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Review of City Chevrolet of Grayslake I can confidently say this was the worst car-buying experience

Review of City Chevrolet of Grayslake
I can confidently say this was the worst car-buying experience I’ve ever had—and I’ve purchased multiple vehicles over the years. If you’re considering buying from this dealership, proceed with extreme caution.
I came in ready to purchase a Certified Used Silverado and was fully prepared to pay cash. I’m a longtime Chevy owner and fan, so this should have been a straightforward transaction. Instead, it turned into a frustrating and concerning experience.
To start, the dealership’s website was misleading. It advertised multiple trucks with features (like sunroofs) that simply did not exist on the lot. Once I found a truck I was willing to purchase, the real issues began.
I was presented with a series of questionable and unexplained fees:
• A $899 “Reconditioning Fee” with no clear explanation of what work was actually performed
• A $399 “Theft Protection Fee” that duplicates what insurance already covers
• Most notably, a $2,495 “Certification Fee”, despite the vehicle already being advertised—and later confirmed—as certified
Even more concerning, I was initially told I had to pay thousands to certify the vehicle, only to later find out it had already been certified and the fee wasn’t required. That inconsistency alone raises serious concerns about transparency and business practices.
Despite making it clear I intended to pay cash and did not want add-ons, the upselling continued aggressively throughout the process—including in the accounting office.
After pushing back on these fees, they eventually agreed to remove them. However, after waiting over an hour to proceed, the situation escalated further. Because a negative review had been posted during the process, I was told they would not sell me the vehicle unless the review was removed or changed to make the dealership look better.
Let that sink in:
They attempted to influence honest customer feedback as a condition of completing a sale.
At that point, the issue was no longer about the truck—it was about principle. I walked away.
If this is how a customer ready to pay in full is treated, it raises serious concerns about how others—especially those financing—are handled.
The pricing advertised online is not accurate, and the process is filled with hidden fees and pressure tactics. Transparency and integrity were clearly lacking throughout this experience.
I will be buying another Silverado—but absolutely not from this dealership.
Recommendation: Avoid this dealership or, at the very least, scrutinize every fee, verify every claim, and do not feel pressured into anything.

Date of experience: Apr 01, 2026