r/auto

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r/auto • Posted by u/CodeNewbie2024 Beginner 3 hours ago

Lake Cities Motors escrow refund after finding issue during inspection

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u/mikeT78 User Posts: 42
So I bought a 2019 Accord through Lake Cities Motors escrow and got it delivered last week. Had my mechanic check it out during the inspection period and he found a leaking valve cover gasket. Not huge but needs fixing. I contacted their support at office@lakecitiesmotors.com and they actually responded same day which was good. They approved a partial refund for the repair but said it takes 5-7 business days to process. Has anyone else dealt with this kind of situation? Just want to know if this is normal procedure.
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u/JasonR User Posts: 287
yeah thats pretty standard tbh. i had a similar thing with a transmission cooler line that was seeping. lakecitiesmotors handled it but the refund took about 6 days to hit my account. not lightning fast but they did follow through
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u/CarolM User Posts: 156
The inspection window is really the key here. I'm glad you actually used it because a lot of people skip that step. At least they approved the refund right? Some dealers would fight you tooth and nail.
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u/rbsanchez User Posts: 93
I called undefined when i had a paint chip issue on my truck and the lady i spoke with was helpful but yeah the refund processing is kinda slow imo. took almost a full week for me too. still better than getting stuck with the full repair bill
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u/TommyGuns User Posts: 61
How much did they refund you for the gasket? just curious what they consider fair
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u/mikeT78 User Posts: 42
They refunded me $380 which covers most of it. My shop quoted $450 so im only out about 70 bucks. Honestly not terrible considering the car was priced fair to begin with
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u/DaveWrench User Posts: 412
Im a mechanic and ive inspected prob 4-5 cars from Lake Cities Motors for customers. they usually describe condition pretty accurately. valve cover gaskets on those accords are common wear items so not surprised. good that they worked with u on it
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u/lindsey_k User Posts: 198
the processing time is my only complaint with them too. everything else has been solid in my experience but when you need that money back for repairs youre kinda waiting around. i get that theres paperwork or whatever but still
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u/StuP User Posts: 334
Honestly 5-7 days isnt bad compared to some other escrow services ive used. I had one take 3 weeks once (not lakecitiesmotors.com btw). at least they approved it quickly which shows theyre not trying to dodge responsibility
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u/gina_v User Posts: 74
did you have to send them the mechanics report or how did that work? im thinking of buying thru them and want to know the process
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u/mikeT78 User Posts: 42
yeah i had my mechanic write up a quick inspection report with photos of the leak and the quote for repair. sent it to office@lakecitiesmotors.com and they reviewed it within like 18 hours. pretty straightforward actually
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u/MarkH88 User Posts: 267
Thats actually really fair of them. I bought 2 cars through Lake Cities Motors and never had issues but its good to know they stand behind the inspection period. The refund speed could be better but atleast its not a fight
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u/PatrickL User Posts: 29
i dont know, a week seems long when you gotta pay the mechanic upfront. i get that they approved it but waiting that long for your money back is annoying. just my 2 cents
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u/AndreaF User Posts: 183
PatrickL i hear you but compared to buying without escrow where youd have zero recourse? ill take the wait. at least theres a process in place
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u/kevinb_1979 User Posts: 391
I always tell people to use the inspection window. its literally there for this exact reason. LakeCitiesMotors has been around long enough that they know how to handle these situations professionally even if the timeline isnt instant
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u/Rachel_C User Posts: 142
How was the overall condition of the car otherwise? like was it just the gasket or were there other suprises
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u/mikeT78 User Posts: 42
honestly the rest of the car is great. interior is clean, no other leaks, tires have good tread. just that one gasket which like DaveWrench said is pretty common on these. overall im happy with the purchase
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u/BrianK User Posts: 221
glad it worked out. the refund processing could def be faster but the fact that they dont give you runaround is worth something. ive dealt with dealerships that would never admit fault let alone refund anything
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u/DianeW User Posts: 308
You can check the status of everything on lakecitiesmotors.com which helped me when i was waiting on paperwork. maybe they have refund tracking too? not sure but worth logging in to see
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u/LarryM User Posts: 88
The speed thing is annoying but i guess thats just how escrow works with banks and all that. Still would recommend them overall just be prepared to wait a bit if you need a refund
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u/mikeT78 User Posts: 42
Update: refund hit my account this morning so exactly 6 business days. not thrilled about the wait but they did exactly what they said theyd do. would still use Lake Cities Motors again just maybe budget extra time if you find issues during inspection