Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/07/2025

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I asked Dakota and his team for a pre-purchase evaluation of a truck I was thinking of purchasing. Dakota promised a 200pt plus evaluation.He never gave us a hard copy or digital copy of the precheck evaluation for the truck. I asked for it many times. First he blamed his software. Then his phone. Then his employee said they have no ink on the printer. They had no records to show us. Seemed sketchy with the excuses. There was no proof that any work was actually done during the precheck. Dakota mentioned the truck needs a oil change and there's a frayed serpentine belt. He did not write or send us any information. He then read off the car fax that I already had knowledge off.The next day we decided to purchase the truck from a seller. We made an appointment to get the above maintenance done on the truck at Dakota's shop.After Dakota worked on the truck, I took the truck home and opened the engine bay to check the oil. I looked in the engine bay and there was a replacement light bulb laying loose in my engine bay from the mechanic replacing light bulbs. My battery was loose. The battery had no brackets to secure it in space. I found a loose bracket in the engine bay. The oil dip stick had way to much oil. They over filled it. This is unacceptable. A mechanic should never let a vehicle out on the road without notifying the owners or securing the battery. Dakota and his team were dishonest and had bad craftsmen with leaving loose parts in my engine and not notifying me about my loose battery.Dakota still has not produced a pre-purchase evaluation for my records. I paid $200.00 for nothing. I called them several times, and they are great with making up excuses. I just want what I paid for. We paid ****** for the oil change, light bulbs, and serpentine belt. The receipt was given but not itemized. We don't know what cost what. We ask for itemized receipt many times and the pre purchase evaluation.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 02/07/2025

  we have sent all the documentation multiple times to both email and phone number. you have not contacted the shop recently. since all these complaints and we've been trying to help you resolve your issues. If you have a problem understanding the involve we are happy to go over the invoice with you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/19/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My car was at ******'s Automotive from 4/12/23 until 4/1/24 because it needed new motor. Eeal w/ Dakota: I pay $4,000 for motor. He would order it, install ****** could take my car & pay pymts on the rest ($4,000 parts/labor.) Motor no pymt plan just pay asap so I have my car back asap. I paid $4,000 8/3/23. We made a pymt plan, I was to pay $500/mo. in oct. 2023 I asked to lower it to $300. Receptionist crossed out the $500 on the paper and wrote in $300. when I came to pay said no motor yet due to strike with ************** that started mid Sept. 2023. In Jan. 2024 I started to think they never ordered my motor at start of Aug. 2023 like they should have. I paid the Jan. ********* said hopefully within the 1st 2 weeks of Feb. he should have it. my friend went there to talk to ******. He said he had my motor but hadn't installed it because i was inconsistent on pymts. ****** said he couldn't see the car because the key to where it was at was with another employee. I called & said I wanted my car back. That they had shown me nothing in 11 ********** was going to report them. He said they had the motor, but I had to pay off the balance before I could have my ******* was told that when I signed new pymt plan. I signed 1 pymt pl on 8/3/23. They showed me the paper, it was changed. Saw my ************ it was only engine block all other parts were used from old motor, for $4,000. 4/1/24 paid $1800 all I owed.I was told my battery was bad. He had a loaner battery he'd sell me for $200 or put old battery in & jump me. I only had $1800 I promised to pay $200 by end of Apr. Looked closer & whole interior is covered in mold. they didn't even clean anything after working on it & letting it sit for a year. said he'd call when motor was delivered, no call. blamed it on strike & my pymts. I have all receipts. Wouldn't show me invoice, said his tax guy had it. I have no itemized receipt for the $8,000 i paid showing what they did to fix my car.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 04/21/2024

  we can go ahead and explain your invoice we gave you that you did not show on here and we will explain everything and also give you another copy of everything. we also will clean up the mold for no cost and you won't have to pay the 200 dollars for the battery you legally signed and agreed too. if you can come in and let use help clean up the mold and give or show you all documentation.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/23/2024

  I have attached a missing receipt from 3/2/2024 and the invoice for my final payment of $1800 made on 4/1/2024.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/01/2024

