Dodgeland of Columbia - Columbia, SC

Visit Geno's Garage for Truck accessories.

The most recent reports are at the top of the list; the oldest are at the bottom.

Sales=Excellent, Service=Poor, Parts=Don't Know, bought there=Yes, scv_there=Yes, Buy_DaimlerChrysler_again=No,
Where shall I begin, the service department is great!! ( Never had a problem with them at all) I guess they have to be nice if they want to make a sale! But the service department is the worse on there customer servicing that I have seen in my life. Do they not have Secret Shoppers like they do in retail for dealerships ( Cause if they did DODGELAND SERVICE DEPARTMENT would be gone completely). First, let's start with making the appointments ( pointless cause you will be there all day). You make an appointment at 8:00am but the tech's don't get there until 8:30am! Then you have to sit and wait for hours just to be told we couldn't find anything wrong after looking at your car or bring it back when you hear the sounds again.( senseless that's why i am bring it now. It seems as if every time it was time for a oil change i was bring my car for something else (BRAND NEW CAR; blown out speakers, update computer system, tire rod, car not shifting out of park, dead battery with nothing killing it at all etc) what more could go wrong on a brand new car. The service department did a great job on the blown out speakers i guess cause it was a "recall" that i was never notified about. But every time after that has been crazy or ridiculous nevertheless to say. My dodge caliber would not shift out of park. I would leave my job think i was going home for the day and couldn't go anywhere why, cause the car wouldn't shift out of park. I can the service department and they tell me I would have to bring it in? Ok did i just not state that I could not take the car out of park!!(DUMBY) Then i hear a knocking sound like my tire is going to fall off.You could hear the sound inside and outside the car, but of course when i take it to the dealership weekend after weekend until they "calm" they hear the sound accompanied with a male the last time and low and behold its a BROKEN TIRE ROD on the drivers side then about two months later the same sound on the passenger side ( what could it be?? maybe the tire rod on the passenger side too!!) Still to this day they are telling me we don't hear anything maybe i need to bring a male back with me this time and they will hear it!! The service department has the worse customer service i have ever seen in my life. Do they know they are suppose be doing customer servicing??? Only one person is always a good help ( BILL). Trying being told "i cant help you cause i am not your service tech and your service tech is gone for the day" Ok is everyone there on a different computer system that someone else could not give me info on my car or i have to wait to until the next day to get my car is what your telling me?? CRAZY STAY AWAY FROM THIS SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
Submitted by: missjag03[a]hotmail.com
Number of dealership visits=5+, Last visit date=3-10-2009, Date report submitted: Mar 19 12:04:57 EDT 2009

Sales=Fair, Service=Poor, Parts=Don't Know, bought there=Yes, scv_there=Yes, Buy_DaimlerChrysler_again=Yes,
Complete bait and switch they pulled on me today! I was a loan officer for a short time and I left that line of work for the obvious reasons. It is absolute robbery. That is what I experienced today when I went to pick up my truck for what was supposed to be an oil change (Free of Charge that I paid for at purchase) and recalls that had to be fixed at again no charge. I was given a rental for a day and then told to pay for two more days. I was given the vehicle on a Friday and my truck was ready on the next day an hour before closing. I was not able to pick it up in time due to the insufficient notice and the following day was not a working business day. Therefore they insist that I was responsible for the following two days. The real kicker is that I was never quoted any price for what work was to be done to my truck and they insisted that work "HAD" to be done and I obliged. I initially declined to have only the oil change and not any further work but according to DOT regulations the recalls had to be fixed. I was explained of some of the work that was going to be done and I didn't care since I wasn't paying for it which they reassured me. Well turns out that they performed work that I was not aware I would be charged for. They explained that I signed a order form to authorize the work and price but there was no price on the work order. Again assuming that there was no charge since that is what they verbally communicated and showed on paper, I had no worries. Of course imagine the shock when they tell me the bill was $462! That is classic bait and switch. After arguing with management they cut loose ties and chalked it up as not having to deal with me again. That was the managers words. I prepaid for service to be done at time of purchase. I will look further into this to find out if they can deny me service. Anyone please feel free to email me if you have any input on this issue.
I would not choose to have any work done besides what is required to have my truck running good which is a oil change and all other maintenance I can take of since it is a reliable truck. I am Dodge fan for life but I will never touch that service department again.
Submitted by: Joe     jgalvan[a]tws-advisor.com
Number of dealership visits=6, Last visit date=01-07-08, Date report submitted: Jan 7 10:32:25 EST 2008

