A customer leasing a Honda CR-V in Santa Monica says they negotiated a deal for $350 a month, but it suddenly turned into a $460 monthly payment after the dealership claimed their loan was denied.
The customer shared their experience on Reddit, explaining that they initially negotiated a lease deal with the dealership for $350 per month with 10,000 miles per year before returning to sign paperwork.
However, the customer said they noticed the paperwork only showed 8,000 miles per year. The customer brought the issue up to a manager, and they eventually secured the original terms, leading to them paying a $4,000 deposit and driving off in the vehicle.
More than a month later, the customer said the insurance rider was about to expire, and they received no communication from the dealership or Rize Credit Union, which was identified as the lender handling the application.
Customer Questions the Dealership
Honda Santa Monica Tried to Scam Me
by
u/ImSorryMum93 in
FuckDealerships
According to the post, a finance employee named Anthony finally contacted the customer and requested proof of income. The customer provided pay stubs and was told Rize denied the application because the documents were considered fake.
The customer couldn’t believe the explanation, given that their credit score was allegedly more than 790. They returned to the dealership, where they were offered a new lease through Honda Financial Services for $460 per month.
When the customer declined the new higher offer, they said they would return the vehicle, but a sales manager reportedly told them that the vehicle had depreciated by $4,500. The customer claimed they were given the choice of paying that amount over three years or forfeiting the $4,000 deposit.
According to the post, the customer drove roughly 800 miles in the month they had the CR-V Hybrid and believed the dealership was trying to pressure them into accepting a more expensive agreement.
Customer Calls the Credit Union
Frustrated by the circumstances, the customer asked to contact Rize directly to verify why the application was denied. They claimed the dealership’s employees initially resisted, citing concerns about damaging their relationship with the credit union.
The customer obtained the credit union’s number and ended up speaking with a Rize manager. 10 minutes later the customer said they were officially approved by the credit union.
In the post, the customer said the dealership changed its explanation, claiming Rize had made a counteroffer requiring another $2,000 down payment. But upon calling the credit union again, the customer said that no counteroffer was actually made and the original application was approved.
The customer eventually retrieved their keys and drove away after the dealership processed the first month’s payment. They later updated the post stating they reported the incident to the Better Business Bureau and the California Attorney General’s Office.
Others Suggest Further Action
In the replies, other users suggested bringing the complaint to another level. One commenter recommended the customer contact American Honda directly so the automaker would be aware of the allegations.
Another commenter suggested reporting the incident to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, explaining that they had done so after a similar dispute with a dealership.
The post does not establish any further updates about the incident or whether the reports filed received a response.