In December I was asked by my son to cosign for him for six months only on a car loan. I called to verify it was for only the six months and spoke with Mike Gore. He assured me it was.
I went in and met with Wendy Briggs in the finance department and told her at this time that my husband was not in favor of this, so it had to be for the six months only. She too assured me it was.
I noticed that my son's new girlfriend Mandee Benson was also on the contract. I told Wendy this was only for my son and to remove her. She said she would and she eventually did.
Due to weather I could not get back to the dealership to sign the final paperwork. Wendy said the car had been out for too long, so they sent a courier to my workplace located in Park City.
I signed as co-buyer with my son only. I then asked the courier which copy was mine, as I started to tear one off. He gave me a funny look and then told me he would need to call Wendy and ask her.
He called and I was told that Wendy would mail my copy to me. Being an honest, trusting person, I said okay and went back to work. I now realize that was naive of me. I have yet to receive my original paperwork over a year later.
In January I received a payment book in the mail from America First Credit Union. It was in my name only. I called only to find out I was the primary buyer NOT the cosigner.
I was then told to call the Ogden branch and speak with Tina Owens in the financial department. She told both my husband and myself that when it came across her desk, she called LHM and told them my son would not qualify at all.
She told me she was told by LHM to then just take my son off and put me on as the primary buyer. I was NOT notified of this or even asked if this was okay with me. I was now on this loan for five years. Period.
I called Wendy Briggs and asked her about my paperwork, she asked how to spell my last name, my address and then said it must have been lost in the mail! She said she would send it out again. Still waiting...
I called LHM and spoke with Travis Johnston the then manager. He said he would investigate and call me back. A week later, we called again. He had the nerve to tell my husband I said it was okay as long as he did not find out!
I went in LHM on several occasions to try and clear this up. Not one time did they try to help. Both Mike Gore and Travis Johnston just kept saying "everyone knew"!
I asked for a copy of my paperwork and Mike Gore sent a guy to get it. He came back with a "photo copy" that had my name as primary buyer and my son's underneath it as co buyer with a handwritten TPO next to his name.
When i told them that was not my original paperwork, they insisted it was. I asked what the TPO meant and Mike told me it was "two people on". My son in law was with me, and asked on what? He said the contract.
I later found out it from America First it actually meant "title purposes only" They put something on that they didn't even know what it meant! Not to mention, that was not the way it was typed up when I signed it. Crooks!
I began my crusade to make them accountable. I first reported them to Motor Vehicle Enforcement. I was told by Kevin Dudley there that "other than being guilty of being car dealers' without my copy he could not do anything.
I then emailed Bill Gephardt and was told by him" if what you say is true, you need to get an attorney and go after them". This is all documented by email.
Trying to avoid a costly legal battle, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. We went back on forth with responses till finally LHM offered to take the car back to try and sell it for us and give my son employee price on another car.
It sat on the lot for two months. I called every Monday to see the progress. I was told it was hard with the economic downturn the banks were just not lending. My son went to get the car. We were still making payments on a car that was just sitting on a lot.
They purchase price of the car was 15,203.68. The blue book value at the time of purchase was just under 10,000 dollars. They completely took advantage of both of us. They lied to us and obviously, changed documents.
So here we are over a year later. I just traded in my son's car AND my car for less of a car than I had in order to come out semi okay. I got 5,200 dollars for my sons car. The payoff was almost 13,000 dollars! Fortunately, I was not upside down in my car.
I used a car broker this time, who I had to pay 750 dollars to make sure I was not ripped off again, and no, I did not use LHM.
I even picketed in November and was promised personally by Travis if we left he would do everything in his power to get my son financed. He promised to call on the following Monday and he did. He said he was working on it. I never heard from him again.
He has an advertisement on a local radio station stating he will finance ANYONE - good credit, bad credit - no credit... No one will be turned away. Just ask for Travis, General Manager of LHM used car supermarket. Really?!
When I asked him about the ad he said Yes, he will finance anyone as long as they have half down! Of course, that part is not in the ad. Buyer beware!
I think it is a travesty that they can get away with this unethical method of practicing business and not have SOMEONE hold their feet to the fire. Who is suppose to regulate these people and hold them accountable? How do they sleep?
I would urge anyone who reads this to not do business with LHM used car supermarket. They have no ethics and they are crooks. I do realize and accept my part in all of this. I should have been smarter and at least taken a picture of what I signed with my phone. Lesson learned.
I have complete documentation of all of this in great detail including ALL phone and in person conversations that took place after I found out I was the primary buyer.
As far as I am concerned LHM Used Car Supermarket gave Larry Miller's good name a black eye. Shame on them.
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