I took my car that I was financing through Centrix Financial to a repair shop on September 12 after it made some noises and bumped a little. The repair shop offered a free transmission check, so I had them do one on my minivan. After that, the repair show guy said his mechanic told him that my transmission was grinding and producing a black metallic powder, causing the problem; however, my transmission would have to be totally taken apart and put back together to fully diagnose my problem and it would cost $395. I allowed that.
I asked the repair shop man how much he would estimate it to be and he said he doesn't think it's a "big job" and that it would probably run me close to $800. He added that transmission jobs run on the high end up to $2300. I don't know how he would know it would cost $800 when he hadn't taken my transmission apart yet. Anyway, after a few days of him not calling me to tell my car was ready, I called the shop and he said it was ready and my total cost was $2800 because my transmission and engine (now) had to be rebuilt. His company would be financing half of that amount ($1400) and I would have to come up with the other half. I had told him I was on a limited income, as most of us are, and couldn't afford that, so I was grateful for the financing, which his wife handles.
I asked him what would happen if I had trouble coming up with the money, he said the van would be put in storage at a cost of $15/day for 30 days and AFTER that it would be put up for auction. I told him I would rather the storage than the auction because I was paying on that van and it was going to be my last car in life, barring unforeseen circumstances. I spoke to his wife who handles the financing and she was asking me when I was going to come in with the money. This was all in a matter of 1 1/2 weeks, maybe less. I told her I had half of the half ($700) and would be getting the rest before my time ran out.
She asked for the name of my finance company under the guise that she was going to ask them to pay for the repairs and put the money on the end of my contract with them. I informed her that I had already called Centrix Financial and they said they did not do that for customers. She called anyway. When I went to the repair shop with my half ($1400) to pick up my van, the shop man told me the van was repossessed. I was beyond shocked! He told me where to go get my belongings and said nothing else. He looked surprised that I had indeed showed up with the money, as I said I would. I called my finance company and they said they repossessed my van because the shop man called them with my VIN number and said "customer unable to pay for repairs", which was a boldfaced lie!
I could not believe that a company would repossess a car from a loyal-paying customer who they have had for 2 1/2 years without even calling to verify the information they received from the shop guy with the actual customer who has been paying them faithfully $330.00 every month for 2 1/2 years. I asked them about that and the lady said to "read my contract" and that they are not obligated to call me for a repossession. This is absurb!!! They seemed to have NO problem calling me when a payment didn't arrive in the mail to them on the actual date it was due even though I had a grace period.
I just cannot believe my van is gone, and all because some repair shop guy flat out LIED about me not being able to pay when I showed up before 30 days to pay my downpayment on the repairs as we had previously discussed. His fear of a black (yes, I said black), single, working mother of 3 supposedly not being able to come up with $1400 in that time frame and him possibly not getting paid his money is the reason, in my opinion, that he called Centrix and LIED!!! What happened to me is NOT fair and I intend to pursue this matter with the higher ups, including the media.
Centrial Financial should review their policies with their customers and call and VERIFY information from THEIR CUSTOMERS before acting on a repossession. All they had to do was go to my file and look at my payment history with them. When I called Centrix to find out why they did that to me, the person who was looking at my file could not understand why I had a repossession when she said I was and have been "current" with Centrix. Too late now, my van is gone on someone's lie!!! What a way to conduct business, huh? Well, since they wanted to take my van away that I WAS paying on, they can keep it and pay off the money that was owed on it. It wasn't MY fault that they took it away unjustly, thereby breaching their contract with ME, and I will not be held accountable for Centrix's mistake and bad judgment, contract or not. I will take this to court if I have to.
Future car buyers beware: CENTRIX FINANCIAL IS NOT THE WAY TO GO!!!
Swindled
Charlotte, North Carolina
U.S.A.
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