Worldwide Vintage Autos — Local services in Denver

I recently purchased a 1979 International Scout from Worldwide Vintage Auto in Denver, CO from sales rep, Ryan.

Since the vehicles are purchased “as is” and we couldn’t make a trip there, I did my due diligence and had a highly rated appraiser in the area inspect the vehicle. He noticed a major oil leak. Ryan assured me this would be fixed prior to the vehicle being loaded for transport. This oil leak fix was also included as a “to do” item in our sales agreement.

When I received the car through transport, on 11/20/2024, there was a major oil leak. The vehicle was taken off the transport truck and driven approximately 3 miles to the nearest gas station with oil pouring out of the bottom and you could smell burnt oil in the air vents as well as visibly see oil on the engine compartment under the hood and smoke pouring out of the hood. We then attempted to fill the gas tank and gas was pouring out of the gas line onto the gas station concrete. (A big no no and fire/safety hazard-pretty embarrassing as well!) So we stopped filling the gas tank and luckily were able to drive it approximately 3 more miles to our home hoping that this extra mileage wouldn’t damage the engine compartments.

The next day, 11/21/2024, I had a tow truck pickup the vehicle and take it to our mechanic approximately two hours away and paid approx $650 in towing fees.

Prior to the completion of the purchase, Ryan assured me that the oil leak was coming from the transfer case and would be fixed. Our mechanic has diagnosed the oil leak concern and has confirmed it is coming from the transfer case as well as from the engine and power steering compartments.

He also mentioned that the gas line was leaking due to dry rot (which means it wasn’t just a leak that happened overnight). The scout is currently with our mechanic who will be fixing the leaks.

Again I do understand that we purchased this vehicle “as is” from WWVA however this is unacceptable from any auto dealership, regardless if you sell vintage vehicles or not. The vehicles should all be expected to be drivable and pass certain safety/fire hazard requirements prior to being sold. WWVA has a 30 point inspection but for some reason these major issues were missed? But I noticed them immediately when we drove the vehicle for the first time? Makes absolutely no sense.

The sales rep was adamant that the scout wasn’t leaking prior to transport but I don’t understand his reasoning as within 3 miles of driving the scout, it was pouring out oil all over the ground and smelled of burnt oil within the vehicle. Also how could dry rot in the gas line hose be missed? When you fill up the tank with any fuel, the leak is major and goes all over the side and bottom of the vehicle. The only way this gas line leak was missed is if WWVA never filled the tank which is highly unlikely as they drove the vehicle a few times for inspection purposes.

I feel we have been misled. We paid over $34,000 for this scout so it’s not like it was discounted to accommodate the mechanical/safety repairs needed. We are also not able to drive our newly purchased vehicle for the next two months (at least) to fix oil leak issues that should have been fixed prior to transport.

And regardless if it’s sold as is, any and all vehicles Worldwide Vintage Auto sells should at least be safely drivable off the lot.

As of right now, I feel that Worldwide Vintage Auto has been very dishonest. My example is one of the reasons why auto dealerships get a bad wrap and for good reason. I feel like this was a churn and burn deal without any consideration for the customer. There was no “let’s make it right” when the oil leak was brought to the sales reps attention after receiving a vehicle that wasn’t drivable.

I have all the necessary documents including receipt for towing the vehicle the day after receiving it to our local mechanic as well as our mechanics detailed description of repairs needed and also Worldwide Vintage Auto contractual agreement that states leak would be fixed prior...

Attention: Sellers who are thinking of using WORLDWIDE VINTAGE AUTOS—

I was a purchaser. I was told all the right things by Ryan. I was told the 30-point inspection was completed and everything was good. His 30- point inspection was a joke. Lies, lies, lies.

Issue #1: When I asked about the overhead flood lights, Ryan said they worked well and were very bright. When I asked him to show me the morning of shipping, Ryan said they had not been hooked up. They had never even been plugged in for him to check them. He lied. They plugged them in, but left off part of the dash when they put it back together.

Issue #2: So it was shipped to me without a full dash, and there is a hole. The dash was complete in all the pictures I saw. This is a classic car, I can’t just buy it anywhere, and he’s telling me that it’s my car, my problem. This car was not sent to me as sold to me. Another lie.

Issue #3: The front bumper moves up and down 6 inches with 2 fingers. This doesn’t sound like passing inspection, but guess what, it’s not a part of the 30-point inspection. He sold it as pristine and one of the best cars he’s ever seen go through. Another lie.

