NHTSA Complaint #10250949 — 2009 NISSAN VERSA

ON OCTOBER 28, 2008, I PURCHASED MY FIRST VEHICLE ' A 2009 NISSAN VERSA FROM TIM DAHLE NISSAN. MY EXPERIENCE WITH TIM DAHLE NISSAN HAS BEEN BOTH FRUSTRATING AND DISCOURAGING. THE INCOMPETENCE AND LACK OF CARE EXHIBITED BY THE SALESMEN AND GENERAL MANAGER IS BEYOND BELIEF. THE DAY THAT I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, MY SALESMAN RICH VANPATTEN DID NOT CARE TO MENTION TO ME THAT THE NISSAN VERSA DOES NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH AN ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. I DISCOVERED THIS FACT WHILE READING THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND REALIZED THAT ABS IS AN OPTIONAL PACKAGE THAT A CUSTOMER MAY CHOSE TO ADD TO THEIR VEHICLE. I AM COMPLETELY ASTOUNDED THAT NISSAN HAS CHOSEN NOT TO MAKE ABS A STANDARD SAFETY FEATURE IN THE VERSA. ALTHOUGH ABS HAS NOT PROVEN TO DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF ACCIDENTS CAUSED, IT CREATES A WAY OF DRIVING AND SWERVING IN WINTER CONDITIONS THAT SOMEONE SUCH AS MYSELF, WHO HAS DRIVEN WITH ABS FOR NEARLY MY ENTIRE DRIVING CAREER, WOULD HAVE TO ADJUST TO WHEN DRIVING A CAR WITHOUT ABS. SEEING AS HOW AN ABS PACKAGE COSTS ONLY $250 TO INCLUDE IN THE VEHICLE'S PRICE, I WOULD HAVE HAPPILY ADDED THIS PACKAGE TO MY NISSAN VERSA. I AIRED MY CONCERN WITH MY SALESMAN RICH VANPATTEN AND THE OTHER SALESMAN- WHO PRESSURED ME INTO BELIEVING THAT THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WOULD REQUIRE ME TO PAY $5,000 FOR A VEHICLE UPGRADE. I ATTEMPTED TO DISCUSS THIS MATTER WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER RONNIE DUNN AND HE FAILED TO RETURN ANY OF MY CALLS. FINALLY, AFTER MAKING AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE "SALES MANAGER" CLAYTON, HE FAILED TO SHOW UP TO THE APPOINTMENT TO DISCUSS THE MATTER AND NEVER CALLED TO EXPLAIN HIS RUDE AND DISTASTEFUL BEHAVIOR. I FEEL THAT IT WAS MY RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ABS OPTION AND TO DECIDE, FOR MYSELF, IF IT WAS AN OPTION THAT I NEEDED FOR MY VEHICLE. RATHER, I WAS TOLD MY SEVERAL SALES ASSOCIATES THAT IT IS USELESS AND THAT I WOULD SIMPLY NEED TO CHANGE MY DRIVING BEHAVIOR. I AM GLAD THAT I WAS ABLE TO FIND OUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE I WENT INTO A SKID THIS WINTER!!! *TR