I had an extremely disappointing experience with DriveTime on McHenry Avenue in Modesto.
From the beginning, the process felt misleading. I spent over two hours just trying to get financing numbers. The salesman told me the unusually large discrepancy between payment options might be because something was wrong with his computer. Looking back at everything that happened afterward, I personally believe this was a sales tactic rather than a genuine computer issue.
When I returned to purchase the vehicle, I was rushed through an enormous amount of paperwork while STANDING at a computer. I was repeatedly directed where to sign and initial. While I was trying to obtain insurance on my phone, the salesman went outside and performed the vehicle walkthrough with my boyfriend despite me repeatedly asking him to wait because I wanted to do it myself.
To be very clear: I am the ONLY person on the vehicle purchase and loan. My boyfriend is not a buyer or borrower.
I also requested printed copies of my paperwork, but the employee canceled the print and told me it was too many pages.
I did not drive the vehicle for the next two days. Once I did, I immediately discovered numerous problems: the passenger window would not stay up, the sunroof seal was pulled away, the A/C was not working properly, debris was jammed inside the power outlet, and the large floor covering underneath the second and third-row seats appeared to have been removed and never properly reinstalled.
It got worse. The repair facility DriveTime sent me to found MULTIPLE OIL LEAKS and additional mechanical problems in a vehicle I had repeatedly been told was inspected.
Most importantly, I tried to return the vehicle BEFORE my five-day return period expired. The vehicle was already at the repair shop, and I repeatedly called both the shop and DriveTime trying to get answers. My calls went unanswered or unreturned until the deadline had passed. I couldn't return a vehicle I didn't have possession of while it was sitting at their repair facility.
Afterward, Customer Relations repeatedly fell back on, "You signed it." I explained over and over that I had specifically asked to participate in the walkthrough and was ignored. My signature doesn't change the fact that the walkthrough was conducted with someone who wasn't even on the purchase or loan.
I repeatedly requested a manager and was told one would contact me. No manager ever did.
Meanwhile, repairs were expected to take around two weeks. I have four children, including a six-year-old on hospice with significant medical needs, and I desperately need reliable transportation. I had just spent my available money on the down payment. DriveTime told me rental expenses could be reimbursed but that I had to pay upfront.
When I finally found a way to do that, I called Customer Relations specifically to make sure I followed the reimbursement rules correctly. Robert told me my rental would NOT be covered while my claim was still processing. I then contacted the company that actually administers the reimbursement and was told that information was incorrect and that the rental could still be covered while the claim was processing.
I would strongly encourage DriveTime management to listen to my recorded calls with Robert. I found his manner incredibly rude, condescending, and dismissive.
I understand that I purchased a used vehicle. I didn't expect perfection. I DID expect a supposedly inspected vehicle not to immediately end up in a repair shop with multiple oil leaks and numerous other problems.
More importantly, I expected DriveTime to actually help when I identified serious problems within the return period instead of allowing the deadline to pass while my vehicle sat in a shop and my calls went unanswered.
Based on my experience with the Modesto McHenry Avenue location and DriveTime Customer Relations, I absolutely cannot recommend this company. read more