Attorney General's News Release

November 18, 2009

Attorney General Koster takes aim at used car dealers who break the law

-- takes action against 7 Missouri dealerships for violations --

Jefferson City, Mo. -- Attorney General Chris Koster said today he has taken action against seven used car dealerships in Missouri for violation of laws governing the sale of used vehicles, including violations that could compromise the safety of people purchasing the vehicles.  

According to Koster, his office investigated a number of used car dealerships around the state following consumer complaints.  Violations uncovered from the investigation include: 

• Selling vehicles without required safety inspections.
• Issuing temporary tags on vehicles sold with junk or salvage affidavits.
• Requiring customers to sign affidavits stating the cars were not for immediate transportation, many times without the customers' knowledge that the affidavit was part of the purchase documents.

Koster's office has obtained consent judgments for violations against the following dealerships:  

• Not Nu Auto Sales of Kansas City, which will pay restitution and civil penalties of $6,000.
• Rich Royce Autos of St. Louis, which also sold cars without current emissions testing as required for used cars sold in St. Louis, and did not notify consumers, in writing, of their rights involving repair of the emissions system.  Rich Royce Autos will pay restitution and civil penalties of $14,000.
• Supercars, Inc., of Springfield, which will pay $7,500 restitution.
• Ace Motors of St. Joseph, which will pay $2,000 restitution.

Also, Hollywood Motors of St. Louis has signed an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance that they will immediately begin notifying consumers, in writing, of the St. Louis emissions testing policy. 

In addition to the consent judgments and Assurance of Voluntary Compliance, Koster also has filed suit against EZZ Motors and St. Louis Car Credit, both of St. Louis, for the same violations as the others, and also for failing to provide valid titles.  

"The Attorney General's Office has evaluated a number of dealerships throughout Missouri for their compliance with the laws," Koster said.  "We found in several dealerships that the law was being violated and unsuspecting consumers were being taken advantage of.  Used car dealers in Missouri have an obligation to be honest with their customers and abide by the law, and this office will aggressively pursue those who fail to do so." 

Koster encourages consumers who have recently purchased vehicles from other dealerships without current, valid safety inspections, or without obtaining immediate valid titles, to contact the Attorney General's Office at www.ago.mo.gov or by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-392-8222.