BUYER BEWARE -- My experience was a nightmare.
I was sold a 2012 Dodge Charger for over 10k (almost twice its worth) through in-house financing, with $1,000+ monthly payments and a promise they would take the vehicle back and agree to finance me the car I actually wanted on their lot once it was paid off.
The VERY FIRST NIGHT the car wouldn't start. In the contract there was a 3 day window after the sale to return it so I reached out to Jalas son asking to return the car. He threatened me with expensive fees and assured me it was a minor issue and I was overreacting. I wish I would have followed my gut- the issue(s) were not minor at all.
Over the next 2 almost 3 years now since buying it, it was drivable only a few months total, and I spent thousands on repairs, including at their own shop--only for the same issues to return immediately.
When I finally paid it off, I was told: "Wow, you actually paid it off," and then they refused to take it back, suggesting I might get $1,000 elsewhere.
Their shady and probably illegal business model works like this: buyers with limited credit options are placed into high-interest, high-payment loans on vehicles priced well above their actual value and finance payments far above what makes sense from their income statements to be able to maintain. If the car fails or becomes unreliable (which in my case happened almost immediately), the buyer is still fully responsible for the debt and repair costs.
By the time many customers struggle to keep up with payments or the vehicle becomes unusable, the dealership has already collected a large portion--or even all--of the inflated purchase price through monthly payments that are near impossible to maintain on top of repair work and insurance. Miss one payment, don't pay insurance for a month, they repossess the car despite how much you might have already spent and they sell it to the next person where they repeat this cruel cycle- effectively allowing the dealership to profit multiple times from the same car while the buyer absorbs the financial loss.
It creates a situation where the buyer takes on all the risk, while the dealership benefits from both the financing structure and the resale value of returned vehicles.
In total, I put about $15,000 into a car that now doesn't start at all. They made even more money on it to do repairs in house after promising "cheaper parts and labor" only for me to drive off and turn the corner and the problem return immediately. The Dodge dealership out of pity told me to stop spending any more money to repair it, that it's a money pit, and I should cut my losses.
Do not take their word for anything. Get an independent inspection and read every line of the contract. They have no problem ruining peoples lives, circumstances, finances if it benefits them financially. This has had a tremendous negative impact on my life. Just don't go there. Take your business elsewhere.
I wish I had. read more