Report: Bill Heard Chevrolet
Category: Auto Dealers
Bill Heard Chevrolet Sanford, Florida Lies from the whole company Sanford Florida
*Consumer Comment ..Hey William
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Bill Heard Chevrolet
Fax:
Sanford, Florida, 32771
U.S.A.
Submitted: 8/8/2008 7:36:50 PM
Modified: 9/25/2008 6:08:54 AM
Barbara
MERRITT ISLAND, FloridaWe bought a car from this dealership 2 yrs ago. At the time we were first time buyers with less than perfect credit. They worked a deal for us with 1500 down and no trade in. After paying faithfully on this car for over 2 yrs my husband and I decided to trade up.
We decided that since we were established customers at Bill Heard that is where we should go. After driving over an hour from Merritt Island Fl we finally reached the dealership.
We approched the salesman and told him we were returning customers and would like to trade our car for a newer one. He was not very interested in the fact that we were established customers but tried to help us, so we started the long process of all the paperwork.
My husband and I explained that we had the car to trade in but only 1500 to put down, he told us 'no problem that is more than enough, I am sure we can help you' since that is what we were told when we got our first car from them , we believed him...Boy were we blind!
We were shown a 2007 pt cruiser...with 40,000+ miles on it. My husband asks 'how can a car that is only a year old get that many miles on it?' We were told that is was one of the loaner cars and was in good shape. Since our other car was starting to have problems and they were offering the bumper to bumper extended warrenty we decided to do the deal.
After 4 hours of waiting, having our credit run, standing our ground on the monthly payments we signed the paperwork with Jack the finance manager and drove our new car home.
Three days later on Thursday morning we received a call from Don Kellum sales manager telling us that the bank wanted more money down and that if we could not do that or if we did not have a cosigner we would have to return the car. I was livid!, how can you let someone take a car, sign all of the paperwork and cash the check and then ask for the car back?
My sister in law offered to cosign, we called Don and told him that we had a cosigner but that she lived out of state. He stated 'oh that is not a problem, we have an 800 number for our out of state cosigners, we do it all the time'.
My sister in law has immaculate credit and for her to offer to cosign was huge for us. So she called Don and gave him all of her information. They even called and verified it with her, verified her job, verified her car loan...everything.
After waiting 24 hours and many calls later we were told that none of the banks would finance an out of state cosigner. Wouldn't they have known this before getting all of her info?
I pulled up my credit report, there were no inquiries from any banks on it. The only inquiry was Bill Heard Chevrolet, how can that be if they actually contacted banks, it would show.
Lesson learned.
We will be returning the car on Monday August 11,2008 and will never set foot into another Bill Heard dealership.
Barbara
MERRITT ISLAND, Florida
U.S.A.
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Updates & Rebuttals:
- BAD CREDIT - QUICK RESPONSE William K. Durand [8/10/2008 6:03:03 PM]
- No Effort Barbara [8/21/2008 7:13:49 AM]
- Spot Delivery Robert [8/21/2008 9:25:28 AM]
- Future Advise.. Robert [8/21/2008 10:33:29 AM]
- Additional Information. Robert [8/21/2008 12:36:36 PM]
- Yes we do spot deliver William K. Durand [8/23/2008 12:39:07 AM]
- Thank you Robert in NY! And Robert in CA. Barbara [8/31/2008 4:57:41 AM]
- The 'All New' Bill Heard, right??? Jim [9/7/2008 9:59:12 AM]
- Hey William Benya [9/25/2008 7:10:06 AM]
Submitted: 8/10/2008 6:03:03 PM
Modified: 8/10/2008 9:17:13 PM
William K. Durand
Sanford, FloridaU.S.A.
BAD CREDIT - QUICK RESPONSE
I apologize for not being able to overcome your credit challenges. Lenders that would, in the past, provide credit for credit challenged customers have become less forgiving and demand higher standards. Bill Heard Chevrolet makes every attempt to find a lender for our credit challenged customers but sometimes, even with a good co-signer, the lenders will not extend credit. We allowed the customer to drive our vehicle while we attempted to find a lender. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful and request additional money down to entice the lender or our vehicle returned. Upon return of the vehicle, her entire down payment will be refunded and her trade returned. I do not know what more we can do. We did not create the customers credit risk nor thier credit rating. When our national economy improves lenders will be more willing to take higher risks. Perhaps then, they will be able to acheive a lenders approval.
Submitted: 8/21/2008 7:13:49 AM
Modified: 8/21/2008 8:18:18 AM
Barbara
MERRITT ISLAND, FloridaU.S.A.
