My experience with AutoMax Tampa Bay has been beyond disappointing and incredibly frustrating. We initially purchased a vehicle that had immediate issues. Within days, we were dealing with problems that should have been caught before the car was ever sold. Because of those issues, we were moved into another vehicle -- which also ended up having problems shortly after purchase. When we decided to voluntarily return the vehicle, we acted in good faith. We dropped it off with the key and a written letter explaining everything. Since then, communication has completely broken down. Phone calls, emails, and messages have gone unanswered for weeks. To make matters worse, the vehicle has now been resold -- yet they are still refusing to refund our down payment. We were told it was "as-is," but nowhere in our signed paperwork did it clearly state that our down payment would be automatically forfeited if we surrendered the vehicle. Keeping our deposit while also reselling the car does not feel ethical or fair. We tried to resolve this privately and respectfully. We weren't looking for a fight -- just accountability and good faith. Unfortunately, that has not been our experience. I would strongly encourage anyone considering buying from here to read every line of paperwork carefully and make sure you fully understand their policies before signing anything. read more

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First thing i put a 1000.00 deposit on the car. But something told to keep looking at other cars don't buy the first car i come across. The very next morning I called and told them I was thinking about going a another way and told i would like to withdraw my deposit and they told that I would not get my deposit back which they did not informed me at the beginning of the transaction. The salesman never did show me the carfax or said anything about the deposit was nonrefundable and I top of that it's just found out the car has a savage title if i knew that I would never put the deposit down on the car or even bought the car first place. So my first payment is due tomorrow so I'm going down there to try to get out of buying this car. If that doesn't happen I am filling a complaint with the state BBB and who ever I can file one with. Stay far away from this dealership read more

I had one of the best experiences I've had in a dealership in a long time. The owner of Automax was so honest it actually made my heart sing. He was so genuine and kind gave me great advice and I can't recommend a better place than this definitely come there if you're looking for honesty. read more

Awful awful company. We had a vehicle from them and for the entire duration it was an absolute nightmare. They have horrible communication skills and will spring random charges on you. Very very scammy business and liars. They're super nice at first but it's fake. As soon as you sign those papers they become awful human beings. Literally every department of theirs sucks. Do not fall for it. Save your time and money and go somewhere else. Literally ANYWHERE else. read more

Glad I didn't buy a car from there they are associated with Creel motors buy here pay here high mileage cars high down payments rebuilt titles an no warranty no thanks I'm going somewhere else that will have a warranty who wants to pay for a vehicle and have to fix the repairs just go read their bad reviews and they pay people to write positive reviews buyers beware I'm glad I was informed before I would of been a victim read more

The financing is actually highway robbery.Cars that are 9k are actually 20k after the interest is paid off, even if you are in dire straight just save for a car .All cars have been deemed totaled out and the Kelley blue book is less than 5k and unknowing consumers borrow thousands for cars with 100k +miles . all cars are priced 9k,10k to 60k are trash !!!!Let's be honest they are nothing less than the used car salesmen from Matilda but worse !!!Don't get suckered all cars are at least 1k down and not worth it ! read more

I have gotten three cars from automax and recommend Bradley to everyone! He is the best and goes out his way to make you feel comfortable! My family has financed cars from here for 10 years with no issues! read more

Automax Tampabay - My new Toyota! - Car Dealers Near Me - Pinellas Park, Florida

Worst dealer in my life! I was in a bind 2yrs ago and went into the store. I was greeted by a salesman who played me so horribly. I paid on a car and then after 2 years paid it off only to find that it was rebuilt. I had no idea what that meant but learned a 10,000.00 lesson real quick. They don't have to verbally disclose and it's my fault for being taken.BUT THAT'S BULL SH!@ BUSINESS. Again I was in A BIND and he ran me through the paperwork never mentioning the Rebuilt title. You're a horrible business and will down your name for the rest of ky life. You even would have bought the car back from me to SCREW someone else and make more on a car that wasn't worth it. What a piece of work you are as a salesman. GARBAGE BUSINESS AND PEOPLE WHO RUN IT! DONT BUY FROM HERE! read more

