Herb Chambers Complaints or Commentary to the Herb Chambers Corporate Office

At The Herb Chambers Companies we sincerely value your personal experience at our dealerships. Whether you visit Herb Chambers to shop for & buy a vehicle, have your current one serviced or simply to pick up parts or accessories - we hope that you find Herb Chambers’ staff helpful, courteous and professional at all times.

Please use this form to provide feedback directly to the Herb Chambers Corporate Office regarding any aspect of your experience with any Herb Chambers dealership. We appreciate you taking the time to do so and you will receive a response promptly after completing this form.

I want you to know that we value feedback that compliments great service OR highlights areas in which we need to improve the service we provide to you, our valued customer.

Sincerely,

     Dear Mr. Chambers,

I want to write to you to share praise about your service manager, Joseph Rondinelli at Herb Chambers SAAB in Boston.

My spouse and I recently moved home to Massachusetts with the 2004 SAAB we purchased pre-owned (with 8,000 or so miles on it) in 2006 from a SAAB dealership in Western Pennsylvania. 

Let me preface this experience with the statement that we both love SAAB products and the uniqueness of the ownership experience.  Between us, we have driven many different SAAB models and enjoyed each of them.  This black convertible is no exception, but over its time with us, it has proven to be quite a temperamental vehicle.

We were lucky to have excellent customer service in PA at the dealership where we bought our car and were cared for by a service representative who I got to know quite well because of the number of times our car was in service.  I learned the importance of a great service representative because of the number of electrical and other glitches that seemed to plague our vehicle (the car would not start at times, the radio/back-up proximity sensors would cease to work, the rearview mirror would clunk, the CD player failed 2x, etcetera).  I asked her once to print out the list of warranty work done on the car and it was at least three pages long!  However, because of the certified warranty, we never had any cost associated with the work and loved the car, so we chalked it up to part of the experience.

We were lucky to meet Joe at Herb Chambers SAAB.  I did not think we would ever find a service representative as terrific as our previous one in PA, but I was wrong.  Joe is fantastic!  He recently helped navigate me through an ordeal, which without his guidance I would have spent a great deal of money that did not need to be spent.

While in for warranty work, I also asked the service department to look at the rear of the car because there was a scraping noise.  I was notified that my rear brakes were metal-on-metal (and the front brakes were 2 – 3 mm).  I thought this was odd because I had just had the rear rotors and pads replaced in December 07 and only 17-18 thousand miles ago.  I also questioned what was happening because I had not needed to replace the front brakes on the car (with about 42 thousand miles on it right now) and I had always learned that front brakes tend to need to be replaced more often than rear.  I was hesitant to do the work (brakes/rotors are expensive) after such a short period of time and sought a second opinion.  A brake place looked at the car and said there was more repair work that needed to be completed.  I called Joe.

Joe took the time to explain a great deal about the mechanical layout of the brakes on a SAAB and told me about a new service bulletin that was distributed to dealers.  He offered to have the shop take another look while I was away on vacation.

Ultimately, when I returned, SAAB had approved a goodwill replacement of my rear brakes and rotors all thanks to Joe’s research and determination to get to the bottom of this.  SAAB also approved fixing my roof, which had begun to rub against itself while stowed under the tonneau cover.

I am grateful for Joe’s help and determination to satisfy the customer as well as for his technical knowledge, and I know that I will rely on his advice in the future as I am sure this car will need future warranty work in addition to normal maintenance and wear work.

I love this car, even with its many “little quirks” and I am happy to return to Herb Chambers SAAB and Joseph Rondinelli to help keep it in top-shape.

Thank you for employing such a terrific staff member.

Justin

¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬2/26/09

Just wanted to say thank you for helping to resolve this matter.  We received the check yesterday. 
It is good to know that there is a place a customer can go to with any concerns.

