BRAD BENSON - FROM SUPERBOWL CHAMP TO AUTO DEALER CHUMP

Brad Benson, upon retiring from the NFL, should have became a "Pop Warner" football coach instead of an auto dealer. He knows a little about football and nothing about business etiquette. Not all ex-jocks can become businessmen. Brad's consumer relations skills, in my opinion, are non-existent. It's essential to have patience with your customers and to "listen" to them. He doesn't have the ability to co-operate with disgruntled clients.

In October 1996, my husband and I financed from Brad Benson - Mitsubishi/Jaguar, (yes, he was selling Jaguars then) a used 1994 Mitsubishi 3000 GT. We naively drove away unaware we were driving on top of a "bomb."

Approximately, two years later, at the end of the month of November and/or early December 1998, our automatic transmission "blew out". We were on a highway at night when the engine began "racing" as if we were speeding, in fact, we were doing the complete opposite - slowing down to a "crawl." My husband adroitly maneuvered the car from the far left lane to the shoulder. Fortunately, a "pile-up" was avoided - the results would have been a catastrophic tragedy. (Months prior to this episode, the car's engine went on a "racing" frenzy. My husband had the oil change, a tune-up, the radiator flushed, new wires and spark plugs installed, over the course of months, yet, the car continued to wreak havoc.) Waiting for the car to cool off before starting the ignition proved futile, it wouldn't start. We then telephoned a tow-truck service to tow the car to Brad Benson's lot.

The service mechanic inspected the transmission and to our astonishment, he informed us that the transmission was "completely corroded". This was unbelievable!! We were quite furious, to say the least. How could this have happened? The car was 4 years old and we only had it for two years. Shouldn't a full diagnostic check be performed on each car whether brand new and especially used? Perhaps, this test could have detected the badly corroded transmission. Someone didn't bother to do their job, or didn't care to. The mechanic also stipulated that he was surprised the transmission didn't "blow out" sooner, because of its serious condition. When presented the cost for a replacement, we were left speechless. Two thousand dollars was the price tag for a re-built auto. transmission to replace the corroded one.

It took a whole month to "scrape up" the funds. Since this was our only vehicle, my husband used, with their permission, his employer's van for necessities such as: laundry, grocery shopping, doctors' appointments, and other miscellaneous errrands. It was humiliating. My husband earnings only paid for a small portion toward the repair work. We contacted Mitsubishi Motors of North America in Cypress, CA, for a "good will" gesture to assist us to partially pay for the transmission, since our warranty had expired, but to no avail. (Why does expensive parts in used cars seem to go bad when the warranty expires is a mystery to me.) Their answer was an unequivocally: NO! Brad didn't offer us a "loaner" vehicle - how CHEAP of him. Finally, a few days before New Year's - 1999, we arranged to pick up our car. I provided Brad's accountant with a personal check between the amounts of $1,600.00 - $1,800.00 and it was deposited in January 1999. The bulk of the balance came from my monthly Disabled Veteran's Compensation check. By paying for the car, we doubled our rent and had to pay our landlord, approximately $1,500.00 in February 1999.

On February 9, 2006, I read with absolute disdain and shock as to how Mitsubishi Motor Corporation of Japan had fraudulently concealed both to government officials as well as the public, (prospective unsuspecting consumers) records of their devious cover-up involving the installation of defective parts in their vehicles for over TWO decades. What a revelation! This was indeed, incredible! Needless to say, tens of thousands (I'm not exagerrating) or perhaps even a higher amount of innocent people could have been seriously injured or even killed as a result of Mitsubishi's corruptive greed and a blatant disregard for humanity! The article also stated that sexual harassment and gangster associations was an integral part of Mit. Motor Corporation of Japan's extracurricular activities. After pondering over this article for a day, on February 10, 2006, I telephoned Mitsubishi in Cypress, CA in which my file is still kept, to relay, in part, what I read concerning Mitsubish's deception. I spoke to a female named, "Tamika" who could not answer a solitary question, she then switched me to a person in the consumer relation dept., named "Winnie." She was clueless too and/or was apprehensive to give me answers w/o first consulting her supervisor. I was put on hold after each inquiry. She instructed me to send a copy of the repair work. Then she e-mailed me with a change of instructions and stated that there were no recalls on transmissions but on another part. I then e-mailed Mitsubishi Motor Corporation of Japan. A manager named, Mr. Kubo, reply, to put it bluntly was: "so sorry." He couldn't have been more correct. They are a sorry, greedy lot. Mitsubishi in Japan, Cypress, CA, and Brad Benson are mirror images of former ceo's like: enron, imclone, tyco, adelphia, and ca (computer associates). They steal, steal, and steal some more thus leaving consumers and employees alike out in the cold - wondering and asking themselves, " what in the heck happened?" Then they fabricate elaborate stories to cover their collective @$$et$. How much money and power does it take to satisfy their warped sense of narcissism and lustful greed? They trample over people with no power and incessantly get away with it. Sadly, myriads of consumers don't know whom to turn to, don't know whom to trust, are ashamed they were scammed, or they are pre-occupied with other important aspects of their lives. Others are petrified to confront the auto dealer "evil doers."