Bradley is the best sales man there ever is! I can't speak enough good things about this business and that man! he helped me get into my first vehicle after losing hope at several other dealers I am so blessed I came along Bradley and his crew they helped me start my life!! read more

I cannot say enough good things about this family owned business! They were awesome to work with from the minute I walked in. Shout out to Bradley, Michael and the Creel family for making this car purchase a fun and painless experience. I highly recommend them!! read more

Bradley a real one ..... my credit shot to hell and he still got me in a affordable car

We just recently purchased a 2007 Buick Lucerne from Tampa Bay Automax. We had a few concerns and questioned if they would be addressed as the sales agreement clearly stated "as is". Automax stood behind all concerns in a very positive and professional way. Our Sales Person, Ciera, was very helpful, respectful, and professional. We had contact with other staff members, unfortunately didn't get their names, but they too showed only respect and professionalism. we HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM!!! Jim and Lynne D. read more

The first car we purchased was 2013 Ford. It lasted 1 month and the transmission blow up. After paying all the deposits and fees, insurance and registration. We had to pay everything again. Feeling ripped off we still needed transportation to work. They took no RESPONSIBILITY for anything. So they sold us a refurbished 2013 Honda Civic for $20,000. (RIP OFF). We had no choice. The conclusion after 1 year of payments. They repossessed the car for $200.00, within a week. Very nasty people. I would even say racist as well. DO NOT BUY FROM AUTOMAX in St.Petersburg. ITS A TRAP. RUNNNNNNN...!!! read more

Ok so I needed a car ASAP and went to 3 other dealerships. I decided to go with Automax and that was the best decision ever. Bradley was on point and very knowledgeable in real life situations and he helped me get a very nice car and extremely low miles. Very reliable I've had it and I have no issues thank you. read more

2nd time customer! They made an awesome deal with me after learning my last car was in an accident and knowing in a single mom that needs help. Fully recommend. Staff goes above and beyond!!!! Joe Cupp!!!!! Ask for him!!! read more

I was referred by another car dealership and was told come here and ask for Bradly they have a variety of all kinds of up to date cars and I should leave with a car today and by the help of this salesman even with obstacles still came through for me and my family who needed another vehicle and bigger one. I got just that a 2016 ford explorer the car rides great and price was reasonable I love my new car and want to thank Bradley and automax co workers that helped...So if looking for a new ridable car stop by there this location is on US 19 in Pinellas Park or make an appointment for a test drive I'm sure you'll leave riding happy like me!!! read more

These people's business model is just ripping off Tampa Bay, focusing on a group of people that need good used cars. Just despicable. i bought a car from them on the recommendation that a mechanic had looked at it and there were no major issues, and the car had a blown head gasket, no fluid, broken ac, whining fuel pump, filthy, food and years of gunk in all of the seats, they didn't even vacuum out the car. Best case scenario they are just buying cars at auction as cheaply as possible and just immediately selling them, or they have a mechanic look at them, buy them for a few hundred dollars, and then rip off the consumer on the other sides. One of the sales people admitted this, saying we just grab them from auction park them and sell them. I think he said this because the alternative is they know they are selling garbage to Tampa Bay. Awful business, awful people, buyer beware. read more

i have bought the car with them with 17% APR. i car was for $13900.00 + tax and i paid $2000.00 down and its been six month. i paid 6 installment with 17% APR still my account shows me $13497.00. today i ll go to small claim court now. $139000+ $848.00 tax. where the hell is my money going. don't go there if you wanna save your money. in the beginning they will tell your loan doesn't approved and if you pay $2000.00 then will try again. and then only one will go approved with santenderconsumerusa.com with 17% APR. and you're gonna fucked up. read more