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2/19/09

My husband and I purchased a 2009 Lexus IS 250 on 12-29-08 and picked it up on Jan 10th.  We originally signed up for the tire warranty that was offered for 495.00.  Subsequently, I changed my mind about the tire warranty and called the finance person before I took delivery of the car and told him that.  When I picked up the car on Jan 10th I signed some paperwork and he told me that I would have the refund back within 7-10 days for the 495.00 (we had paid for everything by check).  Since then I have made 3 phone calls and my husband even visited the dealership in person on Feb 14 and was told someone would look into it.  No one has gotten back to us and there has been no check in the mail.  At one point Rob Morris said he would get the check out on 2-9 by fed express and we would have by 2-10.  I told him regular mail would be better for us figuring he could mail it 2-9, but still nothing.   Can someone please look into this for me and get back to me?   Quite frankly I didnt expect the lack of customer service from Herb Chambers Lexus that we have experienced.

3/5/09

 Mr. Chambers,

I wanted to say thank you for your quality of care.  Your quick response to my issue with being refunded for the warranty that I did not agree to was remarkable. I was contacted by Mark Goldstein, the Manager of the Saturn of Warwick to confirm that my situation was being handled, which it was, by Debra Gleavy.  She explained that there is an in house way of handling these requests, and that was the reason for the delay.  In cases such as mine however, I do not believe that policy should apply, and she agreed.  Her professionalism with the handling of my issue was nothing short of impressive. She was considerate and promptly sent out the payment.  I am now able to refinance and save over 5,000.00 on my car loan, which is a significant difference.  Thank you once again.  I love my Mercedes, and am confident once again that Herb Chambers is a name you can trust!

Kind Regards,

Tracy

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2/25/09

Hello,

I purchased a 2006 Mercedes ML350 on the 29th of December 08.  The car is beautiful with low mileage and was a fair “Smart Price”.  The sales dept was great, very kind and helpful.  However, the financing dept is awful and I feel like I am not being taken seriously and am very annoyed. 

First, I was told my credit score was not favorable (around 650) and was given a finance rate of 11.44%.  I was told to try and refinance after about a year 1/2 to try to get a better rate.  This threw me because I had good credit in the past but I thought I had no reason to not believe the financing MANAGER. This was my first mistake!

I decided to run my own credit report at home and found out from the three leading credit companies that my lowest score was 710. I contacted the dealership and was told to keep the higher percent because it would be good for my credit??  I HAVE GOOD CREDIT! I began to look to refinance my vehicle and got a better rate of 7.15% (because it is a refinance).  I contacted the MANAGER of the finance department and he said this was not a big difference.  The difference is 58.53 dollars a month, why should I pay extra?  I am sure he would not. 

  My next disappointment was when I realized that there was an extended warranty added to my contract without my agreement in the amount of $2,922.00.  Unfortunately I did not realize this until reviewing my paperwork the next day.  I contacted the manager and told him since I did not agree to this extended warranty that I would like to be refunded.  He agreed, but since has given us nothing but a run – around.  I decided to contact Wachovia myself to see what the refund problem is.  I was told that there was no problem and all the dealership had to do was go online and cancel the contract and the refund would go through.   A few days ago I received a letter of confirmation that the warranty was cancelled from Wachovia and the request was not submitted right away when I had asked ( Dec 30th)but submitted in February.  They were very prompt with the cancellation and refund, not 30 or 90 + days as I am continually told.

  I called my lien holder and sure enough the money had not been refunded.  I then called Wachovia and was told the dealership was refunded 100% on Feb 14th.  I called the MANAGER of the financing department at the Saturn of Warwick and he told me that he did not have the same information. I asked him to check and was told he would contact me the next day.  Every time I talk to him he says “wait 30 days” and now its” it may take 90 days”.   It has already been done??  Also, I asked him on the 30th of December to cancel this warranty so why did he wait over a Month?  This means that the whole time prior to the February cancellation he was lying to me.  Poor, poor customer service.  He wrongfully added this warranty and I have to be treated like this? 

