AG: ‘Dealers went out of their way’ to deceive customers; Tips for buying used cars
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The Ohio Attorney General filed lawsuits against two used-car dealerships for allegedly tampering a car’s odometer and selling salvaged cars to unknowing customers.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost sued two Columbus-area used-car dealerships and their respective owners for “failing to inform consumers when they were buying rebuilt salvaged vehicles,” a spokesperson for the office stated.
S Automotive, its owner Simon Nwaru Jr., and Kalango Links, and its owner Korite Michael Kalango, were named in the lawsuits filed at the Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
The lawsuits came after the Attorney General’s Office received 57 consumer complaints about the dealerships: 39 for S Automotive and 18 for Kalango Links.
33 of the complaints filed against S Automotive were about “the dealership’s failure to deliver titles,” the spokesperson said. Another three complaints were about “misrepresentations” and the last three about “odometer discrepancies.”
Most of Kalango Links’ complaints alleged odometer tampering, the spokesperson continued.
Following these complaints, Yost investigated the two businesses and found that both dealerships were selling cars with rebuilt titles, but did not disclose the information in writing to their customers.
“A rebuilt title is issued to vehicles that have been repaired after having been declared a total loss by an insurance company as a result of collision damage, fire or flood, or even because of a manufacturer’s buyback due to a lemon law claim,” the spokesperson informed.
The lawsuit accuses S Automotive of violating the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act, the Certificate of Motor Vehicle Title Act, and the Odometer Rollback and Disclosure Act.
“These dealers went out of their way to make sure that customers had no idea what they were actually buying,” Yost said. “Consumers didn’t realize their car would come fully equipped with buyer’s remorse,” Yost said.
Yost sued the companies’ owners for reimbursements, civil penalties, and court costs.
The Consumer Protection Section remined consumers of the following during their used-car purchases:
Check for any complaints against the dealership with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and Better Business Bureau
Get everything in writing and read the fine print
Take the vehicle for an extended test drive
Ask about prior damage, defects and repair history. Check out the vehicle’s history through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System at nmvtis.gov
Ask a trustworthy mechanic to check the car for problems
If a dealer does not provide the title within 30 days of the purchase date, contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office
Ohioans who suspect unfair or deceptive business practices can contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at www.OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.