Sales=Good, Service=Fair, Parts=Don't Know, bought there=Yes, scv_there=Yes, Buy_DaimlerChrysler_again=Maybe,
Since my last posting this morning , the service department has called to apologize and given me a free oil change and a discount coupon for future work.
Submitted by: Withheld by request
Number of dealership visits=8-10, Last visit date=2/22/07, Date report submitted: Feb 22 14:53:33 EST 2007
First report - ratinig superseded by above
Took car in for a normal, scheduled oil change. Appt time was 8:30am. Car was taken back immediately upon arrival after entering my info in the computer. I asked if it would take long, and service tech said no. After approx. 45 minutes was told that my car was "next" for oil change and it should be about another hour. After 1 hour and 15 minutes past my appt time, I asked cashier to check on vehicle. She said I'd have to speak to service tech who checked me in. This tech replied that they had not started on my vehicle yet and it would be about 20 more minutes as I was "next". I stated that I had an appointment at 8:30 am and needed go to work. Then I was told that they didn't know I had an appointment and that if they did know this, I would have been serviced much faster. All of this happening as I notice people arriving after me and leaving before me due to their service being completed. Then service tech asked for the specific person that I made appt. with. I said I didn't remember, but surely a computer would have my name in it with an appt time which I think would have come up when I checked in that morning. Then the tech offered to take me to work but when I stated that I worked across town, he said nothing so I assume the offer was withdrawn. I stated to give me the keys back and I couldn't wait any longer. All of this is petty, but the whole process was unorganized and ridiculous. Obviously someone didn't do their job in setting up the appointment to begin with - I didn't just dream up the call to set it up. It should not be the customer's responsibility to "prove" appointment times. I could go to "Jiffy Lube" and be finished in 20 minutes with no appointment (which I will do next time as this is my last visit to this dealership for anything.) If they can't handle a simple oil change, I can imagine what a complicated order would result in.
Submitted by: Withheld by request
Number of dealership visits=8-10, Last visit date=2/22/07, Date report submitted: Feb 22 11:32:11 EST 2007

Sales=Poor, Service=Don't Know, Parts=Don't Know, bought there=No, scv_there=No, Buy_DaimlerChrysler_again=Yes,
While driving on to the lot, you could SEE the salespeople like hawks just waiting for a meal...sad! As we S L O W L Y drove around the lot, you have to navigate through just several "islands" or "rows" of vehicles, as they don't all lead out...and OUT is where you'll want to be if you happen to come across a salesperson!
As we S L O W L Y were about to leave, a salesperson YELLS, yes YELLS like a circus barker..."Hey..." I mean, come on...is that your best opening line?!?! He was HOPING I would at least look his direction (my window was down), but I would even give the guy the time of day! Just prior to that while in one of the rows, a salesperson "attempted" to walk out to our car. I pulled forward, then backed up in an obvious manner to let him know I was trying to LEAVE, ughh....ELLUDE him, so he walked back up to where the vultures hang out...slobber just dripping from his lips!
They are a Mickey Mouse type dealership...their ads on tv are of the owner YELLING at the top of his lungs...corny, childish type ads...you know the type with King Kong and other ridiculous things.
These folks are at the bottom...they have never HAD a professionalism about them...they hurt the car industry in a big way and it's folks like this that have people listing car salespeople at the bottom just like any other group they detest.
Submitted by: Withheld by request
Number of dealership visits=3, Last visit date=Jan 27, 2007, Date report submitted: Jan 29 11:44:35 EST 2007

Sales=Poor, Service=Poor, Parts=Don't Know, bought there=Yes, scv_there=Yes, Buy_DaimlerChrysler_again=No,
Bought a Dodge Stratus for way too much money. I took it in for a warranty repair and was told the problem didn't exist. (It still whines at certain speeds). Then went back to trade out of the car and told them specifically I would only pay up to a certain amount. I went home to put the kids to sleep and got a call the next morning. The sales person told me that they had worked out a deal and thought I would be very happy with the outcome, but refused to tell me what they had come up with. I would have to come in. I got there and was told they wanted an additional 3000 down, the payments would be 250 over what I had stated my top payment would be, and the interest would be 22%. When I stopped laughing, I got up and left. Still have Stratus. and will keep until I find somewhere else that has what I want to buy!
Submitted by: Heather
Number of dealership visits=2, Last visit date=1-30-06, Date report submitted: Feb 16 16:19:12 EST 2006

