SCAMMERS -- BE VERY CAREFUL BEFORE GIVING THIS DEALERSHIP A DEPOSIT…read more
I'm sharing my experience because I would strongly encourage anyone considering purchasing a vehicle from this dealership to READ EVERY DOCUMENT CAREFULLY AND GET EVERY PROMISE IN WRITING.
I inquired about a 2021 Jeep Trackhawk, and a gentleman named Steve West contacted me. From the very beginning, his approach was extremely aggressive and pushy. Almost immediately, he was pressuring me to put down a deposit so that nobody else could purchase the vehicle.
I told him clearly that I wanted to come in Saturday, inspect the vehicle, take it for a test drive, and decide whether I wanted to move forward. Despite that, Steve continued texting me repeatedly, claiming that numerous people were interested in the vehicle and warning me that I would "lose my chance" if I didn't leave a deposit.
I came in Saturday and was greeted by Britanni, who initially seemed professional and helpful. I was allowed to inspect the vehicle and take it for a test drive with another employee.
Interestingly, during the test drive, I was told that the vehicle had been sitting on their lot since May and that there hadn't been much interest in it. That was very different from the repeated messages I had been receiving about supposedly having numerous buyers ready to purchase it.
After the test drive, I told Britanni that I liked the vehicle and wanted to move forward, but that I needed financing.
She told me that was completely understandable and provided me with the banks they work with. However, she also insisted that I leave a deposit and specifically represented to me that the deposit was completely refundable if there was a problem with financing.
Based on that representation, I gave them the deposit.
That is where the situation went downhill.
I contacted all four lenders Britanni provided. None of them would finance the vehicle because the vehicle was to new and they only deal with classic cars. I was then forced to seek financing elsewhere. I contacted additional lenders, and ultimately even obtained a pre-approval from Bank of America. After submitting the required documentation, however, Bank of America ultimately declined the loan.
At that point, financing had simply fallen through, exactly the situation I had been told would result in my deposit being refunded.
Instead of working with me professionally, I received a rude phone call from Steve questioning whether I even had financing and once again telling me how many people were supposedly interested in the vehicle and that another customer was coming to pick it up.
Today, I contacted both Britanni and Steve and explained that financing had not worked out and that I wanted my deposit returned.
I sent multiple emails and received no response.
I called Steve multiple times. Rather than discussing the issue professionally, he refused to take my calls, hung up, and eventually sent me a text stating that the deposit was not refundable.
So let me be very clear:
I was told the deposit was refundable if financing did not work out. Financing did not work out. I requested my refund. They are now refusing to return it.
That is not what I consider acceptable business conduct.
And this isn't simply a disagreement over whether I "changed my mind." I attempted to obtain financing through the lenders provided by the dealership and through additional lenders. The financing was not approved.
I am now preserving all of the documentation, communications, financing records, deposit records, and messages related to this transaction and will be pursuing the appropriate avenues to recover the money.
I am also reviewing my rights under the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, 815 ILCS 505, and will be escalating the matter accordingly rather than allowing this to simply be dismissed.
If a dealership tells a customer that a deposit is refundable under a specific circumstance, GET IT IN WRITING. I made the mistake of trusting a verbal representation. I won't make that mistake again.
As for Steve West: your sales tactics, constant pressure, repeated "someone else is going to buy it" messages, and the way you handled this dispute were completely unnecessary. Being aggressive with a customer does not make you a better salesperson, and refusing to communicate when there is a dispute certainly doesn't make the situation look better.
A dealership that has supposedly been in business for 30 years should understand that customers expect transparency, professionalism, and accountability.
I would strongly recommend that anyone considering doing business here proceed with extreme caution. Do not rely on verbal promises. Get everything in writing before handing over a single dollar.
My experience has been documented, and this matter isn't over.
