South Chicago Auto Auction
Complaint 71900 Details

I am a single mother of five children and I was in need and searching a reliable used vehicle for me and my children. I am low income and unemployed and therefore in need of reliable transportation for my children and myself. I stumbled upon an auto auction called South Chicago Auto Auction of Harvey located in Harvey, IL. I initially called the business to obtain additional details about the processes of the auction and received no assistance. I then went in to the auction and found they do allow you to view the vehicles before the auction begins but unable to test drive. We were assured that if we are unable to view the vehicle that once the vehicles come through the auction line that we would be able to inspect the vehicle, which we weren't. As the vehicles approach the auction line they are stopped and the auctioneer begins the biding. Once you make a bid on the vehicle you are immediately escorted to an area to make a down payment for the vehicle which is 25& of the bid price. I saw a vehicle that I wanted to make purchase on so I made a bid. Once I made the bid I went and made down payment of 25% of bid prices which was $660. I was given the option of taking the vehicle that evening or returning in the morning to retrieve the vehicle. Once I returned to the auction site to retrieve the vehicle, I went to the desk to pay the remaining balance. I was handed a paper with a breakdown of the fees, sales tax, buyer's premium and auction fee. The fees were astronomical. The fees were as follows: Purchase/Amount of Vehicle:$2400 Buyer Premium:$480 Auction Fee:$99 Tax:$266 Title,Plate,Documentary Fee:$345 Postage: $25 Total Due: $3615 minus deposit: $660 Remaining Balance: $2955. I was outraged at a buyer premium as well as the ridiculous fee for documentary and postage fee. I inquired about these additional fees as well as why so high, no answers. I inquired as to what exactly is a buyer premium and documentary fee, no answers. I asked if I could purchase my own plate and I was told no. The treatment that I received was deceptively rude, abrasive and down right offending when I began to question their fees. At this point I am just ready to pay the fees get my vehicle and removed myself from the premises of this establishment. As I was waiting to complete my paperwork other consumers started coming in the establishment with complaints that their vehicles are non functional. One consumer/victim in particular name was Jeanine and her phone# (Personal Info Removed). She purchased the vehicle on 7/8/2012, which was the same day of my purchase. The vehicle was unable to get started, the workers of the auction pushed the vehicle out the auction gates off of their property and left this victim helpless. She has paid her money in full and the vehicle was totally non functional. She received no additional assistance fro the workers of the auction. They eventually advised Jeanine that she could come back to the establishment and speak with the owner later that day. There were several others with similar complaints with vehicles that were non functional or had other major damages which made their vehicles not able to be driven. Their names are India Sullivan, Vincent Luckett, Michelle Rembert and Anna/Louis Olma. These are just a few of the consumers/victims that I was able to get names of,but there were several more complainants. This establishment/business is a total scam to lure the lower class consumers into the purchase of vehicles that are useless.