Auto Quest Inc — Local services in Renton

Bottom Line Up Front: Come here if you want a 5-star car buying experience for a luxury used vehicle. Note that their list price is generally not up for negotiation, however I found their prices to be extremely reasonable, if not some of the most competitive in the area. Robert and his team really set the standard for a confidence-inspiring experience.

This was my best experience with any dealership to date. Originally I had fully intended to buy a vehicle elsewhere, and this was simply a "pit stop" on my way because they happened to have a similar vehicle at a similar price. What an unexpected bonus this was! I knew within 5 minutes that I need not go further. While my assumption is that the fundamentals of procurement for their business are no different from any other dealer (i.e. used car dealers buy their stuff from auctions, thus they are getting the same vehicles as everyone else), what I feel sets them apart is the service, and in this industry that means everything. Upon initial inspection there were a few small issues with the vehicle we were looking at that were probably overlooked, but without flinching all issues were addressed immediately and without question (cosmetic, not mechanical). This leads me to believe that any issues I may have in the future will be handled with the utmost professionalism, and made me feel safe and confident about making my purchase here. This is an intangible but important value you must add in your calculation.

I really feel like their business model is one of the best you will find in this business - they are not simply trying to sell you a vehicle, but are depending on your return visit for future purchases. This long-term mindset works very well not only for them, but also for you as the consumer, as you can tell they value their reputation and will do everything reasonable to keep you as a happy customer.

I was also surprised to find they were able to finance me at a lower rate than my bank, so I was able to save .5% on my interest rate. The financing wasn't pushy, and was laid out in easy to understand terms.

I opted to purchase an extended warranty as I was purchasing a vehicle that has a reputation for high maintenance costs. Please keep this in mind as you shop! Dealerships are reselling used vehicles, and though they have certain criteria for selecting what they consider the best models to suit their clients needs, ultimately they have no foolproof way of knowing how the vehicle was maintained by the previous owner. With that said, many buyers have unrealistic expectations that a dealership should be willing to stand behind their product to any extent, and while there is some truth to this, it only goes so far. You are ultimately purchasing a vehicle "as-is", and dealerships would soon go out of business if they had to eat the cost for every unforeseen maintenance issues every time they sold a vehicle. My intuition says they would still go through great lengths to make the buyer happy, but really the best thing to do is simply factor the extended warranty cost as part of your bottom line if you can afford it. However, be careful - beyond the basic exclusionary policy, additional options can add up very quickly, and many are probably unnecessary to most buyers. YMMV, but you must decide the risk vs value ratio for yourself.

In all, as long as you understand the basics of how this process works and are realistic about your expectations, I think you would be hard pressed to find a better place to purchase a luxury used vehicle. You will appreciate their...

Was sold a car with scratches in the paint, a faulty battery and a broken AC, despite being told in person by Autoquest that the car had been inspected and were without any faults whatsoever. When complaining about the AC, the Autoquest mechanic topped up the AC coolant and couldn't explain why it still wasn't working. It took a ford mechanic 10 seconds to identify the locked and broken AC. Repairs for battery and AC were over $2,500. Was talked into purchasing GAP Insurance and Extended Warranty. Despite them being referred to as cancellable and refundable, it took several months and threat of legal action from my lawyer to actually receive my refund. This also increased the size of my loan and costed me interest in the interim. Was told that it was mandatory to purchase Lojack GPS service in order to buy the car (This I doubt that they will admit to, but I advise anyone else to be prepared for it and to say no), because they had already installed it on their vehicles. After a quick google seach I learned that this is part of a national scam and also against Lojack Company (Spireon) policy. You don't need to get Lojack to buy any car, it's actually illegal to even suggest it, and you can get GPS installed elswhere at a later time if you so choose. Was promised that scratches in the paint were going to be fixed but at the delivery date I was instead told to purchase paint (and be re-imbursed) at a different dealer to patch the scratches myself. This ofcourse did not result in the flawless result that I was hoping for. Accessories such as floor mats and luggage mat had all been removed from the vehicle. This however was not hidden during the test drive. Still, it shows that you're not getting the complete product you might get at other dealers. Basically, my impression was that Autoquest were trying to squeeze as much money out of me as they could and I definitely overpaid for the car. The total cost was $35,679, and another $2,500 for immediate unexpected repairs, for a car with an actual bluebook value of $19,000. Cancelling the Warranty and GAP Insurance returned $5,810 but it was still very overpriced. If you're looking for a car at Autoquest it would be my advice to demand to have a nearby, independent mechanic look it over during the test drive, and to not get any of their extra services, such as Lojack or warranties. I will not...

Worst experience! Car was dirty (inside and out) when I went to look at it. After negotiating and agreeing on a price, wasted the next couple hours on the extended warranty. I kept declining and they kept lowering the cost but wouldn’t let me off without buying the warranty. After the half-off sale on the extended warranty, guilt trip, “Lexus’ unreliable experiences” I gave in since they said I could cancel within 30 days to get the full amount back. I canceled within a week, went in and signed the paper. However, it was never sent to the warranty company but held for a month. I found out because my temporary plates were close to expiring so I called them to see where the new plates were. First, they claimed they sent it. Following week, they told me to wait. I called back a couple days later to verify the address. Well, surprise, it was sent to some other address. They suggested I go to the DMV to pay for new ones. I asked why, since it was their doing. They said it would cost them. They finally agreed to reimburse me. I took the receipt in then asked about the status on the warranty cancellation. The finance lady claimed they’ve been trying to reach me by email and phone (really?) because they needed the vehicle mileage for the cancellation paperwork. So, interest accrued on something they purposely held onto and tax paid ($150) for the warranty I never got back because they “already paid it to the state.” Left the lot after they agreed to repaint the front bumper since they couldn’t touch up the paint. Interior was still extremely dirty. Spent a couple hours cleaning the interior when I got home. Realized there was about a four inch crack behind the rear view mirror. Called them and they agreed to replace the windshield for free. Also, they never wiped the navigation and phone history. To find out the car’s from New Jersey (salt-driving capital). Took the car in the following week for the repaint and windshield. They called me a few days later asking that I split the cost ($500) of the replacement but I declined. To find out they had already replaced it. Horrible job on the replacement and the repaint. Wished I would’ve declined both. Window trimming was uneven and glass shards all over the dashboard. Paint was over-sprayed in many places, leftover taping, loose and missing...