A 2004 Hyundai Elantra, which is now collecting dust at an Apache Junction repair shop, is causing lots of trouble for a Valley woman.
"It sounded like somebody under the hood, banging on it with a hammer,” said Mistie Moore, who bought the car back in May.
Moore paid $1,850 cash for the burgundy vehicle after seeing it on the repair shop’s lot.
"By the time we got to the next stop lights, on Apache Trail, we heard it making a noise, when it got up to about 40 miles an hour,” Moore said.
Moore brought the car back to the shop, but she says she didn’t get the help she was looking for.
"The next Monday they start calling up your comment, saying it's making this horrible noise, and we want our money back, and everything else, but at this point my hands are tied,” said Mike Roache, manager of Patriot's Transmission and Automotive.
Roache said they shop is just the middle man in the deal and that the car belonged to a third party seller, not the shop.
Mistie and her boyfriend also signed an important piece of paper, acknowledging that the car was “as-is” and without a warranty. She said that, bottom line, she would have done things much differently from the start.
"Definitely learn from my mistake, bring someone who knows about cars, who can look at it, so you are informed about what you are purchasing,” Moore said.
The shop manager said he is just as upset about all this. Roache said comments made online have hurt business big time.
Both sides have a small claims court case hearing set for Thursday.
