Credit Acceptance Selling Lemons to People Who can't Afford Another Car!! Springfield Michigan
I didn't know there was a site like this till I just stumbled upon it. I see here I am not the only person whom CA has screwed over.
In January 2008, I needed a car and my credit isn't the best, so I filled out for a second chance loan. I was contacted by Premier Nissan of Metairie (Louisiana) and told they had received a loan for me through a second chance loan company, and coould guarantee I drove off their lot with a car that day.
So, desparate for transportation, I got a friend to take me down there (as I lived in Covington at the time). I put down $1,500 on a 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer with 94,000 miles on it, and drove away.
Right before Thanksgiving 2008, I was taking my kids to school when my check engine light came on and the car died! I was told that my timing belt had broke which threw my engine off it's timing causing over $1,000 in repairs to the valves and head.
I was down for over 3 weeks! I'm a delivery driver for a Pizza chain here in LA. It cost me over $1,000 to fix and over $2,000 in tips and salary as I was unable to drive my car!
A week goes by after getting it repaired. On Christmas Day, my family and I were going to my fiancee's family's house for Christmas dinner when it happened AGAIN!!!
My mechanic thought it may just be my water pump going bad, so we set to work a week later (more lost time from my job) fixing it. we then notice the timing belt was STRIPPED!!! Again, my timing had been thrown off and about to cost ANOTHER $1,000+ to get it fixed. (Let me say here that because of the first problem, I was behind a payment on the car and CA was calling me day and night about it.) There was nothing visible wrong with the water pump itself. We then went to searching for the REAL problem...and found it!
There were nicks and grooves in the cylinder where the water pump is housed and rotated by the timing belt. The water pump locked up on one of these nicks causing it to freeze up. On the Mitsubishi Lancer the water pump and timing belt are connected (the pump is rotated by the belt). This was an obvious problem to someone who was SUPPOSED to make sure the car was fully operational before it was sold! The entire block had to be replaced.
I did a voluntary repo on the car because I could not afford to have it fixed again! They told me the same thing they told Harry in Michigan, "We have a list of dealers you can bring it to who will take it as a trade in and put you in something better". I told them that no self respecting dealer would touch this car because half the engine was in the back seat, and even if it was all under the hood, it wouldn't run.
Never did they offer to try to have the problem corrected! They sent someone to get the car. A few weeks later, I got a letter from them saying they were going to have the car fixed and resell it and I would be charged the final difference! Recently, I got a letter from them saying they sold the car and I owed them over $6,000 they wanted immediately! A week after that, I got another letter saying they were offering me 25% off to settle now.
Just yesterday, I got a call from them saying they are in the process of sending my case to claims for processing.
I just wanted to share this story because I stumbled across Harry from Michigan who had a similar situation with the same people. Are we the only two, or are there more out there? Please post your complaint! With enough people we may be able to get something done against CA for there unscrupulous ways in doing business with less fortunate people.
If you would like to contact me personally, my email is rosario_steven_taylor@yahoo.com. And to the person who bought that white 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer in Lousiana through Crecit Acceptance...I feel for you. Get rid of it as soon as you can...It's a lemon!!!!
Stevent
Hammond, Louisiana
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Little Ol' Me
Semmes,Alabama,
U.S.A.
How's it CAC's fault?
#5Consumer Suggestion
Thu, August 06, 2009
Just how is it CAC's fault that
1. You didn't have the car checked out
2. You may have purchased a lemon
3. Your car broke down
If you finance a car through Citifinancial, Ford Credit, CAC or anyone else and have a voluntary (or nonvoluntary) repo you will be responsible for paying the difference.
Let's say you put $100 in the bank every month. At the end of a year you go and purchase a car. You withdraw the money from the bank and pay cash for it. A month later it breaks. Are you going to sue the bank for allowing you to withdraw the money??
Dave
WR,Wisconsin,
U.S.A.
Why blame the lender?
#5Consumer Comment
Fri, June 19, 2009
It is not the lenders fault that your vehicle has mechanical problems.
I also work in finance and often hear people say they won't pay until something is fixed or some other issue. I will help help them find service however, something not working is not an excuse to stop paying your loan. If there are financial problems I'll work with a customer who is truly willing to make arrangements.
I make loans so people can purchase something they want. I do not sell or service anything the customer buys, I lend them the money for it. If they chose not to have something fixed that is up to them however that does not excuse them from not repaying the money they borrowed.
Loisbvance
North Las Vegas,Nevada,
U.S.A.
Why is Credit Acceptance Responsible for you not having the vehicle inspected before purchase?
#5UPDATE Employee
Fri, June 19, 2009
I have purchase (3) vehicles on my own and have gone through different fianance companies and never have I blamed the finance company(who loans your the money) for any repairs that I had to pay for. What I did what investigate the dealer. When you purchase a "USED CAR", it is at your own risk. Your are responsible for making sure that you are getting a solid deal. Credit Acceptance has been in business for 30+ years and over 95% of our customers pay on time with no problem. It seems that when someone misses a payment or has a problem with their vehicle, then it becomes CAC's fault. We do not ask that you use CAC, your credit report/rating dictates who will finance you, and when no one else will,CAC will, however it is always the responsibility to the purchase to have their vehicle inspected and not be so excited about purchasing a vehicle that you lose all common sense and don't have a "USED CAR" carfaxed or inspected. As with any business there is a collections department that is need for when consumers default on their loan. It's not alway a pleasant job, but it needs to be done or else everyone could just get away with paying their bills when ever they felt like it. CAC is not in the business of ripping people off, they are in the business of "Changing Lives" for consumers who could not be financed elsewhere.
Cece
DETROIT,Michigan,
U.S.A.
WHY IS CA RESPONSIBLE FOR
#5UPDATE Employee
Fri, June 12, 2009
THE CAR BEING A LEMON WE ARE THE FINANCE COMPANY // NOT THE WARRANTY COMPANY OR THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD YOU THE CAR ... WE JUST FRONTED THE MONEY FOR YOU TO PURCHASE THE VEH //