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How They Nearly Destroyed Our Business | Lou Bachrodt Chevrolet Review
- Joseph Mandracchia
- 13 hours ago
- 6 min read
Today’s post is part of a public review and documentation of our experience working with Lou Bachrodt Chevrolet in Pompano Beach.
This isn’t about attacking anyone, exaggeration or venting online.
It’s about sharing a factual, timeline-based account of what happened to our business after purchasing two commercial vehicles — so other business owners can make informed decisions.
Everything you’re about to hear is based on records, communications, and documentation that have already been preserved and provided to legal counsel.
This is our experience, perspective and why we believe transparency matters.
This review is being published across multiple platforms and formats — including video, written articles, and archived documentation on our website — so anyone reviewing this situation can access the full context, timeline, and supporting materials.
So in this article, We are talking about:
Our experience with Lou Bachrodt Chevrolet in Pompano Beach
What they claimed vs How it ACTUALLY is
Everything in between!
Disclaimer: The content of this article does not contain and is never intended to be legal, business, financial, tax, or health advice of any kind. This article is for entertainment, educational, and informational purposes only. It is advised that you conduct your own research and consult with qualified professionals before applying anything you find online.
I also want to be clear that everything we are going to go over is very market dependent, and what applies to me and my market may not apply to you.
WHY WE BOUGHT THESE TRUCKS
In October of 2024, Driven Wyld was expanding in a way that would allow us to develop more educational information for more content, as well as future membership perks whether that is on our website, or on our YouTube or Patreon Channels etc.
We had landed disaster relief opportunities connected to hurricane response work in Florida and North Carolina. This wasn’t our main lane.
At the time, we specialized in logistics, last-mile delivery, and transportation — but disaster relief was a serious growth opportunity, and in my mind, I was helping a family member get into business for themselves, and gathering more information to convert into content later.
So we went to Lou Bachrodt Chevrolet in Pompano Beach.
One of our business partners at the time, Akeem Jones, had bought from them before. So there was an existing relationship and we trusted the process.
At first, we were shown dump trucks.
I wasn’t sold on them.
They didn’t fit our core business model or future business models. They’d require modifications and they’d push us into areas we didn’t specialize in or have any interest in at the time.
But we were told something important.
Steve Goldman: If disaster relief didn’t work out, we’d be able to trade them in and transition into cargo vans later.
That commitment mattered.
Based on that, we moved forward.
We purchased two brand-new 2024 Chevrolet HG chassis trucks, financed through Santander.
THE FIRST DELAYS AND WARNING SIGNS
We were told the trucks would be ready on the following Saturday after the purchase.
They weren’t.
On Saturdays and Sundays, service was closed.
We finally got them Monday, they threw in free oil changes, but at that point, the delays were already costing time.
At the time, we moved forward because we saw this as normal dealership friction. Nothing major. Yet.
THE UNAUTHORIZED CREDIT PULLS
Not long after the purchase, something serious happened. I started getting alerts. My credit had been run more than 15 times for a Tesla.
A vehicle I never asked for, applied for and never authorized.
These inquiries came from multiple banks and lenders which I never gave permission to.
The only place with my full information was the dealership and later, it was confirmed through documentation and investigation that my information had been misused without my authorization, and that issue became part of a broader legal review.
When I asked about it, I was told: “Someone must have used your information online.”
That explanation didn’t make sense.
To fix this, I had to pay $400 just to get the damage addressed, because I didn’t have the time to fight every bureau myself.
And during that time, we were trying to secure business funding. So this wasn’t just annoying. It hurt growth.
But because of the relationship and the trade-in promise, I let it go.
Which turned out to be a mistake.
THE TRADE-IN THAT NEVER HAPPENED
When disaster relief shifted and cargo vans made more sense based on contracts I had and was available to me at the time, we went back.
We said: Let’s transition like we discussed. That’s when the story changed.
Now we were “too upside down.” Now they couldn’t help. Now they tried sending us elsewhere. Then that fell through too.