   
  Complaint: 21596745
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I would I want to make sure that when I mean I would like an itemized invoice, just someone explaining to me what the invoice means or says is not what I am looking for. I am looking to see and keep a copy of the actual purchase receipt that was received by Dakota's Automotive when ****** used the $4,000.00 that I gave him to buy the "new" motor that was to have come with a warranty, that he would be installing into my car. I would like to see all correspondence with the company where the motor was purchased from. All documentation that has to do with my jeep and the new motor it has installed in it currently. As far as the mold goes, I would like to know why you returned my car to me in such crappy conditions. I guarantee that you don't return other customers cars to them in that fashion. What persuaded you to return mine to me that way? Why did you never call me when the motor was delivered like you said you would? After all of this, everything that I have been through over the past year, without my car, without my independence, without so many things, I don't trust my vehicle, that I rely on so much and have spent so much money on, and am not even done paying for, the vehicle that I have been paying $606 monthly on top of the payments totaling $8,000 that I paid to you, Dakota's Automotive, for a whole year without even being able to drive it anywhere or go anywhere that I want to go for the length of time I want to stay there, the most expensive thing I own and probably ever will own, my stupid "Dream Car", I simply don't trust you with it any more. Dakota's automotive has been inconsistent with their **************** and other important qualities a good, honest business should have. I asked previously for Dakota's automotive to PAY for the detailing and mold removal inside my car. I will be finding the company responsible for detailing my car on my own. I however promise to ensure that the company I choose to detail my Jeep will send you a detailed invoice and billing statement once they have completed the job. I also thank you for the loaner battery, that was so nice of you, even nicer than offering to give me a jump and hope I made it home with my "bad" battery, the day I picked up my car that I had been without for a year, that was covered in mold which has damaged the leather interior. The most expensive thing I own as an adult totally on my own without any help from a husband or anyone else, it means so much to me that you made sure it was taken care of while in your possession. 
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/09/2024

  Clarification:

  To clarify my desired outcome/settlement I will list the things below that I would like Dakota's Automotive to do for me, provide me with, etc., in order to consider this resolved. 

  1. I would like to know the date, including the month, day and year that the order was placed for the motor that was installed into my 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, by seeing any and all paperwork from the ordering/purchasing process. I would also like the same for the date it was delivered to Dakota's Automotive. 

  2. I would like to know where the motor was purchased from, (the company name, location) and how much Dakota paid for it, by seeing the Purchase Order, Purchase Receipt, Billing Invoice or whatever type of document(s) the company where the motor was purchased from provided Dakota at the time of the sale. I would like to see what all was included with the purchase price that Dakota paid. If ****** purchased the motor that was installed into my Jeep for anything less than $4,000, I want to be paid back the difference. Also, I was supposed receive a warranty with the new motor, not just a short disclaimer on the bottom of an Un itemized invoice, but a really warranty. Powertrain sells their remanufactured motors with a 7 year, 1-million-mile warranty. I would like a warranty for the motor that was installed into my car to be comparable to what I should have received with the motor Dakota purchased for my Jeep. 

  3. I would like to know the date the motor was received by Dakota's Automotive and actually see the packing slip that was attached to the packaging when the motor was delivered to shop. ****** promised he would call me when the motor was delivered to the shop. I received no phone call or message letting me know the motor had been delivered. I paid the requested amount of $4,000 to ****** for the motor on August 3, 2023. I don't think it should have taken too long to place an order either online or over the telephone for a new motor considering Dakota's Automotive is an auto mechanics shop and they probably have contacts and experience placing such orders. If my motor was purchased after the date of August 10, 2023, I would like to be reimbursed for the amount of $1,410, which is the amount of money I paid out from 8/3/23 until 4/1/24 in rental cars, as well as the amount I paid a coworker to give me rides to work each day, as well as take me home. I would also like to know the degree to which the labor strike with ************** that began on September 14, 2023, impacted the ordering, purchasing, and delivery process of the motor that Dakota purchased and installed into my Jeep Grand Cherokee. My guess considering I gave ****** the money to order the motor on 8/3/23 and the strike didn't begin until 9/14/23, close to a month and a half before the strike started, it didn't impact the process much at all. For some reason ****** told me that it had. 

  4. I would like ******'s Automotive to pay for the professional detailing of the interior of my Jeep Grand Cherokee including whatever it takes to remove all mold, and anything mold related. If that requires the removal and/or replacement of the vehicle's seats, safety belts, carpeting, etc. than that will be what I require. My leather interior is perforated with tiny holes where mold spores could be still growing inside of the seat cushions and other nooks and cranny's difficult to reach without professional tools and cleaning equipment. My son has type 1 diabetes which weakens his immune system. He shouldn't have to ride in or learn to drive a car that is moldy and potentially harmful to him, by breathing in poisonous mold spores. 

  

  Business Response

  Date: 05/28/2024

  The purchase order was placed the same day you payed full for the motor. We will also deep clean the car for you too make things right. Also attached is your copy of your invoice you signed 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/05/2024

   
  Complaint: 21596745
  
  I am rejecting this response because: previously I told you that I wanted to have a professional clean the mold from my vehicle. I do not want you anywhere near my jeep again. The fact that it needs to be cleaned at all really blows my mind. Especially considering all of your shady business practices. One would think not to cause the customer any reason to second guess anything or draw negative attention to yourselves, but you did the exact opposite. Dumb, but that is obvious just reading the so-called invoice and "disclaimer" that I was given the day I picked up my Jeep from your shop. In your response you say, "I have never done this type of response before, and I would like to know what I need to do." Well, I am telling you what you need to do but you insist on repeating yourself over and over again instead. 

