Complaint Review: South Cooper Auto Mart/ Rober Yocum - Arlington Texas

My parents went out and purchased a car through South Cooper Auto Mart this last year in October. After receiving the 1998 Suburban we drove it a few days and couldn't believe that we had such a nice vehicle. We used it for our furniture business and not only a vehicle but was also told that they would get us a trailer for our business and sell it to us with the vehicle. What a deal. NOT

We traded our jeep in as a trade in and they would make the payoff on it and they were offering a couple grand on top of it for the down payment.

When we went to the lot to pick out our vehicle Dr. Dan the salesman told us, not a problem, take all your things from your old vehicle and just take off with the new one, there's going to be no problem. So that we did. They gave us a check for 1700.00 to get our trailer and off we went to get our trailer.

We then received a call stating that they needed us to give them a check of $2000.00, and that it didn't need to clear the bank. They just needed this for records, and that they would give it back. Well this didn't make since to us, but we gave them a check. I later went in to the car lot and spoke with Danny about this to find out what it was for, and I was just ran in circles, and very confused. I then left and called my husband to try to explain it to him and he didn't understand what I was saying. So therefore, I went back to the carlot with a tape recorder so that it can be explained again, and then my husband could hear it and understand it. Through my taped conversation with Dr. Dan the sales person on our vehicle, we finally understood that the check is just paper, we could either stop payment or just not let it clear. "It was for the accountant, to just have documented checks that didn't clear, so that South Cooper Auto Mart could show a loss at the end of the year, because they are making so much money and would have to pay so much in tax's." I asked him more about it, and is this something illegal and he said "oh no" "we don't do things illegally it's just for the file, to show we had a loss, and we'll return your check back to you as soon as it comes back from the bank."

I let my husband hear our conversation so that he could understand it and he was rather irritated at me and Mr. Yocum, and after explaining to me what was taking place, I see why. I felt like an idiot for trusting what he said, and not understanding his circle of conversation that he kept me going on.

Something wasn't right about this complete deal. Only to discover a few days later that while looking over the car and cleaning it, that the panels on the front steering area were loose, my husband put a screw in it and tightened it up, we had wondered if someone was messing with the mileage. Then we were looking at the manual and was reading up on the vehicle and

it said that if the odometer reading had silver between the numbers that showed, then someone had moved the mileage back on the vehicle, this was a special detection that the Chev people put into the Suburban. Sure enough we looked over the odometer and noticed the silver lines in it.

We were then worried. I went home and started to investigate who the original owners of the vehicle was and found it to be a leasing company, after speaking with them, they were happy to send me a copy of the odometer disclosure statement that was given at the time of sale of the vehicle, which read 80,081 funny since WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH 42,000 MILES on it. I then followed it to the next owner, they in return sent me the same information of 80,081. We then go to the DALLAS AUCTION and South Cooper Auto Mart, Robert Yocum had used another dealers lane and sold the vehicle to a dealer in Iowa. After speaking with the Dallas Auto Auction, they said that the car was returned back from Iowa to South Cooper Auto Mart, Robert Yocum for reasons the miles were rolled back on it. I then contacted the buyer in Iowa which had not much good to say about Mr. Robert Yocum, other than he's a fraud and has a filthy mouth. The dealer told me that he did purchase the car from the auction and then after doing some checking found out the car miles were rolled back, and so it sent it back to the auction at which time Mr. Rober Yocum had to refund the monies on the deal. He then faxed over the paperwork and copies of the paperwork and told me that the miles on the back of the title had been marked out with some type of chemical to change the first 8 on the 80,081. Sure enough they had changed the paperwork. The miles on our vehicle at the time of purchase was not 42,000 but closer to 110,000.

