The Autobarn Mazda of Evanston

Jonathan (Jon) Sammons was simply the best sales consultant I have ever encountered during the purchase of any big ticket item such as an automobile. He was informed, articulate, understanding, prof consultant I have ever encountered during the purchase of any big ticket item such as an automobile. He was informed, articulate, understanding, professional and exceedingly open and friendly. This facilitated an absolutely stress-free and actually enjoyable buying experience - one I didn't even think was possible after more than three decades buying new and pre-owned cars for my personal and business uses. Jon provided the most comprehensive presentation of the vehicle's features prior to the test drive and was able to answer every technical question I could ask him. After the test drive, Jon Zimmerman, the dealer's Sale Manager, allowed me to keep the test vehicle over Thanksgiving (my test drive was the afternoon just before the holiday) to get a better sense of the vehicle before my decision to purchase. A brilliant move on his part as I had an opportunity to fully experience the additional features the test car had on it that I had not intended to include in my new car purchase (navigation, premium Bose Audio, power lift gate, etc.). Bottom-line, I bought the vehicle fully loaded with all of those features. When it came to the final purchase price negotiation, both Jon Sammons and Jon Zimmerman were straightforward and reasonable and worked with me to find a fair price that we were all satisfied with - again, a first in my experience. There was absolutely none of that moronic nonsense - ala the movie Fargo, that sadly is the common association most of us have with the automobile sales industry. And after the sale, Jon Sammons sent a personal, hand-written thank-you card and followed up on the phone with me several times to ensure my satisfaction and to set up my follow-up appointment for additional features to be added to the vehicle I purchased. Scott Cogan was the Finance Manger that assisted me with the new car purchase. He did a thorough job of presenting, in a low-key and factual manner, all of the financial products and options I had available to me for the purchase including the extended warranties. He patiently described each financial document presented to me for execution in the purchase and answered with authority any question I asked. A real professional and a good guy. I only wish there were more of his kind in the industry. This dealership did everything well, but if I had to single out one thing that made this the single best new car purchase experience I've had to date, it was that they treated me with complete respect and courtesy. From the Internet Sales Coordinator - Ross Conlon that immediately responded to my first online contact with the dealership, to the service department technician that put the new license plate on the car just before I drove off the lot, and everyone inbetween, all of their employees were truly professional, kind and courteous. There is clearly a well fashioned and widely held culture of customer care at this dealership. This is how automobile sales should be done in America! More

I was able the negotiate a far price with the dealer. The model and color of the Mazda i wanted wasn't in stock at the dealership. However the dealer was able trade with another dealership and reroute a vehi model and color of the Mazda i wanted wasn't in stock at the dealership. However the dealer was able trade with another dealership and reroute a vehicle in Japan. The dealer provided a loner car for 3 weeks at no charge. Also the dealer would provide regular shipping updates by phone. Overall this was a good experience. I will recommend this dealer to my friends. More

First of all, I did my research before visiting Mazda Autobarn in Evanston. Was shopping for a vehicle for few weeks before, and I was impressed by good reviews, plus this particular dealership had more Autobarn in Evanston. Was shopping for a vehicle for few weeks before, and I was impressed by good reviews, plus this particular dealership had more Mazdas at affordable prices compared to others so we thought we'll give it a shot as it seemed to be worth longer drive. So far I did NOT leave dissapointed keeping in mind that I was not the easiest customer to deal with, nor my situation was picture perfect. Felt taken care of as soon as I stepped through those doors. The car that I liked was by the door ready to test drive, and Lewis was with us for 5 hours, after hours (keep in mind that dealership closes 6 pm on Saturdays, and we left 9pm) dealing with every little detail. Financing guy Tony was helpful as well, explained everything carefully and in detail, and Lewis worked superbly hard so we would leave satisfied; So future customers-if you need someone who's knowledgeable, careful and listens to your needs please ask for Lewis. These guys, compared to Volkswagen guys I dealt with for the past 3 years seem like pros and makes you feel like a family vs someone who tries to get every single penny out of your pocket with minimum service. And the least to say one week later I even received thank you card, so just a little thing but it shows right away that customers there matters more than sales, and that's what I think make them more successful than the others in the industry. More