I am also disappointed in the fact that I was given a horrible and dishonest credit score and financing % am being charged 11.44% on a loan of an incorrect amount and that I am not being credited for a warranty that has been cancelled. I never agreed to this warranty and am not being helped.  Regarding the percent I was given I was told he had to contact so many banks to even get a loan for me with that score.  I received two denials, one said I did not have a sufficient down payment and the other was Citizens bank which is a hard bank to get a loan from.  I was never suggested any information such as put more money down to get a better rate.  No helpful information was given and I was dumbfounded by the news of my bad credit and did not think to ask.

This is not fair, and I thought I was dealing with a reputable dealership.  It is unfortunate; you would think you would receive great service at any time from such a dealership, never mind in a tough economy where word of mouth can be helpful as well as detrimental.

 The money has been refunded to your dealership and I would like it credited to my account so I can refinance to a more applicable percentage rate. 

Please advise –

Tracy

2/20/09

 We are writing to express our appreciation to you for the sales team of James Aiello and Giau Luong. Our previous expreience at your dealership was not a pleasant one, but after explaining that to James, he went thru extraordinary efforts to make sure that we would be more then satisfied this time. Having people like James and Giau as the face of your dealership goes a long way in dispelling any negative feelings that we, as customers might have had about Herb Chambers Honda of Boston..

    Barry and Dorothy

2/20/09

Dear Mr. Chambers-

Thank you (and Brad) for your prompt action regarding this matter.  Quite honestly, it was above and beyond anything I expected.  At most, I was hoping for assistance from your dealership in getting this matter resolved.  Never in my wildest dreams did I expect your dealership to refund the money directly to me and seek reimbursement from Alexico – especially since, in my eyes, they are the party truly at fault here.

My one regret is that I did not contact the dealership sooner, though as I mentioned above, I did not feel they were the ones responsible for my ordeal.  Had I known they could achieve such quick results, I would not have hesitated!

Having purchased cars from several local large dealers in the metro Boston area, I can honestly say, you’ve provided the best service out of all of them, hands down.  Mercedes Benz of Natick is top notch in my opinion and many thanks to Brad for resolving this matter in such an expeditious fashion!!  You’ve certainly earned a customer here!

Many thanks,

Brandon

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2/17/09

 Hi,

I bought a new Mercedes from Mercedes Benz of Natick back in August 2008.  Shortly after my purchase, pursuant to the terms of the Agreements, I elected to cancel the Gap Insurance ($595) and Alexico Tire and Wheel Travel-Gard coverage ($499).  Again, per the terms of the Agreements, I sent notices to Mercedes Benz of Natick for the Gap Insurance and a notice direct to Alexico for the Travel Gard.  Both agreements provide up to 60 days for the money to be refunded.  After several follow-ups (primarily with Alexico), I have had absolutely no response from Alexico Corporation.  I have since filed formal complaints with the Better Business Bureau, the State of Kansas Attorney General’s office and the Massachusetts Insurance Department. 

 To date, although I have received confirmation that my complaints have been received by the above mentioned parties, I still have yet to hear anything from Alexico.

 Given that I purchased this “product” from your firm, you acted as the distributor and Alexico has failed to respond to my repeated requests for cancellation/refund, I am now writing direct to you in hopes that you can use your influence with Alexico to obtain my refund ASAP.

 For your reference, the agreement numbers involved are as follows:

TRAVEL GARD agreement#232637; GAP ADDENDUM agreement #2045287.  Purchase date of my vehicle was on 8/23/08.

 Overall, I’ve had a very positive experience with Herb Chambers and I’d hate to see my perception change due to the failure of one of your vendors to respond.  That said, however, I would expect Herb Chambers to select vendors more carefully to ensure customer satisfaction – I have experienced anything but with Alexico and will refuse to buy anything from them ever again!

 I would greatly appreciate it if someone could assist me in this matter and getting my money (and any applicable finance charges) refunded from Alexico.

 Kind regards,

Brandon

2/18/09

 Mr. Chambers,

 I wish to tell you how pleased I am with my 2006 Cadillac DTS purchased from your dealership in Providence.  I purchased this in July of 2008 and have never been happier.  At the time of the purchase the salesman and general manager were extremely helpful and responsive to my needs.

