Complaint Review: Standard Pre-owned Auto Sales - Kaukauna Wisconsin

Prior to having major back surgery February 15th, 2016, I listed my 2008 Mercedes C300 on Craigslist for sale. I was contacted by John Solberg from Standard Pre-owned Auto and he told me Standard Pre-owned could sell my car for me as this was common practice at their dealership. John explained to me that it would not cost me any money to have Standard Pre-owned Auto sell my car and that I would receive my full asking price for my vehicle. Solberg stated Standard Pre-owned makes their money through the transaction on the back end by financing the vehicles for the purchasers. I contracted with Standard Pre-owned to sell my vehicle. Solberg sent two individuals (Denny and Courtney) to sign the contract at my home and pick up my vehicle on February 10, 2016. My friend Heidi was at my home at was privy to the entire transaction. In addition, while Denny and Courtney were at my home, we called my loan officer Tracey Ostrowski, from Valley Community Credit Uniion in Mosinee (715 693 3400) and talked to her on speaker phone so everyone could hear the conversation. At that time, Denny told Tracey and I that I could remove full coverage insurance from my vehicle after they take posession of the car as it would be covered on their car lot. I took my insurance off the vehicle on February 15th, 2016.

After Denny and Courtney removed my plates from my car and took the vehicle to Standard Pre-owned in Suamico, I called several times to see if there had been any movement on my car. John told me my car was going to stay in Suamico. After looking at the Standard Pre-owned website, I soon realized my car was in Kaukauna on the website for that dealership. Solberg told me they were having a big sale and he thought my car would sell faster. I did not agree to moving the vehicle. Over the next several weeks I called several times to check on the status of my vehicle. Every time I called, I got the run around from Solberg and the employees at Standard Pre-owned. Nobody ever knew where my car was, and several times I was told there were pending sales on my car. After getting the run around for several weeks, I demanded to have my car returned to me. Solberg called me and asked me what I thought he was doing. He said, "Do you think we are trying to hurt you? I'm a Christian with strong morals and values. We wouldn't do anything to HURT you Cindy!!" He tried to make me feel bad for inquiring what was going on and where my car was and ultimately wanting my car back. At one point I was angry with one of the salespeople who kept giving me the run around and nobody would return my car and Solberg called me back and I told him his customer service was terrible as I used to be a customer relations manager for Kocurek Chevrolet in central Wisconsin and in Eau Claire Wisconsin. Solberg then offered me a job and told me he was going to come up with an employment package for me, all in an attempt to distract me from my car not being returned and nobody knowing what the status of the vehcile was.

On May 10th I called again to see where my car was as I could never get through to anyone. Solberg would send me texts at 6:00 a.m. and at 11:30 p.m. on different days wondering if he could call me. I asked, "Who does business at these hours in a car dealership?" I was told on May 10th that my car was sold, unbeknown to me. I was told it was sold May 10th, 2016 and that Solberg was going to use a "10 day grace period" in which to pay me. Nobody could tell me who sold my car, when, or for what amount. Solberg told me someone would be calling me around May 20th, 2016 to set up payment. The next phonecall I received from the dealership was from Courtney telling me Solberg seriously "mismanaged" funds at the dealership and was no longer working there, and that she had no idea how they were going to pay me for my car because the sheriff's department had warrants for both locations and they were both being shut down for investigation of theft and fraud. I was never paid anything for my car.

Solberg and said employees sent a fraudulent title through the Wisconsin DMV electronic system. I never signed off on a title and my bank never signed off on a lien release. I still owe money on my vehicle at Valley Communities Credit Union for the car, and for insurance never paid because Standard Pre-owned never insured my vehicle. I was told everything was being investigated by the sheriff's dept. the FBI, and WI DOT. Mike Urban the state DOT investigator sent out letters to all of us saying that the purchasers of the vehicles "acted in good faith" when buying the vehicles so they are now legally theirs. Valley Community Credit Union and I have the original, authentic title to my car. I am still making payments on the vehicle. It is my understanding that Standard Pre-owned, John Solberg, and all affiliated dealerships and employees did this to a plethura of people and none of us were ever paid for our vehicles. They stole all of our money and took off leaving us high and dry.

It is my understanding that the Wisconsin DOT ruled in favor of the purchasers of our vehicles because they profited significantly from the transactions, taxes, licenses, and registration of all of these vehicles. If the DOT ruled in our (the real owners of the vehicles) favor, they would have to give all of that money back and re-do all of the paper work for those vehicles. The Wisconsin DOT did not license these dealerships as they were supposed to, they continued to accept vehicle transactions from these dealerships who they themselves did not license and knew it, and they profited tremendously from all of these stolen vehicles. The Wisconsin DOT did not protect the citizens from these dealerships as they should have after  prior complaints of this same type of activity. The Wisconsin DOT profited from passing through stolen vehicles and knew it, plain and simple. It is unknown how long the DOT was aware of this situation, but even after having knowledge of this situation, they did nothing to protect the rightful owners of these vehicles. In my opinion, they are equally responsible for the thefts of these vehicles.

Cynthia L. Nievinski