Complaint Review: Rick Miller Used Cars - Ripley West Virgina

RE: 1996 GMC Sonoma Truck 

 On 09/04/2020, we test drove the 1996 GMC Sonoma that Rick Miller Used Cars had for sale. The truck was not inspected, had bad brakes, would not start without a jump start, had no back lights and had no license plate light. We discussed with salesperson, Shannon Rose, that in order for us to purchase the truck several issues needed to be addressed. 

 Mr Rose agreed:

·        That the truck would be inspected, any necessary work done to pass WV state inspection and that it would PASS inspection.

·        The brakes would be fixed.

·        If the truck continued to not start, the battery would be replaced; if that did not fix the problem, it would be fixed.

·        The back lights were not attached to the truck. The lights would be attached, and a license plate light would be installed.

We purchased the truck with the agreement that all discussed conditions would be taken care of.



The truck was left with Rick Miller Used Cars so these issues could be fixed. As stated in the Bill of Sale: “IF WE MADE ANY PROMISES TO YOU, THE LAW SAYS WE MUST KEEP OUR PROMISES EVEN IF WE SELL ‘AS IS’.”

 On 09/09/2020 we attempted to pick up the truck from Rick Miller Used Cars and the brakes were still bad (unsafe). The truck had an Inspection Sticker on it. The truck was left with Rick Miller Used Cars to address this.

 We picked the truck up again, it needed to be jump started, on or about 09/12/2020 and drove it home. After that, the truck would not start.  Contacted Rick Miller Used Cars and Shannon Rose said to get a new battery at Advanced Auto and charge it to the account of Rick Miller Used Cars. Purchased and installed new battery on 09/22/2020. Truck still would not start.

 We had the truck towed to Slate Auto & Transmission, 302 Slate Rd, Spencer, WV 25276. Slate Auto advised us that the truck should NOT have passed inspection.  Slate Auto and I advised the WV State Police of the fraudulent inspection sticker.  They looked the truck over ($91.90) and came up with an estimate of about $1100.00 to fix the issues for it to pass inspection.

 I called Shannon Rose and gave him two options, take the truck back and refund our money in full or fix everything it needed done to get it up to snuff.  Mr Rose stated Rick Miller Used Cars would fix everything.  I dropped the truck off at Rick Miller Used Cars on 10/06/2020 along with a copy of the Slate Auto estimate.  Mr Rose took the estimate and stated, “we will take care of everything.”  Rick Miller Used Cars had the truck for several days. 

On or about 10/19/2020, a different salesperson left a phone message (recorded) and said the truck was fixed and ready to be picked up. I called Rick Miller Used Cars and asked the same salesperson who had left the phone message if everything on the estimate had been done and he said “yes”.  We picked the truck up again, and it still had brake issues and needed new tires in order to pass inspection, both issues which were on the estimate.

Took the truck back to Slate Auto and it still need about $1000.00 in work to pass inspection and be safe to drive. Since Rick Miller Used Cars had failed to fix the issues as promised, after multiple attempts, we had Slate Auto fix them. The bill to fix the issues came to $985.17.

On December 21, 2020, we mailed the bill for reimbursement to Rick Miller Used Cars per Certified USPS.  We asked that Rick Miller Used Auto reimburse the $91.90 and $985.17 paid to Slate Auto for a total of $1077.07 by January 22, 2021. Advised them that if reimbursement has not been made by 01/23/2021, we will pursue all legal remedies and any legal/court costs will be added to the balance owed.