Complaint Review: CHOICE MOTOR CAR - Plainville Connecticut

I traded in my 2007 Jeep worth $13,995. I received $6701 check and a 2001 Toyota Solara. Choice Motor Car registered the car for me and I was waiting for the title to come in the mail. I never received it, several attempts to get it from DMV and the dealership to no avail. I then went to price it at CarMax and they told me the title had been salvaged TWICE! They showed me the broken frame. I had a fender bender, and the whole front fascia caved in. I wasn't going 5 mph. The airbags didn't go off. This is very disconcerting, if I had been going faster, what could have happened. I wanted to sell the car for parts and found I can't. I called the dealer and they still say they sent title to DMV. Never disclosed it was a salvage and I am out $7,294. Please help!!  

 Timeline:

4/1/14 I purchased my 2001 Toyota Solara convertible for $7,294.00 with a check for $6,701.00 and surrendered my trade-in 2007 Jeep valued at $13,995.

Several visible items needed to be fixed, tear in the upholstery, rear “clunk”, rear bulb and touch up scratch on the rear bumper. I was told my Toyota would be ready in one week.

 I stopped in several time in the next 2 ½ weeks following and they said it would take a bit longer and it was not ready so finally I was given a loaner. I was told to come pick it up a minimum of 4 times following this and it was not there and not ready for pick up. 

 On 4/30/14, one month later, I received a call to possibly come pick it up at 3:30 along with my check for the balance. I received no call, no check and no car.

 5/1/2014 I called the DMV Dispute Program for the first time. I was told they would speak with their supervisor and get back to me.  I informed Choice Motors of this phone call and the car was presented to me to pick up.

 6/19/2014 I received a notice from the State of Connecticut Dept. of Motor Vehicles Title Division, signed by KYM.  Case number xxxxx. They had CC’d me on a letter they sent to Choice Motor Car of Plainville requesting them to “SUBMIT PROOF OF SALVAGE INSPECTION”

 6/20/14 I called the Dealer Online Case 860-262-5181 to see about the Title, they told me to call Choice Motor Car.  I called Choice Motor Car and they told me that DMV had the title and all the necessary paperwork.

 8/5/14 I called the Title Division again, they said they have not received the paperwork, for some reason it was still on hold and they would get back to me as soon as they had information. I again called Choice Motor Car, I was told that Mike and Joe were not available but would get back to me. They did not.

 11/5/2014 I again called title division and choice motors, both would get back to me with information. Neither did.

 Every 2 or three months I called again and was told by DMV there was a hold on the title, supervisor would be notified and would get back to me. At the time, I was driving the car, had no reason to think about selling it and would call again when doing bills monthly or every other month. Same song and dance, on hold, supervisor will need to be brought in, will get back to you when we resolve this issue and have any information for you. I am aware that there are thousands of Title issues so I had faith the DMV would be working on it but it was not an emergency so I waited patiently.

8/3/2015 I called Choice Motors, because I needed to get this off my “to do list “ when I am doing my monthly bills.  Spoke to Joe, he said that he cannot help me, the DMV has the title and they  (Choice Motors) cannot do anything for me.

8/4/42015 I called DMV Title Department.  KYM stated the vehicle has been in several accidents and is on hold pending Proof of Salvage Inspection which they have requested several times from Choice Motors and have not received, she will follow up with supervisor and get back to me. They never did.

10/14/2015 Went to CarMax to have car appraised to trade in. They informed me (I have the appraisal form) that they could not offer any money for this vehicle since it has been in “TWO ACCIDENTS, MAJOR DAMAGE AND SALVAGE HISTORY FOUND OTHER CONDITIONS NOTED.” VINNY D the appraiser brought my boyfriend and I out and showed us where the frame had been welded and that they could not take the car because where it was welded the integrity of what the frame’s function is was altered. “It would crush in like an accordion with minimal force! “.

 10/15/2015 Called Choice Motor Car, they said they would look for the folder and get back to me. Again, never did.

 10/15/2015 Called DMV Title division and they said, “Oh that must be why the title is on hold, we need to get the salvage inspection.” They will contact me when they receive the information.

