#389 - Twilight Blue - Florida? [ Caution - multiple listings ]

[congyiwu]

Has anyone verified that A & B Autos is real? I don't see it in Street View in Google Maps. I called the number on the website and explained that I lived in a different state and wanted to check that the dealer was real by asking what restaurants were nearby. The guy on the other end claimed that he knew every restaurant in town, but refused to answer and insisted that I either visit in person or hire a private investigator.

 

[adiggs]

Has anyone verified that A & B Autos is real? I don't see it in Street View in Google Maps. I called the number on the website and explained that I lived in a different state and wanted to check that the dealer was real by asking what restaurants were nearby. The guy on the other end claimed that he knew every restaurant in town, but refused to answer and insisted that I either visit in person or hire a private investigator.

I haven't been able to verify with a 3rd party that I trust. Jesse pointed me to www.manta.com, but that's not an organization I'm familiar with, and the A & B Auto information there looks like it was auto-generated.

The closest thing I could find was a nice article in the local paper about a year ago with a picture of Jesse standing in front of 1 of the 6 last cars he had in inventory. At age 92, he was retiring after he was done selling the last cars out of inventory; the land had been sold for another business. Now here he is, sounding like a very healthy 94ish, and still in business with 60 cars in inventory (according to the A & B Auto Sales website), and at the same location. Things change, I realize. But it's another piece of the puzzle that doesn't quite add up for me.

Besides Google maps, I also tried Yahoo and Mapquest. Y and M found a different location that appears to more accurately reflect the actual street address, but they don't have the street view so it's hard to tell if what they're showing is a small auto dealer or a hair salon

Best idea I've had next is to call the Miami, OK chamber of commerce, and see what they have to say. I found their online list of businesses, and A & B Auto Sales isn't on the list of auto dealers (new & used).

You're welcome to use any of that you find helpful congyiwu - I've got enough other things going on right now, that I've decided as much as I want a Roadster in general, and this one in particular, I don't have the time or inclination to pursue this one. I'm walking away from this one, but will continue looking for a good deal that needs lower effort.

Asoka

 

[TEG]

...Dealer link: http://a-bautos.com/index.php/preowned-inventory/item/118-2008-tesla-roadster
...

That site looks extremely "fishy".
The supposed picture of their showroom on the home page is actually a dealership in France...

http://www.a-bautos.com/images/stories/inside-view.jpg

Astron Caen France
http://www.astron.biz/news/building-of-the-month/images/building-of-the-month-2003-01-2.jpg

I went to their so called testimonials page:
a-bautos.com/index.php/testimonials ( A-Z Motors | Testimonials )
And found that the text was duplicated elsewhere attributed to someone else.

Buying a new car is scary! We have dreaded it for a while, but finally decided to just go for it. We started looking on the internet and discovered you. I sent an e-mail and was contacted almost instantly. All of my fears were put at ease with the first phone conversation with your salesperson. No matter how many times I call with ridiculous questions he is always there with the answer. I can’t thank you enough for the whole experience. We’ll definitely be back when we outgrow this vehicle!

-- G. O'Mallery

Duplicate text here:
Gregg Orr Auto Collection Dealerships Texarkana Texas Shreveport Louisiana Searcy Hot Springs Arkansas New PreOwned used Car Dealers Trucks SUVs

Buying a new car is scary! We have dreaded it for a while, but finally decided to just go for it. We started looking on the internet and discovered you. I sent an e-mail and was contacted almost instantly. All of my fears were put at ease with the first phone conversation with your salesperson. No matter how many times I call with ridiculous questions he is always there with the answer. I can’t thank you enough for the whole experience. We’ll definitely be back when we outgrow this vehicle!
J. O'Hara

Notice above that their "testimonials page" ( a-bautos.com/index.php/testimonials ) has the title "A-Z motors" not "a-bautos", so I did a search on "a-z motors" and saw this:
www.scamwarners.com View topic - A-Z Motors (Philadelphia, PA) Fake Dealer / Fraud / Scam

https://onlinecarscams.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=75

http://www.scam.com/printthread.php?t=145070&pp=40&page=2

---

Whois info:
http://whois.domaintools.com/a-bautos.com

Lorie Webb ()
+1.2528834251
Fax:
P.O. Box 134
Macclesfield, NC 27852
US

http://whois.domaintools.com/anbautos.com

Ronald Ulary
4028 Loring St
Philadelphia, PA 19136
US
Phone: +1.2157796341
Email:

---

Coincidentally, anbautos.com whois says they are on "Loring street", and whois on a-z motors showed registrant "Robert Loring"...

 

[adiggs]

Thanks for that additional info TEG. That helps simplify and remove lingering feelings of doubt and "missing out" :wink:

 

[cinergi]

Here's what my VDS looks like when I charge in standard mode (notice the battery icon is not completely full):

View attachment 11938

It looks like that only 'cuz it doesn't quite get to 90% SOC during standard mode charge (especially on 240). You'll note that if you switch to range mode, the bar will shift to the left (showing you the hidden top 10%).

 

[bonnie]

It looks like that only 'cuz it doesn't quite get to 90% SOC during standard mode charge (especially on 240). You'll note that if you switch to range mode, the bar will shift to the left (showing you the hidden top 10%).

I do understand the difference between standard and range mode. The two pics are taken at different times. The first one was at the conclusion of a standard mode charge, showing the battery icon NOT completely full, even though the charge was done. The second one was at the conclusion of a range mode charge where I switched the icon back to standard.

The point of the two pics was to show how easily you can make a car look like it has greater range than it does - and the giveaway on the ebay set of pics is that they show a pic equivalent to what I show in the second picture.

 

[cinergi]

:smile:
*shrug* the ebay pic to me looks like a full standard-mode charge to me (the battery isn't 100% green and it says standard mode).

 

[Ocelot]

nice detective work, TEG! for that price it was hard not to be tempted.....good community going on here.

 

[TEG]

Apparently the a-z motors, a-b autos storefronts were requesting that people wire deposits to Czechoslovakia...