DO NOT BUY A CAR HERE!!!
What a nightmare of a car purchase..
On 10/24/2022 I purchased a used 2011 GMC Terrain from the Auto Mall of Effingham with an extended warranty(Alpha). It had around 81,000 miles when i got it. I had just broken up with my girlfriend and was raising my 2 teenagers by myself, I told Shannon I needed a reliable vehicle. The check engine light came on, on the way home from the Auto Mall. By December of 2022 it had left me stranded 2 times, far away from home, and cost over 700 in uncovered repairs. On 12/03/22 the engine blew an hour from home and I was left stranded again. I had absolutely no extra money for any of this. They would not take the car back at any point. The extended warranty they sell you is from a company called Alpha Warranty. I had to hire an attorney to threaten this company with arbitration for them to still only cover 5,400 of the 9,000 dollar remanufactured engine.
I've spent over 4,200 dollars so far.
I have had 2 different mechanics tell me that this car has the wrong bolts and nuts in places around the engine.
After getting the new engine, its been one thing after another..
It has had 2 cat converters and is still giving cat codes I have had to get new injector rail, fuel injectors, oxygen sensor, spark plugs. The muffler was so rusted that it just fell off and I had to replace the exhaust system.
Now on 7/22/25 not even 3 years after purchasing the car, it's undrivable and I am left making car payments on a vehicle that I cannot drive. I have spent over 6,000 dollars on repairs putting myself into debt and I have 2 years left to pay on this.. The car now has around 94000 miles. I haven't even been able to drive it 13,000 miles since purchase because it has been broken down so often.
This is by far the worst car buying experience I have ever had. Please do yourself a favor and do not buy a car from the Auto Mall of Effingham. read more
