I’m asking for help raising enough to pay off the rest of this loan so I can finally walk away from this nightmare. I just want a clean slate and a fair shot to start over without this hanging over me.

Hey everyone, my name’s Payton. I’m not usually the type to ask for help, but at this point, I don’t really have another option.

In 2020, I bought a used 2018 Ford Fusion from Lakeland Toyota, thinking I was getting a solid car to build my life around. I made every payment on time, kept up with maintenance, and did everything I was supposed to. What I didn’t know was that the car had a major recall that I was not told about.

Fast forward a few years later, after putting my trust (and all my money) into this car, the engine suddenly overheated on the highway. I took it back to the same dealership, and they brushed it off. Just refilled my coolant and sent me home. The next day, it happened again.

That’s when I started digging and found out that the head gasket was defective and coolant has been leaking into the engine. When I brought that up to the dealership, they admitted that was the problem, but said they wouldn’t fix it because the engine was “out of warranty.” I even went to an official Ford dealership hoping for some help, and they told me the same thing.

I was quoted about $10,000 to get the engine replaced; I only owe $8,500 so it doesn't make sense to try to repair. But now I am stuck paying for something that doesn’t even run, trying to keep my credit from being destroyed over a sour lemon.

If you’ve ever been taken advantage of or worked hard just to watch it all fall apart because of someone else’s negligence — you understand how painful and helpless this feels. Any amount helps, seriously. Even a share goes a long way.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for helping me move on from this mess.