Consumer complaint received 2018-12-18
Company: Mid-Atlantic Finance Co., Inc.
State: FL
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Billing problem

Complaint:
On Saturday, XX/XX/XXXX I went to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in hopes of purchasing a used car to replace an existing car loan that was seriously behind due to a few years of under and unemployment to be better prepared to start a new job in XXXX XXXX requiring travel. I explained my situation to XXXX the sales rep and he said he could help me as I had initially communicated with a XXXX at another location via online but not knowing it was in a different location. XXXX explained my situation to his manager and received the approval to offer car deals. Among the cars offered by name, I asked to consider at older XXXX XXXX offered although I did not want to spend additional money on increased gas usage but the numbers did not work with this because I needed the cheapest rate possible to get on my feet. After offering more vehicles, the manager came out and suggested a XXXX XXXX and of course to my surprise I thought I was being favored since it never entered my mind that I would possible get a XXXX that had a cute exterior being a woman. So when I saw the car I immediately jumped on it but XXXX pulled out the car and parked it again offering me a XXXX XXXX instead but after seeing the XXXX suggested by the manager I asked what was the problem with it. He then said it needed gas so he went to get money to put in gas and off we went to the gas station as he drove. After putting {$10.00} of gas in the car, he ( XXXX ) said oh this was the problem it needed gas, see how it drives so I just took his word for it. We returned to the dealer and completed paperwork and gave them a {$500.00} cash deposit and I had another appointment that I had to return to pick up the car with a friend. When I returned they had the key and paperwork ready and I got in the car for the first time. As I drove the car home, I noticed the engine and tire pressure light and I immediately called back to tell XXXX and he said to call him the next week for an appointment. I returned the car on that Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX said the technicians could look at it so I had to catch XXXX  for {$10.00} home and to a call center job for the day and I returned by XXXX {$10.00} to pick up the car. The report was that the car was fixed so I drove the car home and the lights were off until I got home. I gave it another day but cranking the car became increasingly difficult after a few hours of sitting still and the lights were still on and I returned the car on Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX o take the car back to the dealership to have them look at the car again taking XXXX for {$10.00} to work. I sent a text to XXXX that I would come get the car on my lunch break between XXXX to pick up the car since I was not off until XXXX XXXX and they would be closed. I did not receive a response from XXXX so I returned to the lot to pick up my car via XXXX {$10.00} only to discover that the car was not there, it had been sent to another dealership for repairs by another mechanic which left me stranded without transportation since my ride left and the fee for a ride by XXXX had increased due to high demand and I did not have anymore money. So I had to call around to find a ride and call in to my job loosing out of pay since at this point I was very frustrated. Thankfully my friend XXXX who had accompanied me to take the car home the first on the XXXX was available to pick me up. When she picked me up she asked what was the problem with all of the back and forth since the reason you need a car was to get around and I have not been able to do this since getting this car. I explained the issues and she said to request another car since if this car needed this much work at the beginning this was not a good car to travel with for my new job beginning on XX/XX/XXXX. Being mild spoken and non confrontive she called the dealership to find out why do many trips back and forth and the desire to switch cars. She spoke to a XXXX, the manager and XXXX the salesman the conversation quickly escalated with the manager yelling how he did not have to do anything for me as he was just trying to fix it out of kindness. When asked to consider another car, he said no it doesn't work that this so if she doesn't the car they will just Repo it. At this point he hung up the phone and apparently all work stopped on the car and no communication was made to me. So I left the car there overnight and I returned Saturday morning to pick the car up to try to work with it. I took it to XXXX XXXX and had them put it on their machine and there were several things needed per the report for an average of $ XXXX and I just did not have any extra money for it is was the case, I could have just kept trying to work with my old car with payment arrangements at least there were not lights on. In the meantime there was a small crack in the windshield that the manager offered to fix and I was contacted by the repairman with an appointment scheduled for Friday, XX/XX/XXXX while at work that of course was obviously cancelled as well. So I had no other choice but return the vehicle which is what I did on Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX XXXX when they opened. I parked the car on the side of the dealership 's office and placed the key in an envelope inside a thank you card that read " Thanks again, but unfortunately my budget can't afford the expenses associated with the car. Blessings, XXXX XXXX ''. I didn't even ask for the money deposit back, I just wanted out. I did not hear anything until I received a notice form Mid Atlantic dated XX/XX/XXXX with a 11 day notice. I called the company that I was unable to reach anybody in the department that dealt with my case but the general representative made a note on my account and said she would send an email that I did not have the unit. I received another notice in the mail dated XX/XX/XXXX and still could not get through to the department identified on the letter and I left another message that I did not have the car. I received another notice dated XX/XX/XXXX and I called again speaking with another rep who explained that they had the account noted that the unit was not in my possession but the dealership still had the account listed as open so it was affecting my credit and I needed to contact them to find out why. I did not make any attempts to contact the dealership as it was quite clear the goal of the manager was to ruin my credit and still hold me accountable for vehicle that I returned and was not in the best shape in retaliation. I don't want to fight, I explained my issue from the beginning and it was never taken into consideration.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation