Tri City Auto in Columbia Heights

A straightforward small dealer. If you need a used vehicle and are adept at spotting maintenance items you'll do well here. As-is vehicles with their share of worn parts, but still good daily drivers. Our '02 CR-V purchased here last summer has a short list of parts to work towards replacing. We needed an AWD vehicle for working third and first shifts before roads get plowed. The CR-V we found at Tri-City is serving us well with all the character of a well-made import from 20+ years ago. Good vehicle, straightforward vehicle buying process. Bring a mechanically minded friend with if you're unsure about a vehicle. Everything here has some character in the cheap category but it's all a fun journey towards your next used vehicle.

I will be taking this place to the attorney general. Their reviews are controlled. Previously they had bad, reviews. Right before I purchased that ironically changed. They offer a $100 referral to friends who recommend them. Not a wise idea to recommend them. Your friend won’t be your friend anymore afterwards. They’ll be on the line for a loan that’s worth 4 times the vehicle they got. I purchased a 2014 Silverado. 3000 miles into the purchase I’m seeing major transmission issues confirmed by 7 different shops including the owner of tri city(Dennis) recommended shop. I was told by Dennis that if I had a problem I should go back in. He told my father that he’d take care of the issue free of charge. He told me that he wasn’t going to cover it. He also told me I turned down a warranty. That did not happen. Was told there were no warranties and that there was no gap insurance. Turns out there was supposed to be gap insurance he just didn’t offer it to me after I specifically asked for it. He claimed my brother in law denied the warranty after looking at the truck with me. My brother in law wasn’t there during the purchase and he isn’t making the purchase. And that doesn’t mean that I don’t want a warranty so it shouldn’t be offered at all if it’s an option. I don’t believe anything that came out of Dennis’s mouth that day is true. Contrary to his commentary from all of the reviews I highly doubt he’s taken care of a single customers complaint. Especially when I’ve made time out of my day 5 times to go in and try to talk to him about this. 3 times he wasn’t available. He was at the auction spending more money when he should be fixing his reputation and the vehicles that he does have so every customer that walks through the door that’s falling off doesn’t get stuck on the line for a vehicle that is worth $5k but was sold to them for $21k. Instead of polluting the streets with boneyard vehicles he should be fixing them and then selling them. A major transmission defect in almost every other review is outright pathetic. I’m sure I’ll hear “why’d you purchase with me then?” Because supposedly Dennis is my fathers friend. Well some friend Dennis is. Screws his friends kid over and doesn’t even think twice about it. He can’t even remember the stories he does have about my dad. So now I have to deal with a $6k repair for a truck that has half a life. So the entire value that I’m going to end up paying is $26,000 for a vehicle that isn’t even worth $5,000. Per Kelly blue book a “fair” price is $10,000 on the high end. Thats if there are small defects maybe a leak. Not a transmission. You’re better off getting a vehicle from Facebook market place. You’ll pay less and keep the extra money for repairs. After a transmission repair the value depreciates. Therefore guaranteeing that I’ve lost $15,000 to Dennis. If someone stole $15,000 from you how would you feel? That’s how I feel. I needed a truck. Not a large object that takes up space on a city street that can barely move its own weight. Not something that couldn’t haul a 2x4. This one can’t move its own weight without the transmission slamming, slipping, and stalling out. Why? Why is that acceptable? Truth is that it’s not. Dennis wasted 4 months of my life and continues to waste more and more time. Sat in front of him one day watching him supposedly call the mechanic he insisted that I take my truck to for repairs. He faked the call right in front of me. I called, I verified. Why do you think you have the right and are justified for this behavior? Why aggravate someone who’s already aggravated. Stay away from this place. It’s not worth your time, your money, doesn’t matter if you’ve got poor credit. There’s someone else out there that won’t treat you the way he treated me, my family, or my friends. $100 referral isn’t worth screwing over the people in your life and costing them thousands more down the road.

Stopped in to look at a truck this weekend. Test drove and it liked it. They offered me a fair price on my trade in and had all the paperwork ready to go when I came back with title and a check. Great service fair pricing. Will go back.

DONT GO HERE DONT GO HERE DONT GO HERE!!!! I bought this truck Chevy suburban first day I drove home to show the kids and go to Walmart got home turned it off it drove fine good sound good and try to go to Walmart truck don’t start need a battery I go get a battery and was good 1 month later need a alternator and to fix air suspension and air conditioner and a month pass by the engine nocking and yes I did change the oil and they said it had air conditioner they lied they are a bad place they all will lie never trust what they say they will clear all the codes and rest the vehicle cause engine lights don’t come on right away just want to let y’all now

On the up side, I bought a truck here that I am happy with. On the down side, I recommended my Ex to go here and they sold her a car that was found to be unsafe (and shouldn't have even been for sale). It was leaking oil, the hood would not release, and the frame was badly rusted. They decline to give her the money back and only offered to give her credit toward a much more expensive vehicle. This makes it very difficult to recommend the place to anyone else.

