Bought a Lemon at Charlestown Classics in St. Charles, IL

[Paulmac201]

Guys:

I purchased a 1987 Buick GN on December 2, 2022 from Charlestown Classics in St. Charles, IL and still have not been able to drive it. It is currently at the engine builder getting a total engine rebuild. The day I picked it up on a trailer I brought it home (about 100 mile distance) it smoked like crazy. I contacted the owner right away and he told me to bring it back to him. 10 days later he said he put a new brass PCV valve in it and the problem was fixed. I trailered the car back home and still smoked like crazy. I should have checked it out closer when I picked it up but it was at night and I took his word for it. He never performed a compression test or any other diagnostic (unless he did and lied).

I took it to a local shop and he immediately found the #5 cylinder had no compression. Cracked ring and piston. Dave Zaprev at Charlestown Classics said (in an email) that he would give me $4,200.00 toward a rebuild but now won't pay up. A total liar and not a man of his word. I am in the process of suing him since everything is in emails.

The moral of the story is to never utilize the services of Charlestown Classics in St. Charles, IL. Hopefully I will get the car on the road in the next few weeks but now it is costing me another $8k on top of what I paid for the car. I am posting this so others don't need to experience the horrible experience that I did. STAY AWAY FROM CHARLESTOWN CLASSICS!!

 

[LANDAU LIMITED]

That sucks, they used to be called something else. I think I saw that car there. Where did you take it to be fixed? I've seen a GN without a engine sitting in the lot off of bloomingdale rd. and north ave, where green flag racing and super shops used to be.

 

[Paulmac201]

I live in Indiana so I have the engine at Pro Auto in Crown Point. He has been in business almost 50 years and is a great guy.

I purchased the GN in December but did not pick it up until March of 2023 because I was in no hurry to drive the car in the winter. Also, Charlestown Classics needed to do a few repairs according to the purchase agreement and they took forever to do them. They also did not do everything they said they would do either. They absolutely suck and I hope nobody goes through the same awful experience that I did.

 

[LANDAU LIMITED]

Well that does suck but stick with it and get it fixed up...you won't regret it. Mine had enough metal in the pan (not to mention timing chain chunks and who knows what other alien debis that was in there) to make a beer can. Plus I left about a mile trail of oil that you could follow right to my house from where I met the car hauler. I could keep going but It would take too much time to list everything.

 

[Paulmac201]

I totally agree. I am looking forward to driving the car after about 9 months of owning it.

It just sucks that people conduct business like they do. I did buy the car "as-is" but there was some shady moves between the time I bought it and the time I picked it up. Since I have an email from them saying I can get a refund of $4,200 and an email saying I accept that offer I assume that I can recoup my money in court. They are ignoring me now so I need to go through a bunch of B.S. to get my money now.

 

[TexasT]

caveat emptor or something like that. used car salesmen(and women these days) are going to tell you whatever it takes for a sale. if you don't do the due diligence that's on you. trust but verify. every time .

good luck on the court activity. that is a no win but you might be able to get a judgement. which is also probably worthless.

keep moving forward

 

[JayC]

caveat emptor or something like that. used car salesmen(and women these days) are going to tell you whatever it takes for a sale. if you don't do the due diligence that's on you. trust but verify. every time .

good luck on the court activity. that is a no win but you might be able to get a judgement. which is also probably worthless.

keep moving forward

Yea, I had a roof guy rip me off for 5 grand about 15 years ago. Took him to court, won, got a judgement, never saw a dime. Pretty sure the judgement has expired now.

 

[Paulmac201]

I completely understand. If nothing else I can warn others about this shady business via the internet. Thanks.

 

[XracerX]

Did they own it? or was it on consignment? If it was on consignment you can go after the real seller.

 

[TexasT]

I completely understand. If nothing else I can warn others about this shady business via the internet. Thanks.

If it makes you feel better I warn of the nonexistent warranty on KYB shocks. I'll never buy another as when I took the one back that was clearly adorned as a kyb and was easily identified as a blown out seal with no resistance, I was told without a receipt the lifetime warranty was not to be honored. So in true tommy boy fashion I told them obviously they were putting shit in their box.

I hope you are able to get your unit up and running. It will be worth it as these are really incredible cars.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

good luck on the court activity. that is a no win but you might be able to get a judgement. which is also probably worthless.

Correct!
I testified as an expert witness in a scam game/bad check ripoff. The asshole decided he wasn't going to finish the truck and came to get it. On the Saturday before the pick up he wrote a check and stopped pay on it an hr before he showed up on Monday morning.
3 court visits, $4K for a lawyer and guess what, he still hasn't pd even after being dragged before the judge for a 3 time.
This was a BAD idea from the git-go.
Paying $4K to recoup at the time was $5K, and hoping to get legal fees covered is a total waste of time.
Interest has jacked it up to nearly $8K.
Suing that asshole at Charlestown is an exercise in mental masturbation..

 

[Paulmac201]

Did they own it? or was it on consignment? If it was on consignment you can go after the real seller.

They owned it. My biggest complaint is the fact that the general manager sent me an email in June stating that he would refund me $4,200 towards repairs, I accepted the offer, and now they are ignoring my request for the money. It is all in emails so I assume it is binding in a court of law.

 

[turbojay]

Sucks this happened to you, looks like you were too trusting of a shady used car dealership. Good luck.

 

[TurboTGuy]

They were probably driving the snot out of it in the time between the sale and pick up.

Sorry for your luck. These assholes that run these "rock lot" operations can never be trusted.

 

[John Larkin]

This is how criminals learn not to commit crimes: MSN

 

[Chuck Leeper]

I'd pay that bastard a visit... Unannounced and get my money.
A check? OK. We're going to the bank it's drawn on, and you will cash it and hand me my money.

 

[BEATAV8]

Which shop did you go to? You might be in for more misery depending upon where you went..... the gents here know.

 

[TurboTGuy]

This is how criminals learn not to commit crimes: MSN

That thief deserves a second beating, in my opinion.

 

[Buckshot G/N]

Sorry for your suffering, you have to be exclusive when purchasing one of these cars now days. If you're not capable to diagnose car on the spot ,a right hand man guru is a must . I had Charlestown Classic confused with Gateway Classic down near St Louis, which has a pretty good reputation of selling Classic cars but are very pricey. I read the reviews on Charlestown Classic website, you get a lot confusing messaging. Some folks say they had a great experience, and some like yourself swear their the biggest crooks out there. Never no they may be friends with a vendor in that part of IL that folks complain about frequently. Hope everything turns out for the best.

 

[Mr. Michael]

I had a Ferrari customer tell my staff that he was going to pay the $4500 that he owed us after he loaded the car on his trailer. The guy then loaded the car on the trailer & left. I asked my staff why they did not make him pay 1st - & they could not answer me (nice 'eh?). Anyhow... I took the guy to court & won. Got a &10k judgement... Had him arrested for not paying the judgement (each time the police pulled him over). Then put a lien on his home with the judgement (But he had to sell his home for me to collect ~ and he never did). That was in force 10 years. Sure they hauled him in, but he disobeyed the judgement by not paying it... And that got me nothing.

BTW... I am THAT guy who shows up at their home. I did with this example above. But even standing there at their home you cant draw blood from a rock. If they don't have the money - you wont get it. But... I have been known to get things of value while making that visit. One guy (who owed me $2500) ended up giving me his stainless steel roll around tool box (and tools) which I still have. Wheels/tires, Motorcycles, lawn equipment, bicycles, art, all can become part of the deal if the funds are low.

A dealer? You show up there & they will just call the cops. They are just employees.