I bought a used 2001 Chrysler Sebring from Massey-Yardley in Plantation, FL, back in Feb. 2003. The car seems fine and they were pretty good about the service for the many little items I said needed fixed as part of the deal, but they really took advantage of me on some of the financial aspects.
First of all, and the biggest, most egregious, was their deceit and violation in regards to my financing contract. The figure in the AMOUNT FINANCED block of the Truth-In-Lending portion of the contract is $17552.48. However, the amount Massey-Yardley obligated on the loan, in my behalf, was $100 more and they did not point out this discrepancy. And all of this was done as a second contract, when they called me in telling me they got me a better rate, but not bothering to mention that it would cost me a $100 fee to get that rate. I even asked their FI guy why the figures did not seem right when I entered them into my Excel spreadsheet I use for payment tracking, and he did not disclose this fact then.
This charge was in small text in the lower portion of the contract, and was in there in such a way as one would not even be certain it was actually being paid, because the bottom line said, AMOUNT FINANCED $17552.48. (Not amount of loan, $17552.48 plus $100 loan processing fee thus total amount borrowed $17652.48).
Also, and this I really blame myself for not catching, but in the figures on the buy order, they had a $499 charge for "Delivery Fee". Now they had told me the amount was the prices we agreed upon, sales price and 1 add-on I agreed to, plus the normal tax, tags, title. So I screwed up and did not catch this.
My point is, I thought I was dealing with an honest establishment and could take them at their word that the only other items were, tax, tag, title. But I can tell you, if I had caught this, it would have been removed, or the vehicle sales price would have been lowered to offset this, or we would not have had a deal.
After several letters back and forth with them I tried working through the BBB to try and get the money for the contract issue refunded, that did not yield any positive results. I realize I have no leg to stand on, legally on the second issue, but it pisses me off. If I get nowhere, I will spend some afternoons outside of their dealership chasing away potential buyers, telling my story. A couple of lost sales will more than offset them just refunding me the money they owe me.
John
Davie, Florida
U.S.A.
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