Austin Auto Planet LLC

Qiana Stofferahn 6 months ago

I would like to share my experience working with Austin Auto Planet as a 21-year-old young woman. I do feel I was taken advantage of due to my age and this being my first auto loan. At the end of November, I purchased a 2018 Kia Sportage. A family friend and I test drove the car, and when I reached highway speeds to test acceleration, the check engine light immediately came on. There were also a few other concerns I brought up while checking out the car. When I returned from the test drive, the owner said it was a misfire and that he would fix it. I mentioned the other concerns and he brushed them off as not important. I came back later that evening, took the car back out, and the light was off, so I moved forward with the purchase (I should have walked away). After having the car for only 12 days and roughly 500 miles, while driving to work at the same highway speed (around 70 mph), the check engine light came on again. I immediately called my dad, and he advised me to contact the dealer and try to return the car since this was my first loan. I stopped at AutoZone, where they pulled code P0234, which indicates a turbo overboost condition that can cause serious engine damage if not fixed. When I brought the car back to the dealership, the owner immediately told me this was a new issue and once again said it was not important. I have him on recording stating that he cleared the original check engine light because the codes were “history,” and while we were test driving the car together, he cleared the check engine light again right in front of me. Although he offered to fix the car, my bank advised that I try to give it back. I went back and forth with him asking to return the vehicle, but he undermined my concerns and repeatedly brushed them off by saying, “I said I fix it for you.” I ended up leaving the car with him on December 4. On December 6, he told me he needed to order a part and showed me a part listing from eBay. He said the part would arrive between December 10–13. The part arrived on December 16, but it was broken, and the car was not returned to me until December 20. He had my car for 16 days (December 4–20)!!! During this time, I had to Uber to work while working two jobs. I spent $613.72 on Uber while my car sat at his dealership. It wasn’t until the day before the car was fixed that he agreed to provide a loaner vehicle. This is not an honest dealership. The owner admitted he does not run safety inspections on his cars and said I should be glad he was “honest enough” to tell me upfront. However, his website claims he sells quality vehicles and performs a rigorous multi-point inspection, which was not my experience at all. After getting the car back, I took it to my personal mechanic again, and they encouraged me to sell the car and not have anything further to do with this dealership. Please be aware of who you are dealing with before purchasing from this lot.

Tom Graham 5 months ago

Five star experience. All of the cars are clean and well maintained and they sell themselves. Dealer was well informed, honest about the cars and not pushy. Cars are well priced for how good of shape they are in. Worth well the trip from San Antonio. 100% recommend

sirvan 6 months ago

We’ve done business with this dealership multiple times, and they’ve always been fair and honest. Their prices are very competitive, and more importantly, they clearly explain all details before the purchase. The vehicles we’ve bought have been reliable and never caused us major issues. I will definitely continue working with them in the future and highly recommend this dealership to anyone looking for a trustworthy place to buy a car.

MJ 4 months ago

The owner was incredibly helpful and friendly throughout the process. Even after I had an accident following the purchase, he went out of his way to help, something he absolutely didn’t have to do. He connected me with a body shop that repaired the damage using OEM parts at a fraction of the price quoted by well-known repair shops and insurance adjusters. That level of support after the sale really speaks to the kind of business this is.

Sandra a month ago

Went with my son to purchase his first car. We had a great experience. Owner was nice and friendly. Not pushing like at other dealers. He let us look on our own and was available for any questions. The cars on the lot were all in good condition.