I bought a 2005 Suzuki Forenza in the winter of 2006 from Thomas Suzuki, located at 1201 Rte. 112, Port Jefferson Station, NY. This automobile has been nothing but problems from the start. The car was sold to me with no rear defroster system so that winter I had to go through the snow with a completely blind rear view and was inconvenienced into returning it for repair. At the beginning of 2008, the check engine light came on a week before my state inspection and I had to get an oxygen sensor replaced. Two weeks later, the tread came off my front tires (2 years old mind you) and I had to replace those. In May of 2008, the battery in the car died and that had to be replaced. In August of 2008, the headlights in the Suzuki died and had to be replaced. I have all the receipts and documents to back this up as well. On April 30, 2009, my car started to buck back and forth wildly threatening to stall. I brought the car into a local body shop where it was determined that only the dealership had the capacity to handle the problem. So I called the dealership and they told me to bring it in Saturday morning, May 2nd. When I arrived, they told me that they did not have a Suzuki technician on staff that day and I would have to bring it back in on Monday morning. So why was I scheduled on Saturday in the first place? I left the car at the dealership on Monday May 4th and never received a response on the vehicle. I called every two days and received excuses like we're backed up, we don't have any techs in today or its too big a job to start right away. Two weeks later on May 13, they finally tell me that the car is covered under the power warranty and they will replace the head gasket which has blown. On Friday May 15, they call to say its not just the head gasket but an emission hose that needs to be replaced. They do not have the part in stock and have ordered it for Monday, May 18 in which the car should be ready. I return my rental car, ready to pick up my car when I get a call that Monday morning stating that when the car's engine was put back together, the check engine light still came on and they disassembled the engine again and discovered a hole in the cylinder head which had compromised the coolant system which was likely caused by the blown head gasket.

Now they tell me this is not under warranty and I would have to provide proof that I had changed the coolant in the system. Of course, I can not locate that receipt, but its amazing to me that its taken nearly a month to come up with this diagnosis and NOW I'm being asked to pay for this lemon with only 3 years on it and 35,000 miles AFTER I was initially told it was covered. Plus, the blown head gasket caused the coolant problems, so shouldn't this still be an engine issue covered under warranty rather than a separate issue. I took a 4 year finance loan deal on this and I still have to pay $5000 on a car that has needed work on multiple location. Now they tell me I owe the $2500 if I want my car back, money I don't have, after inconveniencing myself and my family for a month and telling me I was covered.

On top of all that, they accuse me of not maintaining the vehicle properly when I have all the documentation to prove otherwise. Whatever happened to standing by your work? Thomas Suzuki of Port Jefferson NY is a disgrace. I'm lodging complaints with every consumer bureau possible including the Better Business Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, Suffolk County Consumer Bureau and any other consumer advocacy I can find.

Update from May 20, 2009: Thankfully, due to pressure on the corporation and the dealership from various outside sources, the company is now paying for the engine work under the warranty. So at least the company is stepping up in that count....