Car Corral
reviews and complaints

I bought my car on 9/09. It looked great and they said the previous owner took good care of it, so it was like new. The price was a bit high though. Later, I found out they sold it to me for the same price they bought it in 2017, but that's not my only problem. A few days after buying it, I had a Ford dealership inspect it and they said there was a loose ball joint on the left rear tire, which would cost around $550 to fix. They also told me that the tires were more than halfway worn, even though I was told they were almost new. That's another $500 or so to fix. On 10/07, about a month after buying the car, I noticed that the bumper on the passenger side was loose and there was a gap between the bumper and the fender. I hadn't hit anything because I only drove the car to work, which is just 3 miles from my home. I took it to a Ford dealership again and they said the bumper had glue residue underneath, which cracked and wore due to the cold weather. They confirmed that there was no damage to the bumper as if I or something else had hit it hard. The bracket clips that should have held the bumper in place were broken off completely. It will cost $1202 to fix. I have decided to fix these issues, but I'm really unhappy with this purchase. What should have been a dream car has turned into regret and disappointment. I already spent a lot of money on this car and now I have to spend over $2000 on repairs. That's not cool.

I brought my car to Car Corral on 2/24 because there was a weird sound coming from the front passenger side. The owner, John, asked if there were any issues with the steering wheel or column, and I said no. I made it clear that the sound was obvious and should be easy to hear. On 2/26, John called and said I needed to replace the drive shaft, wheel bearing, and do an alignment, costing $964.25. I approved the work. However, when I picked up my car on 3/2, the same sound was still there, and now there was a new horn-like sound when I pressed the gas pedal. I emailed John immediately on 3/3 to let him know the original problem wasn't fixed and about the new noise. He suggested I bring it back so someone could ride with me to hear the noise. I brought it in on 3/9, and the technician heard both sounds. Since I couldn't leave my car that day, I had to bring it back on 3/12 for a tire rotation. However, even after the rotation, the flipping sound, horn-like sound, and misaligned steering persisted. I called John on 3/13 to inform him of the alignment issue, but he said it was normal after a tire rotation. I also questioned the need for the parts replacement since it didn't fix the original problem. He suggested I bring it back again for further inspection. Before doing so, I researched drive shaft symptoms for my car's make and model and found that my car didn't exhibit any of those issues. I emailed John on 3/13, sharing my research and asking why they didn't clarify the flipping noise before doing the work. I also questioned the order of the tire rotation and alignment. I made it clear that I couldn't afford additional repairs and wanted my old tires back and the vehicle aligned at no cost. John agreed, and I brought my car in on 3/16. When I picked it up on 3/18, the flipping sound was fixed, but John told me I needed new tires for an additional $375. I was upset because I had made it clear I couldn't pay for more repairs. After calming down, I told John I wasn't okay with the additional charge. He asked if I wanted my old tires back and the vehicle aligned, and I said yes. He agreed, but it would take 3 days to issue the tire refund. The next day, my father informed me that he had my car because John gave him the keys and accepted money for the tires, even though I hadn't authorized it. I emailed John on 3/20 expressing my dissatisfaction and disappointment. He still hasn't responded. Throughout this whole ordeal, John didn't do what I asked or agreed to. I also don't understand why all those parts were replaced when new tires fixed the flipping noise. This has been my worst mechanic experience. I would have taken my car back to the shop if it weren't for the coronavirus situation, but I doubt John would fulfill his promises. I hope the ComplaintsBoard.com can help resolve this to my satisfaction. I have all the email correspondence as evidence if needed.