The Autobarn Volkswagen of Countryside

Go to Autobarn VW if you want a service department that does not stand by their product. A product that deteriorates after 5 years…
I own a 2009 Volkswagen Tiguan which ran great for the first 5 years and then took a huge nosedive to the point where I will never buy another VW. They just simply have too many expensive things go wrong about every 4 months. After today, I will never buy another car from Autobarn dealers and recommend that you think long and hard about if you want to deal with their service department should you intend to keep a car awhile. I bought my Tiguan new at City VW which is now Autobarn. All service has been completed, per the recommended schedule, at Autobarn. Even with keeping up with their service schedule, in the last 10 months I have sunk $ 4,350 into my car:
Aug 2015 — replaced both fan blades fixed for $ 1,540.
Oct 2015 — Intake manifold went out and this was covered by VW who extended the warranty to 10 years as it is a known recurring issue in my type of engine
Feb 2016 — oil leak/​replaced crank seal fixed for $ 2,209 (BTW, the dealer had my car for 3 days to fix this issue)
June 2016 — sluggish acceleration and misfiring NOT fixed for a cool $ 601
Let me explain today’s issue (June 2016) and why I will never do business with Autobarn again: After paying $ 601, I drove about 1 mile from the dealership and noticed the issue that was supposedly fixed was still occurring. I drove another mile to see if it would perhaps fix itself (wishful thinking). It didn’t and the issue was clearly not solved by the $ 601 worth of work.
Very annoyed and angry I arrive back at Autobarn with my Father. One guy attempted to help us but clearly needed to escalate to a Manager. He was trying best he could and did a good job but we needed a higher level. I ask for a Manager who I can see sitting in an office about 30 feet from our situation. He is willfully and intentionally trying to ignore us (way to have your employee’s back, BTW!). Anyway, he peels himself from his chair and up walks Jon Gomes. From the very moment Jon opens his mouth he is defensive and flippant about the whole situation. Jon clearly was thinking how dare we be mad that Autobarn didn’t fix my car after spending $ 601. Instead of apologizing, which only the first employee who helped us did, Jon tells us that he will have a tech run the diagnostic to see what is wrong. Um, funny, because I just paid $ 140 today for a diagnostic report!!! From that report I was told that I needed new spark plugs and ignition coils. Jon tells me that it’s probably something else that is causing the problem and is clearly annoyed when we respond ‘no kidding!!’. I state that I just paid $ 601 for something which I probably didn’t need and didn’t fix the issue. I state that they need to make this right and fix the issue at no further cost to me to which Jon responds ‘Call Volkswagen’. I tell him he needs to stand by his product and he states that he didn’t cause the car to break. No, Jon himself did not cause the car to break in the first place BUT he did allow me to leave with a still broken and unsafe car. Where is the ownership of issues here from Autobarn? We remind him that he works for Volkswagen and he says he works for Autobarn. Way to own the brand and product that your company sells and services!!! Jon then starts back peddling saying that the work done probably needed to be done but something else also needs be done. I remind him that nothing has changed with the performance of the car. It is acting just like it did when I dropped it off in the morning. Jon then offers to take the coils out and put the old ones in and that he would happily refund my money with that scenario. I told him that was the most asinine idea I have heard and that again he should stand behind his product as the service manager. Anyway, as it was unsafe, I left my car for them to guess what is wrong and likely charge me an exorbitant amount of money to potentially fix. I can’t recall such a horrible customer experience. This is not a place where I am buying a $ 15 toy or a fast food meal. This is an establishment that has received $ 40 plus thousand of my hard earned money related to this vehicle (over $ 4k in the last 10 months for service alone). So folks, if you want superior customer service from a dealer service department, you are not going to find it here. Additionally, if you want to sink loads of money into a 6/​7-​year-​old car, I suggest you buy a VW. Seriously, don’t buy a VW and don’t buy another brand from Autobarn. Peace out!

What I know now:
It has been one year since i bought my Beetle from them and they did not give me a good deal!!! I learned my lesson though and I would not recommend you buy any car from them!
Beetles do not hold their trade in value, Autobarn adds in. 395.00 theft charge to every car they sell! Although they did not tell me that when I went over the deal and signed the papers! I just found that a couple days ago and tried to ask about it but I got the we will call you back and no one ever does run around.
I have gone to other car dealerships and showed them what Aurobarn did and they say we have heard about them before.
When you buy a car in general but especially when dealing with Autobarn where they make their money is in the FINANCE CHARGES, INTERESTS RATE, and THEFT CHARGE.
they say we will give you so much for your trade in and they take the money back in finance charges, then add in a 395.00 theft charge, and watch that they don’t increase your interest rate only to get a kick back from the loan company.
Call your bank ask how much they will lend on the car you want and what kind of interest rate they will give you. That way you will know when they increase your interest rates on purpose.
If you have any problem or concern or demand answers THEY WILL NOT RETURN YOUR CALL!
What I thought one year ago:
I recently purchased a VW from here which I am very happy with. We both (dealership and I) started off on the wrong foot so to speak. It was a crazy busy weekend and late.
Anyway my husband called the next day and told them about my disappointment and they immediately said they were sorry and wanted to earn our business.
We tried again and very glad we did, very happy with our new vehicle and the process was smooth. Everyone was very nice. We got the best deal with Autobarn compared to other VW dealers around.

