Even though I had documentation and had been in shelter, we were denied food stamps for nine months. I also was on Section 8 for several years, it was revoked by CMHA and my landlord has taken action to evict me. I have been unable to get on my feet, and we have nowhere to go. I am trying to fight CMHA but only have until the end of the month for a chance to get my voucher back. I do have documentation to support all this. Anyone versed in the Violence Against Woman Act of 2005, or any advice on who I should contact.
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Submitted: Thursday, December 17, 2009
Posted: Thursday, December 17, 2009
On 5/18/04 I purchased a 99 Cadillac Deville from Andy Sims Buick. I paid $9,000.00 for this vehicle with a $2,000.00 Platinum Plus Protection extended Warranty from Andy Sims through Ultimate Warranty Corp. I was told that there was nothing wrong with this vehicle before I purchased it. I was also told that this coverage was for bumper to bumper minus the routine work such as brakes, oil changes, etc. I was told that the warranty had a $50.00 deductible. I was told that two owners had owned this car and it was a leased vehicle. The odometer reading at the time of purchase was 74,036.
Shortly after I took it home, I noticed the car acting funny. I felt like someone was giving me a push from behind and I had to make sure that I held my brake pedal down, so I wouldn't ram into the car in front of me. Four months later and on 9/22/04 at 81729 miles, I noticed that something was wrong with the steering and the gas pedal was sticking; whereas, I couldn't stop. The front corner car panel was loose, there was a noise in the steering when I turned left and right, and the door guards were falling off. Andy Sims repaired left lower panel, cleaned throttle body, but made no repair there, replaced power steering pump, rack, assembly, performed front end alignment, secured left front door edge guard and the total bill was $1152.47. Out of that, Ultimate Warranty covered only $994.30 and I paid $158.17 - what happened to my $50.00 deductible I was promised?
On 3/8/05 at 87,729 miles I noticed more problems. My car kept stalling and I smelled burning radiator coolent, my brakes were bad, and I heard a clunking noise up front. Andy Sims couldn't find anything wrong with why my car kept stalling, but charged me $40.00 for labor, couldn't find anything with the radiator and charged me $40.00 for labor, replaced my front brake pads, and resurfaced front rotors and charged me $169.95, replaced both front stablized links, and charged me $246.42 for a grand total of $530.37. Ultimate Warranty paid $206.42 of that and I had to pay $323.95.
I began using an unusal amount of oil. My light was coming on saying check oil level and on 9/23/05 at 95551 miles I took it back to Andy Sims and had the lube, oil and filter done, they checked the belts, hoses and all fluids and adjusted tire pressure, they performed an oil consumption test at 95551 miles and told me to come back when the car needed oil, so they could record the mileage. They told me to bring the car back when it had 800 - 1,000 miles, so they could check. In the meantime, the repair they did on the left rear door edge guard came apart and they had to fix that again. They replaced my rear brakes and pads, resurfaced the rotors, cleaned and lubricated caliper slides, and replaced the right front inner park lamp bulb and charged me $268.79.
It was at this time that I was told the shocking news that the Oil Pan Gasket was leaking and Andy Sims could not fix it, because they did not have the tools and they were a Buick dealer rather then a Cadillac dealer, so I would have to take it to a Cadillac dealer to get it repaired. I was told to call Central Cadillac on 2801 Carnegie Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115 and spoke with Ken Mathews, Service Advisor. Ken told me to bring the car in and told me it would take awhile to get it fixed, because this was a major issue. So, on 1/3/06 and at 98857 miles I had a huge repair done at Central Cadillac. Central Cadillac resealed the lower crankcase and put in a seal, maniforld, stud -lwr, seal, gasket, searl, CR/X, gasket -OI, Filter, Seal Wash, Coolant, replaced engine oil, pan gasket, parts, aligned front and rear suspension, billed for 10.8 hours and the bill amounted to a whopping $2,264.88 of which Ultimate Warranty only paid $957.81. WHAT HAPPENED TO MY $50.00 DEDUCTIBLE? In the meantime, my hood cable broke, but I declined service for that, because this car was beginning to cost me a great deal of money. In additon, I had to pay for a rental car on my own, because Central Cadillac said they would not submit that bill to Ultimate Warranty, because it was "too much of a hassle!" I had never in my life been treated so horrendous at a dealership like I ws treated at Central Cadillac. Ken Mathews was a smart mouth, rude, inconsiderate and made smart remarks to me by saying...
"Why couldn't Andy Sims fix your car? You bought it from them" I told him that Andy Sims said they didn't have the parts to fix a Deville and he said; "We have parts to fix Buicks!" If you would have purchased the car from us, we would have covered more, but you chose to go somewhere else, so everything will not be covered." When I left, I was literally crying, because I didnt' want to go back there and I had no one to go with me.