 Since that time, I have had the car in for maintenance and repairs.  This was the first time I have purchased an extended warranty and the oil change/maintenance plan.  I have been very pleased with both.

 I am writing because I have had the car in for a few minor warranty repairs and the service was impeccable!  The service managers were professional and responsive every time.  They hustle and attend to the needs of the customers very effectively.  Each time that I needed a rental, the transaction was smooth and efficient.  I was always contacted about information for the repair or other necessary service.

 I just wanted to pass along my extreme satisfaction with the dealership in Providence.  I plan to be a long time Cadillac owner and trust that it will be with Herb Chambers.  I wish you the best of luck during this trying economic time.  Having been a GM customer for quite some time, I am pleased to have his new vehicle for my family.

 Sincerely,

 Richard

2/17/09

To Herb Chambers:

I recently purchased a SAAB 93 from your Boston dealership.  Working with Alex Gathil-Moturi was a pleasure.  He was helpful and straightforward. I will definitely recommend him to my family and friends.

Sincerely,

Alyssa

2/17/09

Dear Mr. Chambers:

 I am writing to express my appreciation for the outstanding service Phillip Potheau provided in trading in my 2006 Honda Accord and leasing a new Accord.  Phillip?s enthusiasm and extensive knowledge made for a very positive experience.  Moreover, the entire staff with whom I  had contact at Herb Chambers Westborough provided excellent service.

 Phillip and his sales manager bargained vigorously with me, as I had a very specific number in mind.   They, however, never resorted to the high pressure sales tactics that would have pushed me out the door.  Indeed, I chose not to do business with two other dealerships because their efforts rubbed me the wrong way.  Integrity more than anything else brought me back to your dealership.  You deserve and have earned my continued business.

 After a few days of driving my new Accord, I discovered I had misplaced a sleeve of CDs.  Searches of the house and car were fruitless, and I realized I had left them in the 2006 Accord.  Phillip, tracked down the car and retrieved the CDs for me.  Frankly, based on my experience with Phillip, I was not surprised.  He is truly an asset to your corporation.

 Best regards,

  Matt

2/13/09

Thank you for the Quick responce in resolving my refunds. . Adam responded with a sincere concern to regain my trust in your Toyota dealership. Thanks again John

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2/11/09

I wrote to you several months ago on behalf of refunds from two extended warrenties that been delayed because of errors in Auburn. I have been there to sign cancellations for the third time in 4 months talked with the general manager twice and probably every person in the finance office with little success. In contract signing I clearly said no and still have little faith in receiving the full amount because of two $70 penalities of policies that this dealership added without permission. My tundra is great I wish I could say the same for the dealership I bought from. This is my 5th purchase from your dealerships and for the first time feel dissapointed in my treatment because of there aproach in selling cars and policies. I am now 4 months waiting for refunds and it will be $140 + shy of sum paid. Please review this complaint and hopefully you can change there treatment of persons after they purchase the vehicle. I concider myself a loyal customer and was hoping for the same loyalty in return.

2/12/09

 Good Afternoon,

A few months back I had an issue at the Danvers showroom. After an e-mail to you, everything so taken care of. I wanted to Thank you.

 I mentioned I was interested in purchasing another vehicle. I did return to the Danvers store. I did indeed purchase another Hummer. The salesman Clinton Gerrish was wonderful, along with anyone and everyone I dealt with. I thank you for for taking my prior issue seriously. I recently had 2 vehicles serviced in Danvers, my vehicles were serviced with big smiles and a few jokes. The service department is wonderful, especially Jack. My trucks were returned cleaned and quicker than I expected. It was great, again thank you.

I am in the market for an SUV for my daughter, who gets to drive in 2 weeks. I will purchase her vehicle from your Danvers showroom. I hope to remain a loyal customer. I have spoken to Emilio in Danvers, we have plans to meet the first of next week.

I just wanted to take the time to tell you I had the best service and a few laughs as well. You need to know about the wonderful people you have there, not just the complaints.

 Thank you Again,

Kelly