I did a lot of research online and saw a Mazda Miata at the Autobarn of Evanston that I was interested in. I called them and set up a test drive with Lewis, who turned out to be the best car sales consulta the Autobarn of Evanston that I was interested in. I called them and set up a test drive with Lewis, who turned out to be the best car sales consultant I have ever worked with. I hesitate to call him a “car salesman” because he was really more of a consultant. I have purchased many cars over my lifetime, and Lewis is a great guy to work with: he is very friendly, knowledgeable and trustworthy. I know this sounds unbelievable but he sincerely cares about the happiness and satisfaction of his customers! I have read a lot of these online reviews and sometimes I think, “that review must be a company employee posting under a different name”. But if you don’t believe me, stop in and talk to Lewis, even if you are not in the market for a car! He is a good person first, and a good car sales consultant second. You can tell he really enjoys selling cars and meeting his customers’ needs, and building a relationship with his customers before and after the sale. After my wife and I drove the Miata, we thought it would meet our needs but we wanted to compare it to a couple of other cars I had seen online. But Lewis and his sales manager, Mike Allegretti, really sincerely wanted us to own that car on that day. So we discussed the price a bit and came to an agreement that we were both happy with. I knew it was a good price so I didn’t even need to shop around any more. Lewis and Mike were really aggressive on the price, so if you are thinking about looking elsewhere, save yourself some time and go right to the Autobarn of Evanston, because I don’t think anyone else can beat their prices. They will do what it takes to sell you the car you want. After we agreed on the price, Lewis continued to be the most friendly, helpful consultant by fully explaining everything about the car, where everything is, the warranty, how things work like the keyless entry, Bluetooth and so on, and even set up our first service appointment. My only slight complaint is that there was a bit of a wait to see the finance guys to complete the deal. But, that is no one’s fault because they have three finance guys and they were all busy with customers ahead of us in line. I guess that tells me more about the Autobarn, they seem to be selling a lot of cars because they do such a good job, so I guess I can’t fault them for the short wait. I have to admit, the wait wasn’t that bad because of their amazing upstairs customer waiting room near the finance guys offices. They have a big flat panel TV, a cool Peet’s Coffee machine, and snacks like apples and bagels with cream cheese! It’s a big area, almost the entire 2nd floor, so you don’t feel crowded into a small space with other customers. There are a couple of internet access terminals and even a videogame console. We didn’t have kids there but there were crayons and games for the kids. This seems like a small thing but it really reflects the attitude of the Autobarn management…they want you to be comfortable and little things like this are much appreciated! When we got in to see Scott, the Business Manager, he was just as friendly and personable as Lewis and Mike. He explained all the paperwork very well and there were no surprises. The price we agreed to with Lewis and Mike was right there as promised, with no old-fashioned “dealer tricks” like “oh, by the way there is $200 dealer prep fee”, or any garbage like that. Scott just completed the paperwork in a very business-like but friendly way, and it didn’t take long. He did offer us a nice deal on an extended warranty, to extend the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty that comes with the car. I had researched extended warranties from some of the big names out there on the web and what they offered us was a very good deal, if you are going to keep the car for many years and you want the peace of mind. It has been a couple of days since we bought the car, and I already got a nice card in the mail from Lewis. He included some of his cards and I will have no hesitation passing them out to friends and family who need a new or used car. Thank you Lewis! I’ll stop by and say hi when I come in for service. We love the Miata! More

I searched the internet for a reasonably priced car in the northern suburbs. They had a car that was perfect for me and my family. I contacted Lewis in sales and told him what we were looking for. the northern suburbs. They had a car that was perfect for me and my family. I contacted Lewis in sales and told him what we were looking for. He had a car pulled out and ready for me to drive before I even arrived at the lot. He helped me negotiate the price for my trade in, got me the price that I needed, and finalized the entire deal without a problem. Extemely friendly service. I also had a problem with a tire sensor for my used car. Lewis is still helping me to resolve the problem quickly with a dealer since the car is still under warranty. I would suggest this dealership and/or this salesman to anyone. More

