Consumer complaint received 2021-03-27
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease — Problem with additional products or services purchased with the loan
Company: Bridgecrest Acceptance Corporation (NY)

In XX/XX/XXXX, I lived in XXXX XXXX, TX. I bought a car from XXXX, and I foolishly allowed them to finance it through a company called XXXX. Then, in XX/XX/XXXX, I moved back to my home state of XXXX XXXX. Since XXXX, I have been trying to obtain the documents I need to register my vehicle. The XXXX XXXX Department of Motor Vehicles stated to me that I need a certified copy of the title and a permission to release letter from the lender. They told me that the lienholder should be able to provide me with both of these documents. I told them that Texas doesn't provide titles until after the lien is paid off, but they said that shouldn't be a problem. 

XXXX did mail me the permission to release letter, but instead of sending a certified copy of the title, they sent a " Lien and Title Information '' sheet. The NY XXXX rejected the " Lien and Title Information '' sheet and again told me I needed a certified copy of the title. I called XXXX repeatedly. Each time, they promised to send a certified copy of the title, but they did not. I also called XXXX, and XXXX ( like the XXXX XXXX stated that XXXX was responsible for providing a certified copy of the title, but that it should not be a problem. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called up XXXX and said, " Look, I don't want to be this way, but my car will be illegal XXXXo drive soon. You aren't cooperating and I don't know what else to do. So, if I don't get the document I'm requesting, I will have to file a complaint against your company with the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX' I didn't want to make that threat, but finally, they emailed me something. Unfortunately, it was the same " Lien and Title Information '' sheet I told them the XXXX rejected. I knew it wouldn't work, but I went to my XXXX  appointment hoping they could give me advice, but they didn't. They just repeated that I need a certified copy of the title. 

On XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, I was frustrated enough to use my stimulus check and my tax return to pay off as much of the loan as I could. I didn't want to do this, as I'm underemployed and my part-time job will end at the end of XXXX. Having the nest egg would make me feel more secure, but I also wondered how successful my job search would work if my perfectly healthy car can not legally get on the road. So, since XXXX would not cooperate, I put this money toward the car. Then, on XXXX  XX/XX/XXXX, a friend thankfully loaned me enough money to pay off the rest of the car. This morning, I checked to see that the check cleared only to discover that my XXXX account had been closed. This made me feel that the loan was paid off, so to expedite the registration process, I called XXXX and asked them to email me a letter stating that the lien had been released. The woman sneered and said, " Well, yes, your payments have cleared, but we have to hold the lien for an additional ten days, and then it will take an additional six weeks for you to get your title. '' I can not understand how they can close my account but not release the loan, but I feel like it MUST be illegal for someone to make it impossible for me to register my car. I need my car so that I can continue to work. Not releasing the loan or sending me a certified copy of the title must be XXXX