My experience with this dealership: I was on the hunt for a 2016 Golf R. Wanted to place an order. Had a 2011 WRX for trade in. I was calling nearly every dealership in the state to see when they would get another one in. Called this HORRIBLE place. They told me that they would give me an offer I couldn’t refuse for my WRX. They happen to be a VW and Subaru dealer. Me being over 65 miles away. Decided well I have Monday free so I might as well make the trip and see how it goes. The staff there is friendly. At least the guy I was working with.
After about a hour and them test driving my car they decided to tell me what my car was worth. We had to bat it back and forth until they came up to my number. Which they did. About another hour and half goes by. They found a black one in Chicago and they run some numbers on the Golf as if it was already there. To see if we could agree to terms. They wanted my car plus a large sum of cash. Now mind you WRX’s hold their value very well. So there was quite a bit of equity for the trade in. Basically they wanted nearly double of what everyone else was doing in the state.
I have now talked to several dealerships about this place and my experience. They don’t have anything good to say about this place. Guess I got tricked into making the trip… PLEASE DON’T GO HERE. If they’re doing it once they’re doing it daily. AVOID IT! Not all dealerships are evil.
How does this place even have 3 and half stars? It shouldn’t even have one! Please no matter what you do. AVOID this place. DO NOT take your car in for trade here. They play the numbers game and try to maximize profit.
The response… Lol anyone reading this review 5÷5÷2016 or even with 6 months after this date. Find a 2011 premium WRX with 76,000 miles for less than 20k. We negotiated a 16 500 trade value. I had no issue with that. Don’t tell me the trade in is true. Because it isn’t. I have a golf R now and got the same value (actually took less) somewhere else and put less than HALF the money down they wanted in CASH! Like I said be warned people. They have old school over the barrel scammers at this place.
The terms were literally insulting to the point where I got sick to my stomach and walked out. I didn’t even give them a chance to adjust which I’m sure they would have. Anyone in the car world especially this joker that responded to my review know how the Subarus hold their value. All I kept thinking about is how many poor people can’t see through their game playing. The best way to not try to figure out if they’re doing it to you is to not go here. Please avoid it!

I love myGTI! I was able to trade up in my lease upgrading to a 2016 in an efficient and effective way. Adam was a great sales rep! I truly appreciated his style and approach. Well played by the entire team. Great service.

Wow!!! Fast service, super nice staff, free Starbucks coffee, toasted bagels with cream cheese, fresh fruit, snack bars, and more! First time customer and will be a dedicated client from now on. Well done and BRAVO to the management and staff.

worst car buying experience. I kept on getting the run around, I responded to ad online and when I got there they did not have it (typical) so they told me come next tomorrow and when I showed up next day they showed me a totally different color car they had ordered for me, so they ordered another car and a few days later I went to see it and it was a stripped down version of what I wanted so etc etc after many days and a headache I just bought the car. My advice is don’t buy from them.

I went to The Autobarn in Countryside last August to look for the VW Passats. The salesman was a good kid and helpful. I had an offer already from another dealership (the «Out the Door» price) and asked if the Autobarn could match it. The young sales rep went to the manager and came back saying The Autobarn can match the offer. We agreed to the deal and the Passat I wanted was expected to arrive within a couple of days. I spoke briefly with the manager, wrote a check for 15K as a down payment, and we shook hands.
I came back two days later and the Passat was there. We were signing all the paperwork and I waited probably for 2 – 3 hours for the finance manager to speak with me. This guy was a jerk. He first tried to finance me at 3.5% interest. I have an excellent credit score and I can get better deals at any bank. What tipped the iceberg was that he presented me the final receipt and tacked on an additional $ 3,000 to the total bill. I asked «what is this?» He said it was taxes, title, etc. I told him we agreed to the out-​the-​door price and he had to remove that extra 3K. He tried playing dumb saying I could never get that kind of deal. He wasted my entire time. I was not having any of it. I told him that out-​the-​door meant no games. He probably thought since I was new to car buying I would simply agree to it. I lost several days for his little games. Unfortunately, the managers I spoke with the previous day were not working that day. I don’t understand how these financing guys get the authority to play with the negotiated price. I will never go back to this location. They bring me to a person I never saw before and he suddenly inflates the price? Give me a break.

