Hyundai review: predatory auto lending 1

February, 2007 we were strong armed into purchasing a new Hyundai Elentra when my husband and I were looking to really purchase a pre owned car. We were told that if we were to purchase this new car, it would help improve our credit rating and we could be able to trade the car in after one year.

The payments for the new car were $449.41 a month and paid every month on time. with the expection of three late payments after my hysterectomy; even then, the payments were brought current with a lump sum payment of $1348.

In July of 2008, I was looking at our billing statement and learned that our interest rate was over 16%, the monthly payments of $449 barely made a dent in the $17, 146.02 price of the car with 52 payments remaining, after paying $7190.56! At the end of the loan we would have paid to this bank $23, 369.32! I believe the term is called "negative amortization"- being "upside-down" on our loan. We were going to owe more than the car is worth!

We turned in the vehicle in January of 2009 because we could no longer afford the monthly payments. Now, we received a letter from Toyota Motor Credit Corporation that we still owe $9, 146.02 to a bank that already has our $7000 and refusing to return my calls to make a sensible payment arrangement, giving the impression that we are being uncooperative and risk defaulting on loan.

Sansone claiming to be consumer friendly is a lie! Customers are not customers but bait so that can make money they have not earned on auto loan mark ups and lender kickbacks!

We will be taking action against them!