Questionable Car Sale: Dealership drives elderly woman 30 miles to make a deal | Investigation

HONEY BROOK, Pa. (WPVI) -- There are no set rules for car dealerships to engage in transactions with the elderly, but a Chester County woman is questioning the ethics of a national company that sold her elderly aunt a car.

Stephanie Brown told the Investigative Team that she has power of attorney over her 78-year-old aunt, who has diminished mental faculties.

She had already warned her she couldn't afford a car, but somehow a local dealership got the elderly woman into a 2023 Chevy Malibu at 18% interest.

But when Sandra Dawson arrived at her Honey Brook, Chester County, home with it in late November, her niece couldn't believe it.

"I was like, 'Are you kidding me?'" said Brown.

The vehicle cost $19,000, and with that 18% interest rate, the payment was $452 a month.

It's money that, Brown said, her aunt doesn't have due to her limited fixed income.

"I said, 'You're going to have maybe $50 to yourself at the end of the month,' and that wasn't even groceries," she said.

Even more alarming for Brown: Enterprise Car Sales in East Petersburg, Lancaster County, picked up her aunt from her home and then drove her 30 miles back to the dealership.

"I just thought that was really bizarre. Like everybody I tell this story to is shocked that they sent somebody to pick her up," said Brown.

Brown said her aunt was in the negative in her checking account at the time of purchase, and several banks denied her credit.

Still, the dealership was able to lock Ms. Dawson into that high-interest loan and send her on her way.

Enterprise declined our request for an on-camera interview, but released a statement saying Dawson reached out to them and provided all the information needed to complete the sale, including proof of insurance.

The spokesperson also said, "At no point was there any indication whatsoever that Ms. Dawson was incapable of making a vehicle purchase decision."

"They said she handed them a Progressive insurance card, which I still can't figure out where she got from," Brown said.

"This is a story that is a type of which we hear and see a lot," said Brendan Corbalis, an attorney with Senior Law Center.

Corbalis doesn't represent the family but said the incident serves as a cautionary tale for seniors and really anyone with financial vulnerabilities.

"There are practices which most of us would agree are predatory that are in fact legal under a statute, and the question then becomes: are they ethical?" he added.

After explaining how little money she'd now have monthly, Brown said she convinced her aunt to return the vehicle. They had a seven-day window.

"She said she talked to three different people at the dealership and they said there was nothing that they could do about it," Brown said.

So Brown called and told the dealership that she had power of attorney, and wrote a scathing review online.

She said Enterprise finally did the right thing and took back possession of the vehicle.

"I just feel like there's a lot people out there, a lot of companies out there that take advantage of elderly people, and I'm just tired of it," she said.

Some legal experts warn that consumers need to understand the implications and scope of the agreements they intend to make.

Full Statement from Enterprise Car Sales:

"After reviewing this situation, it was found that Ms. Dawson, the customer, initiated contact with Enterprise Car Sales on November 27, 2025. During this correspondence, Ms. Dawson stated her intent to purchase a vehicle and indicated she would need assistance in getting to the dealership. The Enterprise Sales Consultant contacted the customer and, as we regularly do for our customers, arranged to pick up Ms. Dawson and transport her to the dealership.

Ms. Dawson provided all of the requested information to complete the sale, including proof of insurance, was approved for financing with a third-party lender, and completed all required paperwork for the purchase of a vehicle. At no point was there any indication whatsoever that Ms. Dawson was incapable of making a vehicle purchase decision.

After being made aware of the situation, Enterprise reached out to Ms. Dawson and her family and agreed, as a matter of customer service, to unwind the transaction. The vehicle was returned to Enterprise the week of December 15, 2025, and Ms. Dawson was refunded the entirety of the money she paid to Enterprise, including the vehicle down payment."