posted 09-11-2006 05:24 AM               

I purchased a 1997 Camaro from CarMax in Boynton Beach, Florida in August 2004. On May 9 of this year, I brought my car in to CarMax in Boynton to repair an inoperative driver's side window, a relatively common repair that was covered under their extended warranty. I picked the car up later that day.

The attempted repair failed, and on June 14, I brought my car back with the same problem. I picked later it up later that same day. According to their Service Manager, Mark, the repair was done "right" this time.

Yet again the attempted repair failed.

I finally brought my car to Maroone Chevrolet in Delray Beach on July 6 and picked it up on July 8. Unlike CarMax, Maroone Chevrolet identified the root of the problem (a faulty regulator and motor)
and replaced them accordingly with genuine, new, GM parts. In the interim, I had to obtain a rental car and rearrange my business and personal schedules.

CarMax's repeated service failures caused me commercial loss and personal aggravation. CarMax's General Manager at that time, MaryEllen, never returned my phone calls.

I subsequently wrote to CarMax's CEO, Mr. Tom Folliard. He merely passed the buck--right back to the Service Manager, whose department had caused the problem in the first place. That kind of response was not only ridiculous, but offensive and insulting. Later, Mr. Folliard's head of "Customer Relations," Ms. Monica Westbrook, would proclaim, "CarMax never offers any compensation to customers for its mistakes." When I advised her that I would have no alternative but to take my complaint to the Internet, she responded, "Do what you have to do." So, I'm doing it here and now.

Clearly this meanspiritedness and uncaring attitude starts at the top.