On December 26th, I had been browsing the internet looking for a way to finance a second car. I knew that it would be difficult or maybe impossible since my credit rating is probably sub-zero due to complications from a previously failed business and the resulting personal financial problems. I recieved a call from a young sales associate at Keith Hawthorn Hyudai stating that he thought he could help us.
My wife and I drove over to the dealership on Hwy 74 in Lowell, NC. That same afternoon and upon arriving, we were told that the young associate I had spoken with had just left for a meal break. We were helped then by a gentleman named Napolean. Let me say at this point that Napolean is one of the few people we had dealings with at this dealership that has any integrity at all! We were looking for a small SUV or Minivan so that my elderly mother could get in and out of more easily.
Napolean started the process and we looked at a '05 Chrysler Pacifica first. We told Napolean what downpayment we could make. We were then told that the numbers wouldn't work on that one with our credit rating and downpayment and were shown a '08 Chrysler PT Cruiser that the numbers would work on. We test drove it, liked it, and said to go ahead with the paperwork.
At this point a man named Chris took over and took things to the next level.
He left us to talk to someone else and several minutes later we aere told to go into another office and sign the papers that the financing "had been approved" and they'd have us ready to leave with our new car in just a little while. Well another man took over at this point and had us signing the endless paperwork required and upon finishing this said, "now all I need from you is proof of income, proof of residence, and 2 checks; one for X and one for X times 3". This was evidence of the first lie. We were never told of an additional downpayment requirement. After getting up to leave, and being talked into discussing it by Chris (who is the one that "forgot" to tell us of the additional requirement), and agreeing to pay the addional amount a little each week until satisfied, we then left in the PT Cruiser with a dealer tag on it (leaving our truck at the dealership) to retrieve the required proof of income and proof of residence.
When we returned with the requested paperwork, one of the associates put our 20 day Temp Tag on the car and handed us the temporary registration.
Chris told us that he had arranged for 2 years free maintainence for the "misunderstanding" about the additional downpayment requirement. We then left in our new car.
We drove the car and became attached to it over the next ten (10) days and even drove it on a vacation to the coast. On Monday 1-05-08 we received the evidence of the 2nd lie. My wife was called in late hours of the afternoon and told that they would be sending someone to pick up the car, that the financing didn't go through.
I was out in town on other business when she called to tell me. We decided to take it in to them and I would meet her at the dealership. I asked Napolean (since he was the only one with integrity enough to even talk to me about it) what was up with the lies and all. He really didn't know what was going on and was as suprised as we were. The other people envolved had not even told him. He was told that the bank approved and then recended the offer of credit. NOT A CHANCE it happened that way. Someone at that dealership perpetrated a second lie on us in stating that the financing had been approved in the first place. I was honest and up front with them about having bad credit and repo history and didn't deserve to be lied to.
Mr Hawthorn. You need to screen your employees for integrity in the future if you wish to recapture and retain a halfway decent reputation. Right now that reputation is severely tarnished and will continue to be if I have any control over it at all.
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