A well-known car dealership in Kingston, Ont., has abruptly closed its doors, leaving customers spinning their wheels on what to do next.
A notice at the CarOne dealership on Gardiners Road says, “Short staffed, available by appointment only.”
” We want to have our independence back,” said Amanda Stolk, a CarOne customer.
Stolk’s car is somewhere inside the CarOne used car dealership.
She says she was contacted on Monday and told by a manager that, due to staffing shortages, their car wouldn’t be ready until February.
Now, the doors are locked, and no-one is answering the phone.
“We want to tow our car, we want to get it fixed,” said Stolk.
Stolk says she had a great experience buying the car at CarOne Kingston six months ago, but recently her vehicle needed a full engine replacement.
“We don’t know if the old engine has been taken out, we don’t even know if the new engine has arrived at all,” said Stolk. “We’re just trying to get it towed to another car shop that will take the warranty.”
Stolk says she’s been without her car for close to a month and says her partner has had to walk or use Uber to get to work.
Stolk also uses a wheelchair and says the loss of her car is equal to the loss of her independence.
The parking lot of the west end business is blocked off by a padlocked gate.
A sign posted on the window has a phone number for people to call but the number is answered by an automated directory.
Global Kingston called all available extensions at that phone number but no person answered.
Despite multiple calls, and a visit to the building, Global News has been unable to speak with the business owner.
The uncertainty about whether Stolk will be able to get her vehicle has been unnerving.
“It’s just been really anxiety-provoking, to say the least, because we don’t know when things are going to happen,” said Stolk
The Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council, the governing body for automotive sales in the province, lists the business as “inactive” and under the reason for the operating status, it reads “off premises.”