Mackenzie
Google
I began communicating with Dino from Auto Barn Classic Cars on September 10th regarding a 1970 Plymouth Cuda. We exchanged several calls, emails, and photos before agreeing on a price. Throughout our discussions, Dino assured me the car was in great shape and worth the asking amount.
I repeatedly requested photos of the engine with the shaker hood air cleaner removed for a clearer view. On September 16th, Dino said those photos were “coming soon,” but they never arrived.
On October 15th, Dino told me there was another potential buyer and asked for a $500 refundable deposit to hold the vehicle. I paid it and arranged an eight-hour trip (490 miles each way) with friends and a trailer to pick up the car that weekend.
Upon arrival at Auto Barn on October 17th, I immediately discovered numerous undisclosed issues. The air cleaner was attached with self-tapping screws, the paint was aged lacquer—dull, uneven, and smudged—and two crude T-handle cables stuck through the floor near the console for cheap exhaust cutouts. The shifter boot was torn, the pistol grip handle was loose, and the shift pattern was incorrect.
The engine bay was covered in oil and grime with a makeshift dipstick. The rear wheel wells were plastic replacements, the fender seams were separated about a quarter inch, and the rear differential appeared to be leaking. All these problems were obvious and not disclosed prior to my trip.
To their credit, Auto Barn honored the refundable deposit. However, the experience was disappointing and costly. After traveling nearly 1,000 miles round trip and staying overnight, I found a car misrepresented both verbally and visually.
When I contacted Dino to express my frustration, he replied that I had wasted a month of his time with questions and photo requests. Had he been upfront about the car’s true condition, none of this would have been necessary.
I expected more professionalism and honesty from Auto Barn Classic Cars. Based on this experience, I cannot recommend them to other classic car buyers seeking an accurate and trustworthy transaction.
-Posted on behalf of my Step Dad