Consumer complaint received 2021-02-21
Company: Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc.
State: FL
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Struggling to pay your loan
Sub-issue: Denied request to lower payments

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, I signed an auto loan with Santander Consumer on a XXXX XXXX at a cost of {$19000.00}. I have filed a complaint about Santander before with CFPB but this is a recent matter that was not dealt with previously. My complaint involves the settlement Santander made on a class action with 34 Attorney Generals including Florida which is where I am located and where my loan originated. 
The settlement of the class action describes who is eligible to be included in the class. First, I live in one of the included states. Second, my loan originated in XXXX which is within the years covered. Lastly, at the time I applied for the loan, I was in a desperate financial condition as evidenced by : 1. I had been turned down everywhere for a car loan. 
2. My wife and I had a small baking business and our regular monthly income consisted only of Social Security with {$1600.00} for me and {$850.00} for my wife. 
3. At the time we applied, I was XXXX year sold and my wife was XXXX. 
4. I don't recall what I submitted as our monthly income from our business but it wasn't much since we were going month to month. The business closed in XXXX. 
5. At that time I was several months past due on my mortgage and in danger of foreclosure. 
6 We had another car loan that was 90 days past due and was reposesed shorlty after we got this car. 
7. My bureau score at that time was around XXXX and probably lower. I don't know what my wife ' score was but she had no other credit and still doesn't have anything but this. 
So I don't know what score Santander gave us but I couldn't imagine it being very good. As I recall, I applied for a smaller amount and was shocked when they said we were approved for {$18000.00}. When I went to pick up the car at XXXX, they said we had to pay the sale tax up front which we didn't have so Santander agreed to raise the approval amount to cover it. So we got the car with XXXX down. 
We struggled to make the payments in the first 8 months but we made them by putting off other things. Then a collecter from Santander called and asked if we were having trouble with the payments and offered us an extension for three months. At the time, we thought they were just being helpful but now we realize that they were just delaying the inevitable and piling on extra charge in the process. Without the extension, we would have defaulted and had a reposession. We have had the loan for 7 years now and they have given us 11 extensions. One time they suggested that we pay only 1/2 payments for a year and we took the deal and at the end of that year, our balance had gone up with nothing applied to principle. We have been paying for 7 years on a 6 year loan and we still owe {$12000.00} with three more years to go. During the past 7 years, we had two hurricanes and I developed XXXX XXXX which required XXXX. I am having another major XXXX XXXX next week. We have been 90 days past due 4 times and 60 days 10 times. They ordered reposession 3 times but never went through with it. 
I qualify for the settlement but Santander hasn't answered my emails, the XXXX of the settlemt said we should talk to Santander and so did the Florida AG. We have been making the payments recently from the stimulus money but that's coming to an end so we need help. We have technically been in default a dozen or more times.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation