Consumer complaint received 2024-02-22
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Lease
Issue: Getting a loan or lease — High-pressure sales tactics
Company: VW Credit, Inc (CA)

I am filing a formal complaint to hold XXXX XXXX, VW Credit XXXX, and VW Credit Inc accountable for a grossly negligent lease agreement that they refused to change, amend, or cancel when I brought the unfair terms to their attention just XXXX business days after signing the agreement. I have exhausted all efforts to resolve this matter with the XXXX XXXX dealership directly and attempted to contact VW credit via phone to no avail. 

My main point of contact at XXXX XXXX regarding my requested changes to the agreement is XXXX XXXX. 

Summary of events : On Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, I arrived at XXXX XXXX to look at a certified pre-owned XXXX XXXX. Sales representative XXXX XXXX was helping me. He was fully aware that I was interested in purchasing a vehicle- I wanted a used model to be more affordable and I was going to trade-in my XXXX XXXX that was fully paid off. I made it clear that the most important parts of the deal for me were the amount of trade-in value I was getting for my vehicle ( since it is in impeccable shape and fully paid off ) and the bottom-line/ out-the-door price of the car I'm purchasing. After XXXX hours of negotiation, we finally came to an agreement and were going to sign the required paperwork for the sale. By this time, it was approximately XXXX prior to the dealership closing for the day, my credit was checked, and found to be excellent at XXXX. 

Unexpectedly, XXXX XXXX came back to the table and presented to me what he claimed was an even better deal. On his workstation computer, XXXX shows me a picture of a XXXX XXXX that is much nicer than the car I already nearly completed the deal for. He brings out a piece of paper with a breakdown for leasing this car with no trade-in or money down and monthly payments between $ XXXX. I was fully transparent with XXXX that I have never leased a vehicle before, reminding him that I came in to buy a car not lease. 

No explanations were afforded to me and I didnt understand the benefits or risks of such a deal. My main concern was what happens at the end of the leasing contact, specifically pertaining to equity. When I asked for clarification, I was told dont worry! Youll have a lot of good options at the end of the contract. 

There was no direct disclosure regarding the pay-off amount or financial agreement differences in leasing as opposed to buying. From that point, the XXXX XXXX XXXX handled the rest of the breakdown paperwork. He continued to encourage me to use my trade in value of {$25000.00} and an additional down payment of {$9000.00} to ensure my monthly payments were as low as {$500.00}. When signing the final paperwork with financial XXXX XXXX XXXX, 90 % of the lights in the building were turned off and I was rushed to finish. No copies were given to me before I left the building and I was told they would be emailed to me. With all the light turned off and the remaining staff members impatiently waiting to go home, I felt an immense amount of pressure to do whatever it took to leave the dealership so they could go home. 

After feeling uneasy about the agreement, I reviewed the paperwork as soon as I received it and attempted to contact VW credit XXXX via phone call but they told me to talk to the dealership to iron out a new deal and re-submit it. I expressed my concerns to XXXX on Monday morning, XX/XX/XXXX - I begged him to change the agreement because I was not comfortable having such a large amount of money invested into a leased vehicle. He and the general XXXX denied my multiple requests claiming there is nothing they can do about it since it has already been processed by the business department. 

I feel taken advantage of as a consumer and not afforded the benefits of being a highly-qualified prospective lessee. The dealership used high-pressure sales tactics and my lack of knowledge to their financial benefit. 

All of the events that occurred at the XXXX XXXX were witnessed by my girlfriend. 
I am a XXXX woman and she is an African-American woman. As lesbians and minorities, we have experienced discrimination and I hope that is not the case here as well.