  1. Pay for my Jeep to be cleaned, not just detailed. It must be specified that it requires mold removal and cleaning, by a professional auto cleaning company. There is a likely chance the seats will need to be removed from the vehicle. Also, the leather upholstery on the jeep's seats are perforated. No doubt mold spores have gotten deep within and through the leather upholstery and into the interior of the seats cushion material. I'm not sure what type of procedure is used when cleaning mold, but it needs to be completely gone from the car's interior. My son has type 1 diabetes and is immune system is not as strong as others. Mold is not something one should be exposed to everyday in such a confined space, especially children with weakened immune systems. 

  2. I have asked you for all of the paperwork, invoices, billing statements, receipts, etc. that have to do with my Jeep, the motor that you purchased to install into my Jeep, and any other document involved since I paid you in full for the motor on August 3, 2023. Instead, you keep talking about the invoice that I signed. Ok great, but I have a copy of that "invoice". And the point you are trying to make by repeating the fact that I signed it is what exactly? Do you think that because I signed it, that you are not responsible for providing an itemized detailed invoice as required by law by the State of ******? Like my signature just waives that from the list of things you need to do as a legitimate business? You keep saying that I am claiming that I don't have a copy of that. I have multiple copies of that. That isn't what I am asking from you. Nor is the payment plan, "signed by her as well with the end date of the payment plan......". That is something I would love to have a copy of. The signed payment plan that you have. I don't have one like you have. Mine is different. Mine is a copy of the original document that I signed on August 3, 2023, with my mother as a witness, and for some bizarre reason it no longer resembles your version. Maybe that is due to you erasing and rewriting portions of it. Just a guess. One more thing I need to say about this invoice you keep showing. At the bottom of the document, I signed an agreement to pay $200 for a battery because mine had somehow gone bad over the yearlong span my car was in your possession. If you look very closely at your invoice that you have provided me it states that the following:

                   - Engine Assembly - Long Block R&R (Without Skid Plate, Drive Type: RWD), (in laymen's terms labor) - $150/hr @ 22hrs = $3,300.00

                   - Engine Long block rebuilt                                                                                                                                                           $4,500.00

                          (the motor which you paid way too much for compared to the price quote I have attached to this response from Premier Auto Parts out of **********)

                                                                                                                                                                                           Service Subtotal:   $7,800.00

  Then after the service amount ------------------------------$7,800.00

   and the                   part --------------------------------------$4,500.00         

  and the                  labor --------------------------------------$3,300.00

  we then see          shop supplies -----------------------------$200.00    (Which I am assuming is referring to the car battery that I promised to pay $200 for by the end of April 2024.) 

  Making the subtotal --------------------------------------------$8,000.00

  Which then makes the Grand Total ------------------------$8,000.00

  NOW HERE IS WHERE IT GETS A BIT WEIRD

                                       Paid to Date -----------------------$7,800.00

  EVEN WEIRDER 

                                      Remaining Balance -----------------$200.00

  You are correct. I did sign the bottom of your invoice stating that I would pay you a Grand Total of $8,000.00, and that is exactly what I did. Check your receipts. Your records. I paid you $8,000.00 in total. I have paid you in full for your delightful services. It says it right there clearly on your invoice. I'm not sure why you keep mentioning this car battery for $200 that I had promised with my signature that I would pay you back for. You can see by your invoice that it has already been paid for and all of my debt to you and your business has been satisfied with the $8,000.00 (the grand total) that I have paid to you. I owe you absolutely nothing. Although your software may have experienced a glitch and chose payment dates at random on your billing invoice, and by the way I don't think it would be the software, I believe maybe more so operator error, but I'm not an I.T expert. I do work with a lot of them those, and attorneys. Legislative Counsel and *********** Services have both offered me up plenty of advice on how I should proceed with my efforts in getting the truth and the service that I deserve and should have received straight get go. 

  Let's review. This is what I would like for your business to do for me:                                     1. Have my car professionally clean, whatever it takes to ensure it is free from any and all mold. 

                                                                                                                                                   2. Provide me with any and all copies of each and every document that you have from anything having to do                                                                                                                                                             with my car, my "new motor", as well as an itemized invoice that you are required by law to provide                                                                                                                                                                       (ORS *******) to all of your customers with as an auto mechanic repair shop operating in the State of                                                                                                                                                                 ******* 

  It doesn't seem too difficult of a request to satisfy. I mean you did state that you purchased the motor the same day that I paid you in full for it. What day was that again? Surely you recall the date. I do. If you cannot agree to my simple requests, which I feel every customer has a right to have these things that I am requesting, then I am going to have to proceed by other means. 