Avoid at all cost😡. I was lied into buying a Chevy SUV couple months ago. The fact that they don’t want to trade back in the car even for reduced value proves their malice and ill intention. They presented the car with deleted issue codes and used a false pre check report, saying excellent condition. My car started troubles right out the lot. In just a few days and couple hundreds miles the same mechanic now gives 5different permanent codes all related to major mechanical parts. Dealer and the mechanic even convinced to fix the car for $1300 which I paid. It fixed one issue but more issues revealed like ‘transfer case’ and ‘differential’. After trying multiple mechanics and whole lot of time and stress the car is now close to junk. They have looted my year worth of saving. Buying used car is a risk but altering the real status of the product to sell is fraud. Staring a legal procedure.

I have gotten 2 cars from here and am pleased with both experiences! They are super helpful and really try to get you the best deal. Worked very hard to get me into a vehicle that I could afford. Did everything to fit my means and followed up to make sure I was happy with my choice. Super honest, I will continue to do my car shopping with them!

I've been to a lot of dealerships over the years. Yes, the location isn't the best and the place isn't updated to most people's liking. But what really matters is the customer service and Tri City Auto has top notch service for a used car lot! Everyone was great! Even the owner is around and doesn't hide behind an office door to let his workers fend for themselves. If you're not satisfied with something they will work with you until you are. This place, by far, is one of the best dealerships I've worked with. Everyone is helpful and super friendly. They don't sugar coat things for you but instead lay it all out so you know what you're going to get to the T. They work with all types of credit. I've been recommending this place to all my friends and family since I've boughten my vehicle this year with them!! I may have just found my forever used car dealer with Tri City Auto!

DON'T BUY FROM HERE!!! I bought a very nice looking truck for $13,000. Owner and salesman told me the truck was in perfect condition. On the way home it overheated - crippled it to the shop where I found it needed a new engine, cracked transmission, and all new front suspension. Come to find out they covered it all up just to sell it and shouldn't have been driven. They wouldn't not call me back or even talk to me about the issue. The truck has been sitting at the shop waiting for them to help me but refuse to. I have not even had the truck home I paid $13k for home. I filed a lawsuit against them today!

Do not trust this company. They sold my friend a car with serious and dangerous frame damage 21 days ago. When the vehicle was brought in for a basic oil change, the vehicle was found to have very serious and dangerous amounts of frame damage making it unsafe to be on the roads. It was so noticeable, that the dealer must have known about the issue before hand but still decided to sell me it. This matter will be brought up to the Consumer Protection attorney and will be brought to the Court.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!! This place is complete dump. Their cars are extremely over priced. Ended up going to a place 20mins north to buy the same jeep for 4000 less with less miles and wasn’t all beat up. They tried to convince me that their jeep was a good deal when it wasn’t at all. I was a mechanic for 5 years for a dealership. I would never ever go back there in a million years. Rude to customers place was falling apart. I’ve seen nicer cars at the junk yard. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!

Don’t ever do business with these people! Every car I had got broke down within weeks and had me pay extra for repairing it even though I had a warranty. Should’ve taken them to court! Then they tried helping me by giving me another vehicle that broke down days later. After they “tried” helping me they bribed me to write a good review. Maybe to save their business or make it seem like a good auto dealer but NOPE! So much time and money wasted. Save your money guys, NOT WORTH IT.

Had a very poor experience with this dealer. Bought a car and on the drive home the check engine light came on. Was later told they probably reset the sensor with a OBD machine before I bought it. Was promised for 6 months that the car would be prepared. Both in emails, texts and phone calls. Businesses can't promise to do a service in writing and then suddenly change their minds. They came up with every excuse in the book. Even had the car sitting at their lot for 3 weeks waiting for a repair. After 6 months they let go the employee who made the repair promises on behalf of the company. Then they turned around and offered to pay half for the repairs they had promised. Luckily carvana bought the car and I bought a car through them. This experience was a nightmare; frustrating and costly. Buying as-is is always a risk, but selling a broken car, then repeatedly promising to fix it on their dime, and then only offering to pay for half is unprofessional. Avoid this dealer, there are plenty that will not lie to you about covering repairs.

Had a great experience at Tricity Auto in Columbia Heights. JT was very friendly and helped us through the whole process and got us into an affordable and reliable car. He also went above and beyond to make sure the vehicle’s brakes were fixed the same day before driving it off the lot, and also followed up the next day to get a maintenance light looked at after our purchase. Awesome place and people- will definitely recommend to anyone looking for a used vehicle.

Really great service. They helped me out and worked with me on getting a new vehicle when my other car died. I highly recommend them! JT was the one who helped me out, so big shout out to him. Plenty of nice vehicles to choose from too! Will definitely be going back for an upgrade when I’m due.

They helped me get into a beautiful, almost new Chevy Cruz, my financing was better than I thought it would be. I have an affordable car payment, and a reliable car that is so nice! They were very good to me and I definitely would buy another car from them! 😊 …