Complaint Review: Moore Chrysler Jeep

I purchased a used vehicle from Moore Chrysler and Jeep about 2 weeks ago. I had already procured funding from a different source, and so the process went somewhat quickly. The final price of the vehicle after taxes and such was $12,500, $500 more than the amount of my approved loan, so I put down $500 cash. Literally. I pulled out the money while taking to the salesperson in her office, and as her hands were full with paperwork, put it down on her desk in front of her. I asked her if cash was okay and she said yes. Then she had to leave to go take care of some more paperwork and I had to leave to office to take care of my son, and I never saw the money again. I assumed that because she had entered and left the office while I was taking care of him that she had taken the money with her.

I met with the finance manager and finished up the paperwork, which clearly stated that I had made a $500 cash payment in addition to my loan check, and after everything was finished they gassed up the vehicle, told me everything was ready, and I left in the vehicle. My finance company has since confirmed that they cashed the check that day.

Two weeks have passed, and they have called a few times to confirm that everything was okay with the vehicle, which it has been. The even called a day or so after to let me know that the loan check had cleared and that everything was complete and to call if I ever needed another vehicle. Then, yesterday, I received a call from an "Evan in Finance" with Moore. He told me that I needed to come in and make a down-payment. I told him I had already made it. He said that I hadn't, and that they had security cameras. I told him "Good. Then you can see that I already paid it." He insulted me and made threatening statements (generally making an a*s of himself) and finally I told him I would fax him a receipt or whatever I could find in the paperwork the next morning, as I was at work. I, of course suspected a scam and called Moore, where I did confirmed he was a real person working in finance.

This morning I searched through the paperwork and found I was missing some of it - I have been moving and so it likely ended up packed in a box with my other financial papers. I called Evan and let him know that I hadn't found the receipt yet, and that I was still looking for it, but that I had found some signed paperwork referencing the down payment having been made. Over the course of the call he alternated between complaining that the money would come out of his check if I didn't pay (obviously his bosses also realized that either he had dropped the ball, or was straight out involved in theft), and threatening me (mostly with things like "you will regret it", "fine - don't pay and just see what happens", and "we will just have to come and pick up the vehicle then.").

I again asked him to check the security cameras and determine what happened to the money. His answer - "we don't have cameras in the sales offices." WHAT??? I know for a fact they do, as I looked straight at one while I was sitting there talking to the sales person. And do they seriously expect me to believe that in a car dealership, the industry rated just below towing companies (number 2 or 3 I think) in the massive number of complaints received by the BBB that there are no cameras in the areas most likely to be the center of an issue???? Not only that, but he had claimed they had cameras when he first called!!! Things were definitely fishy - what could he possibly have to hide by claiming there were no cameras?

He then started claiming that, because I had not physically handed the money to him that I had not paid it. I brought up the points that a) it was in their building, b) The salesperson was aware that I had left it on the desk, and I specifically said something that drew attention to it, and c) they had known it was there, as they told me everything was finished, gave me the keys, and cashed the check. Not only that but they had talked to me multiple times over the past two weeks, and every time indicated that everything was fine and completed. He kept saying I had to pay the money, and I kept telling him that I already had. I did let him know that I sympathized, but that it was not my responsibility to insure that their building was secure, or that their employees handled it correctly. Finally he threatened me a few more times and hung up.

I called Moore and asked for the GM, who was out, and was transferred to the next in line. He listened to what happened and told me they would call back.

A few moments later, I received a call from Evan again. He told me that he was calling to tell me that they were going to take it from his check and so I didn't have to pay. I told him I sympathized as I had worked in sales positions before as well, and that I hope they could figure out who took it. I guess that set him off, because he started ranting about how "I was going to pay one way or another" and how he "was going to put it on my credit report". I told him that I would have to contest it then, and asked how he could put it on my report if he was paying it and saying that I didn't have to I either have to pay it or I don't. Beside that, I have a contract showing it paid. That set him off on a tirade about how it was obvious by my credit that I wouldn't have paid anyways (I do have collections, but have payment plans set up on the active ones -not that it is his business to insult me over it) and how I was a liar.

I realize now that his boss or the manager checked the cameras and saw that I did put down the money and suspected that he had something to do with it disappearing, or that he at least hadn't logged the down payment correctly weeks ago. Either way, it seems to me that he truly believes that I didn't pay it (or that he is terrified of losing his job for doing something dishonest and is trying to make me pay just to get him to leave me alone), and just has zero customer service skills.

Wow. A horrible experience. The worst part was that until this paranoid nut job entered the picture my overall experience with Moore was fantastic. Well, except for the finance guy I dealt with when signing paperwork (he was very rude, kept trying to rush me and was upset when I insisted on reading all the paperwork, and was obviously not paying attention - he kept checking his phone, I assume for texts.) - I suspect now that it was the same guy...

My brother lives in Peoria, and was going to stop by there to look for a new car after I told him about how great to initial experience was. My advice to him now, as to you all, is to get everything authenticated in triplicate, bring a camera if you can, and don't trust them (particularly in finance) - be VERY CAREFULL, there are obviously either highly incompetent employees, or outright thieves working there, and until they are gone be extra vigilant.

Michael O
Tucson, Arizona
U.S.A.

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