Dear Drive Time Representatives,
This letter has been written in reference to Account Number # 1773000389301 Vehicle Vin # 1d8gu58k57w548168, as a grievance and complaint in the change of the relationship between myself and your company.
On October 14, 2015 I went to the Drive Time Dealership located in New Castle Delaware located at 225 N Dupont Hwy New Castle, DE 19720. I initially spoke with the Drive Time representative Mr. Kevin. Stoner who also showed me several different vehicles to choose from. I expressed to the sales representative that I was in the market for a reliable vehicle that would be suitable for my clients as a business owner and for my new employment experience as a driver with Uber Inc. I was shown a 2007 Dodge Nitro and the sales representative took me on a test drive with the vehicle. After the test drive I expressed to the sales representative that I was not interested in the vehicle due to the age and rust on the bottom of the vehicle. I also expressed that the vehicle performance did not feel great. I was also shown a 2008 Toyota Rav 4 but due to some challenges with the battery I was unable to initialy test drive the vehicle. I and the sales representative went into the Drive Time sales office and performed a vehicle history check and analysis on both vehicles. Upon being initially impressed with the Drive Time offerings I expressed an interest in the Toyota Rav 4 and placed an initial vehicle hold /down payment of $400 with the understanding that I was to return within November 28, 2015 to provide the balance of $200 which was secure the initial down payment for this vehicle. I expressed that I wanted a quality vehicle due to the exorbitant interest rates associated with this transaction and that the vehicle to be purchased would be a lifetime purchase for me and my family. Prior to leaving I submitted all relevant documentation from my then employer and all other related information. I expressed that I would be back October 17, 2015 with the final down payment and insurance information to secure the vehicle.
I returned on October 17, 2015 and provided the $200 balance of the down payment as well as information regarding my insurance with Geico. As a customer with Drive Time I examine the vehicle return policy and stated that I would give the 2007 Dodge Nitro a chance. Due to the initial sales representative being unavailable I then was placed with a new sales representative who helped to close the deal along with the sales Manager Mr. Matthew. Roche. With the security that in the event that this vehicle was not suitable over all for my family, as a consumer I would have been allowed the allotted time to make a decision whether or not to return this vehicle according to the Drive Time policy and procedures and stipulations. During the vehicle inspection process I expressed several different challenges I found with the vehicle. The sales representative explained that due to the GPS system being installed in the vehicle that these electronic glitches were as a result of such a mechanism being placed into the vehicle. The first day of having this vehicle in my possession I ran into the challenge of having no way to get into the vehicle without the alarm going off after the securing to vehicle. The following day. I returned to Drive Time with the vehicle requesting thekey fob alarm system that should have accompanied the vehicle. The Drive Time sales manager informed me that the vehicle had only one key. I informed the Drive Time representatives that do to me being the owner of a business consulting agency that does work with very prestigious clients in the Washington DC metropolitan area, Baltimore Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania I would feel very uncomfortable going to a client’s home or place of business with this challenge being present. As a result of dealing with various federal and governmental agencies in Washington DC and the various security measurements that are in place in the Washington DC environment, I requested that this challenge be taken care of as I wanted a quality vehicle and a quality experience as I have agreed to pay well over the Kelly blue book price of the vehicle. I was informed by the Drive Time sales manager that I should go to an aftermarket parts store or on Amazon to purchase a vehicle security key fob. As a result of the cost associated with my purchase I was given a free fill up of gas to compensate. Prior to leaving I requested a vehicle owner’s manual so that I may keep up the regular maintenance on the vehicle so that it would be well-maintained due to the amount of travel that I intended to use the vehicle for as expressed to the sales manager. The sales manager became very irritable at the request I had as a consumer with Drive Time. I had to inform him that his tone and demeanor was quite demeaning to a client or consumer who would be spending a considerable amount of money on this vehicle with this company. He did not change his demeanor and due to having a Master’s Degree in Human Services I chalked it up to this gentleman having a bad day. Due to purchasing this vehicle for work related purposes and for the general practicality to transport my family I drove the vehicle to ensure its quality and integrity. Having the same misgivings about the vehicle initially which drove me to place a down payment on a 2008 Toyota Rav 4 I drove to the New Jersey Drive Time facility located at 1852 N. Blackhorse Pike in Williamstown, NJ 