Anyone else tired of their bank?

[FenderGuy]

After being with Wells Fargo for since 1997, I dont know I feel they are up to par as they use to be. Customer service is 50/50 at times and I applied for a personal line of credit a while back and didnt get the credit I wanted. And now I am finding out I have a differnet rate then they told me I would have.

[84porsche]

Depends on what exactly you use your bank for. I have a credit union for all the checking/savings stuff and I also have a second checking/savings at Washington Mutual. I like the free stuff as their commericals say but I hate the lines. I go to the credit union and I never have any problems. As far as loans, check out using a low-interest credit card company. I would bounce money off of them before going to a bank (non credit card).

[FenderGuy]

84 Porsche I use Wells Fargo for checking and savings. I have all the credit cards I need I dont want anymore, I was looking for a personal line of credit and I applied with Wells, but I feel they jacked me over for some reason on the rate and loan amount. And I had excellent score in the upper 740s when I applied.

[84porsche]

I'm sorry that they would do that. But unfortunately in the society we live in money somehow always takes a priority in people's lives. It is has become a how can I screw this guy today? What kind of interest rate, did you use something as collateral do bargain for a lower interest rate. When I bought the p-car, the credit union gave me a loan against a retirement account I had and it was enough to give me an interest rate of about 4.75%.

Speaking of getting screwed I bought donuts this morning and I walk in and ask for a dozen and I said mix them up - so the lady grabs all the donuts that no one else wanted and the more expensive ones and tells me the box is $7.50 and I ask why and she said because of the bigger donuts that I didn't even ask for. It is so common place now even in a box of donuts but the nice thing about where we live is their are other choices. Check out some local credit unions, I am sure they would be willing to help.

[FenderGuy]

84 Porsche its a line of credit that I have for 10 years (I can draw from it and repay it) the rate is at 8.25% and its under 10k(not happy). I didnt secure it with anything because I didnt have at the time anything to secure it with. The best secured rate at the time was 6.25% ( over 25k) and unsercured at 6.75%( over 25k) I dont think these rates are good I am thinking of leaving Wells Fargo and going elsewhere to get better rates

[campbellcj]

Likewise I have had a terrible experience with Wells Fargo for general banking in the last couple of years. Not to mention that Wells Fargo's fees are getting stratospheric.. IMHO those satiric radio ads that poke fun at fake free-checking and "fee processing fees", are direct shots at WF.

After dealing with BofA, US Bank, and WF, I am sick and tired of walking into a bank branch and being treated like a criminal, a sucker, a database record, or all of the above...

I have recently switched my company and personal accounts to City National Bank, a smaller "boutique" L.A. bank, and the difference in customer service is staggering (in a good way).

The big consumer banks can be great for convenience, i.e. ATM's everywhere you look, but in every other respect they fully SUCK.

[Moneyguy1]

Long ago, when in COllege, I took a course in "Money, Credit and Banking", taught by a former economic advisor to the White House.

The instructor, on the first night told us the following:

"Let's get one thing clear. Your friendly neighborhood banker is neither".

With consolidations, banks have become so large that it is in the finance business what we call "disconnect". They can no longer react to the needs of the average customer. You are a series of 1s and 0s in a machine.

You have to make yourself known, especially when you are unhappy. I like to complain directly to the CEO by registered mail. Believe me, you will get their attention. A few weeks ago, I had a problem with J P Morgan Chase ( a bank named after one of the greatest robber barons ever to live!!). I contacted the office of the CEO after being told by their service rep there was nothing that she could do. The problem was resolved with a single phone call that took less than five minutes. Moral: Don't waste your time with the "hired help". Go to the top. I rarely fail to get satisfaction, whether it be a banking problem or something I purchased.

I have two bank accounts. One I use for direct deposit and bills; the other I put money into each month for my wife and the household expenses. There is sufficient that if she budgets carefully, the remainder is hers and in the last year she has purchased an 8 pegapix camera and a few other toys.

Use the bank. Do not let the bank use you.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Banks (and bankers) suck. Join a credit union - they're at least tolerable. I have a credit union I've been a member with for probably close to 20 years now and they've always at least treated me like a human being. Each and every one of the banks I've dealt with here in CA (including B of A, Union, W. Mutual, and US Bank) have in some way pissed me off to the point where I've closed up and walked out, never to return again. Be it unnecessary fees, unreasonable terms, inconvenience, humiliation, whatever - you can keep 'em.

I probably have among the most uncommon financial beliefs / goals of people out there, but being as objective as I can, I think the credit unions are the way to go. Banks don't give a flying f*ck about you, your needs, your goals, or whatever. They only care about getting their fat grubby little fingers on your wallet. AVOID.

[Rot 911]

Or live in a small town like I do. The Farmer's Bank of Lohman, established 1898. All the employess live in the area (our town is only 168!) I know them and they know me.

[LeeH]

It's hard to believe that the big banks tell you with a straight face that they're going to charge you to talk to a teller.

