Complaint / Review
Rosen Mazda
Of Waukegan, IL ripoff excessive credit inquiries, shotgunning credit score

I went to Rosen Mazda in Waukegan. The Rosen group is a large auto dealer in the Northern Illinois area. Rosen Mazda is outside a large military base and they are accustomed to dealing with younger, less sophisticated customers. When I went to Rosen, I authorized them to run my credit for the purchase of a new 2006 Mazda. My score wasn't high enough. The salesman tried to push me into a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu. I didn't like it, but I put down $30 cash just in case.

The next day, I went to another dealership in Wisconsin. The sales manager said she wanted to approve me, but my credit score was marginal as it was until Rosen got ahold of it. Rosen, she said, ran my credit FIFTEEN times. This, I have learned is unethical at best, as dealers often know which lenders work with which credit profiles.

I called the dealership back and talked to "Brian, " a sales manager on duty, who said this was done to satisfy me and to get me the best interest rate. I told him the deal was off and I wanted my $30 returned. More than a month later and it has not been returned.

I received numerous calls from the salesman, Omar somebody, who tried to treat me as some young dropout or ignorant sailor who wanders in there. He offered to drop the price on the Malibu $1,000.

Rosen went out of their way to ruin my credit with excessive inquiries. The dealership in Wisconsin saw this and asked one trusted lender to give my application special consideration, which they did. I now have a much better vehicle.

I am pursuing civil recovery in Lake County court. I am also pursuing criminal charges against the dealership by filing a complaint with the Attorney General of the State of Illinois. I'm also filing a complaint with the Illinois Automobile Dealers Association, and I've consulted with the Lake County State's Attorney's Office for possible criminal charges.

Avoid Rosen Mazda in Waukegan, especially if you have good credit or credit that is right on the edge. They are not accustomed to dealing with sophisticated customers with money and assets and they will ruin your credit in a sadistic attempt to get you to buy only from them.