Complaint Review: DriveTime Ugly Duckling

I started buying a car through this company after my mother had such great experience with them. I was initially skeptical when I met with Laura Scott at the Alta Mere location because she didn't really listen to most of what I was saying about cars. I came in with a very basic request... The car had to be a manual transmission, it had to have AC, and it had to have power windows/locks. I'm not incredibly picky, but the first car she tries to show me is a Grand Am... automatic transmission, no power windows or locks, and looks raggedy inside.

I finally settle on a 2002 Focus ZX3. I'm not thrilled with it, but it's just got to get me through college, and it's not like I race or do anything stupid... I just need something that will be reliable for about 2 years.

I end up signing all my paperwork on the Monday after I looked at my car. The general manager of the store had to help me because it was Laura's day off. I should have left and not came back... oh well, hindsight is 20-20.

So I drive home in my new (to me) car. I live about an hour away from the dealership, and it drives fine on the way home. I drive to work the next morning, and then down to a friends' house who is a mechanic. Amazing.. on the way down there, I have a tire blow out and the check engine light comes on. Not even 24 hours after I buy the car, and I'm already having to fix it. So much for their promise on their website that you won't have to take the car in for immediate service.

So after a total of 4 trips to mechanics, my car is still not fixed because they sold me a car with a recalled part. In the first 2 weeks of me having my car, I've been without it 4 days. When asked about DriveTime's take on this situation, I get the response "I can imagine how frustrated you feel, but I don't understand what you want us to do about it." Great customer service there.

I've now had my car for 36 days. I've been counting.. trust me. This past Saturday, THE DAY BEFORE EASTER, I get a phone call from Laura telling me that the loan company is kicking back my loan application based on my insurance. Interesting, since I have more than the full coverage amounts, because I wanted to protect myself from being royally screwed over if I had a wreck. She then tells me that since my loan is unsecured, that they can repo my car. At this point, I am AHEAD in my car payments. I have put more into all of my payments to lower the interest amount, and my "latest" payment was still 4 days early. From what I was told at the dealership, they should be rewarding me for paying (oh.. right.. they do... that scam they call dtrewards...).

So, now not only do I live in fear of going out to my car and finding it not there because it's been repo'd for some imagined noncompliance issue, but my daughter's Easter has been ruined and I'm struggling to pay for my summer classes so I can get a career. I was told by 3 different people at DT Financial that my loan was secured, so they didn't send out that notice, but everyone at the Alta Mere location claims it is.

I was advised by someone in their collections department to begin a process called unwind. That allows a DT customer in their first 50 days to bring the car back and negotiate a portion of their down payment back. It doesn't go on your credit, and it's like the transaction never happened. I'm waiting on a response back from a real car dealership (because I was also lied to about approvals processes... imagine that) about a brand new car will lower payments than I'm paying now.

If I could tell everyone that was ever thinking about buying a car from DriveTime one thing about my experiences from this, it's that they don't care about the customers, no matter what they claim. They will lie, cheat, steal, and harass you until you are so scared you comply with everything they say. They don't care how they get their money, as long as they get it before its due, and more than they should. Run far, far away if you can.

Nicole
Ft Worth, Texas
U.S.A.

Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Drive Time, formally known as Ugly Duckling which is registered under the same ownership.