On September 3, 2009 I went to Karz Plus Car Dealership located on the corner of Third and E Streets in Chula Vista CA. They specialize in selling cars to people with really bad credit and/or who've had repossessions. Dan Marconi, the salesperson I've been dealing with told me that it would be no problem provided I chose a vehicle under $10,000. A week after I signed the contract Dan Marconi calls me and tells me he is sorry but the companies they farmed out my loan to all turned me down. I said to him, "Oh okay, so do I bring the car back to you then?" I was perfectly willing to return the car at that time and get my $2,500 back as it was evident to me that the car was a lemon already. Dan quickly said, "No no... we can finance you in house", but you'll have to put more money down. He asked for another $1,000 down which I didn't have. He never informed me that I could have returned the car and gotten my $2,500 back which is what I wanted to do, but instead re-wrote the contract for $3,500 down payment.
I feel defrauded, lied to, feel like they've taken advantage of me, and have put myself, my children, and those closest to me in danger by selling this unsafe vehicle. These are a "few" of the problems I had with the vehicle the first month, the steering wheel column was loose and wobbly, when I would try and turn a corner it would feel like the whole steering wheel was going to fall off, and the truck would not turn in the direction I was trying to turn. They just told me to drive it in... I live about 30 miles from them, I found out later I could have been killed had there been an issue on the freeway. I take my son to and from school every day in this vehicle. Also, I was driving another evening on the freeway at night and the lights went out... it was really scary. By fiddling with the light knob on the dash I finally got the lights to come back on, lucky for me I didn't get into an accident. Also, another evening I went to the main post office here in San Diego to mail some packages, I was in the post office for 5 minutes as there was no one in line at that hour. I came out and the car would not turn over or make a single sound. The post office is located in a very bad area of town with strip clubs across the street, with transients walking around. It was hours before I could get of someone to come pick me up as I didn't have my cell phone. Karz Plus told me the battery was dead which wasn't true as the lights on the vehicle were full strength, yet the car didn't make a sound. Also, they put a GPS tracking device on the vehicle, and yet another evening I was driving I felt something fall on my foot. It was a metal box with lights, wires, and duct tape attached to a long chord that had fallen on my foot. It got stuck under the brake, so again, lucky I didn't get involved in an accident. There are other minor issues, the drivers side window motor isn't working well, sometimes the window doesn't go down at all or up. I've had it in their shop 4 or 5 times and it has not been resolved. Also, hubcaps are missing and I was told they would provide me with some, and also a keyless entry which they haven't done either. Also, the rubber trim around the drivers door falls down whenever I open the door. There is nothing holding it on.
It wasn't until I met a Tow Truck driver from Ace towing that I realized how I'd been scammed. I have a Karz Plus sign in lieu of a license plate. The first words out of his mouth were something to the effect that those guys were scam artists. He told me how they would let people have a car for a week or two, then call them back and say they couldn't get financing and wanted more money. I told him they did the same thing to me. He wrote down his name and phone number so I have him as a witness. I also pointed out the problem I was having with the steering column and he told me I shoudn't even drive it but have it towed.
Today they came and repossesed the truck without even given me notice that they were going to do so. I talked to an attorney this morning who told me that they are supposed to give notice. In the truck were some Christmas presents and a costume I use to do charity work around town, such as Toys For Tots tomorrow and Sunday.
How would I like this resolved?
1) Get my $3,200 back (downpayment of $2,500 plus the $700 which is two montly payments of $350).
or 2) Go back to the original contract I signed with them where they accept the $2,500 for the downpayment and I continue to make the $350 payments each month.
or 3) Apply the $3,200 I've already paid them toward the purchase price of another vehicle.
They also never disclosed to me that the vehicle was in an accident. I found that out on a carfax report I bought after I had been having so many problems with the vehicle.
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