I purchased a car on December 22, 2023, and everything was fine at first. However, I lost my license and had to transfer the insurance to my ex-husband's name so he could drive the car. Adding me to the insurance would have cost an extra $600 per month, which I couldn't afford. Despite this, Corona Auto Sales insisted that I remain on the insurance, even though I wasn't driving the car. I asked if I could return the car because of the high insurance costs, but they told me it would be considered a repossession.
During the first hurricane, my insurance lapsed and my payment became two weeks overdue. I tried to make the payment, but the website locked me out. When I called, they told me I couldn't pay because of the insurance issue. I paid the insurance (which was $900) on Friday. When I tried to make the car payment, the website was still locked, and there was a miscommunication. They told me I had to pay the full balance for the two weeks, but I explained that my card was in the car, and I was at work.
Because I work in healthcare and had to stay at my job for 24 hours during the hurricane, I couldn't get to my car. When I finally walked out on Sunday, the car was gone. I was upset because my cards, charger, and medicine were inside. After being stuck in Tampa until the next day, I got a ride. When I called, they told me the car was picked up due to insurance issues, but I had already paid the insurance on Friday. I was frustrated and felt like I had been scammed. Although I considered letting them keep the car, my family offered to retrieve it.
After speaking with the owner, I learned that they thought I was only trying to pay $150, when I was actually two weeks behind. It seemed to be a misunderstanding, as I was attempting to pay the full balance. After paying the $900, I got my car back, but just two days later, it broke down. The mechanic I took it to said the transmission was out. They kindly offered me a payment plan, but Corona Auto Sales came and took the car, saying the transmission repair would cost $3,200. In just one week, I had already paid over $1,800 on the car.
I couldn't get my belongings out of the car because I didn't have a ride. I was renting cars just to get to nursing school, as I'm in my final semester and due to graduate in January. Because of this, I got behind on rent. While the staff at Corona Auto Sales is nice, the cars are not reliable. I only had the car for less than a year. I wouldn't recommend this company, especially if you're a single mother or a student. All the money I put into the car has been wasted, and now, with the holidays approaching, it looks like my kids won't have a Christmas this year. I would never do business with them again. read more
