Swapalease.com Overpriced advertising for a site that is little known Cincinnati, Ohio
Perhaps, some people have gotten out of a lease via swapalease. However, in my opinion, they are extremely overpriced for the amount of advertising exposure that is provided. Their salesmen are very professional, smooth talkers who do their job well. Their job is to convince you that swapalease is an excellent way to get out of your lease and that they can "move your vehicle" quickly. They will email and call you incessantly to try to get you to run an ad.
I made the mistake and did.
I paid $300 (non-refundable) to post my 2008 Acura MDX on their website. Four weeks went by and nothing. Zip, zero, nada. Not even a single question about my ad. I posted on Craigslist a week after I posted to swapalease. Craigslist cost me nothing except 20 minutes to post the ad and four pictures. I immediately started receiving phone calls and sold it 3 weeks later. I let the buyer know that the vehicle was leased and they were able to buy out the lease directly from Acura Financial who transferred the title to the buyer. Simple. Done.
Good BBB rating or not, what they are doing is apparently legal, but not very ethical. Not only do they charge a huge fee to list on their little known website, but they require you to contact your "representative" every 25 days for ad upgrades to remain active (which YOU have paid for) and also add a $1000 "processing fee" which is calculated into the new loan/lease papers if the vehicle is sold. When I sold my Acura, the paperwork took me 10 minutes. Even if their "paperwork" takes 5 hours, someone is getting $200 an hour!
Additionally, if you post a negative testamonial to their website, it will NOT appear in the list of "testamonials."
Not many people have even heard of swapalease, so I don't think they're the first place someone will go to find a car. IMO, save your money and advertise on other cheaper or free sites that are well known, like Yahoo Auto or Craigslist. Don't make the same mistake I did.
I will never recommend swapalease to anyone. Ever.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Larry
Longview,Washington,
USA
Response from Swapalease to my testimonial
#4Author of original report
Mon, September 27, 2010
Copied below is an emailed response to my testimonial that I sent to to swapalease's website. The testimonial was negative and did not appear in the actual list of testimonials on their site. Much of the content of this testimonial I have posted here at RipoffReport.com
In the email, Andrew Hall offers a "complementary listing to be used in the future (call-in-basis only)."
Let's look at this.
First, Why would I want another listing for something I said I would never recommend to anyone and have stated that I made a mistake in puchasing in the first place?
Second, what is a "call in basis only"? That means nothing to me other than it may be an opportunity for them to sell more "upgrades." I don't want this.
There is no apology for my dissatisfaction and the offer is worthless to me. This is yet another reason why I would never recommend Swapalease to anyone.
Here is the content of the actual email:
<<Larry,
Our site has been very successful, however we dont transfer ever vehicle. Congratulations on finding a buyer for the vehicle and as a courtesy we will provide you with a complementary listing to be used in the future (call-in-basis only). You currently have access to your lifetime buyer membership, so if you are in the market we do recommend that you search our site.
Thank you,
Andrew Hall General Sales Manager
Swapalease.com 1-866-792-7669 ext 2000
From: Swapalease [mailto:callcenter3@swapalease.com] Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 2:11 AM To: support@swapalease.com
Subject: User Left Testimonial L xxxxx has left a Seller testimonial. He/She can be reached at (xxx) xxx-xxxx or xxxxxxx@hotmail.com
Comments:
Perhaps some people have gotten out of a lease via swapalease, but it's not worth it in my opinion. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the positive reviews here were posted by swapalease employees. The salesmen are smooth talkers and they will email and call you incessantly to try to get you to run an ad. I made the mistake and did. I paid $300 (non-refundable) to post my 2008 Acura MDX. 4 weeks went by and nothing. Zip, zero, nada. Not even a single question about my ad. I posted on Craigslist a week after I posted to swapalease. Craigslist cost me nothing. I immediately started receiving phone calls and sold it 3 weeks later. I let the buyer know that the vehicle was leased and they were able to buy out the lease directly from Acura Financial who transferred the title to the buyer. Simple. Not many people have even heard of swapalease, so I don't think they're the first place someone will go to find a car. IMO, save your money and advertise on other cheaper or free sites that are well known, like Yahoo Auto or Craigslist. I will never recommend swapalease to anyone. Ever.>>>
Ronny g
North hollywood,California,
USA
The BBB hid nothing....
#4Consumer Comment
Mon, September 27, 2010
And I really can not find anything negative about this company per say. And considering the opened shop in 1999..you would think there would be something online to document if they are a rip off?
They basically charge a fee to advertise your leased vehicle. Do they hide the fact that you can also advertise it on Craigslist for free??? Do they hold a gun to your head to use their service to advertise it for you? Do they have a RIGHT to charge a fee if they do? Maybe they want to eat or pay bills?
And as far as the BBB...yes..they gave this company an A+ rating, which I agree is suspect....but nothing as far as complaints were hidden by the BBB...here is the screen shot and all active links...
When considering complaint information, please take into account the business's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB processed a total of 56 complaint(s) about this business in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total 56 complaint(s) closed in the last 36 months, 13 were closed in the last 12 months.
These complaints concerned:
10
regarding
Advertising Issues
10
regarding
Advertising Issues
3
regarding
Contract Disputes
2
regarding
Contract Disputes
1
regarding
Failure to honor a contract or agreement
4
regarding
Customer Services Issues
4
regarding
Customer Services Issues
3
regarding
Product Issues
3
regarding
Product Issues
14
regarding
Refund Or Exchange Issues
2
regarding
Failure to honor refund, exchange or credit policies
12
regarding
Refund Or Exchange Issues
11
regarding
Selling Practices
1
regarding
Sales presentation used dishonest sales practices
10
regarding
Selling Practices
11
regarding
Service Issues
2
regarding
Improper or inferior service
9
regarding
Service Issues
These complaints were closed as:
17
Administratively Closed
2
Administratively Closed
15
Administratively Closed
39
Resolved
Jim
Orlando,Florida,
USA
Just Like the Timeshare Con-Game...ANYBODY Can Buy a BBB "accreditation".
#4Consumer Comment
Mon, September 27, 2010
They are following on the heals of the famous timeshare up front fee CON-GAME. If they had all these buyers then they would gladly work on commission rather than charge you an up front fee. They know they don't have the traffic they claim. So, they CON you into paying them for doing nothing.
You also seen first hand the BBB con game. THE BBB IS A FRAUD! They sell memberships and these phoney "accreditations" to ANYBODY. Its just like a phoney diploma mill.
You are doing very well for informing everyone about the SWAP-A-FLEASE con-game. Tell all your friends and also spread the word about the BBB congame.