Nelson Automotive reviews

Caitlin

Apr 4, 2014

I have been searching for a used SUV for a very long time. I finally found the SUV I wanted at a great price and mileage, which happened to be at Nelson Automotive. I spoke with Matt on the phone and asked a few questions regarding the SUV, the next day I went to the dealership and went for a test drive, Matt was very helpful and had no issues whatsoever with me bringing the SUV to my own mechanic. The whole process was new to me because this was the first time I have bought a car, Matt made me feel very comfortable and even suggested a credit union that they frequently use to get me the lowest interest rate possible. I was happy to learn that they can provide warranties if you are interested. I am happy to say that Matt didn't waste my time and by the time it was all said and done I only spent about 3 hours Saturday morning finalizing the details and walked away with my dream car. Great customer service and honest people!

Hawkeye

Mar 30, 2014

We drove from Iowa City to IL to buy a car from Nelson Automotive. They made the trip well worth it. The price was unbelievable, and the service could not have been better. We got exactly what we wanted and were treated extremely well. I'd highly recommend them. We'll be headed back there the next time we need a car.

capodo

Mar 8, 2014

I had discovered Nelson Automotive here on Cars.com. Also, a friend at work recommended I see them. I had the luxury of already having a car. But I was hoping to get into a better one. I went on a Friday night to check them out. I didn't plan to have leave with any car but the one I drove in with. To my UTTER delight... I was able to drive out of there in a car I've dreamed of owning - the Toyota Prius. I was supposed to meet with Matt but he had a customer, so I met with Eric. I'm sure Matt is awesome - we talked on the phone the day before and he was kind and helpful. Eric was, HANDS DOWN, amazing. Every single opportunity he could - he worked with me. More than once I felt a little like, "Um... is this all above board?" To be brutally honest - I can't answer that. But, my instinct tells me they are. This is a dealership that is simply in the business of selling cars. No gimmicks. No fancy place (in fact, it was even a bit "run down" in my opinion which is why I didn't give it 5 stars). I haven't had the opportunity to see how they do on repair. I can assure you, I will be giving them that opportunity though. I was also very impressed with how well Eric knew my Prius. After nearly 3 hours there (and I'm sure he wanted to get home as it was WAY after their closing time!) - he still spent 20 minutes with me going over the features of the car. He didn't consult the manual. He didn't hem and haw when I asked a question. He KNEW THE CAR. It's been a week now, and so far everything seems ok. Eric invited me to call with any questions, and I intend to do just that. Only time will really tell everything - but right now, consider me a VERY happy customer.

MattG

Feb 24, 2014

Everything Eric says in his video is true, and the positive reviews of customers' excellent experiences with staff match my own. Matt was great; knowing I did not own a car coming in and that I had traveled by bus 12 miles to look at two cars I had examined online. After the test-drives, he dropped me off at my home on his way to drop the car off and meet his wife at my chosen mechanic in Glenview that evening. Truly five-star customer service. If I could give Matt more than five stars for that, I would.Sadly, if only the quality of the cars I looked at matched the quality of the sales staff, I would join the chorus of glowing reviews. I tested two cars while I was there. One had obvious problems, but the other seemed like an incredible steal. Unfortunately, it was all too incredible, as my mechanic confirmed my suspicion that it was a flood-damaged car, possibly caught in Hurricane Irene. Matt claimed that he had no idea and was stunned, but it was hard for me to believe him. I haven't owned a car for years, and he is a seasoned dealer. How could I have figured this out but not him?I like these guys and wish them well, but they need to be more careful about which cars they choose to sell. Excellent service can't compensate for a product that is lacking. If you choose to patronize this dealership, make sure you do your research and have your own trusted mechanic verify the car is in good working order before you buy.

Joel G. Qui.

Jan 11, 2014

I had a good experience at the dealership. The employes were very attentive and willing to negotiate. The cars were in very good condition.

Minivan_Buyer

Dec 23, 2013

Very straight forward and proactive in making the deal a good one for the customer. The free Carfax report available on the site was my first clue that this may be a decent dealer. I was looking for an older used van and before I arrived they had already replaced the battery and wiper motors. They were quick to point out all of the flaws that they found with the vehicle over the phone before my arrival because I was coming from more than 40 miles away and didn't want to waste my time. When I expressed concern with an oil sheen I saw on the bottom of the engine, they put it up on the rack to assure me it was from an oil pan gasket and not something more serious. They even hooked it up to the diagnostic machine to get the codes for me. All this for an older vehicle priced well under Kelly Blue book value at $2k. I was impressed that they would put so much effort into selling something that they couldn't have been making much money from. When I'm looking for a better vehicle, I'll definitely see what they have available.

mike

Nov 15, 2013

even i didn't bought a car, it was a interesting and learning experience. i was looking for 2006 mercedes, but we couldn't get to a deal. the dealer looks trusty.

disappointed

Nov 15, 2013

Sent e-mail through cars.com to Nelson about a car I was interested in, but I never received a response.

jf

Oct 27, 2013

We were uneasy abut buying a used car, but Nelson Automotive was great. Especially Matt!

