Consumer complaint received 2019-10-07
Company: NISSAN MOTOR ACCEPTANCE COMPANY LLC
State: NC
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Lease
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Problem when attempting to purchase vehicle at the end of the lease

Complaint:
Hello, I am having trouble paying off a leased vehicle with NMAC. I am leasing a XXXX XXXX XXXX and would like to purchase it prior to the lease end date ( I have 10 payments remaining ). I called NMAC and got a payoff amount of ~ $ 11k plus I need to pay sales tax ( 3 % ) and a {$300.00} fee that is noted in the contract. I have no issues with the amounts due. I spoke to a representative on XX/XX/XXXX who said that I can not send them payment directly and I have to engage a Nissan dealership to facilitate the payment. 

I went to XXXX  XXXX of XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with the Sales Manager XXXX XXXX about facilitating the payment. He told me I would need to pay a {$680.00} doc fee, {$100.00} title fee, have a state inspection and transfer my tag and pay the registration, on top of the payoff, sales tax and {$300.00} payoff fee. This is not only cost prohibitive, but it's corrupt and makes no sense. Why should I have to pay almost {$1000.00} to make a payoff? 

I spoke to NMAC again on XX/XX/XXXX and explained my experience with the Nissan dealership. The representative could not offer me any other solutions other than to try a different dealership. I asked what NMAC would do if, instead of sending my normal payment, I sent the payoff amount plus the taxes and fees. He said they would send the check back to me. I told him that someone at NMAC must want ~ $ 12k now versus 11 more payments of {$250.00} and for me to give the car back. He said that he can not comment on that. I asked for a supervisor call back and the rep said they do not provide callbacks, but he would transfer me to a supervisor. When he transferred me I got a voicemail for XXXX XXXX? and left a message. I have not received a return call. 

I went to XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with XXXX who told me to facilitate the payoff to NMAC it would cost {$2000.00} more than the payoff amount listed in the letter. 

I contacted NMAC Customer Service again on XX/XX/XXXX and asked if there were any way for NMAC to help coordinate with a dealership to facilitate the payoff so that I would not have to pay the additional, exorbitant, fees. The rep told me no and I asked to speak to a supervisor. Both the rep and the supervisor told me that if I sent the full payoff amount, the payment would be returned to me. After speaking to a supervisor at length, who also refused to help coordinate the payoff with a dealership, I requested a manager. I was transferred to a manager named XXXX and Im not positive of the last name but I think it was XXXX or something close. However after receiving her voicemail message, when the beep sounded, I started to leave a message but was interrupted by a voice on the line. I asked who it was and she said her name ( maybe XXXX ) and that she was in a call center and had no idea who XXXX was. 

The practice of forcing a lessee to utilize a dealership and pay an exorbitant amount of fees to facilitate a vehicle payoff is just plain wrong. All I want is to purchase this vehicle for the payoff amount plus the fee listed in the contract. Im sure there is someone at NMAC that would prefer ~ {$12000.00} now vs 10 more payments of {$250.00} and then I turn the car back in to be remarketed. 

Please let me know if I can provide additional information.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation