Complaint Review: Bill Heard Chevrolet - Antioch Tennessee

I am a victim of spot delivery. On 11/27/05, I made the mistake of walking into Bill Heard Chevrolet to purchase a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. Little did I know I was about to be scammed.

The salesman,Whitt Jackson helped me pick out the vehicle and worked with me to obtain financing for 419.00 per month with a 9% interest rate. I signed a contract without a lienholder listed (I was told they would find financing after I left) and drove off the lot that night with the vehicle.

On 12/20, I finally received a call regarding the financing (keep in mind, I had been diligently calling the dealership to make sure my financing was secure).

Tom Ritter, the finance manager, asked if I could return to the dealership and sign a new contract. It turned out that he could only get me approved for a 17% interest rate. I informed him that the rate was too high, and I would either return the vehicle or he could finance me at the 9% rate that was agreed upon on 11/27. Needless to say, I was outraged and decided to return it.

However, when I arrived to turn it in, Tom Ritter had apparently found a way to work around the rate and we settled on 9%. I was told to come back on the following Monday to sign the paperwork because the banks were closed.

On that Monday, the documents were not ready as promised. I was told to come back the next day.

The next day, the documents were finally ready and when I looked them over, the financer was listed as JP Morgan Chase Bank. The interest rate was 9.25%, but my monthly payment was the same, so I didn't put up too much of a fight about it.

At that point, I was just happy to have everything done. I was told it was a "done deal".

Everything was fine until 1/11/06 when I recieved a call at work from the dealership. They informed me that my title was ready to go, but before it could be released, they needed a check from me for the purchase price of the Trailblazer. I told them they must be mistaken because I had a copy of the contract in my hands stating otherwise. I was then put on hold before being told that my loan had been declined during the funding process.

He went on to accuse me of forging information on my application. I insisted on speaking with Tom Ritter and was told to instead come to the dealership to straighten out the situation.

Once again, I was infuriated!

I took it upon myself to call JP Morgan Chase and spoke with two reps who informed me that there was never even an application submitted for me. I was even advised to seek legal advice because the whole situation looked "fishy".

I then went to the dealership after work to see Tom Ritter. While I was waiting for him to become available, I spoke with a couple next to me and discovered they were there for the same reason as me! Even the financing bank was the same.

Tom had apparently overheard our discussion and when I entered his office, he said " O.K., you are obviously mad, let me have it". He went on to confess that the following Monday was his last day on the job because he was tired of being "chewed out" by customers who have "been screwed by Bill Heard [chevrolet]". He explained that he was tired of lying to people and was leaving to work for another dealership.

After hearing this, I wasn't a bit surprised and asked him to please straighten out the situation before he left. He AGAIN gave me the run-around and said he had to speak with the General Manager, who wouldn't be available until tomorrow because he was in a meeting. I was promised a call from either the GM or Tom first thing in the morning.

I never recieved the call and so I called the dealership myself and was told Tom had the day off and the GM was unavailable. I called back five times and asked to speak to ANYONE that was available in financing.

Conveniently, everytime I called no one was available and each message left was not returned.

As I am typing this on Friday, 1/13/06, I still do not know where I stand and am anxiously waiting for an answer.

PLEASE, ANYONE CONSIDERING PURCHASING A VEHICLE FROM BILL HEARD CHEVROLET-DON'T DO IT!

Hopefully my story will prevent this from hapening to anyone else.

****Note-The Better Business Bureau has an unsatisfactory rating for Bill Heard Chevrolet and specifically mentions unresolved spot delivery issues.

Amanda

Franklin, Tennessee
U.S.A.

Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Bill Heard Auto Dealers

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