I picked the car up and shortly afterwards I noticed that somethig was wrong and I still had to put large amounts of oil in it. I kept taking it back to Andy Sims asking for them to check the oil, because I had to continue placing oil in left and right. I was then told that IT STILL HAD THE OIL LEAK AND CENTRAL CADILLAC DID NOT FIX IT RIGHT! I was told to take it back.
I didn't want to step foot back at Central Cadillac, because I knew how awful they treated me, so I called GM and told them the story. GM called Central Cadillac and Central Cadillac called me and told me to bring it back, BUT... I HAD TO RENT A VEHICLE AGAIN WHILE THEY FIXED IT FOR THE SECOND TIME! I thought that was very unfair, since it was their fault that they didn't fix it right the first time. Ken Mathews finally agreed to give me a free rental car, but he said to me...'IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A CADILLAC AND YOU ARE ONLY GOING TO HAVE IT FOR THREE DAYS!" I said it better be done in three days then. When I received the rental car it WAS A NIGHTMARE!" There was no heat and it was during the winter, and the knob was missing from the fan area, plus the windshield washers did not work right! I was in tears, because of the way they treated me. I hated going there! Three days later I was told my car was ready and I picked it up and told them that the knob was broken along with the rest of the things and they said to me; "oh, we know that it didn't work." I was at their mercy, because I had no vehicle and had been missing work because of my car and started to feel a pinch in my money, because every time I turned around this car was sucking up my money. Ken tried to make me sign paperwork that said that they would cover the rental for ONE DAY. I said to Ken that the paperwork says one day and you promised me three. Ken wanted me to sign it anyway, but I said no, I wanted paperwork saying that I received three days of rental free, so Ken took the paperwork and ripped it into pieces in front of me and pouted back to his desk to print out another one and then told me get it from the printer which was on the other side of the room. At this point in time I asked him if he was the owner's son in that he felt he could treat me this way for no reason. I had done nothing to him or anyone that I should be treated this way, but he had a cocky attitude.
I took the car home and STILL NOTICED THAT MY OIL WAS DISAPPEARING QUICKLY! I took it to Sims over and over again asking them to check my oil to see if the job was done right and they insisted there was no oil leak and that my car would normally burn that much oil, because it was a Deville. I was placing 2 quarts of oil in every 800 miles. So, I believed them and did not take it back to Central for fear that they would find something else wrong with it and treat me the way they previously treated me. I waited and the warranty from Central Cadillac went out and I was still placing tons of oil in my car.
On 7/31/05 at 106,622 miles, I was still complaining about the coolant smell and I took it in for an oil change. Andy Sims changed my oil and filter checked my belts, hoses, and all fluids and adjusted my tire pressure and charged me $31.73. They then found out that my water pump was leaking and replaced my water pump and added coolant and charged me $347.00 along with an additional $59.95 for flushing the cooling system. This toal was $451.22 which Ultimate Warranty paid $271.50 and I paid $179.72.
On 11/1405 at 11,820 miles I noticed my windshield washers wouldn't work and I had to continue adding huge amounts of oil (4 1/2 quarts every 3,000 miles). Andy Sims secured the washer line from the windshiled washers, because they came off, added dye to the system, gave me a lube, oil and filter and they checked my belts, hoses and all fluids, rotated my tires and charged me $62.81. My windshield washers continued breaking and I continued going to Sims to get it repaired over and over again.
On 3/13/08 I thought my car was possessed. It would not start, and I had to continue to jump start it and when I did the trunk flew open, the gas cap lid came open, and the lights stayed on. Andy Sims tested the battery, cleaned positive battery cable and cleaned underhood relay and charged me $409.45. I had to pay the entire amount. At this point in time, Sims told me that I had a short and so Sims disconnected the fuses from the radio and the interior lamps, so the battery would not drain so fast and I wouldn't have to continue to jump start it daily. When they told me to pick it up on Friday, I was called and told not to pick it up, because the mechanic rolled the window down and now the window would not go back up and I had to wait until Monday until the mechanic returned. I was without a car the weekend. Sims then told me that it was my "Twilight Module" and that my lights refused to turn off and in turn that was causing my battery to go dead, so they replaced the "Twilight Module" at a tune of $450.00.
