TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Heather Hyde was happy to see the Vroom truck show up at her house to take away a car she says started a nightmare.
Hyde and her husband bought the Cadillac ATS three months ago but had to park the car because they can no longer legally drive it. That’s because Vroom failed to apply to transfer the title into their names within 30 days, as required by Florida law.
Hyde turned to Investigator Shannon Behnken when she says communication with Vroom dried up and she says the company refused to buy the car back, citing it wasn’t legally hers to sell back.
Less than 24 hours after calls from Better Call Behnken, Vroom showed up to pick up the car and offered to reimburse her for the car and repairs she and her husband had made to the car.
“We so appreciate you,” Hyde said. “You made us feel like we mattered, which is something we hadn’t received during this transaction.”
A Vroom spokesperson sent the following statement to Better Call Behnken:
“Our goal is for every customer to enjoy their vehicle from the moment of purchase. We regret the Hydes didn’t have that experience and are actively working to see how we can help solve their issues.”
Meanwhile, state regulators say they have had 49 more complaints about Vroom title issues since January and they are investigating.
And while Florida works through the details, the Texas Attorney General this week sued Vroom, claiming unfair and deceptive practices. One of the issues, according to the complaint, was failing to disclose significant delays in transferring clear title and obtaining vehicle registrations.
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles asks that consumers with issues with Vroom titles file a complaint so their investigators can evaluate. The form can be found on the department’s website.
A Vroom spokesperson said they cannot comment on an active investigation.