And at one point, I was told by Steve Goldman I should consider bankrupting Driven Wyld and starting over.
That wasn’t constructive guidance, and it didn’t address the original commitment. At that point, the original commitment was gone.
WHEN THE TRUCKS STARTED FAILING
Next came the mechanical problems. One truck showed up dead. Battery replacement. Warranty work. Month-long downtime.
We missed contracts because of this. Then, when we tried to sell one truck privately to move forward, it wouldn’t start again. Service diagnosed parasitic drain.
The buyer walked. They were worried both trucks were lemons. We contacted a lemon law attorney. They advised one final repair attempt. We scheduled it.
Then the service advisor went on vacation. More delays. By the time we tried to bring the truck in, it wouldn’t even jump. We had to tow it.
At this point, we weren’t just dealing with mechanical problems. We were dealing with how those problems were being handled. Every time we brought the trucks in, the responsibility shifted back onto us.
We were repeatedly told things like:
“You gave it to us dead.” “The hazard lights were left on.” “We’ve never seen anything like this before.”
Instead of diagnosing and resolving the underlying issue, the focus became explaining why it supposedly wasn’t their fault.
Despite the fact that these were nearly new commercial vehicles.
Despite the fact that the same problems kept recurring.
And despite the fact that the truck had already been brought in multiple times for the same issue.
At one point, the vehicle was returned to us and presented as repaired.
But when we tested it immediately, it still struggled to start.
The problem had not been resolved.
It had simply been sent back out.
That pattern — shifting blame, minimizing the issue, and returning an unrepaired vehicle — is what ultimately forced us to escalate this further and document everything.
Because at that point, it was clear the underlying problem was not being addressed.
THE PAPERWORK PROBLEMS
When the truck finally arrived at the dealership, it sat. Hours passed. Then days. Carfax later showed repair completion on the same day it arrived. But in reality, they held it another 10 days.
In addition to the timing issues, we also identified discrepancies between the vehicle’s actual condition, usage, and what was reflected in service records and reports, including mileage and repair timelines.
These inconsistencies raised concerns about whether the documentation accurately reflected when work was performed, what work was completed, and the true status of the vehicle at the time it was returned to us.
When asked for invoices, we were told they were “still being prepared.” But supposedly, all they did was charge the battery. Charging a battery doesn’t take 10 days. When we picked it up, they didn’t even hand us the keys.
They pointed. “It’s good to go.” I tested it. It barely started. We documented it. Went back inside. They acted surprised and later, we were told previous invoices would be added retroactively.
That’s not normal. That’s a documentation problem.
WHAT THIS COST US
Now let’s talk numbers. Because this isn’t emotional. It’s financial.
We had disaster relief contracts with 4 different companies, one of those contracts, we were earning $7–$8 per cubic yard. Each truck could haul roughly 40 yards. We ran 7 to 8 loads per day. Seven days a week.
With both trucks operating, we were positioned to gross about $56,000 per month. Instead, we lost that revenue.
At the same time, we were paying:
$1,494 per truck in loan payments
$885 per month in insurance
With no income from the vehicles and that forced us onto credit cards.
It stalled growth, damaged momentum, and it cost real money.
WHERE THINGS STAND NOW
Every document, communication, image and video recording has been sent to counsel, This video isn’t about threatening anyone. It’s about transparency and showing what happens when systems fail small businesses.
And why documentation matters.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Here’s the takeaway.
This wasn’t one bad moment.
It was:
Broken commitments
Unauthorized credit activity
Mechanical failures
Documentation issues
And months of lost opportunity
Stacked together.
If you’re a business owner, especially in logistics or contracting, learn from this.
Document everything. Verify everything. Protect yourself early.
Because once momentum is gone, it’s hard to rebuild.
If the dealership ever wishes to clarify or correct any factual points, we’re open to reviewing documented information.
If you would like to add some other perspective to Lou Bachrodt Chevrolet in Pompano Beach or any dealership, feel free to email me: drivenwyld@gmail.com and who knows? Maybe your email or perspective and be featured in a post as well!
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