholstery (see the water in my Rug Doctor after cleaning the seats). The driver's side door lock switch does not work. And the car has been giving me a diagnostic trouble code P0597 (thermostat stuck open) regularly since I bought the car, so I will have to replace the thermostat. What upsets me the most is that Robert lied about the coverage of the warranty. Robert had me sign the purchase agreement first, and then gave me the warranty details. I would never have purchased the car if I had known the truth about the limited coverage of the warranty. If you are buying from Robert, I recommend getting the warranty details before you sign the agreement.

Confirmed an appointment through them to look at a 2003 Toyota Matrix XR and they sold it before I even got a chance to look at it.

Communication was clear and concise. Robert was knowledgeable and personable. I did not end up buying the car on offer and yet found the dealership a positive experience.