Mazda review: Vehicle

Dear Sir,

I will keep this as brief as possible.

My name is Des O’Driscoll, I’m the Director of Mental Health & Consumer Advocacy for Small Village Therapy. We provide mental health support to people with mental illness, including engaging with their creditors where they are unable to.

Our client, Leisa Chaisty purchased a vehicle from Aspley Mazda. She is a single mother with two very ill young children, unable to work because of a sexual assault and the physical damage done as a result. One child is terminal, the other has an illness which is rare and he needs to get to a hospital within 20 minutes of an attack, which is impossible without a reliable vehicle.

Leisa also tried to suicide last week after multiple calls from Mazda Finance and Mazda Dealership despite receiving an authority from our company, signed by Leisa which asked that the business direct all contact to our office because of her poor mental health. Despite this, both businesses continued to make direct contact, causing Leisa to try to suicide.

After purchasing the vehicle, very quickly the vehicle was returned with serious mechanical issues and again shortly after it was repaired with the same issues.

Leisa was assured the vehicle would be replaced or the finance paid out by the dealer. She asked the vehicle not be repaired again in writing. The dealer acknowledged her wishes but repaired the vehicle again.

The dealer provided a loan car. Leisa does not want to take possession of the vehicle she returned, she feels it is a danger to her children, herself and others on the road.

Because Leisa insists on the dealer honouring the assurance to replace the vehicle or payout the finance, she has asked to keep the loan car until the matter is resolved.

The dealer has since asked for the police to arrest her, which would mean her two children would go into foster care.

I have not had an opportunity to properly engage with Mazda Australia, Mazda Japan or Mazda Finance as I am overseas receiving treatment for cancer and a shoulder reconstruction. However, with time, I am confident a resolution can be achieved without having Leisa arrested and leaving her children at risk because they do not have a vehicle to drive to the hospital.

Because Leisa is unemployed and a single mother, she is not financially in a position to rent a vehicle to replace the loan vehicle.

We have asked the dealership to allow Leisa to keep the loan vehicle for 2 -3 weeks to allow us an opportunity to resolve this matter. The dealer will not engage and is adamant it wants Leisa arrested.

If we cannot resolve the issue and if Leisa is arrested, the concequences are likely catastrophic given her serious mental and physical health issues and those of her children.

There are no winners from this situation as it stands with the dealer asking for Leisa to be arrested, resulting in her children being placed into foster care, not to mention the impact on her already poor mental health.

We have run out of options Sir, I’m hoping that you can intervene and help us to help Leisa – there is no need to charge Leisa and if we cannot reach an agreement in three weeks, she will gladly return the loan car.

Kind Regards,

Des O'Driscoll

+[protected]

[protected]@smallvillage.com.au

Director or Mental Health & Consumer Advocacy