TennMotors — Local services in Jonesborough

So this will be a rather lengthy review, Let me start with saying that Steve and Martin were both very polite nice people and this isn't a bash on them. On 9/6/18 i bought a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with the 5.7L Hemi and optional QD2 drivetrain for what i considered relatively cheap (sub 5k after taxes out the door).

Now I bought it knowing there were some cosmetic/minor problems;

the onboard nav system was non functional and was replaced by Tenn motors with a nice deck and i was given the non functional unit with the vehicle.

All four internal door handle wells were cracked and the drivers rear door handle is missing though i do have a part for it that was in the center console,

the driver's seat had some tears and the sunglasses holder in the headliner doesn't open and close properly.

cheap/old windshield wipers,

only one key for the vehicle,

all five tires were in need of replacement.

minor rust/dents and dings/ slightly fogged passenger side headlight

Obviously minor stuff that justified the vehicle being about 1700$ below KBB for a 184K on the odometer jeep. Here is where i made several rookie mistakes.

Mistake one, I did not take the vehicle to a shop and pay for my own inspection of the vehicle nor did i look over the inspection report from Doyles tire who is half a block behind Tenn motors. this has led to my sub 5K $ jeep costing me closer to 8k $.

To date I have had to replace;

the Steering gear assembly,

valve cover gasket (engine valve cover gasket leaking into head with blowback into air filter).

Lower ball joint front steering assembly X2,

rack and pinion assembly, control arm and assembly,

the Battery ( had AAA check the battery and electrical system when i wouldnt start AAA determined the Recycled battery in it had no capacity to retain a charge)

Spark plugs and wires ( this beast of mine takes 16 spark plugs by the way...)

the Upper radiator hose ( previous owner used non distilled water in the system leading to a slow heat induced leak in the hose)

Still to do;

a possible transmission pan leak (currently waiting on pay day to have that re inspected now that the other leaks have been dealt with in the hope that the transmission leak will be easier to identify now that its not covered in other leaking fluids)

also still to do is diagnose/repair non functional windshield washer fluid system for front windshield.

My second mistake was based off the first, had i not made mistake NO.1 i would have negotiated a lower price for the vehicle instead of blindly agreeing to the shown price thinking i was getting a great deal.

My advice if you are buying with Tenn Motors is to take the vehicle you are interested to a shop you trust (all my work was done by Porter's tires who is across the street from Doyles tires approximately 1000 feet from Tenn Motors) and have the shop of your choice do a thorough inspection BEFORE you decide on purchasing it.

AGAIN I am not bashing anyone, not Tenn Motors nor Doyles tires, rather I hope my experience is a cautionary tale to others to check ANY used vehicle at a shop you trust before you ever sit down and talk prices, if the repairs are more than you can afford or are more than you think the vehicle is worth, my advice is buy something...

I’ve been debating on whether I should say anything or not but I think it would be fair to other buyers if I did. I had bought a 2019 Audi S4 and after 10 days of dailying I get a check engine light; finally get it to a mechanic and get hit with a $3100 fix for a water pump. Being neglected for so long added a whole vacuum assembly.

I find it hard to believe that buying the car from an auction, on the lot for 112 days, it suddenly broke after the short time I had it, especially since one of the issues requires to be neglected for a long time in order to be an issue.

Some red flags I should’ve payed attention to was 1) not allowed to have a warranty through the dealer 2) they bought an Audi from an auction in Pennsylvania 3) admitting they don’t really deal with cars like these all should’ve been a sign I should turn to a higher end dealer that knows these cars.

My advice to future buyers. Don’t buy without warranty, and if you want a luxury German, I don’t suggest a small dealer like this. Maybe with American and simple cars; there’s no problem with this dealer. More complicated ones; don’t buy without asking the right questions about common issues that should be addressed with proof.

Against all this, I did like them as people, Zach was helpful but the info above makes me regret with this car from this dealership.

Edit after response: the reason I doubt the issue happened after I got the car; is how long you owned the car and the P0299 code requires enough coolant to leak into the vacuum system to throw that code.

Why it took so long is because I was letting the car sit untouched while I waited about 3 weeks for the first appointment since my dad knows the people who own a shop and trusts them. Unfortunately, the week they had it, they just came to the fact that they aren’t capable of working on it, so it took even longer for another mechanic who said they can do imports. Which is why it took until last Monday to get it in, last Wednesday to get the issue found, and now is when I had decided to share publicly.

I was hoping to get a call back from the last call we had on Wednesday to talk more about the issue before I spent money getting fixed when I called the first time about the code, I just got told a list of different reasons so I had to wait and go through 2 shops to now find out it was...

After searching for a good, reliable used Jeep TJ (1997-2006) for months and being disappointed after driving several options, I ran across a possibility during an online search. Since it was about two hours away, I called to ensure it was still available and let them know that my wife and I planned to make the drive from Ashe County NC to Johnson City TN later that day. From the minute we arrived, we were treated like valued customers. We were given the key and time to scrutinize the vehicle and then Tammy came out to provide its background and answer any questions we had before offering the opportunity to drive it. After they obtained our driver’s license and insurance info, we were allowed to take it out for a drive.

When we returned, Scott – who I had spoken with initially but was busy when we arrived – greeted us, asking if we had any questions. My wife and our dog (who had accompanied us) went to wait on the porch and Tammy immediately offered water for all three of us. When all of my questions had been addressed and I was interested in purchasing the Jeep, we all went inside to talk money. Scott was very open with how much they had invested in ensuring the vehicle was sound. In addition to their routine of oil change and new tires for all cars on the lot, they had performed several other services – yet they were able to get to the bottom-line, out-the-door price we had in mind.

Purchasing a used vehicle – especially a 4WD that is over ten years old – is always a little nerve-rattling. Scott and Tammy were patient and thorough in addressing the few “concerns” we had and willing to meet us halfway to close the deal. After the sale, they were equally thorough and professional. Martin ensured all the proper paperwork was provided and expedited its delivery so we could visit the NC-DMV for our license plate in a timely manner. TennMotors has de-bunked the historical “used car salesman” negative image. They are professional, honest and totally above-board. If you are in the market for a good used vehicle, they have my vote … even if you have to drive two hours...