By Leftlane Staff
Thursday, Mar 9th, 2006 @ 2:26 pm

Dealers have begun offering financially unstable customers the ability to finance a new car with one catch: No dough, no go. The Chicago Tribune looks at the case of Delilah Grant, whose recent bankruptcy stood in the way of her getting a car. Luckily, she found a dealer willing to sell her a car. Now, a microchip in 1996 Pontiac Bonneville will disable the starter if she doesn’t make her payment on time. Jon Sheldon, an attorney with the National Consumer Law Center in Boston, said devices such as On Time are “almost a form of servitude,” though they haven’t generated complaints from consumers. “I think it’s a very abusive practice, but it’s one of those areas that people don’t complain about,” Sheldon said. “It’s a matter of either pay on time or lose access to your job. It just puts more pressure on them to put their car payment ahead of their mortgage or rent.”

8 Comments
  

LeftLane

Login

  • LeftLane

    Copyright © 2005 - 2012 Left lane News.
    All rights reserved.