Buyer beware of midway chevrolet! Must read this before you go there and buy a car. I did all the right things and they still got me so you can never be too consious
On November 23rd I went to Midway Chevrolet in Phoenix, approximately 40 miles from my home in Gilbert, because the salesman Scott Collins called me about 5-6 times that week to see if I would come take a look at a great deal they had for a convertible car for $12,900.00 minus the $ 500.00 internet coupon because that is how I found them. So the base price of this car was $12,400.00.
I was there for at least three hours going back and forth about prices and what they would give me for my trade.
They played this game about the financing and told me they couldn't get me financed on my own and asked if my mom would co-sign. So I asked her, and she said yes. They said that was good, because now the interest rate would be much lower and my payments would stay down as well.
I wanted a newer car for the same amount of a payment that I was paying for my Lexus SUV. They said they would give me $7275.00 for my trade, the lowest end of Kelly Blue book value. I owed $13,200.00 on my trade so they could add on the difference of my trade of $5925.00. So the total amount financed would be $18,325.00. On a used 2008 Sebring convertible and I would never be upside down by buying this car, now that we agreed on a price, they told me to take the car and drive to get my mom. So I did.
When I came back and we sat with the finance guy, now all in the sudden it is in my Moms name not both of us. I believe that was so that I couldn't see what she was signing, because it isn't what I agreed to, those numbers changed on that contract. These numbers were as follows: a selling price of $13,995.00 and only $5500.00 for my trade and they had me buy a Lo jack system that they advertised for free with a purchase of a vehicle from them. They had me purchase a warranty for $1500.00 for bumper to bumper coverage that supposedly covered everything including the Lo jack that should have been free in the first place. The total amount on this was $356.00 per month, they said that's not bad you have a new car for only $6.00 a month more with a 7% interest rate. The total amount actually financed on this contract was $21,946.97. That is a $3621.97 difference from what we had agreed to before I went to get my mom. I didn't know what to do at that point so I called Scott Collins again, and he never returned my call.
Then on Tuesday November 25, Scott Collins called me and said that they had missed something that my mom needed to sign. That it was a formality and no big deal. I was upset because he wanted me to drive there and I said no. Why don't you mail it? He said no big deal, I will come to your house. I figured we could discuss the difference in price and get it fixed. It was also at that point he promised that he ripped up my down payment checks. When I was trying to keep the dog from attacking him he had mom sign a piece of paper that he stated had to do with the warranty coverage, and if she didn't sign it, we wouldn't be covered. When she looked at it that is what it said. He also stated that we should receive the coverage booklet in the mail within two weeks. It is now January 29 and I have yet to see it. They also never installed the Lo jack and they said they did.
This isn't the worst of it yet.
I received my payment book and low and behold it was a different bank and my payment is now $480.00, I guess they didn't think I would notice the increase of $124.00 per month. A payment that I clearly cannot make on my income. I called Scott Collins again and said what is going on why is my payment so high, he said I don't know, I am going to have to find out for you and get right back to you.
Well he never did, I called him insistently every day. I went up there on Christmas Eve to find out why, because he stopped taking my calls he pretended to not be able to hear me when I called his cell phone from a private number. When I went up there to confront him I asked him why he was avoiding my calls, he said he wasn't. I started to cry and said you need to fix this because I cannot afford this payment. He must have felt somewhat bad about what he did, because he said maybe there is a way to get you out of this contract.
The General Manager Mark Ruhl came over and said let me take a look at the payment book and the paper work you have. I gave it to him waited about 20 minuets and he came back with all of it except my contract. They refused, flat out refused, to give it back to me. I should have called the police. My eleven year old daughter was with me and it was Christmas Eve, I didn't want to spoil her night anymore than I already had. My husband was killed less than a year ago, so it was tough enough as it was during the holidays.
I called the bank on Monday December 29th and spoke with Gary who told me that my total financed amount was $28,108.00 and the interest rate is 11%, my interest over seven years (Scott told me it would be a 5 year loan) will be $12,999.00, so now I am paying more in interest than I was suppose to pay for the car; For a total of $41,107.00. On top of everything else they took a down payment from me that they were supposed to rip up, and instead they cashed them and they bounced. I stopped payment after that but that cost me another $105.00 in fees plus $29.00 to stop payment, Mark the General Manager said they would reimburse me for that, I have yet to see that too. So add the $1500.00 into the total because if it the checks cleared it would have been another $1500.00 they got, and now I am up to $42,607.00 with interest. On a SEBRING, I was driving a Lexus! I could by a 2007 Convertible BMW for $43,000.00!!
Mark told me to call him and he gave me his card with a cell that he wrote on it. The cell number that he gave me has a generic voice mail box and you cannot even leave a message. I believe that they all (the salesman) change their cell numbers, all the time so that when they rip people off they cannot be reached unless you go there. I was a perfect target because I am 40 miles away.
I spoke with mark about six times one night then he Said he had a family emergency his Daughters cat was lost and he promised to take care of this and call me in the morning, I promise he said. I have that recorded and when I said that it is well over $7000.00 they owe me, he said let me call you in the morning. I am still waiting for that call to come. He at one point (when I was there on December 24th), asked me if this was all of Scotts doing, and to be honest with him, I thought he was going to fire him, maybe he did, I am sure he saw how badly I was ripped off, and got very nervous, and that is why he stole the contract from me. I do have however, a copy of the original Mandatory disclosure that has all of the original totals listed on it, along with everything else. I have no contract dated November 25th like the bank does. The bank's copy is not the same contract my mother signed on November 23rd. We do not even have a copy of ANY contract at all.
I have been told to contact the Attorney General's office and the BBB, I am in jeopardy of losing this car because I cannot make these payments and this will destroy 65 years of my mom's good credit because she was trying to help me. I tried to see if the bank could do anything because they lied to them also. They have actually been very nice to me.
I have tried to work this out with them, and they said they would fix it and they haven't. I have been unable to find the Owner of Midway Chevrolet.
I have also e-mailed Mark Ruhl with this same information and he did not reply to that either.
They should not get away with this.
P.S. Since I wrote this letter they now have the nerve to go after me (with a collections agent) for the $1500.00, that I stopped payment on and they were not supposed to be deposited in the first place. They stop at nothing.
Arizona needs laws to protect the consumers
Rebecca
Gilbert, Arizona
U.S.A.
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