Susan L.

Aug 19, 2013

Eric and Matt were great to work with, and I love the car.

Happy Lexus Owner

Jun 18, 2013

Matt helped me out the entire time. He made the process seamless and always had my best interests at heart. He was honest and direct, no sugar coating.

Kiril D.

Apr 25, 2013

If you are looking to buy a used car, do yourself a huge favor and buy it here! This is by far the most pleasant and relaxed car-buying experience that I have ever had. What sold me on buying a car from Nelson was not just the car itself (which is awesome), but the integrity and customer care demonstrated by Eric and Matt. It was the promise (followed through!) that they would stand by the cars they sell and take care of the customer not just during the sale, but after the sale as well. From dealing with us after hours on three separate occasions, to offering a limited warranty on the engine and powertrain free of charge, to taking care of some repairs which they did not have to post-sale but graciously agreed to. Forget about dealerships which are pushy, shady and sorry to say greasy - and deal with the nice, honest guys at Nelson! Should I need another used car again, I will be checking with Eric and Matt first!

SukerPunched

Apr 25, 2013

Nelson Automotive is a used car dealer in the business of selling used cars, not an auto repair shop in the business of car repair - a lesson I have learned. They need to just sell cars, as is, and stop trying to pretend that they are these honest good guys that know all about cars and are different from other used car sellers. Bottom line: they make money selling used cars. My story: I bought a Honda from Eric with a trade in, what was negotiated and agreed upon as a fair price was changed in the last minute (literally when he was getting out of my car for the trade in) and all of the agreements of any repairs needed were not documented. Yep, major screw up on my part because when I had to return with the car to have repaired the very things that I had already paid to have repaired, Eric claimed they were done or that they didn't need to be done. Oh boy here comes his 'good guy' routine, BUT they will do them again because he just wants his customers to be happy. Warning, they will actually try to charge you again for the repairs. However, when I asked for documentation of said repairs so I would have maintenance records, he pulls a shyster and claims that they were all 'done under the table so that he could give me a better price on the car and therefore no records would be given'. When I contacted the Better Business Bureau, Eric back-peddled and promised he would provide receipts, but what I got in the mail was absolutely pathological. I received typed out on a plain piece of copy paper a list of repairs with no business header, no price breakdown, no parts list, no statement of warranty, and absolutely no signature. It didn't say Nelson Automotive completed these repairs on so and so date. It was just a list, like a grocery list but of car repairs, and I KID you not, there wasn't even a return address on the envelope. Nelson Automotive took my money and my trade in but refused to provide documentation of claimed repairs made in the transaction agreement. No receipts no warranty right? Buyer beware.

Tom D sportsfan

Mar 25, 2013

The people running this dealership are all terrific. Every worker treats you with courtesy and the negotiations were extremely fair. I highly recommend this place to any car buyer.

Donna

Jan 6, 2013

If you want to work with REAL people when buying a car, and get a fair deal, then go see these guys. Professional, personable, and an all-around great experience!

mini cooper s

Jan 3, 2013

Just a great dealer. The owner actually came in on New Year's Day to deliver my Mini Cooper S and got a great deal.

Reinaldo Aquino

Nov 8, 2012

Great Customer Services !

teacher

Sep 4, 2012

I recently bought a car from these guys and the process was so smooth! After car shopping for a few months and having salesmen trying to sell me by using horrible canned lines, especially being a female, I finally came across Nelson Automotive. Matt and Eric were very helpful and I appreciate the fact that they didn't use canned lines to get me to buy, they were normal. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a car and not dealing with the usual car crap.

newbie

Jul 29, 2012

Bought a car from these guys and they were both very nice and not like a typical dealership! ;-)

buglady

Jul 25, 2012

Had a major scare after driving the seemingly near perfect car off the lot and finding a little vial of touch up paint in the back of the glove box, then finding 3 brochures for auto body repair shops within all the owners manual materials. I had already seen their Carfax and had done my own VIN check saying the car had no problems BUT these items raised red flags. Went to a 3rd VIN check (this time AUTOCHECK) and BINGO the car had frame/unibody damage when being auctioned. Please do not take their CARFAX's word for it...go to AUTOCHECK AND take it to your own mechanic (someone you trust) and have them go over the car with a fine tooth comb...then decide if you want to dance. I did not and may pay the price. Also we were given 2 keys to this vehicle. One is basically worthless(no chip in the key) and one is a 'valet' key. It is not the original Master. I knew none of this since the last car I owned was made before the advent of transponder keys. If they do not give you the original set haggle the price b/c it may cost you a few hundred dollars to get a new Master key made for the car. Luckliy we did receive a little metal tag with a code which, supposedly, will help with the programming of a new master....make sure you look out for one of those as well if you do not receive a master key. That said, the gentlemen who run this dealership are a friendly, 'no pressure' sort and on other issues with my purchase they were very accommodating. They rotated the tires and cleaned up the upholstery upon my request. I even talked to a gentlemen who drives all the way from Tinley Park to get his family cars worked on b/c he says Nelson has the best mechanics in town. Who knows how many damaged vehicles Nelson has on their lot. Make sure you don't buy one. Take your prospective car to your own mechanic before signing on their dotted line.