Issue #4: When the shipping company picked it up, the truck driver said the clutch was grinding and sounded like it was going out. When he delivered it to my home, the clutch was completely out. I had to have it towed the next morning. So, a grinding clutch still passes inspection. Remember, he said it was in pristine condition. Another lie.

He did offer to pay $460 to replace the clutch plate; however, I was expected to sign an 8 page release saying they were not in the wrong in any way. If I took the offer and posted this review, he would not pay the money we agreed on. I’m choosing to pay to fix the clutch myself so that I can post this to warn future buyers and sellers.

Issue #5: We agreed upon a price (when I thought the truck was in pristine condition). Then, he added his fees and took it out of the seller’s pocket to make it work. On top of that, he increased the shipping price and took it out of the seller’s price to pad his own pockets. I got very confrontational because I didn’t feel comfortable with this, but at this point he already had my money. So, if you’re thinking of selling a car with him, you’ll be paying a lot more than 20% to Ryan because he will cook the books for his benefit.

Issue #6: The car was draining oil like a sieve. This was not mentioned when he did the inspection, oh but guess what, it’s not part of the 30 point inspection. Again, he said it was in pristine condition.

Issue #7: Find out about the title before purchasing. I was not given a title upon delivery. I did research when I didn’t get it, and I found that this is a common issue. It looks like it’s a major headache on the purchaser, sometimes resulting in bonded titles that take a long time and fall on your lap. In Denver, they can sell cars this way legally without a title, so be wary. I’m hoping I don’t fall victim to this issue as well.

Ryan is shady and will say whatever needs to be said to get the car sold. He has a smooth voice and makes you feel comfortable, like he’s your best friend (that says a car is the best one he’s had come through the lot). WORLDWIDE VINTAGE AUTOS is a prime example of why car dealerships have a bad reputation.

If anyone would like to join a class action against them, please contact me.

If WORLDWIDE VINTAGE AUTOS makes a better effort to get the issues fixed, I will delete this post and update my review. I will also dollop with my title experience...

Online Buyers Beware: This dealership is managed poorly, the salesmen are dishonest, and there will be little to no customer service or communication after you pay for a vehicle. Make sure to take a peek at the Better Business Bureau complaints about this dealer.

I saw a car on Worldwide Vintage Autos (WWVA) website that I was very interested in. I was on vacation and couldn’t make it to the dealership. So, after looking over the reviews on google, I decided to take a chance and buy the car over the phone working with Jason A. Who by the way, is one of the worst untrustworthy salesmen that I’ve ever worked with, and I’ve worked with a few.

Before signing the contract and wiring payment, I asked Jason what engine and transmission the vehicle had. He told me it had 400ci motor with a Turbo 400 transmission. However, after making the payment the next day, he later changed the story to a 326ci motor with an ST300 tranny which are less valuable; I wouldn't have paid the amount I did had I known and was pissed at the salesmen for lying. But, did take some blame because I didn't inspect the car in person before buying it and I know better.

So, two weeks later, I flew to Colorado to look the car over before shipping it home. Like many other cars they sell, there was paint over-spray on the engine, carburetor, and hoses. Rust had been covered with bondo and then painted over ...just crappy shoddy work.

After getting back home, I had the car shipped to my address where I found paint damage during the drop-off inspection. The damage wasn’t there when I inspected the car at the dealership. I took pictures during my visit at WWVA that showed there was no damage at that time. The shipper also had photos that he took when picking up the car that made it clear the damage was done at Worldwide prior to him taking possession. I tried calling the saleman (Jason) who wouldn't answer his phone. So, I left him a message about the issue; never got a response. I decided it wasn't worth my time and chose to drop it.

After 5 weeks with no title and not being able to reach the salesman, I began trying to get a hold of the titling clerk to find out where the title was. I spent an entire week sending her emails, leaving voice messages, and just trying to see if she’d pick up her phone; but never heard back from her. Finally, I was able to reach Charlene who got the clerk to respond. However, I only received a well-rehearsed email responses from the clerk stating that she would reach out to the previous owner to find out what the delay is. But I never received any follow ups; this went on for weeks.

Finally, after 2 months of BS, I filed a complaint with the Colorado Dept. of Revenue who manages auto dealerships. They were able to provide the push that was needed to get the dealer to process the title which I finally received after 3-months from the purchase date. Unfortunately, with all the dishonesty and lack of customer care, there's no way I would recommend Worldwide...