Manchester car dealership sued over scam accusations

MANCHESTER, CT (WFSB) - A car dealership in Manchester is accused of scamming customers out of thousands of dollars.

Customers said Manchester City Nissan added junk fees and extra charges without consent.

The state and Federal Trade Commission has gotten involved.

“What’s most disappointing and shocking to me are the thousands of dollars in fake fees, bogus fees, junk fees, add-ons that Manchester City Nissan has larded onto its customers,” said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong.

The FTC and the Attorney General’s Office said they suing the locally-owned dealership.

“I always say karma comes back,” said Jaime Vega of Manchester. “It’s not nice when you scam people, and you find that everywhere these days.”

The lawsuit stated that customers purchased what they thought were “certified pre-owned vehicles,” which are used cars in better condition where everything is fixed and ready to go.

When one is advertised for sale, what is seen is supposed to be the set price.

That wasn’t the case at Manchester City Nissan, according to the lawsuit.

“The problem is we have evidence, and we know that people are going into Manchester City Nissan, and they’re saying, ‘Hey, I saw your ad for $20,500.’ They say, ‘Yeah, sure, we’ve got the car. But actually, you have to pay another $2,500 more,’” Tong said.

Victims reported that they also found charges added to the cost of their car without their knowledge or consent.

In one case, the lawsuit alleged that the business advertised a “Certified” 2017 Nissan Rogue for $15,700, but charged the buyer a $5,000 inspection fee for a vehicle that was advertised as already inspected.”

Tong said the dealership knew what it was doing and deceived customers.

“If the owners at Manchester City Nissan figure out that finally, they’re in big trouble here, maybe they’ll pick up the phone and try to work this out with us,” Tong said.

The dealership issued a statement on Friday morning.