mikeK

Apr 14, 2012

We unfortunately had a bumpy ride due mostly to my hard-earned paranoia from dealing with sharp shooters from countless other dealerships. In the end, Eric Nelson, the highly accessible owner of Nelson Hey Cars, turned out to be an extremely ethical, straightforward man of his word which was for me a first. He also expressed a maturity well beyond his apparent youth. He's a savvy business man with a sound business plan that intelligently includes empathy for his customer's concerns. If I'm ever in need of a used car again, I would not hesitate to offer his dealership my business if they were up for it.

Eugene

Mar 29, 2012

I was at 3 new car dealerships until going to Nelson Automotive. Eric gives a new meaning to car buying and repair service. Eric was able to give me a trade in and a price within my budget right on the spot with a hitch. His service team is honest with high quality standards. I will be going back to him for ALL my automotive needs.

EXTREMELY SATISFIED

Mar 9, 2012

I went to 3 different New car dealerships before NELSON AUTOMOTIVE. Eric the owner gave the trade in value I needed along with price I could afford without a hitch. His mechanics are very honest and trustworthy. Eric gives a whole new meaning to car purchasing and repairs. I will definitely be back for all my car servicing and purchasing needs!

MarkZ

Jan 14, 2012

Purchasing a car for the first time can be an overwhelming experience for some people. However, I never felt that way when dealing with Mr. Nelson. He answered all of my questions completely in a professional manner. Mr. Nelson was helpful and kind throughout all of my dealings with him. He didn rush the process and he was very fair. I would recommend him to anyone interested in purchasing a new or used car. I am very happy with my first car. John Ziegenhorn, Arlington Heights, IL Eric Nelson's HeyCars business has been the only car dealership that I have dealt with in my life that I actually felt comfortable dealing with. It's also the only car dealership that I actually felt comfortable having my son John deal with on his own. HeyCars was recommended to me by a family member that had dealt with Eric in the past and who had spoken highly of Eric's integrity. His appraisal of HeyCars and Eric in particular was accurate in my opinion. We weren't subject to hard selling and exaggerated claims about the cars we were reviewing. Instead, my son and I were treated respectfully and intelligently and we paid what we felt was a very fair price for the car we purchased. That's exactly how the car purchasing process should work and we would gladly purchase cars from Eric and HeyCars again. I should also mention that after we agreed to purchase the car we worked with Eric's assistant, Matt Vogelzang, who was also great to deal with. Matt arranged for their mechanic to repair a few of the very minor issues with the car that were fully disclosed by both Eric and Matt prior to my son and I committing to the purchase. We're very happy with the car and the whole purchase and delivery process. Mark Ziegenhorn, Arlington Heights, IL

onymous

Nov 18, 2011

In my car buying process I went to nine dealers and sat through six negotiations and I finally bought from Nelson Automotive. I nearly overlooked this place because they are small, were un-reviewed at the time, and because their prices hang out with some less than reputable dealers. But that would have been a mistake; I would have missed far and away the best deal I was offered by any dealer, and far and away the most relaxed and honest buying process of the bunch. If you're sick of getting "the four-square" even when you have your own financing and you just want to talk final price, if you're sick of being lied to about the cars you're looking at, if you're sick of negotiating with "the man in the tower" through a hapless intermediary, if you're sick of highly-adversarial negotiations covered only by the thinnest of veneers of fake friendliness, if you're sick of the manager coming down to hard-sell you a crappy number, if you'd much rather just sit down to make a deal with a reasonable and genuine guy who knows what he can and can't do on a car, then you should give these guys a chance.

Griff25

Jun 10, 2010

I went to 4 dealerships before coming across Nelson Automotive online. The previous dealerships were awful. I hate all the bs games and fake personalities you get all the time.Nelson Automotive was the most pain free experience I've ever had buying a vehicle. They were great! Matt and Eric were completely friendly and honest. I bought a 2007 Scion TC from them. They went out of there way to make the whole experience as easy as possible. Have no fear going to this dealership, they are very genuine people. I would highly recommend Nelson Automotive to anyone I know. I will continue to buy car's from them in the future. Thanks Nelson Automotive!