ComplaintsforNationwide Auto Finance LLC

• Initial Complaint

  03/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  on 3/1/24 i purchased a vehicle from nationwide auto finance for the cost of $5995, an 2011 chevrolet malibu with 152,000 on the dash. the day i bought the vehicle he showed me about $800-$900 worth of work that was already put into the car by them to ensure me that the vehicle was up to date on the maintenance & that i wouldn’t have any issues operating the vehicle. i walked away a happy costumer or so i thought. the very next day, 3/2/24 the car shut off while driving up the road so i pulled over for 5 minutes & turn the car on & it started right up & i took it to autozone for a diagnostic test & it said that the issue was the thermostat needed replacement. i was in the process of finding a reliable auto shop to take it so they could replace it but on 3/14/24 the car never started back up after running completely fine since the first time it shut off however this time the time wouldn’t start back up. the next day i had to pay $140 to bargain toledo towing because the car still would not start & i had it towed to ruddy tire on laskey & paid $100 for a diagnostic test for them to tell me it was a timing chain issue that could cost $1700 at the very least. i didnt believe it because the car dealer told us it sounded like a fuel pump issue so the next day i got another tow from triple a which was $119 & i got it towed to another shop united roadside towing service where they were able to give me a free diagnostic test because they felt bad for my situation where they told me it was definitely a timing chain issue & also the motor needed replacing as well. he estimated the cost of the work to be well over $3000 which i really feel like is just not fair when i spent all i had to make sure i finally had a vehicle of my own. i spent $35 on another tow from triple a back to the car lot on 3/20/24 & he wouldn’t give me a trade in for the vehicle that they gave me or give me another vehicle until he was able to look at my car & he also told me i had to pay just to look at it

  

  Business response

  04/11/2024

  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We understand the challenges you've faced with the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu purchased from Nationwide Auto Finance on March 1, 2024. At Nationwide Auto Finance, our aim is to offer reliable vehicles and quality service to all our customers.
  
  When you purchased the vehicle for $5,995, we applied a $2,000 discount off the original price to accommodate your budget. It is important to note that all vehicles are sold on an as-is basis, and although we conduct inspection, unforeseen mechanical issues can arise after purchase. At the time of sale, the option for an additional warranty was available but was declined.
  
  In response to the issues encountered with your vehicle, we extended an offer to inspect the vehicle despite our clear as-is vehicle sale policy. We also communicated our current constraints due to labor shortages and the high volume of service requests, which has resulted in longer waiting periods for inspections and repairs.
  
  We understand your decision to seek immediate repairs elsewhere was based on the need for urgent resolution. We wish to clarify that our offer to inspect the vehicle remains available, although we are constrained by the current wait times. Regarding the possibility of trading the vehicle for another, we recognize this is a preferred option. However, due to the completion of the title work and regulatory constraints associated with vehicle sales, we are unable to directly apply the initial purchase value towards a different vehicle without considering it as a traditional trade-in. This process involves evaluating the current condition and value of the vehicle, which can then be used as a trade-in value for a new purchase through traditional financing options.
  
  Since 1997, Nationwide Auto Finance has served thousands of customers, and we are committed to addressing their needs within the framework of our policies. Our offer was made in the spirit of customer service, seeking to provide assistance within the limits of our capacity and policies.
  
  We are open to discussing possible solutions that align with our policies and capabilities. Your satisfaction is important to us, and we hope to explore a path to resolution that is considerate of your situation and our operational constraints.

  Customer response

  04/12/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: a warranty was NEVER offered or even mentioned at the time of purchase for the vehicle. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *******

• Initial Complaint

  12/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  12/05/2023 I contacted this business about purchasing a vehicle. They had told me I could purchase one by doing a buy here pay here due to poor credit. They had told me it would be about $2k down. I then chose to submit a credit app to see if the payment could be lowered by financing with a bank. I received a text message stating they could no longer assist me in my purchase. I asked why and no other information was given to me. I concluded that this is due to my ex husband being employed as their mechanic. I inquired if this was why they could not assist me and I received no response. I was willing to purchase a vehicle under the buy here pay here but not now. This is discrimination and I am furious.

  

  Business response

  12/05/2023

  Thank you for reaching out to us through the Better Business Bureau. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns regarding your recent experience with Nationwide Auto Finance.