                            

  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

  

  Business Response

  Date: 06/21/2024

  "We are not required to provide our purchase invoices. We have already provided her the itemized invoice. We offered to clean up the mold. We advise you to not put your kids in the car at this time."

  -Transcribed by a BBB staff

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/28/2024

   
  Complaint: 21596745
  
  I am rejecting this response because: It won't resolve any of the issues I have with the services that I received from Dakota's Automotive. For starters, Dakota's automotive is not an automotive detail shop. Dakota's Automotive is an auto mechanic shop. They lack the proper tools to clean mold from a vehicle, as far as I know, but one would think that if they did have the right tools for the job, they would have mentioned it already in a previous response. Secondly just the fact that the business is refusing to let me view the invoices for the motor that they installed into my vehicle. Don't I have the right to know where the motor was purchased from? The refusal just makes the business seem guilty of something. If there is nothing to hide, it seems like it would be simple just to show me the invoices I am asking to see. That way they could prove me wrong and make themselves look like a reputable business instead of a shady scam shop. I mean just because something isn't "required", doesn't mean it isn't allowed. Finally, I believe ******'s Automotive has a serious misunderstanding about what the word itemized means and what the state of ****** requires by law be given to each customer after providing service to an automobile. I have already included a copy and definition of ORS *******, the law that states the requirement of an itemized invoice, but for Dakota, I will attach it again because I fear he may have previously overlooked it.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/22/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I dropped my car off for a diagnostic on May 17, 2023. I received a call from Dakota's shop later that same day and they informed me that my spark plugs had to be replaced, as well as my valve cover gasket and draining/refilling the transmission fluid. I was charged $1,455.55 for parts + labor but after I picked my car up, I noticed the exact same issues present. I called ******'s shop to let them know but I ended up going to a different place to get my car checked out because I did not trust Dakota's shop at this point (May 20, 2023). The other shop informed me that my battery was overcharged, the *** wiring was messed up, and there is a leak in one of my front struts. That same day (May 20) I went to Dakota's shop with my friend to try to find out what exactly was done on my car because I am very concerned that something was done to mess up the *** wiring and/or the battery (and I don't know if anything I paid for was actually done properly). ****** was rude and dismissive towards me during the conversation and only offered $100. When I initially picked my car up from Dakota's shop on May 18, 2023, he only informed me of the spark plug replacement and 1 other part but neglected to go over the full diagnostic/inspection report (including info about the battery). He told me that it was my job to go over the report myself after I already paid and left. On a phone call I had with him on May 20, 2023, ****** also lied about my email address being "invalid" and stated that they were unable to send me my invoice/inspection report but I informed him that I did, in fact, have those items. When I had the in-person conversation with him on May 20, 2023, ****** also told my friend and I that we were being recorded and told us that we were not allowed to record, which made me feel uncomfortable. I am requesting that the BBB can help me get my money back because I had to pay more money to get the battery replaced and *** wiring fixed at another business. Thank you.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/26/2023

  the file is too big for me to send the inspection report to BBB if you give me an email i can send it to you.

  we cannot do a refund at this time due to the issues we found that are on the inspection report like spark plugs and transmission flush and valve cover gaskets were approved by customer, and she had the info on why we needed to replace them. we have given her 100 bucks back for not explaining the battery situation that was on the inspection report we sent. also, the work that was performed on the vehicle was nowhere near or around the **********.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/11/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I recently traded a car with the ***** of Dakotas Automotive. i have the title, bill of sale and documentation of the work Dakota did on the car he gave me. on this documentation it also provides a statement saying head gasket and cylinder heads are under a 2 year warranty. after about two days of driving it the car started to overheat and quickly became a vehicle that was not viable and endangered my safety. at first i suspected the radiator to be cracked but after some thinking i decided to get it professionally diagnosed by a specialist. it was determined that my head gasket was faulty and cracked. the specialist i took it to speculated that a repair was made to the head gasket by Dakota but they cut every corner they could and did a insufficient job at repairing it. i contacted Dakotas Automotive several times with avail, they gave me the run around saying they would call me back but never did. i have also contacted Dakotas personal phone and got no response for a few days to me asking to use my two year warranty to replace the part. eventually he responded and flipped everything around me talking about problems the car i gave him has. i am a personal car owner and he is a business owner. the car i gave him was reliable for me so im not sure whats happening on his end with it. he told me if its diagnosed at all the warranty is voided and only he can work on it. it says this no where in the documentation he gave to me. it only says its covered under a warranty. i also dont understand how expects someone with a car that cant commute anymore drive to him. i live two hours away and cant bring the car to him by any means. the part with labor is a $1500 dollar fix and feel that the easiest solution to this problem would be me getting the car fixed in town where i live and having it billed to Dakota.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/31/2023

  See attached