Dear Editor:
I am a university lecturer and I have been shopping around in an effort to acquire a new motor vehicle. Doing my research my eyes popped and my heart fluttered when I saw some members of the Suzuki family that I had seen on our market before.
Bursting with enthusiasm I decided, yes, finally I have found something that I considered to fill the dual role of being state-of-the-art while still within my budget. I began making the necessary financial preparations to acquire this particular vehicle from Stewart's Auto.
On Sunday August 9, 2015, I came across a very disturbing article in the Sunday Observer entitled "Benz Blues". I took the time to read the article quite meticulously because I am aware that the dealer for Mercedes Benz in Jamaica, is Silver Star Motors which is a sister dealership to Stewart's Auto. Now this is the dealer I intend to do business with. As I read, my curiosity peaked and I was overcome with disappointment. I could not help but empathise with the customer who had spent almost J$16 million to acquire a spanking new Mercedes Benz and suffered such a demise at the hand of the dealer.
I quiver to learn a that dealer could sell to a customer a motor car that requires the use of low sulphur diesel fuel when at the time of purchase, this fuel was not being sold on the Jamaican market. How could this be allowed to happen? Where was, or might I ask where is the Consumer Affairs Commission in all of this?
I shudder to even think that any dealer could refuse to give adequate redress to a customer and, might I add, a repeat customer, someone who has been driving Mercedes Benz since 19...... and consequently, knows the type of quality and service that come with driving such a prestigious vehicle. After all, these defects have been reported and acknowledged. They were never denied.
Having read the article, I waited with bated breath for a response from Silver Star Motor because I really thought there must be some logical explanation. After constantly perusing the Jamaica Observer and seeing nothing on the matter I turned to the Gleaner instead. An article appeared, but to my surprise, it had no substance and didn't even offer an apology to this customer. The article failed to even address a critical issue of the sale of a motor vehicle, requiring the use of low sulphur diesel fuel, when at the time of purchase, this was never an option for motorists. I find it extremely disturbing and disingenuous.
In my humble opinion, Silver Star Motors should not be allowed to get away with this. I believe the aggrieved customer deserves a new car, his money refunded including monetary compensation for the inconveniences this might have caused him.
My question to Stewart's then is: What if I had gone ahead with my purchase of the Suzuki of my choice and months or even a year after purchase, I start encountering similar problems? What would be my redress? especially in light of the fact that I would not be spending anywhere near J$15 million to acquire this vehicle. Would I be treated with similar disrespect and disregard?
In light of all the above, Stewart's has lost at least one potential customer and I am sure that I am not the only one. Several of my colleagues share similar sentiments. Unjust, despicable, disrespectful are the mildest adjectives I can possibly use to describe the treatment meted out to this customer by this dealership.
Atherine Lee
University lecturer in finance and banking
Ashamed of Silver Star Motors' behaviour
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I am a university lecturer and I have been shopping around in an effort to acquire a new motor vehicle. Doing my research my eyes popped and my heart fluttered when I saw some members of the Suzuki family that I had seen on our market before.
Bursting with enthusiasm I decided, yes, finally I have found something that I considered to fill the dual role of being state-of-the-art while still within my budget. I began making the necessary financial preparations to acquire this particular vehicle from Stewart's Auto.
On Sunday August 9, 2015, I came across a very disturbing article in the Sunday Observer entitled "Benz Blues". I took the time to read the article quite meticulously because I am aware that the dealer for Mercedes Benz in Jamaica, is Silver Star Motors which is a sister dealership to Stewart's Auto. Now this is the dealer I intend to do business with. As I read, my curiosity peaked and I was overcome with disappointment. I could not help but empathise with the customer who had spent almost J$16 million to acquire a spanking new Mercedes Benz and suffered such a demise at the hand of the dealer.
I quiver to learn a that dealer could sell to a customer a motor car that requires the use of low sulphur diesel fuel when at the time of purchase, this fuel was not being sold on the Jamaican market. How could this be allowed to happen? Where was, or might I ask where is the Consumer Affairs Commission in all of this?
I shudder to even think that any dealer could refuse to give adequate redress to a customer and, might I add, a repeat customer, someone who has been driving Mercedes Benz since 19...... and consequently, knows the type of quality and service that come with driving such a prestigious vehicle. After all, these defects have been reported and acknowledged. They were never denied.
Having read the article, I waited with bated breath for a response from Silver Star Motor because I really thought there must be some logical explanation. After constantly perusing the Jamaica Observer and seeing nothing on the matter I turned to the Gleaner instead. An article appeared, but to my surprise, it had no substance and didn't even offer an apology to this customer. The article failed to even address a critical issue of the sale of a motor vehicle, requiring the use of low sulphur diesel fuel, when at the time of purchase, this was never an option for motorists. I find it extremely disturbing and disingenuous.
In my humble opinion, Silver Star Motors should not be allowed to get away with this. I believe the aggrieved customer deserves a new car, his money refunded including monetary compensation for the inconveniences this might have caused him.
My question to Stewart's then is: What if I had gone ahead with my purchase of the Suzuki of my choice and months or even a year after purchase, I start encountering similar problems? What would be my redress? especially in light of the fact that I would not be spending anywhere near J$15 million to acquire this vehicle. Would I be treated with similar disrespect and disregard?
In light of all the above, Stewart's has lost at least one potential customer and I am sure that I am not the only one. Several of my colleagues share similar sentiments. Unjust, despicable, disrespectful are the mildest adjectives I can possibly use to describe the treatment meted out to this customer by this dealership.
Atherine Lee
University lecturer in finance and banking
Ashamed of Silver Star Motors' behaviour
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