I traded in my 2009 Mazda3 for a 2011 Mazda3 for the same monthly payment. They were very nice and helpful throughout the entire process. monthly payment. They were very nice and helpful throughout the entire process. More

This certain Mazda dealership was knowledgeable in the car I was interested in buying compared to other dealers who had no knowledge and I felt as if I should be the one selling the cars. The buying exper car I was interested in buying compared to other dealers who had no knowledge and I felt as if I should be the one selling the cars. The buying experience was stress free and I felt no rush or hassle in the entire process. More

I've been going to the Autobarn for car services since I moved to Evanston in 2009, and have been very pleased with their whole staff. Yesterday, we traded in our Mazda 6 for a CX9, and saw a new side of th moved to Evanston in 2009, and have been very pleased with their whole staff. Yesterday, we traded in our Mazda 6 for a CX9, and saw a new side of the Autobarn that continued to impress us. The whole staff was extremely helpful in the process. I felt they weren't just trying to sell us a car, but they wanted to help us do what was right for us, as a goal of owning a new vehicle as well as helping us stay within our budget. More

I had been looking for a very specific 2010 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring FWD with loaded options. However, I was turned off by seeing how much dealers were charging for this car. I looked around for very lo Grand Touring FWD with loaded options. However, I was turned off by seeing how much dealers were charging for this car. I looked around for very long time until I came across The Autobarn Mazda in Evanston where I talked to Thijs DeKool. They had the exact car I was looking for. I could not believe how spotless the car was. Thijs was very friendly and explaining me the features of the car. This is something that is often lacking with some sales person that they are not knowledgeable about the car. Thijs explained me each and every feature in much detail. Mike, the sales manager offered me a price that I could not turn away from. It was a painless haggle free quick process. I might add, Doug, the finance manager was very reasonable and flexible in his dealings. I felt no pressure during any point of my transaction. I would recommend this dealership to friends and family. A great car at a great deal. I love it, wife loves it, kids love it. Thank you Autobarn of Evanston. Thank you Thijs Dekool. More

When I came in to the dealership, I told salesperson, Kissy Freeman that I needed some specific things in a new car and I needed to be at a specific price point or lower. I specifically asked for a Navi Kissy Freeman that I needed some specific things in a new car and I needed to be at a specific price point or lower. I specifically asked for a Navigation system similar to the one I had in my Mazda CX9. She said no problem - we will get you everything you want! I will be seamless. I was not told that this was not possible in the new CX7 I was purchasing. I assumed it would be the same - my Sales person (Kissy Freeman)assumed I knew it wouldn't be the same. How could I have known that? It was up to her to make sure I understood that it would be different. If she had told me up front, I would have been able to make the decision myself based on what I could see - that never happened. When I received the car and discovered that I had a poor system in comparison to the one I expected, I was very upset. At that time, Lisa Freeman told me that I should leave the car and come back in a few days - they would put in a new system and I would be happy with it. When I came back, NOTHING had been done - same system - which by the way didn't work properly to begin with. At that time Kissy Freeman brought Dan the GM over to speak with me. He was so rude, obnoxious and accusatory that I would have done anything to give the car back. He showed no customer advocacy, was totally nasty and I realized that I was in a very bad place. I had no choice but to take the car with the lousy navigation system. I am so unhappy with it - I never would have taken this car had I seen this system. These three people Kissy Freeman, for her lack of communication, Lisa Freeman, for allowing me to think this would be resolved know that it wouldn't be, and Dan ? GM, for his lack of customer service skills and rude obnoxious behaviour have made this the worst car buying experience I have ever had. This is probably my 10th or 12th car - I am not a novice. The only person that was decent was Mike, Sales Manager....he was empathetic after the fact....too little too late. This is certainly the last time I would EVER buy a car at the Autobarn in Evanston!!! More