Dream Work Automotive — Local services in Charlotte

Deceptive Practices and Defective Vehicles Negative five stars!! My recent purchase for a 2017 sti, revealing a laundry list of undisclosed issues and deceitful practices. Within just six days and 600 miles of driving, the car I bought from Dream Works began making knocking noises. Upon inspection, it was found to have dangerously low to no oil levels, a potentially catastrophic oversight that could have caused and still can cause severe engine damage. Yet, when I reached out to the company, they appeared unconcerned. I was told “that’s weird”. Adding insult to injury, the supposed 7-day guarantee i was told by the salesman turned out to be a complete fabrication. Car Gurus, the platform through which I made the purchase, confirmed they offered no such guarantee. This blatant lie speaks volumes about Dream Works' integrity. Upon raising my concerns with the company, I was met with dismissiveness and blame-shifting from the general manager. Instead of acknowledging their responsibility for selling a defective vehicle, they attempted to deflect blame onto me, suggesting I somehow caused the issues in a remarkably short period..Moreover, upon reviewing my communication history with the salesman, it became apparent that Dream Works had declined recommended transmission work, a fact conveniently omitted during the sale.They also continue to say it was looked over by subaru. I told them i need the paperwork from this amazing inspection that left basic things that would fail a inspection un fixed. i was told to contact subaru. You can see theses issues in pictures they sent me now that i know the issues so not sure how it passed inspection. The extent of the car's issues was staggering. From needing a new clutch and a bad front axle to a leaking steering rack and missing battery tie-down, the repair bill amounted to a staggering $5,000. And as if that weren't enough, further inspection revealed an additional $2,000 worth of repairs required for a fourth gear synchro issue, alongside torn wheel well liners and broken canards. The performance shop who did the work said no way it would happen in this short time. Clutch wasn’t disengaging due to a bad pilot bearing that only goes bad over time or when the transmission is put back in incorrect. Steering racks only leak when the seals break down over time. What's truly alarming is the sheer dishonesty exhibited by Dream Works. They lied about the car's condition, falsely claimed warranty coverage, sent 5 pictures of scratches and not the 500 dollar canard that was broken when i asked if there was any damage (i was told if you look very close in a video they sent you can see the broken canard) and conveniently omitted critical information about necessary repairs. This level of deception is utterly unacceptable. In conclusion, I strongly caution against purchasing a vehicle from Dream Works Automotive without thorough, in-person inspection. My $27,000 investment turned into an additional $7,000 money pit, thanks to Dream Works' deceitful practices. This has undoubtedly been one of the worst car-buying experiences of my life, and I implore others to steer clear of this shady dealership. The gm told me i was mad because i wanted more than the 150.00 he offered me towards the 5,000 in repairs it needs and that he was terminating the convo. This happened after i was saying how it couldn’t happen in that short of time and that i went back and found the portal from the shop where they denied the transmission work.I have proof of all of these issues and interactions with them so you can see just how they work. The car was sold as is but you need to disclose any problems so the buyer can make an informed division….. BY ALL MEANS STAY CLEAR OF THIS SHADY UNPROFESSIONAL COMPANY Also seems to be other buyers who left similar reviews to mine . Here are a few...

Dream Work Auto Review

I believe more and more people are seeking full transparency and integrity in the sales side of the automotive industry. Having spent several years in auto sales myself, I'm aware of the industry's "secrets." Recently, I wanted to purchase a Toyota Tundra from Dream Work. The sales price appeared fair, and the trucks looked great online. Since I was buying out of state, I did my due diligence to try to make the deal work.

JoCee communicated well and provided the information I needed. However, things took a turn when I dealt with Alex in finance. I needed the buyer's bill of sale to complete my credit union loan. When buying out of state, you do not pay any taxes to the dealership; instead, you pay tax at your county or DMV when registering in your home state.

Alex included a $500 highway tax, a $699 CCT fee, and a $799 document fee. They seem to hope that customers who are unaware of these fees will pay them. After some discussion, they removed the $500 highway tax. The $699 CCT fee is actually a LoJack fee, which I do not want and do not agree to. Adding add-ons to a car sale without consent is considered "auto fraud." The $799 document fee is one of the highest I've seen. All of these additional charges create distrust for me.

I would recommend supporting a dealership that genuinely has your best interests in mind and isn't trying to slip in overpriced and potentially fraudulent fees. Dream Work appears to be making an extra $50,000 or more per month just from the $699 LoJack fees. This reflects bad business practices. People are fed up with shady automotive places.

Most importantly, when I paid for a professional third-party vehicle inspection, it revealed that the power steering fluid was low and needed to be diagnosed. Additionally, there was a knocking noise in the right side suspension when taking right turns, which likely indicated a problem with the CV joint or rod. When I discussed these issues with JoCee, she said, “Just drive down here, and when you get here, the mechanic will fix it. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!” This was the most obvious sales tactic imaginable: come down so we can sell you the truck, and we’ll fix nothing.

Before the inspection, I was told that the truck was “a perfect gem.” However, I discovered it had stains inside, scratches outside, and mechanical issues that needed to be addressed. Clearly, their main goal is to move as much inventory and make as much money as possible without caring for the customer. They seem indifferent to the buyer’s needs. I advise you not to buy from this dealership unless you get an inspection and are okay with potentially thousands of dollars in extra fees. Believe it or not, there are dealerships that practice integrity, honesty, and transparency—this is not...

This experience could have been 5 stars, but the dealership dropped the ball multiple times. I gave them four months to make things right, but my patience has run out, and they’ve earned this review.

Car Purchase & Initial Issues I liked the car overall, even though it had some cosmetic damage and a couple of functional problems. The most important issue was that the second-row folding button (needed to access the third row) was broken and required replacement. This mattered a lot to me because the main reason I purchased the car was for the third-row seating for our growing family.

Another issue was that the car didn’t come with floor mats. Marcus was able to get me mats quickly, and both he and his manager assured me the folding button would also be replaced.

Check Engine Light & Emissions Just a few days after taking the car home, the check engine light came on. This prevented me from getting the emissions test, which I later learned was necessary for the tag transfer. I had to take the car to a dealership to have the codes cleared, then got the emissions test done a few days later. I even sent the dealership an image of the results and assumed they took care of the tag transfer as promised.

Tag Transfer Disaster Instead of guiding me properly, they immediately swapped my trade-in’s tag onto the new car and told me they’d handle everything else. In reality, they never did. Two months later, my wife was pulled over while driving with our three kids. I was at work when she called, with the officer on speakerphone. The officer explained that he could tow the car and detain my wife but would let her go if I promised to handle the tag transfer myself at the tag office the next morning.

That’s when I learned the dealership had completely misled me—they didn’t even know the correct process for tag transfers. Because of this, I had to pay a fine, and points were taken off my wife’s driving record. Now, our insurance rates will most likely increase when we renew in a few months.

Four Months of Frustration During this same time, I repeatedly contacted Marcus about the broken folding button. Every time, he reassured me that they had a network of repair people in Georgia and it would be resolved quickly. After four months of waiting, I finally gave up and got the button replaced myself. Let me tell you, trying to manage three kids climbing between rows for that long was extremely...