Gateway Classic Cars — Local services in Spring

Very dissatisfied. My purchase was complicated by inaccurate description of vehicle, poor negotiation skills between agent & owner, failure to provide title in timely fashion, and most significantly, vehicle damage between time of purchase and delivery of thousands of dollars without any proper admission of guilt or reasonable integrity on the dealer’s part.

I purchased a ’94 Dodge Viper & worked with Shayne & also a financier that he & Gateway Classic Cars had recommended.

Shayne and I communicated via phone & text for days prior to my visit & inspection. He was fairly prompt with his responses and answered my questions. But many things he communicated were not fully accurate. For example, he assured me that all electronics, including the stereo were in working order. This was false as speakers were noted to be blown. He also assured me all parts to the convertible top were present. But, he failed to point out that the back window to the vehicle (~$1K item) was missing.

I made the 10 hr trip to Houston with intent on purchasing the car as had been described. I worked with a financier that Shayne had recommended citing that they had a good relationship. I completed all necessary steps and requirements on the part of the financier and was cleared for purchase of the vehicle in any amount that would have been reasonably negotiated.

After inspection, noting the speakers to be blown, the back window to be absent, and all other parts of the convertible top to be present and in working order, along with all other points of inspection/test drive, I decided to begin negotiations. From a seller’s perspective, Shayne did a decent job, but from a buyer’s perspective, not so much. I made an initial offer that Shayne failed to elicit any sort of counter from the seller. In the end the seller made out with more than I had intended but nonetheless a deal was made.

I worked with a financier recommended by Shayne & Gateway Classic Cars. I had completed all necessary steps and paperwork and had been approved for purchase of the car. I had also completed sale paperwork on the dealer’s part. I was prepared to take possession of the vehicle that day, except, Gateway Classic Cars insisted they needed “check in hand” before releasing the vehicle. Despite verification that everything was in order on the financing side of things (from their trusted partner) and even after receiving email confirmation with tracking# of the check being en route to their location, they would not release the vehicle. Due to weather & transportation issues, this led me to have to spend several hundreds of dollars to have the car shipped.

They managed to ship the car without a temp tag, but most concerning was that the CONVERTIBLE TOP HAD BEEN DAMAGED between the point of my inspection/purchase and delivery of the car. In addition to my own inspection at the time of purchase, pictures are present of this top being in working order on their website. They had managed to break one of the retractable arms of the top when placing it in the car for delivery. Replacing this top is a $3,995 expense.

Finally, delivery of the title was less than prompt. After a couple of weeks had passed, there had still been no word of the title being delivered to me. After inquiring about this with Shayne, it turned out that the owners of the vehicle had traveled outside the continent and it was uncertain whether they would be able to provide the title within the 30 day window the financier had requested for me to register the car. Keep in mind, the owners were in the Houston area at the time of my negotiation & purchase. Gateway simply failed to acquire the title. Arrangements were made to get a hold of the title, and I was assured by the manager at Gateway that the title would be shipped via 2day shipping immediately after our conversation. Fast forward 4 days, and the title still had not been received, and after conversing with Shayne, had not been shipped by their manager at all...

I looked up Gateway classic cars and they had great reviews. We were trying to sell my Dad’s classic cars. Lance with Classic Cars did a great job while trying to OBTAIN our cars for an evaluation. 1931 model A and a 1947 Plymouth. Lance was persistent with phone calls and made it a point that the cars would have to pass inspection. Phone calls were returned and arrangements for transportation were excellent. On Tuesday, October 23rd our cars were evaluated but our cars were not up to standard. We totally understood!!!! I called Jeff at the Houston Tx showroom to wrap up this evaluation and get a few answers. He explained the reason why they could not take our vehicles. I told him I would arrange to have the vehicles picked up from their location. Jeff NEVER told me that they did not have possession of the cars. I assumed I was arranging to pick them up from their location, after all they were being delivered to their location. I called on Thursday the 24th of October and spoke to Shayne, the manager, to let them know the vehicles would be picked up. Shayne informed me they didn’t have my cars. They didn’t even unload the vehicles. They sent the driver away after they did their inspection on the transport truck. That is okay. What is not okay is that no one explained this to me when I spoke to them several times. Jeff or Lance should have called me to tell me the vehicles were turned away AND GOING WITH THE DRIVER. The transportation company would storage them for $25.00 per day. Cost us $1000.00 round trip.Cost hurt us but the way the business was handled was worse. Fear of not knowing where Dad’s vehicles were located. I called Lance and he has yet to return my calls. I called Shayne again to ask where my vehicles were and he said I needed to speak to Lance or the transport company. He told me that the miscommunication was between me, Lance, and the transportation services. He took no ownership of the problem. He passed the buck. I contacted the Florida manager Mr Anthony Freeman who handles complaints and he listened to my frustration and disappointment. I am getting my vehicles back but no thanks to their help. I called the transport company and they had the vehicles in storage. NO ONE AT CLASSIC CARS told me they didn’t have my vehicles. I know they didn’t make any money off of our vehicles but they sought me out. FOLLOW THROUGH! I don’t recommend this business if you are having cars delivered for...

Purchased a 1968 Camaro from the Houston store and since I was buying this site unseen and transported to me (first big mistake don’t ever do that again) I relied on the sales person to be up front and honest…… second mistake. Rust was a huge hot button for me and I asked multiple times if there was any rust. The sales person told me several times that they inspect their vehicles thoroughly and they will not except a vehicle if it has rust, then went on to say they turn down more vehicles due to rust verses vehicle that don’t that are accepted. The sales person did described the car very well and he did tell me about items that he saw that would need some attention plus he sent me many more pictures upon request and I do appreciate that. BUT here comes the problem he failed to mention an area that is a huge issue with RUST it is above both door on the roof panel next to the dip channel and there is absolutely NO WAY he didn’t see the rust because it was bubbling up under the paint it couldn’t be missed. There was several more areas on the vehicle that have rust not as conspicuous as the roof but still obvious. The floor boards were rusted the driver’s side had a hole in it, top of the left quarter, the paint is bubbling on the top of the driver’s door panel next to the window. This is a huge cost to repair would knowing this have stopped me from purchasing this vehicle MOST DEFINATLEY. After closing the deal and giving them a deposit the communications stopped, never had a problem getting ahold of them before that but after the deal was done it became very hard to get in touch with him again and calls were not returned. Then I had the need to deal with an office person named Jessica and my god that is a story of its own. When reading reviews other people have written they have had that same issue so seems like it was not an isolated incident. This is the first time I have ever posted a negative review and it’s taken me some time to do this but the more I think about how obvious the rust was and how adamant the sales person was that there wasn’t any rust I just have to get it off my chest. Moral to the story do not make my mistake and trust what is being told to you go look at the vehicle or have it inspected by an...