A personal-case investigation written under the Indiana Businesses Exposed banner, documenting what happened to Gary Dawayne Amick, an Indiana resident and small-business owner, after he purchased a 2017 Ford Escape from Superior Auto with financing through SAC Finance.

I bought my 2017 Ford Escape in March 2025 from Superior Auto with a loan through SAC Finance. At the time of purchase, I was making payments on schedule, keeping the vehicle maintained, and using it for work and family transportation. The car was marketed as “reliable” and “mechanically sound,” with no major warning lights or disclosed issues beyond normal wear. What I did not know was how quickly the vehicle would fall apart — and how hard it would be to get any help from the dealer or lender.

Within months, the Escape began showing serious problems: the transmission slipped, the battery failed, the headlights flickered, dashboard electronics went haywire, and the brakes, tires, and suspension all wore down at an abnormal rate. I took the car to a third-party mechanic, paid out of pocket for diagnostics, and started repairing it myself with new parts — turning the Escape into a DIY project just to keep it road-legal. Despite this, I remained current on my payments through SAC Finance and kept the account in good standing.

Here is what happened next: I contacted both Superior Auto and SAC Finance multiple times, asking for help. I requested a trade-in, proposing that the faulty vehicle be accepted and the negative equity folded into a different, working car. I asked if the finance could be adjusted or if relief options were available. In many cases, my emails and calls were not returned; when I did get a response, it was vague, non-committal, or focused on “keeping the account current” rather than fixing the underlying problem. The dealership and lender essentially told me the car was “as-is” and I was responsible for all repairs, even though the issues were clearly mechanical and safety-related.

I was forced to keep paying for a car I could not reliably drive. The mechanical failures made it unsafe and impractical for me to use on long work trips, yet I had no way to stop the debt. Eventually, I decided to return the vehicle to Superior Auto myself. I personally dropped the Ford Escape off at Superior Auto around March 23, 2026, with no repossession team involved. As of March 30, 2026, court records in Jackson County and surrounding jurisdictions show no small-claims filing or service documents related to this account, but the situation remains unresolved and financially stressful.

This article serves as both a personal narrative and a warning to other Indiana consumers. It shows how high-risk auto-finance contracts can leave buyers paying for a car that is functionally broken, while dealers and lenders offer little help. Indiana Businesses Exposed uses this case to highlight the need for transparency, clear communication, and stronger consumer protections in the used-car and subprime-finance space.