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Press Release Article:

Van Nuys Maserati & First Tech Credit Union: My Experience With Misleading Warranty Practices and Lack of Support

I’m sharing my experience to help other buyers avoid what I went through during a recent luxury vehicle purchase in Van Nuys.
What should have been an exciting experience quickly became stressful, frustrating, and financially damaging.
During the financing process, I was told that the lender required me to purchase an extended warranty in order for the loan to be approved. Based on that representation, I agreed to move forward.

The customer also states they made additional attempts to escalate their concerns to leadership within, including efforts to reach directly.
According to the customer, despite these attempts, they did not receive a response or meaningful engagement regarding the concerns raised about the financing process and warranty representations.

The customer expressed frustration that, in their view, there appeared to be no willingness from the institution to intervene, review, or assist in adjusting the financing terms based on the allegations that the dealership may have misrepresented required products.

“I tried multiple channels to get someone at the credit union to listen and help review what happened,” the customer stated. “From my perspective, there was no real follow-through or willingness to step in and address what I believe was a serious issue with how the warranty was represented.”
The customer added that the experience has led them to question how disputes involving dealer practices are handled when financing is issued through third-party credit unions.

When trying to address the concern to the CEO Shruti Miyashiro, we were told to contact the legal department as well as told that she would not care or take any concerns regarding our problems.

In the customer’s view, greater oversight and responsiveness from lending institutions may be necessary when significant add-on products and financing terms are disputed after a transaction is completed.

That warranty added approximately $11,800 to the total cost of the vehicle and increased my monthly payment by nearly $200.
After the deal was finalized, I later learned information suggesting the lender may not have actually required the warranty at all. If true, I was misled into purchasing a product that significantly increased my financial obligation.

Eric Lopez was involved in my transaction. When I raised concerns about the warranty and financing terms, I attempted to resolve the matter directly. Instead of receiving clear answers or professional assistance, the interaction escalated and left me feeling extremely uncomfortable and unsupported as a customer.
Joshua Alvarez also told me he would help resolve the issue. However, despite more than 20 calls and multiple follow-up attempts, I never received the assistance or clarification that was promised.

We also reached out to regarding the financing concerns and what we believed to be dealer misconduct tied to the transaction. Despite explaining the situation in detail, we felt quickly dismissed and received little meaningful support or concern regarding what occurred.

The credit union is led by, and unfortunately our experience left us feeling unheard during a time that should have been special for our family.
Instead of enjoying the experience of purchasing a new car for my father, I spent countless hours writing complaints, making phone calls, following up repeatedly, and dealing with ongoing frustration and stress that could have been avoided with transparency and proper customer support.

The most frustrating part of this entire situation was the lack of communication and accountability. Concerns involving thousands of dollars added to a contract should be addressed immediately and professionally. Instead, I experienced delays, unanswered calls, and no meaningful resolution.
My advice to anyone purchasing a vehicle — especially a luxury vehicle:

• Verify directly with the lender whether warranties or add-ons are truly required
• Request written proof of any mandatory products
• Review every document carefully before signing
• Do not rely solely on verbal statements
• Keep records of all conversations and communications

A luxury car purchase should be an exciting milestone, not a stressful financial ordeal. Please proceed carefully and make sure everything is fully transparent before signing any agreement.

Bob Marseilles
Vice President, Third Party Originations

 
Melissa Jordan
Production Support Supervisor

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