Complaint Review: Princeton Auto Parke - Internet

Recently I have divorced. I was in dyer need of a vehicle to transport my children around in. I found an ad in the paper for a 97' Ford Explorer for $500. I had the explorer inspected and the only thing wrong with it was the 4-wheel drive transfer case was going out. It wouldn't hurt anything just make a really annoying noise. So I bought it! I drove it for about a month and then the transmission started slipping. I was scared the car was going to give out on me in the dead of summer with my kids in it. I went down to Ron Parke "Princeton Auto Parke". I told him my dilemma and that I was recently divorced and single mom of two boys. I was working two jobs and I just needed help. I offered to give him my explorer to waive the initial $1000 down for one of his buy here pay here cars (now waiving didn't mean to give me credit it meant he put it towards the vehicle I would purchase). He agreed. He told me all I could get was a 2001 Dodge Stratus he had. It had over 150,000 miles on it and some "issues". Beggers can't be choosers so I said if you can fix these issues, I will buy it. One issue was that the engine was leaking oil BAD. They replaced the seals. The other issue was there was a crack in the exhaust pipe, and they had it replaced. (To my knowledge) I signed a contract to be set up on weekly payments of $75. I had made my payments on time every week for a month. Even over paid, giving him $100 each time. In August and September my hours had gotten cut and I wasn't receiving child support so I asked the manager if I could make bi-weekly payments. They agreed to it. So every 2 weeks after that I was giving them $200 to help catch up and get me ahead. In November, I had just dropped off a $100 payment  for one week and I also told them that the car was leaking oil again and the exhaust had started to make noise again. The next day, the manager came storming into my workplace demanding the keys for the car. he said, "I'm sorry about your car troubles but Ron is done messing with you and he wants his car back." In the meantime, they had sold the explorer I traded for $1000 and still not fixing any of those existing problems (I spoke with the new owner). I saw none of that profit credited to my account. So, to date I had the vehicle for roughly 16 weeks and had given Mr. Ron Parke over $2000 of my money. The manager said I was behind 7 weekly payments. I was dumbfounded. I knew I went to a bi-weekly status but I had made the $200 every two weeks to over pay and get caught up faster. I stayed in contact with them and told them what was going on and made sure I was ok in their book. When I went to the office, with my boss, to figure out what was going on, Ron Parke came outside and saw my boss and said "Oh, I didn't know that's who you worked for." From then on he kept preaching he would work with me and do what he could to help me. My boss said it was best to cut all ties and that's what I did. Come to find out, a car that was worth less than $2000 was sold to me for close to $7000. The interest rate was 27% and all of the $200 payments, Ron took and applied them as interest and late fees-hence the 7 weeks behind. Since this incident alot of buzz is going around this town about Ron Parke's dealings. He is under investigation for several things. I advise anyone thinking about going to him or are dealing with him now, to please not go into any agreement with him or watch your back carefully.