08094 and spoke with Mr. Kenneth. Scharff who greeted me much more pleasantly and was very attentive to my needs as a consumer and having a quality automobile. I spoke with salesrepresentative Mr. Kenneth. Scharff who showed me several different vehicles in addition to a 2010 Dodge Nitro for $1000 less than what the vehicle I was given at the Delaware Drive Time office presented. After looking at several vehicles at the New Jersey office I expressed a deep interest in a 2009 Dodge Journey. The New Jersey Drive Time sales representative and sales manager then began to set in motion a conclusive sales agreement and expressed due to some mechanical issues associated with the vehicle, I would have to wait until that coming Friday which was the end of the one-week grace period provided by Drive Time to make a conclusive decision about which vehicle I wanted to own. I was informed that I had to return to pick up the vehicle and simply provide a transfer of my Geico insurance to the vehicle. I went to work and back home with the vehicle and returned to DriveTime Delaware office to return to vehicle and explained that the New Jersey office had in fact gotten the quality vehicle that I desired as a consumer. The sales manager of the Delaware office then informed me that I was 30 miles over the allotted one-week grace period and that I had to pay an additional $100 in order to get out of this vehicle. I informed him that the additional mileage was as a result of me going to the New Jersey Drive Time facility to purchase a more quality automobile and that I was very uncomfortable with the level of service and attentiveness that had been shown to me at the Delaware office. The sales manager then stated that I should have expressed to him the vehicle that I wanted so that he may have acquired it. I expressed to him that I was very uncomfortable with his tone and demeanor throughout the process and was very happy with my experience at the New Jersey Drive Time office. I also expressed to him that due to being a business owner, moving into a new apartment, and transitioning from my current place of employment to being Uber Inc. driver that I did not have an additional $100 to give him for traveling to the New Jersey Drive Time store to get a quality automobile. I asked if there was anyone that I could speak to that would be willing to give me a concession related to this matter, and he said no. That day I left the Delaware Drive Time facility feeling that I as a consumer would be paying an exorbitant rate for a vehicle that I truly did not want and that now I was stuck with the vehicle as I had made the deal. At each junction of trying to get away from this vehicle the sales manager felt it important to engage in a power struggle to keep me in the vehicle. He showed me a 200? Dodge journey with the tires worn down on and the interior was dilapidated for the amount of money requested. I also considered my clients being transported in a vehicle that would be much suitable. I expressed that I did not want that type of vehicle that I wanted a vehicle that I would have as a lifetime purchase to give to my children.
The vehicle shortly thereafter started having some electrical challenges which made me feel deeply regretful of my DriveTime experience. The challenge that the vehicle had was that when the ignition was activated to start the vehicle it continuously kept trying to turn over. On several occasions the vehicle performed this way. Including while transporting a client from a meeting. Both I and the client (Mr. -44-8765) became very alarmed and concerned with a vehicle that I have only owned for 23 days. On November 8th, I went to the Drive Time Delaware office and taking the vehicle back at which time I was referred to the Averex warranty system. On November 9th, I immediately informed the representative at Averex of the challenges associated with the vehicle and was informed that my policy did not cover electrical challenges associated with a vehicle purchased from Drive Time and that I would have to come out of pocket to pay for any expenses associated with the repair of this vehicle. As I expressed initially and at this point to the Delaware Drive Time office that the main reason for going to the dealership as opposed to purchasing a car straight out was due to my interest in having a quality automobile that I would have to do minimal maintenance to. I was then informed by the Drive Time representative that there was nothing that they could do.
After successfully transitioning from my then current employer to Uber Inc there was a lapse that I was in transition due to Uber Inc performing vigorous background checks prior to driving. I informed the Drive Time customer service representative that I would submit a payment plan that would reflect my new payment schedule so that the appropriate adjustments could be made to continue, at a minimum, a harmonious payment relationship do to not desiring to have any derogatory information on my credit report. Another reason that I chose to engage in a relationship with Drive Time was due to re-establishing my credit. However at each junction I have expressed to Drive Time that I felt that I was in an unfair business deal in which they expected on time payments and prompt communication for a low-quality vehicle forced on me as a consumer that was deteriorating before the temporary tag even was expired. These challenges interfered with my mobility to get to work earning money.