Wow. Was very excited when I purchased my jeep here with the help of my boyfriend and tony's expertise. Another woman helped with the transaction process. After walking out of the dealership excited with my new car I was called the next day to come back up due the fact they had made a mistake on the paperwork. She had me sign off $2000 more dollars of the cost of the car. 2 weeks after driving the car off the lot problems began. The one month/$1000 mile warranty wouldn't cover the cost of fixing the engine check light and broken tire sensors being on and they told me it was nothing to worry about. I have had the car for about 10 months now. Nothing but problem after problem. Check engine light still on, new breaks, sensors broken, and now a MASSIVE oil leak. Not to mention broken radiator hoses, etc. THOUSANDS spent on repairs all in less than a year of having car they felt perfectly fine selling me. Don't waste your time here. For $450 a month payments on a car that is barely running it is not worth it. Not to mention the fact that they charge a $6 convenience fee for a card transaction and don't offer auto payments. For once I thought I had found a trustworthy dealership and I was wrong again. read more

Was very happy with my experience here. All the guys came out and helped me look through a few cars, I test drove a few and in the end they were able to get me in a car that was decent priced. I pay about $250 a month with putting $1000 down in a pretty good car. read more

I was just there with my fiancee getting the car we just checked out.... I missed a call from my lawyer regarding a workers comp claim which had nothing to do with the car, my fiance said that I needed to call my lawyer back, and the manager obviously heard lawyer and told us not to bother to come back ever again. I am not happy about this, and I feel like I am owed an apology as well as my fiance because he directly came to her and said this. read more

I want to thank Will and Jan for their excellent professionalism and genuine concern for me purchasing my new vehicle. I would recommend them to my mother. Thanks guys read more

Thank you for the great service, great customer service and rapid approval! Steve was informative and answered all our questions. Highly recommended coming here. read more

Biggest ripoff ever! The $2500 vehicle we purchased is now close to $4000, our mechanic told us after replacing radiator, gasket & water pump to get out while we can. Transmission will be going soon. read more

This dealership was anything but honest. We were greeted by a very friendly salesman, Toby at around 6pm. He took the time to show us 3 vehicles that were in our price range. As our experience continued, Jonathan, a manager, told us he had just the car for us. During the test drive, we noticed the steering was not perfect so we started to back away. Jonathan immediately said it was not a problem. He offered to have the mechanic on property look at it. The mechanic explained that the shocks were the issues and Jonathan said we could buy the shocks and have them installed for $1 since the issue was pre-existing. We felt reassured and continued with the purchasing process. As we began to sign paperwork slowly but surely surprises started to pop up. At first, our tag could not be renewed and a new one needed to be purchased, this being after Jonathan saw and told us our old one was fine. Then, the $1 fee turned into $25 because "That is the minimum fee for the mechanic". Once we got the car home. We began the cleaning process. Mind you we were told the car had just been detailed, unfortunately it was night time and hard to see the inside. This so-called detailed car had ketchup packets stuck in the dashboard, and the seats had to be steamed multiple times. It looked like sludge was pouring out from the seams. Sadly, the dishonesty did not stop here. We returned three weeks later to pick up our tag. We were told it would be good for 2 years. We arrive and the tag was only good for 1. We were told that the difference in counties would not allow for the tag to be good for more than 1 year. When we go to schedule the maintenance, we are told that they will not work on cars once they have been sold. We reminded them that we paid $25 for the service in advance. Their response was that was the fee to check the initial issues- Absurd! We went to another mechanic in the area and are given a list of issues that totaled over $4000 dollars, surprisingly the shocks were in perfect condition. We call to speak with Toby and are told he no longer works there so we decide we want to speak to Jonathan, the manager with the multiple empty promises and no knowledge of the business, and are told that he will not speak with us. Do yourself a favor and stay as far away from this location as possible. read more

