DRIVETIME is a rip-off! CLEARWATER Florida

I am an 18 year college student who had absolutely no credit at the beginning of this year. I went to DriveTime to purcahse a vehicle because they were willing to work with me, seeing as though I had no co-signers. I purchased a 2002 Dodge Neon with 43,000 miles on it in Feb. I put $1500 down and also had $500 trade. My monthly bill was about $350 a month.

I paid all payments faithfully and on time. In July my car began to overheat, I told DriveTime about and told me I could have the car towed in. I gave them the location of my car and they never came. I then took it to a shop I was familiar with and was told that I needed a new radiator. It would cost me $340. I got the radiator replaced and not more than 2 weeks later my check engine light came on and the gears on my car wer not changing properly. I took the car back to where I got it fixed and was told that I had a tranmission problem and that they do not fix transmissions. I was referred to another shop and was given an estimate of $1200 just to acess the problem. I was outraged that a car this young would have these type of problems so soon. I could not afford this of course anyway.

I decide not to drive my car as much until I could figure out what I was going to do. I contacted DriveTime and of course received no help. Then one night as I was coming home from work, my car began to act funny. I pulled over on the side of the road. Shut off the engine then turned it back on. The wheels wouldn't even turn. I left the car there and returned the next day to have it towed home. It ended up being inpounded byt the Florida Highway Patrol. I have consulted a lawyer and I will be taking legal action against them. When I told DriveTime about the transmission problem the finance manager told me that they would fix the car and tack the bill onto my loan. The General Manager than told me that they would do nothing, that I would either have to fix the car on my own or do a voluntary repo.

I never did get my car out of the inpound and I have not paid any more on the note, so they repo'ed the car after 2 weeks. My lawyer has sent them a letter and they have 30 days to reply to it or they will be facing a lawsuit.

Marquita
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida
U.S.A.