Consumer complaint received 2024-03-21
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Repossession — Account reinstatement or redemption after repossession
Company: TOYOTA MOTOR CREDIT CORPORATION (TX)

I was given a loan in XXXX of XXXX from Toyota Motor Credit. The dealership was Toyota of XXXX, and salesman XXXX XXXX. The interest rate at the time was a little higher than I'd paid for vehicles in prior years. XXXX told me the loan was a lease, but ended up not being a lease ( I later learned ) and to come back after a year to 18 months they would put me in a different Toyota with a better interest rate. 

I had purchased other vehicles from XXXX in previous years, starting at Toyota on XXXX XXXX with a XXXX XXXX, then a lease XXXX  from XXXX Toyota  in XXXX  Texas, then a purchased XXXX XXXX  and finally a XXXX XXXX XXXX. When I called and emailed the dealership attempting to acquire another Toyota as he had instructed, after several weeks and multiple emails and phone calls I was told he was no longer at the company, which didn't make sense because I knew from past dealings he'd been with them for many years and had no intention of going to another dealership. Finally someone told me that he had passed away, and that the XXXX XXXX I was in was not a lease as had been explained, but instead a purchase at a high interest rate. I am on a fixed income as a 100 % XXXX vet and recently ran into some financial difficulties. 

From the inception of the last agreement with Toyota I paid anywhere from $ XXXX a month extra toward the loan included in the autodraft payment to reduce the principal on the loan. When I tried to get another vehicle I was told that stock wasn't available at the time due to a chip shortage, even in XXXX and throughout XXXX. 

I was attempting to get something at a lower interest rate, thinking it was ending the lease to purchase a new XXXX at a better interest rate than what I had been paying since roughly XXXX or XX/XX/XXXX. 

The vehicle was repossessed in late XXXX or XXXX of XXXX. I was fortunate, that the vehicle wasn't sold at auction prior to XX/XX/XXXX and through Toyota representatives and XXXX XXXX I paid in urgency fees and money orders for repossession, storage and past due payments, an approximate total of {$3500.00} While attempting to recover my personal belongings, through XXXX XXXX, a third party repossession and recovery service that I would have to pay money to recover clothing, paperwork or other personal items from my vehicle. This occurred over the phone, and was told to me by a woman that answered the phone for that business. 

I then told her that the toyota representative informed me less than XXXX hours prior to my call with her, that I was not to pay any fees for acquiring my personal belongings. 

I also had contacted TDLR ( Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation ) to determine whether or not recovery and repossession companies fell under the same regulatory guidelines as towing vehicle companies do. TDLR told me they don't regulate recovery and repossession businesses. 

I was at a loss, because seemingly so, these companies charge consumers whatever they want, and are not available during normal business hours of XXXX Monday through Friday or even after hours in which consumers XXXX acquire their belongings from recovered vehicles. 

After navigating the website, from XXXX XXXX, unsuccessfully, and speaking to the same woman, I was told which buttons to press onscreen that seemingly had no connection to my situation or vehicle, but was a necessary part of their convoluted process to acquire my belongings. 

The appointment was made and upon arrival I noticed that the property didn't appear to be a business in the operation of anything, and seemingly just a location with a XXXX foot fence surrounding interior portions of the property. XXXX sign on an exterior corner wall had faded out words, and was missing the standard verbiage on display at towing facilities in Texas. 

I was only able to make the appointment on the phone and avoid fees to recover my property because I told the woman on the phone that Toyota told me to tell them they weren't supposed to charge me to acquire my belongings. It seemed as if, since Toyota told me that at the onset, that they are aware consumers are routinely charged erroneous fees by XXXX XXXX services located at the edge of XXXX and XXXX XXXX Texas ; otherwise why would they mention it and why would the receptionist or admin staff at XXXX tell me I had to pay those fees, and then change their mind after I as a consumer tell them the lending company, Toyota said I was not obligated to do so. 

After numerous attempts on XX/XX/XXXX using XXXX XXXX and paying over {$3500.00} in payments, consisting of XXXX separate transactions Toyota told me my loan was reinstated and they'd sent a hold to XXXX XXXX, to prevent the auction of my XXXX XXXX XXXX. This occured prior to XXXX on that date. That amount included the repossession fee, storage and transportation from XXXX to XXXX XXXX ( auction facility ). After paying that, I was then told that I would also need to pay additional storage, in the amount of roughly {$10.00} a day plus other fees, perhaps taxes, they were unsure. I spoke to numerous representatives at XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, and the XXXX as they and Toyota instructed me to do. They as of yet, XXXX pm, central, have been unable to tell me what that amount is, or even when I can make an appointment to acquire the vehicle, and that they don't make appointments the day of hold received or redemption forms from the lender. It appears this business practice is merely a way of taking more money from consumers, who are likely already struggling financially, via undue delays, and business practices in which lenders and auction service companies don't communicate in any way, that facilitates or enables a modicum of standard business financial services. 

So far today, I've made XXXX phone calls in an attempt to schedule an appointment with XXXX XXXX, who again doesn't allow consumers to acquire redeemed properties the day they receive the paperwork from lenders allowing consumers to acquire their property after reinstating loans. I also made no less than XXXX phone calls between Toyota and XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. 

I am concerned that during this loan, which was said to be a lease and not to worry about anything, to trade up the year after the acquisition of the XXXX XXXX, was a ploy to entangle me or contractually engage me, in business with toyota motor credit, for not just two to three years, but more like 5 to 8 years if the deal had went through as initially explained and guaranteeing Toyota monies from me through what would have been XX/XX/XXXX, ( date of first lease/loan payment ) and into another loan, with a standard average of 60 months would've been XXXX or XXXX. 

I am concerned that there were fees and or un-necessary expenditures embedded in the paperwork for the XXXX XXXX that resulted in longer payment periods, and that perhaps I was victim to the procedures or policies of toyota motor credit, that resulted in the lawsuit from the CFBP against toyota ( and resulted in a judgement of {$60.00} million against Toyota Motor Credit ), because of all the nuances and exceedingly difficult hurdles already mentioned, that I encountered while dealing with Toyota, XXXX, and XXXX. 

It seems as if lending corporations, recovery and repossession services work in concert to extort and entangle consumers in processes that only facilitate the enrichment and financial gains of Americans facing financial hardships. It has been almost impossible thus far to navigate this process no one at any company has been able to provide an actual fact based answer, or solution. 

Due to this, I lost the ability to generate income for utilities, food, rent, and other necessity items because it was my only mode of transportation. I was without electricity, water, food and through the grace of my landlord at the last moment was granted a reprieve on the court ordered eviction he'd already submitted. 

After navigating this process and viewing the court details that were publicly available it seems as if, from an outside perspective looking in through the lens of an affected consumer that their business practices and that of their partners is just a smaller piece of the puzzle that allowed them to generate additional income, while ensuring future financial successes for the corporation, their vendors, and 3rd party service providers. 

Thank you for your time and consideration, XXXX XXXX