My husband and I recently got a 1995 Ford Windstar from JD Byrider. CNAC approved us for the financing. Our credit is not in good shape, hence us going to them.
We were asked how much we could make as a downpayment, I said $100 was all we have. He, JR with CNAC told us if we can come up with $200 more then we can be financed. So I said ok, I'll borrow the money from a friend.
We paid $100 with our debit card and then were told to pick up the vehicle the next day. We received the vehicle, with the bi-weekly payment arrangements and I saw that we had to come up with two more payments of $200 which would be put towards the vehicle as a deposit, for fees and registration and other incidentals we were told. I had no problem with that since we needed the vehicle and we were being financed. So we drove off with the car and made the $200 payment by check the Monday it was due.
Another payment was also due the following Saturday, which is when payments are to be made, because that week was a pay week for us. We couldn't get to the dealership on Colonial/HWay 50, where CNAC is also housed, and I called and told them this and asked if it was ok to make the payment on Monday instead, I spoke with Tammy she said it was fine. My husband went there, yesterday, July 26 to make the $200 payment in cash. I wasn't aware that the check I wrote was returned by our bank, even though the same day it was returned, the money hit our account. Anyway, nothing was said to my husband and I assumed they would redeposit the check.
My husband went to work, he works the night shift, got back in 3am this morning. When we got up, we went to parking area of our apartment complex for him to take me to work we realised the van is gone. I was upset, I'm thinking my God did it get stolen or what? I told him you know what, let me call them, JD Byrider before I call the police. Well, yes, they repossessed the vehicle because the check we gave them was returned unpaid. I said, but no one even called to say something and my husband was in the office making a cash payment yesterday!
Well, they don't have to give any warning they just swooped and took the vehicle. Well, I had to wait until the man in charge, Jeff Smith, got in to speak to him. I asked him what will we have to pay to get the van back, He very promptly told me "The only way to get the van back is to pay it off (about $8900) and there will be no negotiation. Yes we took the vehicle because your check bounce and I can't do business with people like you because your recent payment was late and since you don't know how to manage our check book this will be a pattern and I don't want to do business with you."
I said yes the payment for Saturday was made on Monday but I did call to let Tammy the person who collects payments, know and she said it was ok and I apologise for the check being return but I didn't set out to defraud you when I wrote that check, I assumed it would be redeposited and my husband was in your office making a cash payment of $200 yesterday, nothing was said to him. He didn't want to hear anything else that was that in his book. He then gave me the number for the recovery people so that I could call them to get my daughter's car seat and other stuff that was in the van when they took it. I've never ever been so insulted in my life.
Now after calling the recovery person, he told me I have to pay $50 to get my possessions back from them. He's going to take it to the JD Byrider office and leave it there this afternoon. Well, I never heard of such a thing! You know we are not perfect, we are working to earn a living and pay our bills and take care of our family. Financially we have made a few mistakes, that's why our credit is not up to par so that we can receive a good loan. To have these people take us for a ride and treat us the way they have is appalling.
The normal business practice of legitimate companies is to redeposit a check or hold it and call the customer to negotiate a way to make amends to bring your account up to date. This company, CNAC, is not legit in that way. They prey on people in our financial circumstance and wait for the slip up. Then they treat you like dogs. That means they didnt have our interest at heart, they didn't want to help us, just use and abuse us and create more problems for our credit. So they got $300 from us and now I have to pay $50 to get back my child's car seat and other possession.
I'm going to do what ever I can to make sure everyone know about their practices. I'm also going to lodge a formal complaint against them. They're within their rights to not want to do business with us because of a bounce check, thats fine. But the way they did it, like thieves, didn't give us notice or let us take our possession out of the vehicle and now we have to pay to get those things back? It's unfair practice and I feel violated.
I just now see all these usacomplaints.com on the different JD Byrider/CNAC dealerships and see what their practices are. I wish I had done a search on them before entering into any contract with them. But in our desperation because our current vehicle is in such bad shape we fell for their "we're here to help you on the road to credit recovery scheme"!
Donna
Orlando, Florida
U.S.A.
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