Sales=Excellent, Service=Good, Parts=Good, bought there=Yes, scv_there=Yes, Buy_DaimlerChrysler_again=Yes,
No comments offered
Submitted by: bob   rangerman29170
Number of dealership visits=2, Last visit date=1-30-06, Date report submitted: Oct 11 10:33:03 EDT 2005

Sales=Excellent, Service=Good, Parts=Don't Know, bought there=Yes, scv_there=Yes, Buy_DaimlerChrysler_again=Yes,
Some of the sales staff can be a little pushy, but I dealt with a guy named Philip Moore who was excellent. He took the time to try to get me exactly what I wanted. The GSM, Mr. Turner was extremely helpful with our new purchase.
Submitted by: Withheld by request
Number of dealership visits=1, Last visit date=12/20/2004, Date report submitted: Jan 19 13:41:28 EST 2005

Sales=Fair, Service=Fair, Parts=Fair, bought there=Yes, scv_there=Yes, Buy_DaimlerChrysler_again=No,
No comments offered
Submitted by: GAndress     grandress[a]earthlink.net
Number of dealership visits=2, Last visit date=7/2004, Date report submitted: Aug 1 21:31:40 EDT 2004

Sales=Avoid, Service=Don't Know, bought there=Yes,
They told me that i would only have payments of $377.00 for 72 months and 6.50% and they let me drive it home that night saying everything was clear at our understanding me and my friend heard that would be the payments then they call me the next day saying i needed to call the credit union to see there interest rate they said if it was higher then i could go with them instead they were trying to sale my loan it sounded like. They almost cost me my job and i was overly stressed about the whole thing. Plus the breaks on the truck did not sound good. Plus we had told the man we were going hunting with the truck because that was the whole reason why we bought the truck. He said that was fine because we were approved for the truck and that would be our payments, then we got a call that week after we went hunting saying we needed a co-signer but we could not find one we told him about the truck that it had scratches on the top part because of a box we had on it because we thought everything was fine when we got the truck we thought it was ours after they talked to us that day, we would have never brought the truck home if we knew this and now we are stuck in a bind because of them. and every time i talk to them they tell me completely different stories.
Number of dealership visits=1, Last visit date=September 16, 2003, Date report submitted: Sep 24 14:07:20 EDT 2003

Sales=Avoid, Service=Don't Know, bought there=No, scv_there=No,
My wife and I went to Dodgeland to buy a Minivan I told the salesmen (Tim Bott) what I wanted, and what I had to have and what I would not accept. Tim did a very good job as a salesmen, he told me he did not see any problems with the deal I wanted to work, however it appears as though he or any other salesmen do not get any support from the managers. One of his managers came out with some figures that were insane and down right offensive. I would never again attempt to buy anything from Dodgeland , I would walk first.
william
Number of dealership visits=2, Last visit date=August 30 2003, Date report submitted: 31 Aug 2003 13:28:35

Sales=Avoid, Service=Don't Know, bought there=No, scv_there=No,
I am retired military and currently work for the largest overnight delivery company in the world and I was treated like I had the plague. I feel sorry for my sales rep. Darryl who has to put up with the management team there. I was trying to get ONLY prices to a few vehicles so that I could make an informed decision and I was told that management would not let him. He said, I could pick ONE vehicle and we could "work some numbers" on that vehicle only. How are you supposed to buy a car when you can't even get a price? This place is absolutely the biggest joke for a car dealer I have ever seen. If anyone ever visits and sees Darryl let him know I purchased a car today from Addy Dodge. Sorry!! Go to Addy it is a pleasant experience.
John
Number of dealership visits=2, Last visit date=June 27, 2003, Date report submitted: 27 Jun 2003 15:26

Sales=Avoid, Service=Avoid, bought there=Yes, scv_there=Yes,
05experience=We bought a 34,000.00 grand caravan from this place and have had nothing but trouble. At 75,000 miles we had to put in a new engine. We've had multiple recalls from the factory as well. We've had electrical problems, fuel problems, you name it. I would never ever buy another vehicle from these people. The service dept. is a rip off. Don't go there!!!!
Becky
Number of dealership visits=too many to count, Last visit date=March 2003, Date report submitted: Mon, 21 Apr 2003 08:40

