Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Caveat Emptor as the ancient Romans must have said when they bought a new chariot. Or as we say, Buyer Beware! The Attorney-General of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, has filed a civil suit against a New Jersey couple who own two Value Kia dealerships in south-eastern Pennsylvania. The suit accuses the couple of false and misleading advertising, selling defective vehicles, and failing to honor warranty and guarantee agreements in the sale of new and used vehicles. False Advertising Throughout 2005, the defendants ran advertising in radio, TV and print ads, and on the internet which offered incentives, free gifts and rebates. These ads made such offers as: “Free vehicle with any vehicle purchase”, and “Up to $12,000 off new cars”. Some offered the buyer a diamond bracelet and others offered free gas for up to a year. “The defendants failed to make good on many of the sales incentives,” said Corbett. “Consumers arrived at the dealerships expecting to receive the free gifts or deals, only to be told that they had to meet a host of conditions to qualify for the offers.” Those conditions were not disclosed in the ads, nor could most buyers meet them all. The lawsuit also states that the defendants falsely represented vehicles as being roadworthy at the time of sale. In some cases, they sold vehicles with many defects, such as faulty brakes, transmissions, engines, and airbags. After the problems were identified, the defendants allegedly failed to fix them properly. Fraudulent Repair Work Some customers complained that the defendants didn’t provide them with their warranty documents. Others complained that they were charged for work that would have been covered under the warranty, except that the defendants repeatedly postponed the repair until the warranty period had expired. The suit also alleges that the defendants repeatedly failed to supply buyers with registration and permanent license plates in a timely fashion; and that sales taxes and transfer and registration fees were not sent to the proper agency within the time given by law. One customer complained that after he bought a used Kia sportage he discovered that it had steering and electrical problems, wheel vibrations, engine cutoff and trouble with restarting. On one occasion, the defendants charged this customer $1,200 for repairs while claiming that the vehicle didn’t have the problems described by the customer. Within 48-hours, the same problems recurred and the vehicle had to be towed to the dealership. Twelve days later, it was returned to the customer, supposedly repaired again. Later the same day, the vehicle’s engine cut out while he was driving and blocked a bridge. The police impounded it. Do you need a defective product or product liability lawyer? Have you ever been treated in the above fashion by an automobile dealer or auto repair facility? If you or someone you know have been deceived by false advertising, charged for inadequate or non-existent repair work, or are in an auto or truck accident as a result of defective auto repair or a defective new vehicle—whether in Bucks county, Chester county, or anywhere in Pennsylvania—and if you need to contact a product liability lawyer, call the Pearce Law Firm in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Edith Pearce is an experienced Pennsylvania defective product lawyer, whose years in the insurance industry have taught her how to get the compensation her clients deserve, including recovering expenses, replacing income, vehicle replacement, and making sure that any medical bills, losses and suffering are fairly compensated. The firm will thoroughly investigate your situation or vehicle accident and work diligently to arrive at a timely settlement or proceed to trial to obtain the compensation you deserve. Please call us for a FREE CONSULTATION or send us an email. (215) 557-8686