I then got off of the phone and contacted the Dallas Auto Auction and told them about my resent purchase of this vehicle and they made a call to Robert Yocum. He then calls me and said that his salesman wasn't suppose to sell us this vehicle. Now folks, we looked at this vehicle sitting on his corner lot for sale for a month before getting it, it was a vehicle for sale. No where on it did it say the miles were not accurate or anything. After his complete denial,,of course,, my father decided he was not going to have a large loan with a company on a vehicle that was not actually as it was suppose to be. So after a few days of discussion between myself, my father, Mr. Yocum, we loaded up and went to the car lot and to figure out what to do. My father said he wanted out of the deal and wanted his money back. Mr. Yocum, then pushed the speaker phone button and dialed WFS Financial and spoke with his representative whose name was Ken who worked for WFS and worked directly with Mr. Yocum. While we were all sitting there in his office, Robert Yocum was on the speaker phone with Ken, he explained that my father wanted to get out of the deal because he found out the mileage was rolled back on the vehicle, Ken Cannon from WFS responded "well how did they find that out"? Mr. Yocum then discovered he had better get off the speaker phone. After they finish speaking they hung up and Mr. Yocum said that he was going to roll back the deal, "get out of the deal with WFS" and he would know more the next day.

We then left and waited 2 days and then we went up there and spoke with Mr. Yocum and told him that my husband and myself wanted to keep the car because we had already invested money in on the car, and we've already have the vehicle fixed to be helpful in our business, and also:

1. We wanted the vehicle in our name, not my parents and that our parents contract be voided and refunded and that the contract would be in our name:

2. We wanted 5000.00 back on the vehicle.

3. We wanted a statement from him that the miles were not correct.

4. And that when filing with the state they would put "not actual mileage" on the title as to keep my husband and I out of trouble should we ever want to sell the vehicle, and the state would know that we didn't roll the mileage back.

5. We also wanted our 2000.00 check back that they requested at the time of purchase.

6. We would make the paymets to South Cooper Auto Mart directly and Robert Yocum would finance the loan with NO interest charges, all paymets would go to the direct principal of the loan.

7. Robert Yocum would report all payments to the credit bureau so that we could establish a good payment history on our car.

8. We wanted the parts that were ordered for the ashtrays and door lights.

9. We wanted the tags.

We all agreed upon this. Everyone went on with their lives.

Robert Yocum, then told us after this agreement was made that Dr. Dan didn't know about the mileage and that he didn't inform him of the mileage problem, so Dr. Dan wasn't to blame. True or not, buying a car back from DALLAS AUTO AUCTION because of ODOMETER FRAUD was not something you forget.

1 Month later we receive the vehicle registration notice from the state. In my parents name. We then contacted WFS and they said that the car note was paid off and the title went to South Cooper Auto Mart supposedly in my parents names for them to receive, and that any title issued was issued to my parents and then they would need to sign it back over to South Cooper Auto Mart by signing their names on the back of the title. I called the state and they stated that I would need to wait a couple of more weeks for a title history to find out what's going on. I called the car lot and they said no it's not in your parent's name and never has been, don't worry.

Well I'm hear to say, my parents never signed anything except a contract for a vehicle, and a notice from WFS thanking them for their choice of picking them for their loan company. Never have they signed a title or any other document.

My husband and I signed a contract in our name and purchased this car in November 2001. We went by South Cooper Auto Mart in November End, December, January, and Feb STILL requesting tags on this vehicle. Finally on Feb 25, 2002 we receive our tags and a TITLE APPLICATION RECEIPT, stating that effective 2/22/2002 the vehicle is in our name with South Cooper Auto Mart being the 1st lien holder. Being effective on 2/22/02 is wrong, this should of been effective in November 2001.

I also noticed that on the TITLE APPLICATION RECEIPT that it stated ACTUAL MILEAGE reading 49,969 on 2/22/02. I was called on Feb 21, 2002 by the South Cooper Auto Mart and he asked me what the mileage was on the vehicle and I told him at the present time it was showing 52,130 but that wouldn't make a difference to the State of Texas, because you have to tell them it's NOT ACTUAL MILES, oh he said I know we will, I know all about it. After receiving the Title Application Receipt and noticing "Actual Mileage" I took it back into the car lot and asked Robert about it and he said that we marked the back of the title "Not Actual Mileage" and the form from the State. I told him that I would like to have a copy of the back of the title and my 2000.00 check back and he said he would mail it to me right away, the title was in his safe. At the same time, told me that if I could find any other car on his lot that was rolled back he would pay me a 100.00 for each car, I laughed and told him, he didn't want to play games with me, "that I've already looked at 7 of your trucks and SUV's that were lined up and pointed them out to him and they all had 42,000 miles on them." What's the chances of that?????

