derrick_lui

I just entered into a dispute with AutoBahn USA from Boston Ma.
They are a used luxury car dealer lot.

I just want to let my fellow mbworld members know that they are not the most honest car dealer out there.

They refused to return my deposit on an 03 CL600 when I requested them to.
I placed a deposit on saturday and left them a voicemail on sunday to return my deposit and followed up by a phone call on monday.

They declined the refund because they said on Sunday there was a buyer from SanFrancisco who was 100% sure he was going to buy the car and even booked tickets to come to Boston and even paid a Mercedes Dealer to have the car inspected (when I asked for the papers, AutoBahn USA said it was illegal for them to have the inspection papers so they didnt have it).

They claimed they had lost the sale to this guy from San Fran and said that they cant refund it because I held the car over the weekend.

Frankly, I think they are BS ing me.

On top of refusing my deposit, they continued to try to sell me the CL600 by offering more discounts. They even said if I didnt buy the CL600, they can apply my deposit on a different car. I was pissed hearing all this.


I have filed a dispute with my credit card company already. I dont know what will happen, but I do want my money back.

advans

If you filed a dispute with ur credit card, with a writing statement of what exactly happened. your credit card company can dispute your charge. btw, why dont you call autobahn, and tell them again to refund your deposit, if not, ur going to sue them for it.

Quicktwinturbo

I hate dealers..

Try BBB as well..
BBB helped me in many cases.

good luck...

GDawgC220

Do you have a written receipt of the deposit? Most have stamped or printed "non-refundable deposit" or "refundable deposit" on them and they just put a hold on it (be it a credit card or check). Most deposits are not binding and are fully refundable. Say if you wrote a check, they don't deposit it, just hold onto it to ensure you're serious about buying the car. Did they actually charge your card or just put hold for that dollar amount on it?

I drive by their lot a few times a week when going to Watertown and it seems shady enough.

I'm sure your CC company will help you out though with reversing the charge.

the101dragons

What happen to pulling the trigger on the bigger and more powerful car? I thought you had already bought it from you other posts.

derrick_lui

it was a hold on credit saturday when they swiped the card...then on monday when I called to talk to them I wanted my deposit back...the "hold" turned into a charge..

luckily last night...
Well, My good buddy salespersons from Flagship Motors Joe called them and helped me get my deposit back. AutoBahn Said they have refunded my amount and thanked me for my "lovely business" sarcastically and hung up on me... now I just have to wait a couple days and check my credit card statement.

I signed a hand written purchase agreement on saturday and no where did it say the deposit was non-refundable. They were selling it for 55.9k, i talked it down to 55...then on monday night when i tried to back out..they lowered it to 50k for the car....but their lack of honesty made me hesistant from pulling the trigger.

On tuesday, the car wouldnt start when I came to the dealer and they had to jump start it...which was kinda scary too..

as for now...I'll look out for any used E55s or anything and decide...

derrick_lui

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...spagenameZWDVW

damn, they beat my offer again today.....selling it to me for 55k on sat, 53->51->50k on monday....

and its even got a "Raidar Detictar" ...I think they talking about the K40..

rlee02135

im down there pretty often checking out their inventory.
is the one youre talking about the silver cl600?
if so, they still have it

uberwgn

We bought a car from them last year. The experience was OK.

I guess the thing that concerns me is that many of their cars have had paintwork. It may be the focus of the owner to buy damaged auction cars, repair them and sell them for top $$ after their local body shop does shoddy touch-up work. I knew our car had damage prior to paying them so I could have backed out - - it was my decision alone to proceed.


MA state law would have prevented them from keeping your deposit. You should have started at the MA.gov website and saved yourself the anguish of making this thread. It's really quite unnecessary as they cannot keep your deposit.


Good luck and I hope you find a good car. Take care.

RBMBC32

Sorry to hear that... I almost bought an 02 C32 from them last year. Something didn't seem right so I walked. I end up getting a much better deal on a 04 C32 in CT.

http://www.huntingridgemotors.com/

Wait a second... Thinking back I think they used that same BS story with me. I remember them pulling the "someone is flying in to look at the car".

Good Luck

derrick_lui

I test drove that 02 C32 last year before too, it was REALLY beat up that car...i think it had 49000 miles on it if I remember correctly.
Same tactics used on the CL600.."someone was coming in to see the car"...BS...-_-

I checked the Mass law attorney page, and it still wasnt really clear..the webpage hinted that dealers were allowed to keep deposits as the law discouraged people leaving deposits (since they had to be serious)..well its still really stupid..

The 2003 Silver Cl600, they called me and told me think about 48k...but I said I dont know if i want to buy it anymore.....something does smell fishy here coz the car didnt start up two days after I test drove the car...When i ask if they were aware to the best of their knowledge if the car had any accidents and problems...they said 100% no..

seems like the car is still on their webpage, and looking at Autobahn's Ebay feedback account, it seems to me that they are buying used auto accessories (like a navigation CD) to go with their cars...check out their feedback....i dont really like the idea of a dealer doing this...

nishi

well derrick, stop writing on MBWORLD and let's go to flagship! i'm up and almost ready to go