The day that my temporary tag expired , I went to the Drive Time Delaware facility out of deep concern for the expiration of my temporary tag. I was informed that I would not receive any hard tags due to a discrepancy of an additional form of proof of address. I was quite shocked as I receive no call from Drive Time so that I could have promptly afforded them the information. I immediately went to my car and retrieved my Geico information and provided it to the Drive Time representative and was thus issued a second temporary tag and new registration which altered the information I had submitted for my new employment experience with Uber Inc. I was signed up for my tenure as a driving representative for Uber on November 12th , 2015 and due to the challenges associated with the vehicle upon inspection I was informed that there would be a delay in my ability to drive with the driving service. Due to the challenges associated with the vehicle and the financial burden that this vehicle was placing upon me I was not able to start driving my new job to generate income for myself and my family. This placed a very serious challenge for my life that I am still trying to recover from. On Decembeber 13th I was informed that my nephew had passed from this earth and due to having a more modern looking vehicle was designated to serve as one of the top chain of cars in the funeral possession for his burial and to transport the family. On December the 19th 2015,during the transport of the family in the funeral procession the transmission on the vehicle began to slip causing a delay in the funeral process. After letting everyone out of the vehicle at the funeral home in Baltimore Maryland, I then being concerned about being able to safely transport members of the family home as well as me getting home, went to the local AutoZone to get a diagnosis scan of the vehicle performed. After the scan it was stated that the transmission assembly in the vehicle needed to be replaced. After not being able to attend the funeral and being under extreme duress I slowly returned home with my family and parked the vehicle in front of my home. As a result of the immediate crisis that my family was undergoing and the deep urgency that my sister, who returned home with me, was experiencing due to grieving I did not immediately contact Drive Time as agreed to. While the vehicle remained parked outside of my apartment and not wanting to cause any further damage I began to also deal with the immediate challenge that this proposed to me in getting back and forth to work at my office located at 1224 King Steet in Wilmington Delaware, maintaining holiday plans with my family in North Carolina, and the utter disgust of this experience. On December 31st 2015 New Years Eve,I spoke with a Drive Time representative who was calling me in reference to a vehicle payment I informed the representative that due to the challenges that this vehicle has caused me I would have to sit down formulate and calculate an appropriate payment arrangement that would reflect what I could pay considering the circumstances. I also informed the representative of the challenges that I was experiencing with this vehicle from the initial point-of-sale until current date. I also informed the Drive Time representative that these inconveniences have deeply impacted my new employment experience as well as the fulfillment of my contracts in Washington DC, Baltimore Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. As an Uber Inc. driver the greatest earnings season is Throughout the Christmas to New Years travel season and that the losses I have suffered as a result of being sold a shoddy vehicle has not only impacted my ability to maintain a stable income for myself and my family but also to adequately maintain the payment schedule that I was formulating with Drive Time. The representative informed me to contact Averex warranty system in an effort to repair the vehicle. On January 4th after getting the money for back payments and warranty deductibles, I contacted Averex warranty system and was informed of where to take the vehicle to repair it at Cottman Transmission Repair Shop located at 1600 North Dupont Hwy. phone# 302 -322 – 4600. I then contacted the referred mechanic shop for the vehicle to be diagnosed and serviced and schedule an appointment on the morning of January 5th, 2016 at 11 am. When I had awakened the next morning on January 5th, 2016 vehicle was no longer in my parking lot. Concerned I contacted the leasing office, and then Drive Time who confirmed that the vehicle had been repossessed. I was then referred to the vehicle recovery system of Drive Time who informed me that I needed to pay $594 delinquent loan payment , in addition to towing fees of $125 for recovery and storage fees by January 7th, 2016. The total amount of fees that I was informed to pay equaled $944.42. I have within my possession the amount of money required to pay the back payments owed to Drive Time as of January 4th, 2016 in addition to the $100 warranty deductible. However I am at a loss considerably for the impact that this entire experience has had on my life.
It can be clearly articulated in this grievance letter by the average reader that I have been negatively impacted by my experience with Drive Time. I am embarrassed beyond belief before my neighbors my family and my friends and my clients who all congratulated me on my new vehicle. In good spirit I referred six people to Drive Time by giving the sales representatives Marcellus. Williams several different leads in an effort to buy into the Drive Time experience. It is a bad impression on Drive Time to have Drive Time paraphernalia on a vehicle that the transmission has gone up in the automobile before the temporary tag has even expired. The only thing that is stopping me at this point from working is reliable transportation and considering that Uber Inc. is a driving service and transportation becomes a very essential component to how I support my family. My business is suffering as a result of not being able to get to key meetings that will help my business to grow in this New Year.
Please consider this letter an effort to resolve this matter fairly with quality and to change this dynamic or else I will be forced to go to litigation and pursue any and all other possible means to resolve this matter. Thank You.
Sincerely,

CC:
Drive Time Delaware Dealership
Drive Time Customer Care
Mailed Correspondence to Drive Time;
CEO Raymond C. Fidel
Vice President Mark G. Sauder
American Arbitration Association
J.A.M.S./Endispute
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Federal Trade Commission
National Consumer Complaint Board