Used car deal leaves couple with no car and owing thousands

A Beaver Bank, N.S., couple claims to be out tens of thousands of dollars after a used car deal gone wrong that left them without a vehicle. It's also resulted in a fraud charge against the salesman who sold them the car.

Melanie Pottie and Chris Bezanson spotted the car of Chris's dreams, a 2013 Subaru BRZ, on the lot of Great Buys Auto Sales in Lower Sackville in August 2015.

They negotiated the purchase price of $24,500 with Darren Blumenthal, whose wife owns the business. Blumenthal sent the couple to another used car dealer to arrange financing.

With taxes and extras, the total price was more than $33,000, leaving the couple hesitant about taking out such a big loan.

"We said we don't feel comfortable about purchasing the car," Bezanson told CBC News. "At this time Darren had said, 'Well if anything happens I will buy the car back from you,' and that is pretty much the sole reason we decided to buy it."'

Salesman takes it back

The following week Bezanson was laid off, so the couple went back to Great Buys Auto Sales.

They say Blumenthal agreed to buy back the vehicle, but only if the couple first gave him money to cover the difference between the car purchase price and the taxes and extras.

They went to the bank and got another loan for $11,500. They wanted to use it to help pay off the first loan directly, but say Blumenthal insisted the money be given to him, with a promise that he would pay off the loan. They left him with a bank draft made payable to Great Buys Auto Sales and the car.

It was after that the situation went downhill. The couple say Blumenthal did not pay off the loan as promised. Court documents say Blumenthal did write a cheque to the bank but it bounced, leaving the couple on the hook for the loan.

An RBC official confirmed Monday, in an email to Pottie, that the loan for just over $33,000 is still outstanding.

Salesman charged but says he paid off loan

Blumenthal says his lawyer has advised him not to comment because the case is before the courts, but he told CBC News there is much more to the story and he insisted he has proof the loan has been paid off.

The couple did go to RCMP, who charged Blumenthal with one count of fraud over $5,000. He is slated to appear in Dartmouth provincial court Wednesday morning.

The couple is still driving their old, unreliable vehicle, which they hoped to replace with the Subaru BRZ. They have loans of over $44,000 and no car. 

Vehicle location still unknown

"I can't do anything. I am financially completely shut down," Pottie said, adding their health has suffered because of the stress.

"I no longer sleep properly," Pottie said. "I'm constantly tired. I constantly have no energy. I was trying to be positive for Chris because he was depressed but I physically don't have any positivity left in me."

Pottie is still holding out hope that something good will come from this experience.

The couple have no idea where the car is now, nor do police.

In a court order served on the Royal Bank on May 26 ordering it to produce documents related to the case, police say the location of the vehicle is unknown.

"I would not wish this on anyone, even my worst enemy," Bezanson said.