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SUNSET — Think about paying 1000’s of {dollars} for a automobile, solely to seek out out you can’t get license plates to drive it legally.
When it occurred to a Salt Lake Metropolis lady, she determined to Get Gephardt.
“That is the automobile that I used to be alleged to get, or that I did have for per week” Nataly Fontoura instructed KSL, as she pointed to a photograph of a 2011 BMW sport utility car that she bought final spring from AutoPro Motors in Sundown.
Fontoura, who lives in Salt Lake Metropolis, later realized the state won’t give her license plates for the 12-year-old automobile due to mechanical points.
“It did not cross emissions, so I wasn’t in a position to register it,” she stated.
Fontoura stated she contacted the dealership, and the proprietor instructed her he would repair her SUV to get it to cross emissions. However week after week, she stated the automobile simply sits in an auto store.
“It has been 5 months now; they do not know what’s fallacious with it,” she stated. “They do not know after I’m gonna get it again.”
Fontoura does have a automobile she will drive. After pestering the seller, she stated he delivered an oil-leaking loaner. However she stated the small sedan is far too small to get her mom, who makes use of a wheelchair, round. And she or he doesn’t belief it within the snow.
“I do not really feel protected in any respect on this automobile,” she stated. “That is one of many causes I purchased an SUV is as a result of I need my household to be protected.”
With no clear reply on when she would get her BMW again, final October, Fontoura requested the dealership for a refund, and he or she stated the proprietor agreed.
“I simply need my a refund,” she stated.
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Unwinding the deal
The proprietor of AutoPro Motors didn’t reply to our a number of emails asking about Fontoura’s automobile and why it can’t be pushed on Utah roads. So, we walked into the dealership and met proprietor Joel Stephen.
“We’re within the means of, I feel she desires to unwind the deal, so we’re within the means of doing that,” he instructed us.
“She’s been making an attempt to undergo that course of with you for a while now,” we countered.
“Yeah, we needed to undergo a pair issues earlier than we have been in a position to get it finished,” Stephen answered.
As KSL investigators dug deeper, we discovered Fontoura isn’t alone in her frustration with the dealership. The corporate has been slapped with an “F” score by the Higher Enterprise Bureau for failing to answer 5 separate complaints. One criticism from 2021 reads, “Nonetheless cannot get license plates as a result of automobile will not cross emissions.”
After we introduced that up with AutoPro Motors, Stephen instructed us, “So, the way it works is when any automobile is offered as-is, we’re not liable for any emissions.”
Guidelines of the highway
We fact-checked that declare with state regulators.
“Typically, if the seller sells you a car, they should guarantee that the car can cross related inspections,” stated Jason Gardner, spokesman for the Utah Motor Car Enforcement Division.
Gardner defined not each county in Utah requires automobiles to cross an emissions take a look at to be registered. But when a automobile is offered to somebody residing in a county with that requirement, which was the case with Fontoura who lives in Salt Lake County, it should have the ability to cross emissions. And if emissions are required, the inspection should have been finished inside eleven months previous to the sale.
However there may be an exception to that rule.
“In the event that they promote the car with out issuing a brief allow,” Gardner stated. “A short lived allow is principally what authorizes you once you purchase your automobile to drive that car away in lieu — till you will get your official registration.”
So, you could possibly technically haul a automobile away from a dealership with out that momentary paper allow. However to drive off with that automobile, it wants that allow, which legally assures, amongst different issues, the automobile can cross emissions. However dealerships do not need to register a used automobile.
“You guys don’t register the automobiles right here?” KSL requested Stephen at AutoPro Motors.
“No. We do for some automobiles that are newer,” he answered. “However the older automobiles, we don’t register.”
As for Fontoura, she contacted state regulators, who investigated. The state confirmed with AutoPro that her deal is being unwound. Fontoura stated she has gotten again her down cost however remains to be ready for her mortgage to be paid off.
“Very irritating,” she stated. “I haven’t got the automobile that I have been paying for.”
So be warned as you store for a used automobile — when you dwell in a county with an emissions requirement, and the seller points a brief allow, the car should have the ability to cross emissions earlier than the seller can promote it.
If the seller doesn’t register the automobile, there isn’t a assure it is possible for you to to get it registered your self. An professional KSL spoke to says, this can be a good reminder to at all times have a mechanic give a used automobile a as soon as over before you purchase it.
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Matt GephardtMatt Gephardt has labored in tv information for greater than 20 years, and as a reporter since 2010. He’s now a client investigative reporter for KSL TV. You will discover Matt on Twitter at @KSLmatt or e mail him at matt@ksl.com.