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Autovest LLC Is Suing Me - How to Settle

George Simons | January 28, 2025

George Simons
Co-Founder of SoloSuit
George Simons, JD/MBA

George Simons is the co-founder and CEO of SoloSuit. He has helped Americans protect over $1 billion from predatory debt lawsuits. George graduated from BYU Law school in 2020 with a JD-MBA. In his spare time, George likes to cook, because he likes to eat.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: If Autovest LLC is suing you, respond promptly to avoid a default judgment. File an Answer, challenge the case, and negotiate a settlement to resolve it. Solo can help with all these steps and more.

Have you received a debt collection lawsuit from Autovest LLC? If so, you're not alone. Autovest is one of many debt collectors that purchases defaulted auto loan debt at a discount and works to recover the funds. While they may pursue individuals to resolve these debts, it’s essential to understand your rights and options.

Many people have successfully gone through a similar situation after they understood the debt collection process and explored possible solutions. This article will help you know what to do after Autovest LLC has sued you. Then, we’ll discuss how to negotiate a settlement deal.

Have you been sued? Draft and file your Answer to avoid a default judgment.

Settle debt with Autovest LLC

You can negotiate debt settlement at any stage of the collections process. SoloSettle makes it easy.

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Don't ignore the Autovest LLC lawsuit

You should never ignore a lawsuit filed against you. It's essential to take action and not let it slide. When debt collectors like Autovest LLC file lawsuits, they often hope people will not respond. Many debtors don’t show up in court, allowing debt collectors to win the case by default. If you ignore the lawsuit, it could lead to serious consequences like:

  • Wage garnishment
  • Bank account access permission
  • Property liens
  • Damage to your credit
  • Asset seizures

However, responding to the lawsuit can make a big difference. You can resolve the case in your favor or even have it dropped. At Solo, we make it easier for you to handle these situations using our Answer document and other resources.

SoloSuit makes it simple to respond the right way.

What is Autovest LLC?

Autovest LLC is a privately owned third-party debt collection agency that has been in business since 2003. Their website specifies that they acquire consumer portfolios from Fortune 500 banks and automobile finance companies. They are headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and their service area is Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne County. Their contact information is as follows:

  • Phone: 1-800-221-8160
  • Physical Address: 26261 Evergreen Rd, Suite 390, Southfield, MI 48076
  • Email: info@autovestllc.com
  • Website: Home | Autovest

As mentioned above, Autovest specializes in buying charged-off auto loan debt. In other words, if you obtained an auto loan to purchase or lease a car and defaulted on that loan, the loan provider repossesses the vehicle. After the vehicle is sold, the loan provider is usually left with a balance you still owe. The loan provider then sells your defaulted account at a discount to Autovest LLC. Autovest then attempts to collect the balance you still owe.

Who does Autovest LLC collect for?

Autovest LLC focuses primarily on collecting debts related to auto loans. A debt collection agency works with various lenders and financial institutions to recover outstanding balances on defaulted loans. Examples of clients they collect for include:

  • Auto Loan Lenders
  • Banks
  • Credit Unions
  • Auto Dealerships
  • Third-Party Debt Buyers

If you see a credit report entry or receive a lawsuit letter from Autovest and haven't dealt directly with them, chances are high that you may have an auto loan they bought from an original creditor.

Read Autovest LLC reviews online

Reading feedback from others who have dealt with Autovest can prepare you to handle your interactions with them more effectively. While some reviews may express frustration, others share positive experiences of resolving issues through clear communication and cooperation. Here are two reliable online sources:

Despite the mixed reviews, communicating with an Autovest agent with a positive attitude and willingness to work towards a workable debt payment plan can often lead to better outcomes.

How do I respond to a lawsuit from Autovest?

Responding to a lawsuit is very easy, particularly with the help of Solo. Yet, in responding to a lawsuit, it would be helpful for you to understand a little about the court process when it comes to debt collection lawsuits like a suit from Autovest.

1. The Complaint

What Autovest sent you in the mail is called a “Complaint.” That is typically the first filing any defendant to a lawsuit will receive. The Complaint is, as the name implies, a document that indicates what “complaint” or issue the plaintiff (here, the plaintiff is Autovest) has with you, the defendant. The Complaint is typically written as a series of numbered paragraphs. The numbered paragraphs are supposed to help the parties and the court delineate each separate factual allegation.

2. The Answer

Once you receive the Complaint, you need to respond with your side of the story. As you can see, a legal dispute is just like a regular argument. One person says what issues they have with you, and you get a chance to respond by saying whether their complaint is legitimate. In legalese, your response is officially called an “Answer.” Thus, you need to respond when you get the lawsuit by filing an “Answer.”

There are a few particulars that you need to know about the Answer. In your Answer, you first need to “admit” or “deny” the allegations in each numbered paragraph. Thus, what you would do for each section is state the number of the paragraph and whether you “admit” or “deny” the allegation stated in that paragraph.

Here's an important tip – do not admit anything you do not know to be true. For example, if Autovest says it “owns” your defaulted auto loan account, do not admit that. Why? Because you don't know whether they do or not. Thus, only “admit” those statements that you are sure, in your knowledge, to be true.

3. The Case Before the Court

Once the Court has received your Answer, the Court will dictate how things proceed. Typically, the Court will schedule a hearing. At that hearing, Autovest – the party with the burden of proof in these collection lawsuits – must provide information proving that it owns your defaulted loan account and that you own X amount of dollars.

SoloSuit files for you.

It is that third step where debt collectors like Autovest may struggle to prove their case. Indeed, because Autovest does not always have all the necessary paperwork to prove a case against you, it may either (i) not show up to court at all or (ii) show up and not have all the paperwork to prove its case. Either way – you win!

Therefore, the best thing you can do when faced with a lawsuit from Autovest is to respond right away. In some states, you may only have as little as 14 days to file an Answer to a collection lawsuit.

Learn more about drafting an Answer in the following video.

How to settle with Autovest LLC

Once you respond to Autovest’s lawsuit with an Answer, the next step is to explore a settlement deal. Here are some steps you can take to negotiate and settle debt with Autovest LLC:

  1. Thoroughly evaluate your financial situation to determine how much you can afford to offer to settle the debt. Once you have this number, consider offering a little less to leave room for negotiations.
  2. Send a debt settlement letter to kick off the negotiations. Your first offer should be slightly less than the maximum amount you can afford to pay. This will give you room to negotiate. Explain any hardships that have led to the need to settle the debt, the amount you are offering, and the date you can make the payment. You can also call Autovest directly or use SoloSettle to negotiate online.
  3. Get a settlement agreement that memorializes the terms you’ve agreed to, signed and in writing.
  4. Send the payment in full and on time.

SoloSettle simplifies this process by providing you with tools to negotiate directly with Autovest through an online settlement platform. SoloSettle ensures the negotiation remains transparent, keeping all communication in one place and guiding you through each step of the process. After reaching an agreement, Solo also handles the necessary paperwork to finalize the deal, giving you peace of mind and ensuring the debt is officially resolved. Ready to work on your settlement offer? Start now.

To learn more about the debt settlement process, check out the video below.

Let Solo help you resolve an Autovest LLC lawsuit

Solo makes it easy to respond to a debt collection lawsuit. Responding to a lawsuit is important, and Solo makes it simple to take the first step. With our Answer document, you can confidently address the lawsuit, ensuring your voice is heard and your rights are protected. Filing an Answer will give you extra time to work with Autovest LLC to settle the matter outside of court.

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