Consumer complaint received 2024-08-23
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease — Problem with fees charged
Company: TOYOTA MOTOR CREDIT CORPORATION (NJ)

The below complaint was also filed with the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs against the dealership XXXX XXXX. 

I purchased a new XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX through financing with Mazda Financial Services , which included a {$790.00} " Doc Fee '' and a {$430.00} " Total License and Fees ''. I was given temporary license plates and registration with an expiration of XX/XX/XXXX, and was informed that the dealership would handle getting my permanent license and registration. I was also informed that the fees were mandatory, and that it wasn't possible to process the title, registration, and license plates directly with NJ MVC. 

Between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, I received no update regarding the status of the plates and registration. I reached out to my sales rep XXXX XXXX the evening of XX/XX/XXXX inquiring, to which I was told he had already left the office and would get me an answer the following morning. I followed up with both the main XXXX XXXX line and my finance manager XXXX XXXX the afternoon of XX/XX/XXXX, both of whom said the issue needed to be handled by the sales team. I sent another follow up text to my sales rep the evening of XX/XX/XXXX, to which there was a complete lack of response. 

Finally, after calling the XXXX XXXX line again Monday XX/XX/XXXX, I was able to speak to one of the sales managers XXXX XXXX. He advised that there was a delay in plate and registration processing due to a 3rd party XXXX  being hacked in XXXX. I advised him that my temporary plates & registration were set to expire the next day and requested the dealership issue me new temporary plates & registration, as that is what the representative from NJ MVC advised I needed to ask the dealer for because the NJ MVC had no record of my plates & registration being processed yet. XXXX refused to issue me new temporary plates and registration, saying they were advised by XXXX not to re-issue temporary plates & registrations because it would " overwhelm their system ''. He said that they would pay any ticket that I got from continuing to drive, and that I could state additional concerns regarding the matter via email. 

Later that day Monday XX/XX/XXXX, I wrote sent XXXX an email explaining how being monetarily covered by the dealership for tickets does not prevent facing additional penalties such as points, towing, and/or impounding of the vehicle. Additionally, I reiterated that XXXX  is a 3rd party, not an official State MVC, and that since I am paying {$1200.00} in licensing, registration, and administrative fees to Mazda via financing with Mazda Financial Services, and not directly to either XXXX  or NJ MVC, that the dealership should be responsible for resolving this issue on my behalf. 

On Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX ( today as of filing this complaint ), I called XXXX  XXXX and spoke to a customer service representative. I explained all of the above timeline and details, and the representative was willing & able to reach out to XXXX XXXX directly. After the representative called XXXX XXXX and spoke to XXXX directly, she advised me that XXXX is prioritizing my issue, but they are still backlogged. I asked her how the situation would be rectified, to which I received a sympathetic but unhelpful answer, with an offer to transfer me to Mazda Financial Services. 

After speaking with Mazda Financial Services, they were also sympathetic to the situation. However, they advised they could not remediate any title, licensing, registration, or administrative fees, and I would have to address all issues with the dealership directly. 

At the time of writing this complaint ( Friday XX/XX/XXXX ) : - XXXX XXXX has not replied to my XX/XX/XXXX email - I have not been informed that my permanent plates & registration are available - I have not been informed that the dealership is willing to provide temporary plates & registration - I have not been refunded any portion of the " Doc Fee '' or " Total License and Fees '' amounts as a credit to my total financed amount