No Effort
No Bill Heard did not creat my credit issues, however upon advertising that bad credit is no problem you neglected to disclaim that there were stipulations. In the past when ever someone has hit my credit, I am notified by the credit monitoring service that I subscribe to and a letter is recieved from the creditor stating why they could not help me. I recieved ONE letter...the salesman stated you have over 50 banks that you deal with. How many did you try? My being turned down is not my issue...the issue is letting the consumer leave with the car under the impression that all is finalized. Yes shame on me for not reading your fine print...ok lesson learned. But shame on you for misleading your customers...especially when they are returning customers. If you couldn't help me..tell me. Don't yank me around under the pretense that you can get me into a car. Don't hand me the keys and tell me here is your new car if you are not 100% sure you have someone to finance. And if I am applying to a company that works with people who have less than perfect credit, then isn't it kind of obvious that I did not have extra to put down which was also stated at the time I was handed the keys. I guess I was mistaken to think when I walked in and stated that ALL I had to offer was the 2005 cavalier and a small amount of cash, that your company would actually (based on your advertisements) be upfront and tell me yes or no. Again shame on me for not reading the fine print and yes lesson learned.
Spot Delivery
''We allowed the customer to drive our vehicle while we attempted to find a lender.''
The industy refers to this as spot delivery. The dealer lets you take the vehicle even though financing has NOT BEEN SECURED-there is no contract between the lender and the borrower. IMO, this should be illegal.
I would like this employee to explain why any dealer would allow a customer to take a vehicle when the financing has not been secured. I already know the answer but let's see this employee explain in this public forum why.
''Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful and request additional money down to entice the lender or our vehicle returned. Upon return of the vehicle, her entire down payment will be refunded and her trade returned.''
At least the customer was made whole-good for you folks!!!
''I do not know what more we can do.''
STOP using this practice of 'spot delivery!' It is really this simple! Merely explain that it might take a few business days to SECURE the loan for the purchase and that WHEN the loan is secured, they may drop off their trade-in and drive off in their purchased vehicle.
Kindly explain to all of us exactly WHY you and other dealers engage in this 'spot delivery' practice!
''We did not create the customers credit risk nor thier credit rating. When our national economy improves lenders will be more willing to take higher risks. Perhaps then, they will be able to acheive a lenders approval.''
They can already get a lenders approval-just for a larger down payment and/or a co-signer. WHY don't you make folks WAIT until the loan is secured before you let a customer take the purchased vehicle? Please explain WHY your dealership engages in this practice?
Future Advise..
This is a common practice with a lot of dealers that is often refered to as a 'Spot Delivery'. They say they will get you financed at X down and Y per month with a specific Interest rate. But then you take the car and anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks later you get a call that says they need you to come down and 're-sign' some of the loan documents. At least in your case they were upfront about it, some dealers will just get you down to the dealership on a false pretense and then hit you with the news.
Once you go down to the dealer you find out that at least one of the numbers had been increased because they could not find a bank at the other rate. To make it worse a lot of dealers now are adding in additional clauses that if this happens and you just return the car they can charge you a set amount per day as a 'rental' fee. This usually causes any down payment you did give them to be eaten up in this rental fee.
The way to combat this is to NEVER take the car off of the lot or sign a single piece of paper until you are guaranteed that the financing is complete. Generally if they can't give you a bank name then it is NOT guaranteed. Better yet get your own financing before you go to the dealer. This way you know it is approved and you know exactly what the terms will be.
Additional Information.
''To make it worse a lot of dealers now are adding in additional clauses that if this happens and you just return the car they can charge you a set amount per day as a 'rental' fee. This usually causes any down payment you did give them to be eaten up in this rental fee.''
Indeed this occurs at some dealerships.
I didn't mention ANOTHER thing some dealers will do in the 'additional clauses' of the paper work (because it doesn't appear the Heard attempted this-they get kudos for making the OP whole.)
Some dealers will add a clause that states if the loan doesn't go though based on the original loan application, that the purchaser MUST ACCEPT whatever alternative financing that the dealer might secure for the purchaser-usually this alternative financing is at an extremely high interest rate. The jury is still out as to the legality of these 'conditional riders' that some dealers add to the purchase contract while performing a spot delivery. In some states, this is clearly illegal but in other states it remains a grey area that has not yet been definitively tested in court.
DO NOT ACCEPT SPOT DELIVERY -- EVER! If a dealer even ATTEMPTS to make a spot delivery (no signed contract between borrower and lender) walk away and find another dealer.
Submitted: 8/23/2008 12:39:07 AM
Modified: 8/23/2008 7:11:35 PM
William K. Durand
Sanford, FloridaU.S.A.
