Dutton Garage — Local services in Melbourne

Caveat Emptor: Engine or gearbox may not be included in the purchase price!

I found a vehicle on Carsales that matched the specifications I wanted and had all of the safety features I needed. I exchanged multiple phone calls with the dealer (Dutton Garage) regarding the details of the vehicle and freighting the vehicle to the ACT.

The dealer had listed approximately $15,000 worth of optional extras. As per the disclaimer on the ad, I called the dealer to confirm the extras were actually there. The dealer confirmed they weren’t fitted to the vehicle and said it was most likely a typo made by the staff member that creates the ads.

Even without the optional extras, the vehicle advertised was still good value and the dealer assured me that I would be ecstatic with my purchase. We made the deal and the dealer arranged delivery to the ACT.

On receiving the vehicle I checked out all of the features to make myself familiar with my new car. I noticed that the majority of the standard safety features advertised (there was no disclaimer for standard features mind you) were not fitted to the vehicle. The vehicle I received was similar, but definitely not as advertised online. I figured I would ask the dealer to assist me.

I contacted Dutton Garage and explained the situation. I also offered four solutions to rectify the situation and also left it open to any other suggestions they might have. All of which the dealer refused, saying it was entirely my fault for not checking each inclusion was actually included on the vehicle.

I responded advising that “standard vehicle features” are exactly that. Standard features. They should not require confirming. The dealer then blamed Carsales and also Redbook as the information is provided by them. The dealer apparently does not check the details of the vehicles it is selling. I was told that it would take too much time for them to confirm all of the details for every vehicle sold.

I am not saying the car is bad. I still like it. What I am saying is that the vehicle really is no better than the vehicle it was replacing as far standard features go. I wasted my time, money and effort on essentially the same thing as I already had. I am not happy with the dealer, his response or his lack of client services. Not even an apology. Had I known the vehicle did not have these safety features, I certainly would not have purchased it.

My warning to all that choose to buy off Dutton Garage: They do not care if the vehicle they are selling matches the advertised description. They will also not accept responsibility. They will blame you, Carsales or Redbook for any errors. So make sure you spend as long as it takes to make sure everything they advertise online is actually fitted to the vehicle. Remember this is not just optional extras I am talking about. These are standard features of the vehicle. Features that are supposed to be fitted to the vehicle as standard.

So again: Buyer Beware. You may have a better experience, and I hope you do, but...

I sent this email to the team at Dutton Wholesale today after the exceptionally poor customer service I received and no one responded! See below:

Team,

I have been in touch with your dealership over the past couple of days regarding the Mazda MX-5 RF that you have for sale. To say I am disappointed with the customer service your business has provided would be an understatement.

I first contacted your team through carsales on Sunday 3rd of May stating that I would be happy to offer $20,000 dollars for the car and I received a positive response to ‘Come in and we will sign you up’.

The following day (Monday 4th of April) I received a message to say that the car had been sold for $20,880 subject to finance being approved. This was disappointing news that I hadn’t been given the opportunity to buy the car and my understanding was I was coming in to ‘Sign up’ at this stage. Despite the level of disappointment I felt, I really liked the car so I rang the contact details included in the email I received from carsales on Sunday and got through to Ahmad Dabis (I was under the impression I had been speaking with him the entire time however he asserted to me today that is not the case). I said to him that I noticed the car was still for sale online and asked if the the finance fallen through with the other buyer. He told me that the finance had fallen through and I would have the opportunity to buy the car.

So as my impression was that this car was well priced, I rescheduled my afternoon meetings to ensure that I could get there this afternoon to view the car with a view to purchasing it for $20,000 as discussed previously. I spoke with Ahmad and he informed me that the best he could do on the car was $27,000 (a big stretch from the 20,000 previously offered to me). Without an apology he explained in condescending fashion why he could not sell the car to me at the price and while he did acknowledge that my time had been wasted by your business he did not offer any form of apology and joked that I was ‘lucky that the traffic wasn’t too bad, so it shouldn’t take long to get home’. It took me 45 minutes each way to get to your premises from my house and consumed around two hours of my afternoon in total. I was further frustrated by the fact that Ahmad could not offer an explanation as to why I could not buy the car at the price that it was offered to me at.

The conduct I am describing above is not only completely dishonest and disingenuous, it could also be considered highly illegal and misleading. I would appreciate it if management could please give me a call to discuss this tomorrow as I still remain interested in the car. If you have any questions or would like screenshots of the conversation outlined above please let me...

There is no longer anything good to be said about Dutton Garage, its group of companies, and their business practices. In particular Nicholas Renkovetsy and his manager, or ‘business partner’ as Nicholas stated, Daniel Toor.

Lying and deceitful is the best description of Nicholas’s modus operandi which consists of misrepresentation, lying, using a personal email account, time wasting, no communication, unable to follow instruction, acting without authority and good old ‘full of crap’, all experienced within a 24-hour period late January 2019.

It turns out, Nicholas is actually from sellyourcarfast but represented himself as working for Dutton Garage Melbourne, then DG1911 Qld, when he arrived to view my vehicle in a white Dutton Garage polo and stated that he worked for Dutton Garage. When asked if he worked for sellyourcarfast, part of the Dutton Group, Nicholas specifically denied his true employment stating again that he worked for Dutton Garage in Albion Queensland.

In subsequent text correspondence, Nicholas still won't state his true employment, rather stating 'I work for the Dutton Group'.

sellyourcarfast is owned by Dutton Garage and Nicholas and Daniel have certainly brought the stereotypical unprincipled, unscrupulous and dishonest used car salesperson to the once respected and recommended, Dutton Garage brand.

When you do finally take initiative to track down these people to finalise an agreed deal, prepare to be spoken over, told you’re interfering with their time with no accountability taken. Even in discussion with DG1911 Qld, the GM stated that 'we are all under the same umbrella' but refused to seek accountability. I’m sure they have a whole book of excuses and justification to defend their dishonest activities, even after providing them time to rectify their con.

Perhaps Nicholas and Daniel are the exception within the Dutton Garage Group? But this is a clear warning to ignore Nicholas Renkovetsy’s phone...