Horrible experience with that place. I have no idea how they come up with 4 stars reviews.
I have been dealing with that service since 2010 and 90% off the time it was never right.
Everytime my car had to be fixed they NEVER provided me the loaner car. They were saying «WE DON’T HAVE ONE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME » !!! After each repair I had to go back several times because something was wrong.
List off problems I had with them is very long TRUST ME !
First of all don’t by VW and if you do, choose another location !

My experience with the sales associate was good. Adam was great, and I have nothing bad to say about him. I also got the car I wanted (they had to go to a dealer in Wisconsin to get the trim level in the color I wanted.) However, the finance department ruined the experience. I was sold on a bunch of extras that were covered in the manufacturer’s warranty, or were not applicable to the vehicle I chose (protection for leather seats, but my car was leatherette.) I went in the next day to take delivery on the car, only if I could cancel the extras. They agreed to cancel, but it would take 10 – 12 weeks for the check to arrive. I had to convince Jerry to give my a signed copy of the cancellation form, and then after 13 weeks I had to reach out to my lawyer to get the refund. I would never trust nor recommend this dealership.

Adam Stratton is the absolute best! He was very nice and was never pushy. My intention was to keep the car I’d come in with, but once Adam explained everything it made more sense to get into a new car. Never did I feel like I was being manipulated nor did I feel like he was just trying to make a sale. I know absolutely nothing about buying a car and from this experience with Adam, I feel that going forward I will expect this type of service from every dealer. I am definitely happy with my 2015 Jetta and I would recommend that anyone who wants a Volkswagen visit Adam (or Sholanda who was also great) in Countryside!

They took $ 9500.00 my down payment sold me a lemon and did not honor the warranty. I had to go to another dealer to honor the warranty. Gina Fisher who is the owner is dishonest and never honored her word. They do not honor customer commitments. I do not know how a dealer could be so dishonest.
By all means avoid this dealer.

This review relates to the service department only as I have no experience with the sales department.
I come in once a week or so for a free car wash. They always take excellent care of me. From the second I walk in they meet me in the heated auto bay and ask me what they can do for me. Then inside there is free Starbucks, snacks, drinks, bagels, fruit. Then before I know it I am back on the road.

I bought a used 2011 car & right out the gate it had a bad thermostat. Then the Service team found the strut problem causing lane deviation to the left & fixed it at Autobarn. They couldn’t find any problem with the coolant issue & sent it to dealership for this car model where they found it was the thermostat putting fumes into the car & windshield! Thankfully they outsourced it as I requested via email or that could lead to major repairs! They listen to their customers!

Bought a car at Autobarn VW Countryside and had a fantastic experience. As soon as I stepped into the showroom, Nico asked if I needed any helped.
What really sets Autobarn Countryside apart from the other dealerships I visited is how relaxed and upfront they are. Nico, my sales associate, wasn’t pushy. He didn’t try to push me towards a car that I wasn’t comfortable buying. He listened to my needs, we test drove two cars, and he presented all the options on the table. He went over all the numbers with me very carefully so there was no hidden fees or surprises, and he gave me time to choose the car that I was comfortable purchasing. No tricks, no tactics, just honest business. After I purchased a Jetta S, Nico gave me options for car insurance and even helped me get the lowest rate for that. Doug was the finance guy and walked me through every single detail of the finance terms.
What really blew me away in terms of their service was how they helped me in the end. I came alone and wasn’t planning on trading in the car I drove there with. I told Nico and he said that they could have porters deliver my new car to my apartment that day. I live in Chicago, and my apartment was forty five minutes away. Wow! They went above and beyond to ensure that I had a fantastic experience. Highly recommend Autobarn Countryside.

Take a pass. These guys are not very honest and just out to sell used vs new cars. The VW TDI line is a flawed vehicle that is currently unable to used Illinois Diesel effectively. Service Manager confessed you should buy your fuel in Indiana or Wisconsin. Funny they didn’t tell me this when I bought it? Not good. Stay away they dont tell the truth.