Yes we do spot deliver
If we feel that we can get the consumer financed we do 'spot deliver'. Many States do not allow this and we would love to see Florida pass similar legislation. Until that happens we compete equally with other dealerships. Allowing our consumer to drive off in our vehicle is at our expense. This dealerships refunds 100% of the down payment unless there is damage to the vehicle. We have no incentive to allow a customer to put miles on our vehicle while we attempt to get them approved by a lender. It is an honest endeavor. Failure to get a consumer financed only hurts us, the dealership. We allowed our customer to drive our vehicle, put mileage on it, and subject it to wear and tear. We are an honest broker, abiding by the competitive market in Florida, and a conforming with the rules and regulations set forth by the State. Ultimately, we only make a profit when we can get outside financing for our consumer and thereby sell a vehicle.
Submitted: 8/31/2008 4:57:41 AM
Modified: 8/31/2008 7:55:54 AMBarbara
MERRITT ISLAND, FloridaU.S.A.
Thank you Robert in NY! And Robert in CA.
Than you for your input, yes we have learned a valueable lesson. I do want to add that in the paperwork ,from Bill Heard, there was a clause that stated that ' a fee of $50 per day could be imposed upon return of the car' HOWEVER, they did not charge us that fee. So yes I guess you could say they get a couple of kudos...one for returning our money and one for not charging the per day charge.
An additional note, I have come to learn that these days it does not matter if a company builds returning customer relationship. I remember a time when it was important to build that relationship and cultivate future customers. I am not just referring to car dealerships, it seems to apply to most all large companies. Thank you for your advice it is open mindedly recieved, too bad the dealerships do not offer this advice or any upfront information.
The 'All New' Bill Heard, right???
You've been taken by the famous BOGUS BILLY spot delivery scam. Oh wait, I'm sorry, the 'All New Bogus Billy'. BOGUS BILLY Florida dealerships were bitten with a $400,000 bite from the Florida Attorney General's Office in recent times. It is case # L06-1135. Section 3.1 of the complaint reads, and I quote...'The Department initiated an investigation of Respondents and their affiliates in connection with consumer complaints regarding unfair and deceptive business practices relating to the advertisement, sale, finance and warranty of motor vehicles.' This comes on the heals of another 'bite' of $325,000+ a few years prior. In connection with the $400,000 bite, the Attorney General put poor BOGUS on the installment plan. Just after that, BOGUS BILLY enacted a new PR campaign in which people who were either actors or otherwise used advertising to tell 'victims' how they promise to do 'this or that', trying to create the impression they suddenly decided to change direction. Part of that new PR campaign is to call themselves the 'All New Bill Heard Chevrolet'! Go ahead, I'll pause while you laugh!!! I've also noticed they hadn't been advertising at the bottom of their print ads a bogus, phoney, add-on fee of $600+ but this doesn't mean its still not being used. Check you paperwork.
BOGUS BILLY is also under the gun of what could turn out to be a $50 million dollar Georgia lawsuit, again in connection with fraud and deception.
But there's even more! GMAC has pulled the plug on this operation! Read another posting on this website about this matter.
I would strongly urge you to contact the Florida Attorney General's Office about your experience. The number is 850-245-0150. The person is Sandi Copes. She will be able to point you in the right direction.
Just in case this website should not allow me to give out that number, check the web for the Florida Attorney General's Office and/or use the phone book for their Orlando office.
As for the claim from one of those defending this operation, BOGUS BILLY has no respect for any legislation or legal body. The history of BHE is to thumb its nose at any and all AVC's and other AG directives. That is ABSOLUTE HISTORY as revealed in briefs filed for the various actions.
To those of you eavesdropping on this, your best bet is to avoid any dealings with BOGUS BILLY at any cost. Their M.O. is to get you once rather than depend on repeat customers. Pass the word and tell everyone. Just check the web for report after report of law suits, legal actions, complianance actions etc etc etc.
And get this...in a recent interview you'll find on the web, BOGUS BILLY himself is whining. He wants to sell his $17 million dollar house...THE HOUSE THAT FRAUD BUILT!!!!!
Go ahead Mr. William K. Durand, tell me how wrong I am. Tell me how I don't know the car business. Tell us how all these reports are just media exaggeration. Come on now Billy Boy, tell me how much of a GREAT reputation your stores have. Tell us Billy Boy what is WELL KNOWN in the business about your chain. Come on Billy, tell us!!!!
Hey William
Hi
If you practices were so ethical why did your dealerships get fined 400k? Better yet why are 13 of your dealerships closed? We all know it's not what you want us to believe. It is unethical practices that got Bill Heard into this mess. I have to ask, did they give you any compensation package? How about the mechanics? Apperently those guys don't even know if they will get their last paychecks. How pathetic is that? I smell class action lawsuit.... you guys might want to at least make good n what you owe your employees. Also keep in minf=d Georgia isn't a right to work state like Florida, expect some backlash...............then again what do you care you should be out finding a new way to feed your family!
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