First, Let me say that I have had no issues with the sales team and our purchase of the vehicle. The problem here lies the quality and reliability of the vehicle itself. We purchased our 2001 GMC Yukon XL from Automax towards the end of October, 2015. The second day, the shift cable broke, and we were unable to drive the vehicle without shifting the linkage manually by getting under the car, and doing so on the transmission. The original cable had been epoxied together, not replaced. After taking the vehicle to automax, this was promptly repaired at their cost. We went to get the vehicle scanned soon after to find that the MIL light was supposed to be on, and we brought it back once again. After letting them know, we had the vehicle back, with the MIL light on, but you can see to this day where there was electrical tape covering the LED light. Towards the end of december, the rear differential had begun to jolt and pop at random until eventually, we had no power, and had to place the vehicle in 4WD to limp it back to the dealership. They stated and ensured that the original part will be replaced with the exact part. When the vehicle was ready for pick up, I spoke directly with the mechanic that proceeded to tell me that they did not, and instead of the original G80 locking differential, they placed an open differential in the vehicle, rendering the off-road capability of the vehicle useless. Not only that, but they used the old bearings, shims, ring and pinion gears with the new piece. Anyone that is mechanically inclined would not do so, because the reliability of the build would be in question and cause uneven wear. The backlash was not checked, because 'they didn't need to with a new part,' again this statement is false. When I talked to the manager, Tony, he stated that they thought I would be happy, because the part was cheaper. I told him regardless if it was cheaper or not, I still have to pay for it, and i would have preferred that the OEM part had been installed. At the end of February, we already began to hear whining from the differential within the cabin and I called, and even talked to their mechanic when I made a payment. I was told that they would call me back, and I never received a call. At the same time, I told him of a new issue of the airbag light and horn not working, and was told it was the clock spring, which if true, means that the airbags are disabled by the computer, and will not deploy in an event of an accident. Next, we have NO A/C due to the vehicle eating the belts, because of a bad compressor and tensioner, and the Rear A/C stopped working within a month of the purchase of the vehicle. Today, March 19th, We made a trip to Tampa, wherein the differential was whining and grinding so loudly that we could not hear each other speak, not the music on the radio. I called and let the Mechanic know, who hardly said anything, and stated that I needed to talk to George. I asked to be transferred, but he stated that George was not on the lot. When I asked him why I hadn't been called back from the two weeks prior, I was told they talked about it, and that they 'couldn't do anything for me.' This is unacceptable, due to the fact that I AM STILL PAYING FOR THIS PART on a side note, and It has already failed due to a negligent and substandard install. I'm paying 370 a month for a 16 year old vehicle, with 200k on the odo. Glad to see this is how you treat your disabled veterans. read more

I bought a car back in April for cash. During the sales process I gave the max amount that I could spend including tax title and tags. The salesperson agreed to that but in the end it was over that amount. This week, months later I get a nasty letter saying that I owed them $82.85 more for the registration. I received the registration and title in the mail months ago. The letter said and I quote "IF WE DO NOT RECEIVE PAYMENT FOR YOUR TAG AND REGISTRATION WE WILL HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PURSUE FURTHER ACTION AGAINST YOU". My girlfriend needs a new car right now and we will go anywhere except these bottom feeders. Look elsewhere. read more

Worst place they rush you out the door the cars are probably bought at auction one of the sales rep said to get it checked out because the cars are only test drove for 30 miles then put on the lot for sale not to mention the outrageous pick up payments and on top of that you have to pay for your own tag not included in the taxes or payments what so ever so if you are able to pay 800.00 a month on a car I would highly recommend going somewhere else. The customer service left a bad taste in my mouth went to make my first payment had questions and all I got was attitude from Tiffany. Then I left a email since I work and received a voice mail from Carrie that I never met saying that's not how we communicate and you can't contact me that way then ended up calling me a smart shit and hanging the phone up on me multiple times for asking questions whatever you do don't do business with them there just in it for the money have no compassion or care for that matter! read more

I highly recommend Automax Tampa Bay. I particularly want to recognize my sales rep, Lawrence, and Will who assisted him. These guys were great. I have bought many cars over the past 35 years, and this was by far the BEST car-buying experience I have ever had, period! They did not play any back and forth sales brinkmanship games. Everything they said, they did. From the time I spotted the car I wanted online at Cargurus.com and was contacted by Lawrence until the time I drove the car home, the entire experience was very pleasant. Everyone my wife and I encountered were all very friendly and professional. I was also impressed that eventhough I bought the car "as is" they still provided a 30-day/1,000 mile dealer warranty. I drove 1 hr and 40 mins to get this car because they had the best price I could find Florida. Based on this experience, I would gladly do business with Automax Tampa Bay, Lawrence, and Will again when I am in the market for my next pre-owned cars. I give them my highest possible endorsement! read more

