plesley
Member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2019
- Threads
- 3
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 9
- Location
- Raleigh, NC
- Vehicle(s)
- 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon
- Thread starter
- #1
Sorry for the long post.
I purchased a 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon from Leith Chrysler Dodge Jeep in North Carolina (the Raleigh, not Cary) location on July 1st, 2019. On July 15th, 2019, after just 500 miles the vehicle left me stranded on the side of the highway after suffering an engine malfunction (I’m still unsure what really happened). I contacted Jeep support and my vehicle was towed back to Leith for repairs.
This is where my woes with Leith begin (keep in mind this review has nothing to do with the quality of the vehicle or its engine, there will be a bad apple in every bunch – but strictly Leith and Jeep Corporate/FCA’s handling of the situation).
Due to my vehicle having to be towed, I did not have transportation. Thankfully, Leith was gracious enough to provide a replacement vehicle (caveat – I had to find one myself, it had to be a FCA product, and I was limited to $25.00 per day). Following a wild goose hunt around Raleigh on my own expense (and with a little help from Uber) I finally found myself in a Ford Edge from Enterprise. On this particular day, and after visiting three different Enterprise locations, there were no FCA rentals available in Raleigh, so the Leith service department did me a “favor” and allowed me to rent a non-FCA product. (oh yea - eventually I was provided a similar Gladiator to drive; however, on August 11th, 2019, I was told I had to bring this particular vehicle back and that someone had purchased it sight unseen.)
On July 24th, 2019, I was contacted by a third party company hired by FCA to facilitate a “buyback” or replacement of my Jeep. This led to months of email communications with a, for lack of a better word, rude “Reacquisition Coordinator” with multiple “standardized” emails on what I need to do in order to get back into a vehicle.
On July 29th, 2019, after first contact from the “Reacquisition Coordinator” I get a call from a “sales manager” at Leith. I’ll leave his real name out of it for now, but for purposes of this review; we’ll refer to him as Sam. Sam tells me that due to this being a new vehicle and them not having exactly what I want on the lot, I’d have to order a new Jeep from the factory and this would take approximately 6-8 weeks. That’s fair.
The same day, on July 29th, I send Sam what I’d like to order. This summary, which was sent as a .pdf file directly from Jeep’s online configurator included Mud Terrain tires (more on this later).
On August 7th, 2019, I get an email from Sam asking if we can talk. The essence of this conversation was essentially multiple things I wanted on my order (options like a steel bumper, etc.) were unavailable from the factory at the time. Again. Fair. Not Sam or Leith’s fault. (I just wish it didn’t take a week for this information to make its way to me).
On August 11th, 2019, I noticed a vehicle on Leith’s lot that had many options FCA was not currently producing (again, steel bumper, etc.) After inquiry, and offering to pay the difference between my former vehicle and the new, Sam tells me that the third party company would not allow him to sell me this “special edition” Jeep. After hearing this and knowing I would be without a vehicle similar to what I paid for over a month, I contacted the “reacquisition coordinator.” This person informs me that this was untrue, and it was Leith who did not want to sell the vehicle.
On August 17th, 2019, Sam confirms that they were not “making any money” on this deal since it was a buyback and Leith would not sell me the special edition. Okay... I guess I’ll just wait.
Back to the Mud Terrain tires. On September 16th, 2019, I received my “window sticker” from FCA showing the vehicle I ordered did not have Mud Terrains, but All Terrains. After contacting Sam, he tells me he would contact the “Reacquisition Coordinator.”
On September 23rd, 2019, I am contacted by the “reacquisition coordinator” telling me that it isn’t her problem that the vehicle was ordered with the wrong tires, and that the dealer/Leith would have to fix it if they were willing. I then contact Sam.
Sam informs me that since I was unable to come into the dealer and order it in person then its kind of “my problem.” But he would reach out to his Manager and see if they could do anything about it. (He must have forgotten the multiple email exchanges/calls / documents confirming the build prior to ordering). OH YES. Right before hanging up, Sam nonchalantly informs me that my Jeep finally arrived. (Thanks Sam, I’ve only been waiting for an update from you for over seven weeks.)