Well by this time, I knew in fact Robert Yocum was full of Crap and I should of worn boots making this deal.

Per our agreement here's what we DID RECEIVE:

The vehicle in our name with them as a lien holder, a title floating somewhere in my parents name, that obviously someone signed in order to get it in our name.

We did receive 5000.00 back on the vehicle.

We finally have received our tags.

Per our agreement here's what we DID NOT RECEIVE:

A statement from Mr. Robert Yocum that the miles were not correct.

When Robert Yocum filed for the tags with the State of Texas he still did NOT acknowledge that the miles were "NOT ACTUAL", but told the State that the miles were "ACTUAL" 49,969 even after knowing that they committed an ILLEGAL FRAUDULANT ROLLBACK on this car.

Robert Yocum said he would mail me a copy of the back and front of the title where they said what the miles were when they changed it into our name, WE NEVER RECEIVED THE DOCUMENTS.

Robert Yocum said that he would give us our 2000.00 check back and that he never did, and states he gave it to my father, he never did such a thing.

Robert Yocum has not reported our purchase to any Credit Bureau Agency.

We still have not received our parts for the inside of the car.

As of today 4/10/02 we still have not received any of the above. The car lot is no longer there, it's completely empty, and have received NO Documents in the mail as to their closing or moving. I have been told that BUZ POST OF ARLINGTON purchased the Company, so I can assume that they have purchased the cars from South Cooper Auto Mart. Since are deal we have found out that this is a clear case of practice for this company, through other victims.

It took time, but I believe that through my research I've figured their game, thanks to the help of many people.

Mr. Robert Yocum purchased our vehicle at right below the 3 year old mark. If you know, new vehicles have 3 year inspections, and most leasing companies sell their vehicles before the 3 years up and purchase new vehicles. If you check with carfax.com and check out your vehicle it will show you the mileage at the inspection times and if the vehicle has been wrecked, but if it hasn't wrecked and hasn't needed an inspection, it will show no other miles than when it originally purchased. This gives the oppurtunity for the NEW purchaser (South Cooper Auto Mart-Robert Yocum) oppurtunity to change the mileage on the vehicle and when he applies for his new title, he changes the miles on the title to read lower miles. He then takes the vehicle to the STATE INSPECTION STATION next to his car lot, that was NEW in business. Once inspected the inspector puts the mileage that he see's, such as they did in our case and the vehicle then has lower mileage and a "fraudulant new life", and a nice little added bonus, it's worth more $$$$$$ and easier to sell. They then report the inspection to all proper authorities and then what happens "CARFAX.COM" shows a nice low mileage on this wonderful vehicle, so when the new buyer looks it up, they know nothing other than what they see.

Oddly enough most of the vehicles purchased by BUZ POST was new vehicles. I know now that we in fact are not the only victims of Mr. Robert Yocum's dishonesty, and I can't swear to BUZ POST that they will or won't find problems, but I suggest they do research. Through no fault of their own, there is a great chance that they have a rolled back car, considering the 7 cars that I mentioned earlier in this story was sent there, by what I have been told.

IF ANYONE PURCHASES A VEHICLE 3 YEARS OLD OR NEWER, DO RESEARCH, GET DOCUMENTS AND MAKE A PAPER TRAIL ON YOUR VEHICLE. I'M SURE THIS HAPPENS MORE THAN NOT.

I will pursue this with any legal office, city or state until deemed necessary to make this right, and see that justice is done, and make sure that Robert Yocum doesn't do this to other folks.

I still have not been given the appropriate documents in which I have requested and have continued to make payments on this vehicle, but frankly can't stand the thought of dealing with Robert Yocum. If you have had any dealings with South Cooper Auto Mart INC, Arlington or Robert Yocum please feel free to contact me, and I'll share with you what I have.

Thanks, discusted and fed up with this dirty old man,

Christine

Arlington, Texas