Bought car no spare tire no bright lights no cruise control. Vent windows broken..bad trans....I wouldn't buy a car from these people if my life depended on it...they back nothing up...and the topper I'm in a wheelchair....don't waste your time or money...u will be sorry read more

I had gotten an SUV from the Pinellas Park Automax about 6 months ago & I really liked it even though I felt it was kind of overpriced for the mileage. In the process of me finishing up my paperwork for the vehicle on my 2nd day there, I noticed the mgr Carrie Kennedy was being very rude to 1 of her employees & also making nasty remarks about another employee. I thought to myself that was very unprofessional for her to be doing that in front of customers & I even rememer asking someone if she's like that all the time? Anyway shortly after I got the vehicle, I found out that I was about 6 weeks pregnant. Unfortunately over the next couple months I had gotten severly sick due to my pregnancy & also began having back problems so I had to leave my job. Obviously I couldn't afford the car anymore. It got repossessed, but I was able to get it back because of obtaining a work from home job a month after losing my previous job. I was told by 1 of the employees that the repossession fee would be waived which was news that I was so thankful about. They said to get my vehicle back I'd just have to catch the account up. It was 2 payments behind. However when I called the morning I was going to get the vehicle the person I spoke with said something different. They told me I had to pay 3 payments to get the vehicle back, not just my past due 2. I tried to explain that another person working there had told me something different, but the mgr Carrie got on the phone & started being really rude & abrupt with me basically calling me a liar saying that's not what I was told. She even made a comment saying that I better not come up there thinking I can "sweet talk" my way out of paying the full amount? I thought that was extremely inappropriate & I couldn't understand what she was insinuating or why a mgr would be speaking that way? I was never rude or nasty with her not once. I ended up just paying the 3 payments & getting the vehicle back for a little while, but sense I couldn't renew my insurance on time due to catching up on other bills I couldn't keep the SUV. The final time that I went up to Automax to get all my things out of the vehicle they charged me $450 just to get my items. $300 for an inventory fee & $150 for the balance of the repossession fee that I was told had been waived. However without my knowledge it was never waived, just added to my account. I was even told that I payed $150 on it & I didn't even know it. I thought all the payments I'd been making were only going towards my vehicle. I was explaining that to the girl working but she said she wasn't sure about any of that so she just went to get the mgr Carrie & once again she was very rude with me. Once again she's calling me a liar by constantly reiterating that's not what I was told as if she is some kind of psychic that knows what every employee tells everyone. And once again, I never yelled & never got rude back with her because I felt she wasn't worth that. I calmly said all I'm doing is explaining what I was told & she says sarcastically well that's not what you were told & nothing else needs to be said. Honestly it felt as if she was trying to get me to engage in an arguement with her or like she was looking for some type of altercation. I have been in management before & I have been in customer service for almost 13yrs. I just can't believe how pleasant & professional her employees are but how unprofessional & rude Carrie is being their boss. I understand that in life unexpected things happen & people run into financial hardships. I would never expect anyone at a business to feel sorry for me because of my problems or because I can't pay for something. They are just doing a job & the company wants their money. It's not their job to care about me or anyone else & I completely understand that. However it is their job, especially the mgr of a business establishment to ALWAYS remain professional & not be rude with someone that isn't even being rude with them. I thought about getting the vehicle back but honestly its not worth the stress & I definitely wouldn't want to deal with that mgr there ever again. I don't know how Carrie Kennedy was able to get that position she's in, but she doesn't deserve it. I feel there are people working under her that actually deserve it much more than she does speaking from the perspective of someone that pays close attention to customer service. Hopefully in the future they will get a better more professional mgr that will not speak out negatively in front of customers about her employees & that knows how to maintain a professional demeanor at all times. read more