Right now, I’m waiting for the third party company to finish the paperwork so that I can go pick up my new Jeep (hopefully with the proper tires – more to come).
I purchased a 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon from Leith Chrysler Dodge Jeep in North Carolina (the Raleigh, not Cary) location on July 1st, 2019. On July 15th, 2019, after just 500 miles the vehicle left me stranded on the side of the highway after suffering an engine malfunction (I’m still unsure what really happened). I contacted Jeep support and my vehicle was towed back to Leith for repairs.
This is where my woes with Leith begin (keep in mind this review has nothing to do with the quality of the vehicle or its engine, there will be a bad apple in every bunch – but strictly Leith and Jeep Corporate/FCA’s handling of the situation).
Due to my vehicle having to be towed, I did not have transportation. Thankfully, Leith was gracious enough to provide a replacement vehicle (caveat – I had to find one myself, it had to be a FCA product, and I was limited to $25.00 per day). Following a wild goose hunt around Raleigh on my own expense (and with a little help from Uber) I finally found myself in a Ford Edge from Enterprise. On this particular day, and after visiting three different Enterprise locations, there were no FCA rentals available in Raleigh, so the Leith service department did me a “favor” and allowed me to rent a non-FCA product. (oh yea - eventually I was provided a similar Gladiator to drive; however, on August 11th, 2019, I was told I had to bring this particular vehicle back and that someone had purchased it sight unseen.)
On July 24th, 2019, I was contacted by a third party company hired by FCA to facilitate a “buyback” or replacement of my Jeep. This led to months of email communications with a, for lack of a better word, rude “Reacquisition Coordinator” with multiple “standardized” emails on what I need to do in order to get back into a vehicle.
On July 29th, 2019, after first contact from the “Reacquisition Coordinator” I get a call from a “sales manager” at Leith. I’ll leave his real name out of it for now, but for purposes of this review; we’ll refer to him as Sam. Sam tells me that due to this being a new vehicle and them not having exactly what I want on the lot, I’d have to order a new Jeep from the factory and this would take approximately 6-8 weeks. That’s fair.
The same day, on July 29th, I send Sam what I’d like to order. This summary, which was sent as a .pdf file directly from Jeep’s online configurator included Mud Terrain tires (more on this later).
On August 7th, 2019, I get an email from Sam asking if we can talk. The essence of this conversation was essentially multiple things I wanted on my order (options like a steel bumper, etc.) were unavailable from the factory at the time. Again. Fair. Not Sam or Leith’s fault. (I just wish it didn’t take a week for this information to make its way to me).
On August 11th, 2019, I noticed a vehicle on Leith’s lot that had many options FCA was not currently producing (again, steel bumper, etc.) After inquiry, and offering to pay the difference between my former vehicle and the new, Sam tells me that the third party company would not allow him to sell me this “special edition” Jeep. After hearing this and knowing I would be without a vehicle similar to what I paid for over a month, I contacted the “reacquisition coordinator.” This person informs me that this was untrue, and it was Leith who did not want to sell the vehicle.
On August 17th, 2019, Sam confirms that they were not “making any money” on this deal since it was a buyback and Leith would not sell me the special edition. Okay... I guess I’ll just wait.
Back to the Mud Terrain tires. On September 16th, 2019, I received my “window sticker” from FCA showing the vehicle I ordered did not have Mud Terrains, but All Terrains. After contacting Sam, he tells me he would contact the “Reacquisition Coordinator.”
On September 23rd, 2019, I am contacted by the “reacquisition coordinator” telling me that it isn’t her problem that the vehicle was ordered with the wrong tires, and that the dealer/Leith would have to fix it if they were willing. I then contact Sam.
Sam informs me that since I was unable to come into the dealer and order it in person then its kind of “my problem.” But he would reach out to his Manager and see if they could do anything about it. (He must have forgotten the multiple email exchanges/calls / documents confirming the build prior to ordering). OH YES. Right before hanging up, Sam nonchalantly informs me that my Jeep finally arrived. (Thanks Sam, I’ve only been waiting for an update from you for over seven weeks.)
Right now, I’m waiting for the third party company to finish the paperwork so that I can go pick up my new Jeep (hopefully with the proper tires – more to come).
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