On February 13, 2006, my husband contacted, telephonically, Brad Benson auto dealership. A female office manager or secretary who answered, was, no doubt, expecting me to contact them. It was just a matter of time. Mitsubishi of Cypress, CA possibly forewarned them of my impending call. She asked my husband, is this about - and stated my name. My husband confirmed that it was. She then said that she could send us a document but nothing would appear on it about the repairs that were made on the car - specifically the automatic transmission replacement. Isn't this futile? This is an insult to our intelligence. Who do they think they're trying to fool? Obviously, we didn't to this day of typing my complaint against Brad Benson, received this "mysterious" and useless document that would have not assisted us in any way. I honestly know that we never will.

We finally traded in this "lemon" during the month of September, Y2K. It continually plagued us with an innumerable amount of of quirks and other problems. We've had enough. These 3000GT's, both with automatic transmissions as well as manual transmissions should have been added to Mitsubishi's recall list. This action would have proved to be an exorbitant, costly, and an overwhelming counterproductive decision for a conglomerate, such as Mitsubishi Motor Corporation of Japan, whom generate billions in revenues via sales and stocks, to overcome. YEAH, RIGHT. GIVE ME A BREAK!

People I spoke to (actually "singing to the choir") regarding this fiasco said, "Oh, it happened a long time ago." I usually reply, "Yes, it was." I also add, "Don't you think over a span of two decades is a long period of time for Mitsubishi to systematically cheat and lie to unsuspecting consumers about defective installation of parts in their vehicles, which could potentially cause serious damage and even death?" "It should never be too late to rectify an injustice that was committed against anyone." I also was counseled that I would need to retain the services of an attorney. Why is it that we, who have been defrauded by corporations who, "swagger in their feigned eminence", always have to spend more money in order to acquire

justice?

One more footnote. In March, 2006, I paid, on-line for a Vehicle History Report for this 1994 3000GT. Upon viewing the prompt: "Re-built Parts." The answer annotated: "None". I was floored!! Now consumers cannot trust these reports. A large quantity of auto dealers will "doctor" them as they did to the report of the 3000GT in which I paid TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS for a re-built auto. transmission. It's a huge, prosperous scam. It's like the "Energizer" bunny, the scam just goes on and on and on. . . . . While the "evil doer" auto dealers get rich and richer. This ominous cycle, sadly, won't end until our lawmakers do something about it!!!!! It's amazing that when these "sharks" have to 'fess up because their backs are against the wall, they'll hide behind the law. On the other hand, when they're breaking the law with their scamming and scheming, it's business as usual. SHAME ON YOU BRAD BENSON!!!!

Tell the truth and shame the devil, Brad. You know darn well my husband and I had a re-built auto. transmission installed at your service center on the dates I mentioned! Don't you have a conscience? Would you like someone to scheme and rob you in the way you scheme and rob others? Don't you possess an ounce of decency at long last? Don't you care for your fellow man, even if we're not in the same social staus as you? I know you just have a hearty laugh at the consumers who purchased your cars, knowing you've lied to them, while "raking in" the proceeds. How could you look at yourself in the mirror? You like what you see and whom you've become? You can't find an honest way to make a living like the rest of us, Brad? Oh, that's right, you played in the NFL, the money as an ex-jock isn't like one of those lucrative contracts, right? Maybe the pounding you took to the head, week in and week out during the season, muddled your brainwaves, causing your skull to thickened. I say this because of the response you provided to the Consumer Affairs Advocate when she contacted you. You said, "that you have no recollection of an automatic transmission costing that low, the cost would have been higher." Brad, IT'S BECAUSE THE REPLACED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT, IT WAS NOT A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION!! D'UH!!! Why in the heck you didn't consult your computer records? Oh, silly me, the "mysterious" document would not have stated that the transmission was replaced. You knew the transmission was corroded, don't you Brad?

What are you hiding, Brad? The truth? Is the truth even in you? Are you ashame? Are you afraid? You weren't afraid on the football field to protect your offensive teammates after the quarter back yelled, "hut"? Were you? What's the matter? Are you envious that you didn't invent the Gatorade "dunk?" Or you weren't one of the favorites of the head coach of the NFL team you played for - did that hurt your feelings, Brad? AWWWWW! I'm sure or I hope you're familiar with the old adage, "Whatever goes around, comes around" Also the two famous verses in the "Good Book": "You reap what you sow", and "Do to others. . . I'm sure you know the conclusion to this one, it's sometimes called, "The Golden Rule." A rule you do not follow, Brad!!

You know who I am. So what about my re-imbursement for that defective, corroded, and faulty automatic transmission that was fraudulently installed, by the corporation which employs you, in that piece-of-junk 1994 3000GT Mitsubishi you sold to us?

I'M WAITING!!!!

Comment On This

I agree - I would NEVER buy a car from that place. Brad Benson's customer service was so shoddy that they actually refused to give me back my credit card until I started to make a scene. To anyone who even thinks about going there for the 30% discount - do not do it. I have had two friends who bought cars (1 new Lancer Evo and an off lease Hyundai Santa Fe)from them and both have been lemons costing their owners much more than what they 'saved'.