10/2015 – 4/1016 - Pending bankruptcy, can not get rid of car because of not having a title and CarMax’s appraisal so I was not able to sell or trade car, this went on back burner until they made their ruling. Decided I have to keep the car, I can’t sell it.

6/6/2016 – I got in a slow fender bender, taking off from a dead stop at a green arrow. I hit a small pick up truck in front of me when they stopped short. Absolutely no damage to their truck, not even a scratch so he didn’t call police or insurance.  He was amazed at the damage of my car. I drove the car from Rocky Hill back to my boyfriend’s house in Southington and after having had it looked it they said that there was no way that damage should have occurred with that low impact.  The cause of the damage was that the frame did not withhold on minor impact.  The front just crumpled, which should not have happened. The air bags did not go off either. They said I could sell it, because we put $$ into it and it was a decent car for all the engine, tranny and rest of the car but would not sell other than a parts car because of the salvage damage to the frame.  I thought that was good since I didn’t have the title and he said I need the title even for that. Again, dead end due to Choice Motor Car and DMV not resolving this issue.

 6/8/2016 860-2635405 left voice mail with Dept. Consumer Protection DMV Dispute office.

 6/8/2016 Called Mike from Choice Motors, he answered his cell, I quickly ran through that I need the title, but he was at the bank and not in the office.  He asked me to call him back in 15 minutes or so.  I called back 25 minutes later, Joe answered Mikes cell phone that I had just spoken to him on and said he wasn’t in. I explained that I just talked to him on that number while he was at the bank and that he is expecting my call. Joe said that they don’t know what to tell me, DMV has the title. I informed him that I am calling a lawyer and channel 8 for the unethical way they handled this whole sale.  That I NEVER would have bought the car for any amount of money with a salvage title or damage to the frame and they have been shady from the beginning and I am done with it. Now I am out a car. He told me Mike would call me back.

Mike called and offered to buy back the car for a minimal amount, I said I never would have purchased it knowing what I know now about the accidents and frame damage and he is so lucky I was not going any faster or there would have been a death on his hands and that I want the full amount back for putting me in danger like that. He told me to give him my lawyer’s number, he would not pay the full price.  I had contacted Consumer Law Group, Auto Fraud, but I was trying to resolve this with the DMV and Choice without such means.

 In the meantime Theresa at DMV Title Dept. looked up the Micro because it was on Suspense Hold for something. This was noted as awaiting the Proof of Salvage Inspection from Choice Motors Car, which had been requested but never submitted.

I called Choice Motors back and spoke with Mike again, he said he had the title and it was clean. He said he had been working with the title department as well.

 Theresa called back minutes later and said all the reports they pulled showed no salvage and no reason it had been on hold, that they will remove the salvage reference.  After over 2 years of holding my title hostage, now they can just say they will remove reference? Where did the reference come from in the first place and how do you clear that? How is there no reference when CarMax found two issues with the car? She said she needed to speak with her supervisor and get back to me by lunchtime the next day (6/9/2016). She did not

 6/13/2016 Still no word from Theresa in Title Division.  I called Lynn in Consumer Complaints Dept. She said she would find out what they determined with the title department.

6/14/2016 Called Lynn but received voice mail then I missed her call back. I had to go to DMV to register a car for me to be able to get around, it has now been 8 days without my vehicle and no way to do anything with it.  While I was in Wethersfield DMV I went up to the Title Dept. to see if there was any status updates. I spoke with the Lieutenant who went to get Lynn for me to discuss my case.  Lynn and Theresa were given my information and I filed K-35 with Lynn and mailed the other copy to Choice Motor Car.   Lynn later called and informed me that the dept. agreed to look into this complaint.

On my way out, Theresa called me so I went back up to pick up the title department this title has “Branded in Connecticut” across the front of the title. I did not purchase a car, to my knowledge, that was salvaged and/or branded from this dealer - Choice Motor Car. I would never have purchased such a vehicle. Consequently I found that the State of CT did not (At that time) have reciprocity with cars coming into the state. The vehicle in question was purchased at auction in MA and CT DMV supposedly did not get that info so Choice Motor Car presented them with a clean title... however, why did they hold it for salvage inspection if that was true?!?!? How did it pass inspection?!?!?! 

