Re: Complaint against Ford of Peoria — Deceptive and - Donlrichards
Re: Complaint against Ford of Peoria — Deceptive and Predatory Sale Practices Targeting an Elderly Consumer
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing on behalf of my mother, an 80-year-old resident of Peoria, Illinois, to file a formal complaint against Ford of Peoria, located at 2211 W. Pioneer Parkway, Peoria, Illinois 61615. I believe my mother was the victim of deceptive sales practices, unnecessary add-on charges, and predatory financing in connection with the sale of a vehicle she never intended to purchase.
Summary of Events
My mother had been repeatedly contacted and solicited by Ford of Peoria and, after enough calls, felt pressured into visiting the dealership. She was not shopping to trade in her vehicle or take on a new loan. At the time, she owned a 2024 Chevrolet Equinox with just under 5,000miles on it, reasonably worth approximately $26,000. The dealership appraised her trade-in at only $20,500, even though there was still a loan balance of $21,257.30 owed on that vehicle. Rather than resolving that negative-equity balance separately, the dealership rolled it directly into the financing of a new vehicle.
The dealership sold my mother a Ford Escape, which they represented and continued to insist to me was a new vehicle, with a sticker price of $33,220. She was charged $33,338.49 for the vehicle — the dealership has claimed she received a discount off sticker price, which we dispute. In fact, the vehicle already had approximately 2,915 miles on it at the time of sale, consistent with dealership loaner or demonstrator use, not a new vehicle as represented.
On top of the vehicle price, the dealership added approximately $8,583.70 in warranty and protection products that were never requested or necessary — including a "paint and fabric protection" product billed at roughly $2,000. Three separate dealerships have since inspected the vehicle and told us they could find no evidence this paint/fabric protection product was ever actually applied.
The dealership then arranged financing for my mother at an interest rate of 15.49%, despite indications that the underlying loan paper was being purchased/originated in the 2–5% range. As a direct result, my mother's monthly payment increased from just over $250 on her prior vehicle to more than $800 on this new loan — an amount that is unsustainable on her income and from which she has no reasonable way to extricate herself.
My Attempts to Resolve This Directly
After learning what had happened, I attempted to contact the salesman involved but was unable to reach him. I then spoke with the sales manager, who was dismissive and pushed back on my concerns. When I informed the dealership that I had contacted the Attorney General’s office and was advised that the unnecessary warranty products could be cancelled and refunded, the dealership eventually agreed to cancel the add-on warranties and rebate the unused portion. This is not an adequate remedy: these products were never needed on what was represented as a new vehicle, were never used or claimed against (my mother has driven the car fewer than 900 miles), and a refund of only the "unused portion" does not make her whole.
When I raised the issue of the vehicle's mileage and true condition, the sales manager insisted I was "completely off base" and that the vehicle was brand new, despite the nearly 3,000 miles already on it. He also maintained that she paid less than sticker price, which we do not believe is accurate. Since the warranty products were refunded, the dealership has not responded to further attempts to reach them.
Requested Resolution
I have spoken with owners/managers at other dealerships in the area who, after hearing the facts, indicated they would voluntarily repurchase a vehicle at the outstanding loan payoff amount in a situation like this and address the conduct of the sales staff involved. I am asking that Ford of Peoria be required,
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