AUTO FRAUD BE CAUTIOUS!!!
I bought a 2010 «certified» VW CC from this dealership in March of 2010.
I am currently interview attorneys as I have reached no other option. Unfortunately, there is a character limit on this, otherwise I would type the complete story. However, here’s a snapshot of the hell I’ve had to deal with.
Long story short, the vehicle had a bunch of issues when I drove it off the lot. I had it checked out by Autobarn of Evanston and they told me «bring the car back» it looks like it was in a front end collision, parts have been replaced, the hood latch is broken, its missing the outside air temperature gauge, it needs a service done on the transmission to find out whats wrong with it and all 4 tires are bald.“
Countryside refused to assist with these issues until I involved corporate Volkswagen. They then said they would handle fixing the problems and getting where it needed to be.
I dropped the vehicle off, they said the completed the work, however when I got the vehicle home, it turned out everything was still broken, even the hood latch. They literally did not do anything to the vehicle. I decided I was just going to trade the car in somewhere and take it as a loss, however then the car started running incredibly rough to the point of not being able to drive. I was on a wait list for a loaner vehicle for over 3 weeks. Finally the car was too bad to drive so I called in to see how much longer I had to wait for a loaner to be available. Rick explained that cars that were not running had priority, I explained that my car was at the point that it was barely running. He told me to bring the car in and that they could get me a rental car which would be covered through my warranty as long as it was actually warranty related work. With a sigh of relief I brought the car in. I called in to get an update on it after a week and a half since no one had called me. I was told it was all warranty work and the car should be done in a couple days. I then asked how the payment to the rental car company was handled as I was already in for over $ 1000 in out of pocket money. Rick, same guy I originally spoke to, told me that they don’t cover rental cars and it was on me. Needless to say, I’m furious. They completely screwed me in more ways than one and now they are just toying with me. I’m done playing and am finally taking legal action. Save yourself the headache, these people are criminals!

Outdated sales tactics. Over the course of ten days I could not get a straight answer. It’s over an hour each way for me to drive there, so I tried to do as much as I could online. The only consistent reply was «when can you come in?». How dare they request hours of my time before even making sure that they have anything that I am interested!!!
If you have time to waste on an with non productive negotiations this is the first place to go. Or if you’re passing by and need to take a leak

I’m always looking at Unilocal for my needs. I figured I should pay it forward and possibly assist in others needs.
We have been seriously looking for a new vehicle for our family for about 4 months. We looked at different makes. We really like the VW Passat. Originally we found one that fit our needs at a dealership up North of Chicago. We test drove it and liked it that we began negotiations on it. After all the b.s. we made them an offer. The manager came back to us after waiting a long time with a reduction off the original price in the amount of $ 100. He was a pompous argent manager. We immediately left, never to return.
On January 31^st we stopped in at the Autobarn VW of Countryside. We had the pleasure of conducting business with Simone. He was very professional and an institute individual. We found a 2013 Passat SE, test drove it and loved it. Now comes the nuts and bolts. We made an offer to Simone for the Passat. He went o his manager. Of course his manager came and introduces himself to us, very friendly, business orientated, and great communication in form of customer service. Not to much time was spend in the price negotiation, no pressure at all. In the end we came into an agreement of a good fair price (unfortunately all side came ahead).
While waiting for the sale documentation portion we were pressed for time. The manager noticed this and approached us. In the mean time he had the car detailed and ready to go. He gave us the keys (their license plates) and told us we can take it home. We made a verbal agreement to come back on January 2^nd and complete all the paper work. Now this is customer service. Since then we have been very pleased with the Passat we purchased. If there’s any changes I will add revisions (good or bad) In closing, the next time we are in the market for a vehicle they will be our first stop.

I usually go to City Autobarn VW on Irving Park Road. But this location is closer to my work. I made an appt for an oil change.
I’ve been waiting almost 3 hrs for an oil change — in which they know I’m waiting. City VW never takes this long. Not as ‘convenient’ as I had hoped or expected.

Quite frankly, I can’t WAIT to finish paying off my car with them (since I’m financing thru VW and my monthly payment includes oil changes with them for 5/​yrs) so I can stop coming back!
A part was replaced in my car almost $ 700 that SHOULD NOT have been changed, according to the Audi dealer I took to right after to get and OEM part fixed. And it didn’t even fix the problem.
I looked at my contract (unfortunately 2 years later, my mistake!) and it shows that THREE keys were given to me at the time of purchase, not true, in fact, it was pointed out by the sales manager at the time that I was only receiving one. I tried contacting a couple of managers. Spoke with Bogdan, never heard back from him (customer service at its best!) and emailed another and I’ve yet to hear back from either one (yawn!)…
If I could give Steve L. in the service department 5-​stars I sure would! No matter how much pressure he’s under, I can tell it gets chaotic at times, he always keeps his cool. He’s also the only reason my rating waiting went 1-​star to 2. «Thank you Steve for always being very helpful with my husband’s and my car!».
I read other reviews. I’d really like to know who this nice Damian and Irma people are. Service department can sure use a few more of those…