6/17/2015 Kevin from DMV Complaints called and asked me what it is I am looking for out of this complaint. I feel that I was fraudulently sold a worthless car for $6,939 plus tax that I could have been killed in and I want my money back. I then discussed that I did drive the car, I sunk a lot of money into it not knowing it was un-sellable in the end. If it was not for the accident I would still be driving the car, I loved it.  That little fender bender should never have made the damage it did had it not had the welded frame when it happened. However, I am trying to compromise since I drove it for 2 years and did have the accident with it I would accept a minimum of half the sale price or I will have to go the legal route. 

6/28/2016 I called DMV complaint dept. and left voicemail to get status on case against Choice Motor Car of Plainville.

Kevin called me back and informed me that he had a meeting with the legal department at 3:00pm to determine if they will be doing a hearing or small claims court.  If it is to go to claims court it will cost me $90 for filing fee.

I went out to the car to get the registration and personal items out of the car and found the DMV form K-208 that stated everything passed safety inspection. I highly doubt that inspection was even performed because CarMax showed us how obvious the weld was and the implications of the lack of integrity of the frame due to the location of it.

 6/29/2016 Kevin called, the determination of the legal meeting is that they will go ahead with the hearing. He then informed me that he spoke with Mike the owner of Choice Motors and that they want to see pictures of the car to evaluate the damage to the car.

The pictures of the car are being submitted with this narrative of timeline of events since A) everyone keeps saying “Because I waited 2 years” where you can clearly see that I was stonewalled by Choice Motors and DMV for those 2 years with the hold on the title that suddenly became an non-issue, which I would like explained to me and B) The damage would not have been nearly as much if the frame performed its safety function properly and protected this from happening.  The man I hit and I were astonished at the damage and the only explanation I was given was “because of prior loss of integrity”.  I hate to think of what would have happened if any kind of speed were involved and they (Choice Motors) willingly put me in this dangerous car.

 I do not find this acceptable that I bought a car in good faith from a used car dealership for nearly $7,000 that I wasn’t even able to sell one day let alone one year later, and I could have been killed if there had their been any speed involved in more serious of an accident.  If CarMax can see so quickly that this was not a “clean title” and exactly where the frame was welded…. Choice Motor Car dropped the ball on good business. Even if they had not known there was a mark on the title, there is no way a pre-sale safety inspection of the vehicle prior to selling to me could have missed this frame damage.  They fraudulently provided me with a K-208 that indicated the vehicle had been inspected for safety with all the inspection results as PASSED. Including “FRAME/CHASSIS” AND “AIRBAGS”.  The fact that the DMV informed me that some dealers, within their LEGAL rights, go to out of state auctions and pick up cars with salvaged or damaged history that does not LEGALLY need to be disclosed does not make for good ETHICAL business. That is very unethical on the part of Choice Motor Car and I will be pursuing this to the fullest extent of the law if DMV cannot help me peacefully resolve this issue. Just because you can get away with something so dangerous because of loopholes in reciprocity of the title history does not mean that an ethical car dealer would go that route and I will expose the truth on this practice to save innocent victims in the future.

Conclusion: 6/6/2017 - In order for me to get anywhere with this I need to retain a lawyer $$, tow the truck to their inspection station to see if they could have determined if the damage was visible before my accident more $$$ Pay the inspection state for the inspection $$$ and take my chances that the damage in the accident I had didnt mask the original damage. I can not afford all of that. I called DMV, they can no longer help me ... I was told "I told you when I closed the case that if you receive a favorable judgment in court and if the licensee does not pay you, we would reopen the case in order to pursue the licensee’s surety bond on your behalf.  However, you must initiate a small claims case and prevail in court." So Choice Motor Car of Plainville got away with it, DMV allowed it and I am stuck writing this without a beautiful car to even trade in for another. OUT nearly $7000, many hours of aggravation and attention to the case and nothing more than to be able to help out another consumer looking to purchase from Choice Motor Car.... DONT!!