  We want to assure you that our decision-making process in vehicle financing and sales is strictly based on financial criteria, and in no way influenced by personal relationships or factors unrelated to the transaction. Our goal is to ensure fairness and professionalism in all our dealings.

  In your case, our 'Buy Here Pay Here' program requires a minimum down payment of $2,000, as well as full coverage insurance and the first payment. Initially, you mentioned a down payment of $2,500, which was later adjusted to $1,500. Unfortunately, this amount did not meet our minimum requirement, which is a key factor in our financing decisions. Additionally, the presence of multiple hard inquiries on your credit report and a lowered credit score were also significant considerations in our inability to offer traditional financing.

  We understand and regret that you felt our decision might be influenced by your personal relationship with a staff member employed as a mechanic at our dealership. We want to categorically state that our professional decisions are made independently of any personal connections. Our commitment to unbiased and fair treatment has been a guiding principle for over 27 years.

  
  Regarding the communication issues, we apologize if our messages did not provide the clarity you needed. Attached to this response, you will find a copy of our text message communications, which we believe will offer more context to the situation.
  

  We are sincerely sorry that your experience did not meet your expectations, and we would like to reaffirm our dedication to clear and transparent communication. Should you have any further questions or wish to discuss this matter in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact us directly. We are here to assist you and ensure a transparent and positive experience with Nationwide Auto Finance.
  
  

  Customer response

  12/06/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I was not told that I need $2500 down plus first payment. I was told $2000 down. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** ******

• Initial Complaint

  02/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  01/23/2023 I paid $13,000 for a 2017 Nissan Altima. 250 miles, 4 days later the transmission went bad. The business took no responsibility or any action to try and correct the problem, and then tried to keep the car if I didn’t sign a waiver clearing them of all responsibility of the vehicles transmission after they were driving it around the lot causing more damage. Recorded their employee driving the vehicle and he then approached me threatening with what appeared to be a fire arm on his hip telling me to delete the video.

  

  Business response

  02/21/2023

  Customer called sales manager and stated he went out of state to purchase a pet and on his way back he noticed the transmission was acting funny, sales manager told him to get it towed to our dealership so that we can inspect the vehicle and identify the issue and come up with a solution. Customer ignored our recommendation in getting it towed and proceeded to drive to the dealership. He brought the vehicle in few days later to our shop closed at 5pm and we had no techs on hand to inspect the vehicle, we did recommend to keep the vehicle here so that we can inspect it first thing next day, but the customer ignored that recommendation yet again and drove it off the lot as we insisted he leave it here so that nor further damage can be caused to the transmission. He drove the vehicle back in the following morning and dropped the vehicle off we tried to do a trans flush as thats what our repair system tools suggested but it did not help elevate the issue, so we told the customer we needed to do a claim, he said ok "lets the get the claim started"  so we proceeded to inspect the fluid levels and other inspection procedures, few hours later after dropped off he called and spoke to mo @ 11:50 am and said hes going to decline our services and was going to take it Nissan to have the trans reprogrammed (we have the phone recording), when he picked up the vehicle we drove it out the shop as he stated in this complaint but it was less than 5mph and didnt even get out of first gear and would not cause any damage as compared to the multiple times he ignored our advice of not driving the vehicle with the few times we spoke to him prior to our inspection. When he picked up the vehicle the same day he declined our services we wanted him to sign a hold harmless as we tried to fix the issue through the claim process, but he refused to do so. There was no firearm shown through out the interaction as recorded on our cctv from multiple angles. All video and Audio are on hand if needed. At this time we will no longer provided any service towards the vehicle with the hostile nature of the customer and the lies that our staff brandished a firearm towards the customer.

• Initial Complaint

  05/31/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Got a car on the 9th it has literally left me stranded twice.

  

  Business response

  06/24/2022

  Hello, this is very unfortunate to hear, but customer does have third party 12 month warranty that covers most the vehicles components. The customer stopped in once to pick up her memorandum title and said nothing of the sort to our staff and she spoke directly with her sales man ** and mention no such thing. Customer did receive $1,495 off the price and $600 off the down payment. She did acknowledge that she is responsible for all repairs on the bill of sale and also signed and mentioned that she inspected the vehicle and thought it was in "Good" condition. Unfortunately we do not have any techs to look at the vehicle as we have been sending all out mechanical work to independent shops. Attached is here 3rd party warranty, bill of sale and deal related docs. 

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