Sales=Poor, Service=Don't Know, bought there=yes, scv_there=No,
My husband and I decided to purchase a van from Dodgeland. They asked for a downpayment which we were told they would hold until January 31, 2003. Today is January 30, 2003 and we received notice that they presented it to our bank on January 27, 2003 at which time the money was not there. Now, we still owe them the downpayment which will be in our account on January 31, 2003, as we told them and we owe our bank an overdraft charge of $25! We also requested an additional key since we were only given one when we got ready to drive off the lot. We were told by the Sales Manager that he would talk to the salesman who wasn't even there when we came to finalize everything and get back to us. That was 2 weeks ago and we have heard nothing and can't ever reach the salesman!
Number of dealership visits=1, Last visit date=1/30/03, Date report submitted: 30 Jan 2003 16:07

Sales=Don't Know, Service=Poor, bought there=No, scv_there=yes,
Although I haven't had any experience with this dealer's sales team, I have had quite a bit with the service department. First off, if you call for an appointment, its nearly impossible to speak with an actual service rep. The latest service rep I dealt with couldn't provide me with any details on how long it would take to repair (I was thinking of waiting for it to be fixed). During this same visit, the transmission tech took my truck for a spin to see determine what was wrong. This makes sense to me but to drive it for 1/2 hour is a bit excessive. From now on, I'll bring my truck to Addy Dodge in Lexington.
Number of dealership visits=More than 12, Last visit date=December 2002, Date report submitted: 28 Jan 2003

Sales=Avoid, Service=Don't Know,
Bought a Van. 2 days later they called me to say they had messed up the paperwork. I now have paid four thousand more for my van !!! Plus I had spend the good part of the day there. They knew what I wanted for my trade and what I wanted my new balance to be. But 2 days later that changed. I would never go there again even if they had the best offer in the world ! Since this time I have heard from a lot of other their horror stories in ref with dealing with these morons ! Do not go there !!!
Number of dealership visits=2, Last visit date=03/1999, Date report submitted: 03 Sep 2002

Sales=Good, Service=Avoid,
"I'm sorry we could not duplicate the problem." Is their favorite phrase. They can't fix it because they overbook and let your vehicle just sit by the wall like it just might heal itself. It is so bad, a new term has been coined by a lady I know , she calls it "WALL SERVICE". Most people in Columbia who really want their trucks fixed take them to ADDY Dodge in Lexington. I have been lied to by the service writers(at Dodgeland) and when I complained to Dodge they faxed it to them and they called denying everything. It took a week to get a valvebody replaced in the transmission...and it still was not fixed, it made a clanking noise when shifting in to overdrive, they could not fix it even after I, through a process of elimination told them what was wrong. They do hand out rental cars like candy. The only thing they can do with any competence is change your oil.

Sales=Avoid, Service=Don't Know,
We called in advance to make sure they had something to meet our needs...gave them our information so they could pull credit reports, told them what we'd be trading in, what we wanted, how much we could pay...and asked the sales associate "georgette" to see if they had anything that would work in the RANGE OF PAYMENTS we could afford and with the amount down we had to offer...so after she said she had something, we drove the hour plus down there and waited for 3 hours before she came back with an offer 200 dollars more a month than we had agreed upon after we would have had to put an extra 2000 dollars down...We had a very bad experience and I would NOT recommend this dealership to anyone!!

Sales=Don't Know, Service=Good,
The Body Shop did a good job repairing the results of an accident that wiped out the right hand set of doors on my Quad Cab. The Service Department was not challenged by the diesel and tranny oil change, but they were unable to understand that when you rotate tires you need to adjust the air pressures to have the 70 psi in the rear and 50 in the front. They even failed to do this when I specifically asked them to do this.

Sales=Don't Know, Service=Good,
First post: I asked for a flush of the transmission including the cooling system. They dropped the tranny pan and drained the oil out of the tranny. Then they flushed the Cummins cooling system. Apparently they were confused by the meaning of "including". I was not shown the work order nor was I provided a cost estimate. My fault I should have asked to see what they planned to do. They did a good job in the body shop fixing my collision with a fixed object which wiped out the riders door and the crew cab door.
Update: I posted a negative report on Monday 3/19/01 concerning their failure to flush my transmission cooling system. Subsequently they call me and scheduled a transmission cooling system flush at no charge. They did it today. I'm satisfied now.

Dealership Rating:
	Good sales department, good service
	Fair sales, fair service
	Conflicting or not enough information
	Poor Service or Poor Sales Department
	Avoid like the plague!!
	Don't Know / No Experience

This page was edited on: June 25, 2009