7 On Your Side: NJ car dealership refund struggle

EATONTOWN, New Jersey (WABC) -- Recalled Takata airbags have led to problems for millions of car owners. One New Jersey man named Ron was about to become one of those millions, but luckily, the deal was quickly scrubbed. Unfortunately, getting his money back from Circle BMW was not so easy.

In February, Ron sealed the deal for a used BMW SUV, giving the high-end dealership a $3,000 down payment. But, a few days later, Circle BMW told Ron that the car he was buying contained one of the millions of recalled Takata air bags.

Ron asked the dealership how long it would take for them to rectify the airbag problem, but they couldn't tell him. So when he couldn't find another car, Ron asked the dealership for his $3,000 back.

According to its commercial, Circle BMW "has set the standard for customer service and satisfaction." But Ron didn't experience that side of the dealership.

"Several phone calls to the dealership were not answered," said Ron, who didn't want his last name used. "When they finally were answered, we even had one guy hang up on her."

Ron even went to the Circle BMW showroom, where he got shut out.

"I couldn't believe a so-called reputable dealership would deal that way," he said.

After a month of unanswered requests, Ron called 7 On Your Side, and we contacted the dealership. Within 24 hours, Ron's cash was returned.

The dealership said this is "not the way it conducts business. Deposits are usually returned immediately."

They also issued an apology to Ron for the "neglectful acts of their staff," saying one manager responsible for the "poor customer service has been terminated."

With a full refund, Ron will be showroom shopping once again.