Consumer complaint received 2021-04-19
Company: WELLS FARGO & COMPANY
State: NY
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Struggling to pay your loan
Sub-issue: Problem after you declared or threatened to declare bankruptcy

Complaint:
I was put into a loan from XXXX XXXX XXXX used car dealership for a used car. They conned me into a loan that is worth nothing and I cant even afford to get a new car cause I have to pay for this one. My only option out of it is to file bankruptcy. 

Hello, I bought a used XXXX XXXX XXXX with about XXXX miles on it from XXXX XXXX XXXX in NJ, and since I bought it the car has had problems and I tried to return it to them a few times but they just brushed me off and currently my car needs a new engine and it has been in the shop since last year ( XXXX XXXX. They have refused to do anything about it and are forcing me to file for bankruptcy as my only option out of this car loan. They have also not provided me with a single diagnostic report but only repair the order of minor things being fixed. I have a diagnostic report I got done shortly after getting the car from them which does not match at all with what they stated. This is the first ever car I purchased and they were so quick to get me to sign the paperwork then told me to contact their legal department after wasting months and months of my time. And won't return my car because it has been a year since I purchased it ... But I was only following their advice or I would have returned it long ago which I tried to do but they kept telling me no we will fix it just bring it to our dealership. I brought it there then they told me they would have to open the engine up so warranty could fix it and if they dont I will have to pay for it but they were so sure it would get fixed so I went with what they said, and now warranty that I got from them is not fixing the car, and they are now telling me they can't do nothing and I have to take my car out of their dealership. I have lost almost as much money as the cars worth since I have owned it. 

A few points to make here as this is my first ever car purchased, so any questions that may arise as to why I didnt sue the dealership right away after the first engine check light or why I didnt return the car right away is mainly due to me being naive and having trust with the dealership who presented themselves as a reputable brand for selling me a drivable car which turned out not be the case and put me in a situation to be paying a car loan of XXXX for which I cant drive XX/XX/XXXX I purchased the vehicle and it had a check engine light on my drive home. Very concerning but I figured it was just a mishap, and since it went away the next morning when I started the car. 

A few days later the check engine light came on again and I contacted XXXX XXXX salesman from XXXX XXXX XXXX right away made him aware of this issue. I then went back to the dealership, XXXX says I cant drop the car off that day because there are no rentals and to come back on the XXXX, as that is the earliest date for a rental car. Here is where they should have taken responsibility for the car and not let me drive back with a check engine light XX/XX/XXXX I came back to drop the car off for service at XXXX XXXX, they gave me a rental and I did not have to pay anything. 
On my report I notified them that, check engine is on, car brakes seem to be working odd, there is a clanking sound, speakers are not working properly. 

XX/XX/XXXX I picked the car up after getting the check engine fixed which was due to a misfire cylinder 4. Reading the service work done on it. Seems like it was just to delay the issue and not actually fix it. They changed the coil pack pretty much. They were also supposed to fix my windshield because it had a bump in it but they did not. It was also stated in my repair order to do so since my first day buying the car. 

XX/XX/XXXX I got another check engine that should not be happening so long as work at XXXX was done properly. I call XXXX, he says that I have warranty and I can go to any dealership, I say okay and I make an appointment to drop my car off at the closet location which is XXXX of XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX I drop my car off at XXXX of XXXX. I ordered a full diagnostic report, came back that turbos are leaking oil, coolant leaks, vacuum pump is broken, needs a new valve cover gasket cover, and Crankcase Breather Hose. I paid for a diagnostic report, oil change and rear differential flush out of my own pocket. 

Warranty was never attached to my vehicle and it took an extra week or 2 to attach it. At this point I spoke with XXXX and told him if it would be better if I brought it to XXXX to get it fixed or return it he said it didnt matter etc ... whatever ... 

XX/XX/XXXX I picked the car up and since the turbos would go bad eventually and then the claim will get approved based on advice I went with it since Im not a technician or a warranty expert. 

XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX It was snowing heavily so I parked the car for 2 weeks at a video cam recorded location of which I attained the footage as proof. 

XX/XX/XXXX I am driving on the highway headed to XXXX XXXX and my car gives me an engine malfunction error. I pull over immediately to turn the car off. It starts smoking etc.. 
It was around XXXX but I somehow found a way and towed it to XXXX of XXXX, and also contacted XXXX to let him know that I cant keep doing this every 2 weeks and to return the car AGAIN. He keeps suggesting to me to bring it to your bmw dealership ... then why was I told to take it to any XXXX dealer???? 

XX/XX/XXXX Service advisor looks at the engine and says that he doesnt know if warranty will approve this claim since they denied the turbos already. 

I contacted XXXX, You ( XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX and was instructed AGAIN to bring my car to your XXXX dealership ... at this point I dont see what else I have to lose .... 

XX/XX/XXXX The car was towed from XXXX of XXXX to XXXX XXXX XXXX, claim was submitted denied then I appealed, they asked for an inspection, I was told theres no reason why claim would be denied after that so I went through with it following service advisor at your bmws advice. Claim gets denied again and now I have no car and a loan with insurance that I have been paying for not to mention my XXXX down payment and all the money I had to spend on rental cars since the dealer didnt offer me one because I need an approved claim and the rental car only covered for 5 days. 

The car is still there they wont give me a refund or a different car. The diagnostic report clearly shows a lot of issues that were not mentioned to me by this dealership and on top of that the warranty they sold me did not work and it took an extra month to get attached.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation