Recently, I had a client come in about Land Rover he had recently purchased online from Class Auto Company, LLC. My client testified that the responded to an advertisement for the sale of this car by defendant which represented the car as having “a clean carfax, navigation, rear DVD player, towing package, brush bar ladder, new tires,” and claimed that the car was “loaded.” The dealer represented that the car had no mechanical condition, and that a Land Rover dealer had inspected the car and found absolutely no issues with the vehicle.
My client paid $16,149.00 for the used vehicle. Upon delivery, my client was disappointed when he discovered that the vehicle was not as represented and did not possess the qualities that the advertisement said it possessed. That is when he decided to call my office. After meeting with my client, we determined that we did in fact have a case against Class Auto Company due to their violation of the Georgia Fair Business Practice Act.
Next, my client demanded a full refund of his monies and the dealership offered some concessions which he never fulfilled. My client was not able to register the vehicle in North Carolina because of a title issue. After spending $229.50 having the vehicle inspected to see if it was fit for operation as well as paying $444.58 in interest on the loan used to buy the car, the car itself could not be driven. The car my client paid for ended up being an expensive lawn ornament unavailable for use.
After taking this case to court, the Court found that my client had been damaged in the amount of $21,822.98 dollars in actual damages under the Georgia Fair Business Practice Act. The Court also found that there was indeed an intentional violation of the Georgia Fair Business Practice Act and ordered that the damages be trebled. The treble damages amount would be $65,468.94. The Court then ordered that there be an award of punitive damages in the amount of $5,000 and ordered that the defendant cover the cost of attorney’s fees.
This is just one of many examples of how The Law Offices of T. Michael Flinn fight to protect consumers in a state plagued with slimy car dealers who take advantage of consumers to make a quick buck. If you believe you’re a victim of fraud by a car dealer, call our office today at [nap_phone id=”LOCAL-REGULAR-NUMBER-1″] or simply use our online form to request a free case evaluation.