Complaint Review: Viking Dodge - Crystal Lake Illinois

Recently I noticed very large banners in fron of Viking Dodge loudly proclaiming they were under "New Management". Why the proclaimation if everything has been on the up and up I wonder? If you feel the need to invest hundreds of dollars in advertising the fact that you have replaced your management team there must be a reason. Could it be that the negative word of mouth has finally hit their fiscal bottom line? I know two people in my group who decided to purchase outside the area rather than deal with Viking Dodge after their initial sales experience or the experience presented during a test drive. My neighbor decided to go only after the new mnagement signs had appeared. For his test drive he handed over his license as requested to have it copied for "insurance purposes" and when he got back from the test drive they had already pulled his credit bureaus and told him they could not get him the zero percent interest due to his record. He wasn't even ready to buy and was waiting until he cleaned up an outstanding complaint so his score would go up. Are these the tactics that the new management team condones? What good was the change in management if the ownership condones this type of behavior? I believe that until the ownership changes, the sales pressures and tactics in use will continue unabated and this dealership will continue to prey on the weak or uneducated.

There is no other way. Unless you want the US Gov't to do your buying for you.... Did you say you wanted a $600 hammer? How about a $3000 toilet seat? Or you could live in a planned economy where (almost) EVERYBODY gets screwed, i.e. the now-defunct Soviet Union. That place was REALLY bad... which is why it went out of business..... Re the BBB, remember Deep Throat's immortal comment: "Follow the money." Where does the BBB get its money? From you? Or from businesses such as your favorite car dealership?

There are a few comments here defending Viking Dodge. Employees? Saying not to go to BBB? Hmmmmmm, you congratulate this guy, but say dont go to BBB. I as an American would like to think that there has to be some kind of law when it comes to purchasing an expensive item. And it is not people whining and crying, it is honest people who have been taken advantage of by total scum! And any of you defending these Viking Dodge employees, you are scum just as well. Yes, they are there to make a living, but stealing and lieing is not going to get you far, may as well work at a bank, and steal the people money. Against the law? Well, then doing this crap at dealerships should be against the law!

I have been a loyal customer of Viking Dodge for many years, since 1998, and I have to tell you, I have never been "Mislead", "Hoodwinked", "Screwed" or any other term I have heard in these threads. My first purchase from them was a 1996 Neon in 1998. I had credit that was not very good and they got me financed with an 11% interest rate. (I was at 21% with the trade) Never once was I asked for more money for a down payment. it took a month for the financing to go thru but, they never asked for me to come back or for any more money down. Since then, I have bought 4 vehicles from them. Most recent is a 2006 1500 Ram "Big Horn Edition" with no money down, 0% financing and a price below sticker. Here's the kicker, They have a Free oil change deal going. I didn't know that you have to go to Viking every 3K miles to be eligible (failure to read the fine print by me). I was in Houston when 3k hit and called Viking to find out what to do. They told me that under normal circumstances, I would have to have the service done there but, since I was in Houston, they would rather have the engine protected than to risk me waiting until I got home to have the oil changed. When I got back, I showed them the reciept from the dealer in Houston and they have still honored the free contract. Not only has Viking been a great company to deal with in my opinion, My 3 buddies have purchased from Viking and have had no issues. Long story short, Read the contract before you sign (No matter where you buy), Ask questions and if you feel unconfortable, don't sign anything. Just remember, these guys are there to make a living. The educated and aware consumer will always prevail.