Check out Washington Mutual. They still act like a small town bank that wants your business.

[Schrup]

I got screwed by Bank of America a about five years ago, my credit card was tied to overdraft & when I switched to a lower paying job my balance climbed. They & Discover card figured they had me by the balls & jacked my interest rates even though I had never been late on a payment. When I called them, they told me tough ****.

It took me 2 years to climb back up the wage scale. There was no better feeling than paying off my cards, telling Discover to kiss my ass when they tried the hard sell while I was closing my account, & walking into my bank to close the account & explaining why.

I went back to my hokey little credit union & kept my Citicard because they never jerked me around. Recently my credit union converted to a bank so we'll see.

[FenderGuy]

Oh my I just got charged $20 for "EXCESSIVE WITHDRAWAL SERVICE FEE" on my savings account ....I think that was the last straw

[KevinP73]

I'm with Bank of the West (Bank of the Worst) and what really burns my ass is that they charge me $1.00 a freakin month just to have an ATM card. ONE BUCK how freakin petty can you get. And to consider that by me having an ATM card I don't need to use a teller, I don't need for them to maintain a teller line or a bank lobby. I bet it saves them thousands and yet they charge me a buck a month! It tells me that even though my dollar totally insignificant, they would rather it be in thier pocket than mine.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I've had some issues with Washington Mutual also; some of it was my own fault (I overdrew my checking account in order to pay some bills on time), but they got downright NASTY over this - when I went in a few weeks later to make a depost (which would've un-negatived my checking account and brought everything back to "normal"), they told me basically they'd closed my account and reported the amount owed (it was only about $200) as a "charge off". Of course they claimed I still owed it to them - so give them the money. I basically laughed in their face and said they were welcome to have it IF (and only if) they would provide me written documentation that it was not "charged off" (i.e. the obligation was settled to their satisfaction) and either my payment would be recorded on my credit report or the "charge off" would be removed - otherwise I'd keep my $200 since the damage had already been done and I had nothing to gain at that point by paying them. Not that I don't mind paying them, but I expect something in return.

Their so-called "customer service" manager was completely unwilling to work with me on this; to my knowledge, the "charge off" is still on my credit report, despite my good faith effort. Oh well. Typical. This was the worst (but certainly not only) problem I had with Washington Mutual - they're no different than any other bank.

[turbo6bar]

I've had pretty good luck with my local bank, First Tennessee. If there are small local banks, try them. It's not like you're born to use only one bank. The other alternative is a mattress. It costs you nothing to make withdrawals or deposits.

I enjoyed a more simple and happy life when I stopped sweating the small stuff. If the problem is big enough to fret over, then fix the problem. Don't let the problem continue...

[Superman]

Unless your banking needs are commercial/business (and maybe even if they are), then I don't know why in the world you would do business with any bank. Banking is an excellent example of why we liberals are untrusting of "business" and far more supportive of government. Government, and credit unions, are a sort of "co-op." Credit unions do not make a profit, or at least all profits are turned back to the owners, who are also the depositors. Depositor = Owner. Their loan interest rates are low, and their deposit interest offerings are high. Their customer service is MILES above any bank. In a pinch, particularly if you've been a member for a while, they'll do whatever they can to take care of you.

Again, unless you are a corporation (I hope you guys are all people), I don't know why you'd bank with a bank. BTW, my grandfather was the banker in my home town.

[911ctS]

As of a year ago I was a banker at Wells Fargo, hey it was putting me through college. Anyway I eventually got fed up with that corporate BS and decided to hit the road. Theres just something wrong with having to ask someone for their drivers license when they come in EVERYDAY. It kinda destroys that "personal banker" trustworthy relationship.

[Dantilla]

As a self-employed guy with accounts at a couple of different banks to keep things straight, the general rule I have found is that big banks have too much bureaucracy (as does the government), and nobody at the local branch has any decision making authority.

My favorite little bank was bought by Washington Mutual several years ago, and things got difficult to the point of me leaving them for another local bank.

I have a credit line to buy & sell real estate with terms no big bank would touch. They know me by name.

I recently bought an old warehouse, and talked to another local "little" bank. The founder and president of the bank invited me back to his office, and within a few minutes, offered me terms better than I could have imagined. On the spot. None of that "I'll bring this up to the comitee next Thursday, and we'll have an answer in a few weeks" stuff.

Another commercial thing I'm involved with is with another "little" local bank. I submitted financial information on Tuesday, and he called me Wednesday afternoon, and told me we are approved, and he is writing up the commitment letter.

All of the people at Washington Mutual were professional and friendly, but too often the answer started with "I'm sorry, but..." we need, we can't, we're not allowed, I've been told, etc.

A relationship with a decision maker is a good thing.

[FenderGuy]

Can anyone recommand a good credit union in (Phoenix area) Arizona that will stand by it customers?

[B D]

Yes, I am tierd of my bank and I work for them.