The battery was still going dead and being drained and the repair work that Andy Sims did, did not solve my problem. I ended up having it towed to Mike's Service at 1890 South Taylor Road, Cleveland Heights. I heard Mike was fantastic with these cars and since Andy Sims couldn't solve the problem, I decided to go there. I told Mike that the battery had been going dead overnight for several months and took it to Sims and it was still not fixed. Mike said that he found that the alternator was not charging at all and found greasy oil on the serpentine belt and the whole timing cover are. He was aware and stated in his evaluation paper that the motor recently had major repair several times by dealers for oil leaks and that the power steering pump was also replaced. He saw that Andy Sims disconnected the fuses for the battery (this was Sims suggestion). Mike gave me a new alternator and told me THAT THE ENGINE STILL HAD A MAJOR OIL LEAK FROM THE BACK OF THE ENGINE, POSSIBLE REAR MAIL SEAL, OR LOWER CRANK COVER AREA and if the motor runs for 20 minutes it will start dripping out fast. He said THERE IS ALSO A LEAK IN THE TIMING COVER AREA THAT IS SIGNIFICANT BUT NOWHERE NEAR THE MAGNATUDE OF THE OTHER LEAK. He took it on a road test and heard one fo the wheel bearings singing and noticed that the power steering needed more effort to turn to the right than the left. Note, I took the car to Mike's immediately after I picked it up from Andy Sims! I paid another $525.06 and Mike put an alternator in and a serpentine belt and told me THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO WORK ON THAT CAR ANYMORE!
The problem still was not fixed and I was financially devasted and crying my eyes out, because my car would not start for me if I left it setting for two days without driving it. My son came over and bought a device that was originally for motor homes and he hooked it up to the battery, so each time I would come home, I would have to lift the lid and turn the crank to shut the battery off. I lived like that for months, but it worked.
On 5/6/2008 I took it to Waskos Marthon (this place is fantastic and very honest) in Brecksville, because the car refused to run over and I got a battery in it. I paid $143.25.
Now my power steering fluid was leaking like crazy and I had no money left to get the oil job done again, so I went to Auto Zone and bought some Lucas and poured the gunk into the power steering fluid area. While there, one of the guys mentioned how great Rad Air was. I was very reluctant to take it there, because I just couldn't afford more money in this car only to find that it wouldn't fix the problem. I took it to Rad Air at Pearl Rd in Cleveland and THEY FIXED MY CAR! I ended up paying another $450.00 because they said that a module needed replacing. They said that this module told the car what to do and all of this was hapening, because the car was uncertain when to shut it's lights off, etc. All this time Andy Sims had continued to misdiagnose my car.. first with the oil leak and second with this modulator calling it a short. As a matter of fact, one time I had a squeeking noise coming from the rear of my car and the mechanic at Sims said that it was a censor that would squeek each time I turned the wheel. It turned out that I REALLY NEEDED REAR BRAKES!
So now, every single repair job that Andy Sims Buick now called Andy Sims Auto Mart did broke! The repair job that Central Cadillac did - which was never done correctly to begin with is broken and my car is leaking and needs everything fixed on it that was originally fixed. I called John Sims twice begging him to help me with my car and John was as cold as could be and couldn't care less.
I began to wonder if there was more to this story then what I was told. I asked John for the name of the owners who owned this car previously and he got very defensive and said he didn't have time for that and that I shouldn't even go there and there was nothing he could do for me. He told me that it was time that I got a new car! How could I when I was financially ruined now?
In the meantime, I had my car examined, because I began to wonder if this vehicle was in an accident that was never recorded. It was pointed out to me that there was an overspray under the hood and the bolts were a different color then the rest. The CarFax that Sims ran for me did not show any accidents. I also found it interesting that the back right door never closed right. You would have to really slam it or it would never catch.
I fell behind in my house payments, my bills, my credit has been ruined and I'm totally financially devasted and now I've been told today that I need ANOTHER POWER STEERING RACK THAT WILL COST ALMOST $1,00.00. I'M READY TO SPIT FIRE!
I can't get another car, because my credit is ruined and I can't afford another monthly payment.
Many people I tell this story to seems to be a victim of Andy Sims as well and I thought it was high time that we all get together and place our story online and let the world know the kind of dealer and cheat John Sims really is.
I curse Andy Sims Auto Mart / Andy Sims Buick or whatever they want to call themselves each time I pass by.
DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH THIS DEALER OR HE WILL RIP YOU OFF TOO!
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We are not asking for any cash donations, just clothing or a toy as a gift for a child or two. I will come and personally pick up the gift(s), wrap the gift(s) and deliver the gift(s). I have been supplied with wish lists that were written to Santa. If you would like I can supply you with the lists so that you have an idea of what the children have asked for. Please do not feel that you need to purchase anything from the lists for the children either. Any age appropriate toy would be just fine and dollar amount is not an issue either. We have wish lists for all the children to email you if you are interested in helping. The age ranges of the children are as follows:
Family 1
Girl – 10 years old
Boy- 3 years old
Family 2
Girl- Twins 8 years old
Girls – 5 years old
If you have any questions or would like to help please feel free to contact me.
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