I am VERY proud of you, Chase! You handled your buying process PERFECTLY! Now, contrast how you handled yourself with many, many others who cry and whine about how they were swindled by some car dealer slimeball after they simply walk in and play doormat! Chase...was it difficult to do as you did? Did it take superior intelligence? Could anybody do as you did? Absolutely! But over and over and over simply read the reports of doormat after doormat! You did perfect! You give me hope at least there's one consumer who knows what to do!!!! On the other hand...here's the PERFECT EXAMPLE of the total depravity of the BBB. With all the problems you aledge this dealership has had with the law, how they tried to play their congame with you, since March 2001 they've been a BBB member which "meets or exceeds BBB standards"! How much PROOF do we need to see what the BBB is? They sell "memberships" to their CUSTOMERS. The BBB LIES to the public by MISREPRESENTING their CUSTOMER as being so wonderful by "meeting or exceeding" BBB standards which in reality means "they provide BBB with their "membership" fee." How many people would go to this dealership based on this recommendation by BBB and then experience the kind of crap you did? The BBB is a TOTALLY USELESS operation which has COLLECTION OF THEIR REVENUE as their PRIMARY purpose. They DO NOT have the consumer as their number one concern. The BBB needs to be FLUSHED down the nearest toilet. The BBB is a MAJOR part of the problem of combating fraud/deception in the car business. Come on BBB....defend your self. Tell us how we are all wrong! Again Chase...YOU WERE FANTASTIC!!!!!!!

I am VERY proud of you, Chase! You handled your buying process PERFECTLY! Now, contrast how you handled yourself with many, many others who cry and whine about how they were swindled by some car dealer slimeball after they simply walk in and play doormat! Chase...was it difficult to do as you did? Did it take superior intelligence? Could anybody do as you did? Absolutely! But over and over and over simply read the reports of doormat after doormat! You did perfect! You give me hope at least there's one consumer who knows what to do!!!! On the other hand...here's the PERFECT EXAMPLE of the total depravity of the BBB. With all the problems you aledge this dealership has had with the law, how they tried to play their congame with you, since March 2001 they've been a BBB member which "meets or exceeds BBB standards"! How much PROOF do we need to see what the BBB is? They sell "memberships" to their CUSTOMERS. The BBB LIES to the public by MISREPRESENTING their CUSTOMER as being so wonderful by "meeting or exceeding" BBB standards which in reality means "they provide BBB with their "membership" fee." How many people would go to this dealership based on this recommendation by BBB and then experience the kind of crap you did? The BBB is a TOTALLY USELESS operation which has COLLECTION OF THEIR REVENUE as their PRIMARY purpose. They DO NOT have the consumer as their number one concern. The BBB needs to be FLUSHED down the nearest toilet. The BBB is a MAJOR part of the problem of combating fraud/deception in the car business. Come on BBB....defend your self. Tell us how we are all wrong! Again Chase...YOU WERE FANTASTIC!!!!!!!

I am VERY proud of you, Chase! You handled your buying process PERFECTLY! Now, contrast how you handled yourself with many, many others who cry and whine about how they were swindled by some car dealer slimeball after they simply walk in and play doormat! Chase...was it difficult to do as you did? Did it take superior intelligence? Could anybody do as you did? Absolutely! But over and over and over simply read the reports of doormat after doormat! You did perfect! You give me hope at least there's one consumer who knows what to do!!!! On the other hand...here's the PERFECT EXAMPLE of the total depravity of the BBB. With all the problems you aledge this dealership has had with the law, how they tried to play their congame with you, since March 2001 they've been a BBB member which "meets or exceeds BBB standards"! How much PROOF do we need to see what the BBB is? They sell "memberships" to their CUSTOMERS. The BBB LIES to the public by MISREPRESENTING their CUSTOMER as being so wonderful by "meeting or exceeding" BBB standards which in reality means "they provide BBB with their "membership" fee." How many people would go to this dealership based on this recommendation by BBB and then experience the kind of crap you did? The BBB is a TOTALLY USELESS operation which has COLLECTION OF THEIR REVENUE as their PRIMARY purpose. They DO NOT have the consumer as their number one concern. The BBB needs to be FLUSHED down the nearest toilet. The BBB is a MAJOR part of the problem of combating fraud/deception in the car business. Come on BBB....defend your self. Tell us how we are all wrong! Again Chase...YOU WERE FANTASTIC!!!!!!!