Latest news with #StatetoStateAutomotive
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
A Brooklyn auto shop held a man's SUV for two years as the man got more than $2K in parking fines. Here's what went down
It's not uncommon for car repairs to turn into a costly headache, but Louis Denory's experience with a local repair shop can easily be described as a nightmare. As the Brooklyn man shared with CBS New York, his Ford Flex was held hostage for nearly two years by an auto repair shop that refused to return it. After an accident in April, 2023, Denory's SUV was towed to A9's Automotive in Brooklyn. That shop later changed its name to State to State Automotive, but kept the same management team. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) A near-record number of Americans are grappling with $1,000 car payments and many drivers can't keep up. Here are 3 ways to stay ahead Home prices in America could fly through the roof in 2025 — here's the big reason why and how to take full advantage (with as little as $10) Meanwhile, Denory says he spent months trying to get his vehicle back while the shop offered excuse after excuse. 'They would give excuses, talking about 'Oh, the parts, there was a delay on the parts,'' Denory shared with CBS. 'And then the guy talking about he had a death in the famiy… and nobody knew where the car was.' While the shop stalled, the city of Brooklyn apparently knew exactly where Denory's SUV was. After receiving more than $2,000 in fines, Denory learned that his vehicle had been illegally parked down the street from the body shop for months, collecting parking ticket after parking ticket. This sent Denory on a mission to get his SUV back, and CBS News New York's Tim McNicholas was there to help. As the days turned into months following his accident, Denory couldn't get a clear answer on when his vehicle would be fixed. And then the fines started showing up in the mail. By August, 2024, a judge ruled that State to State Automotive was responsible for paying the parking tickets, but the shop still hasn't paid the fines. Denory and McNicholas went to State to State's shop around this time to ask about the SUV. "Where's this guy's car?" McNicholas asked a man at the shop, to which the man replied, 'We don't have a Ford Flex here.' In October, 2024, Denory finally tracked down his vehicle, which was at a parking lot near the auto shop. But when he arrived to take it back, Denory was met with more bad news — the SUV wouldn't start, had flat tires and a truck was blocking the exit to the lot. When he demanded his vehicle back, Denory said an unidentified worker brought up 'storage fees.' 'I'm not paying no storage. I don't care what you're saying,' Denory said. 'Then you're not getting the car back,' the man replied. Later, Denory and McNicholas revisited the lot and found someone had moved his vehicle closer to the exit. With help from his insurance company, which sent someone to jumpstart the vehicle and pump up the tires, Denory was able to drive his SUV home for the first time in 20 months. But the fight apparently isn't over. Denory still doesn't know if his vehicle was properly fixed despite Geico Insurance's claim that the shop cashed the $6,000 check to cover the repair costs. He is now working with the sheriff's office to try to get the funds from the shop for the unpaid parking tickets. The Department of Motor Vehicles is also investigating State to State Automotive, though they declined to offer details. Read more: Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Denory finally has his Ford Flex back, but other customers of the same auto shop say their vehicles are also being held hostage. No one wants to experience this kind of frustration, so what can you do to avoid finding yourself in a similar situation? You can start by checking out the auto repair shop's online reviews. After that, extend your research to the Better Business Bureau, where you can see if the shop has any negative complaints. If anything in your research gives you pause, find another auto shop in your area and conduct your research over again. When you land on an auto shop that's earned your confidence, request a written estimate that includes the costs, as well as a projected completion date before agreeing to the repairs. This can help you hold the shop accountable if things go wrong. These steps can help you avoid Denory's fate, but sometimes all the research in the world isn't enough to prevent you from doing business with an unscrupulous company. If you ever happen to find yourself in a similar situation to Denory's, you can always file a complaint with the BBB or another government agency, such as the Division of Consumer Protection, the AG's office or your state's version of the Department of Motor Vehicles. You can also take legal action. In extreme cases like Denory's, you may need to get legal assistance, and if hiring a lawyer is too expensive, you can always take the issue to small claims court. These 5 money moves will boost you up America's net worth ladder in 2025 — and you can complete each step within minutes. Here's how Jamie Dimon issues a warning about the US stock market — says prices are 'kind of inflated.' Crashproof your portfolio with these 3 rock-solid strategies This self-made $500M real estate mogul reveals his 'essential' US portfolio that he says Amazon 'can't hurt' — here's how everyday investors can copy his secret formula This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
CBS News
05-02-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Owner of lot leased to troubled Brooklyn repair shop calls on New York state for help
NEW YORK -- A recent CBS News New York investigation showed customers struggling for months to recoup their cars from a Brooklyn repair shop. Now, a landlord who leased a lot to the shop is calling on the state to step up, saying regulators should have done more to prevent the situation. Owner laments having no control of her lot The owner of a lot at East 86th and Foster says she can't get eight cars off her land. She says State to State Automotive started renting the lot for storage in 2023, but she's been trying to evict the company since because she says it stopped paying rent in September. "I'm horrified because I know that these are peoples' property," the lot owner said. "It's very stressful. It's very stressful having to know that you have a piece of property that you can't do anything about. I feel better that CBS has done this exposé." She asked CBS News New York Investigates not to share her name out of fear of retaliation. She learned from our story how customers say they're treated by people at the shop. "Nine months later, I don't have my car. They won't release my car, even though they received full payment," customer Sara-Lee Ramsawak said. Another business is connected to State to State Automotive Our investigation found there used to be a business at this garage at Atlantic and Nostrand avenues called A9's Automotive -- and it had a history of violations. It took in a Brooklyn man's damaged car in 2023 even though the state says A9's didn't have a proper repair shop license at the time. The shop's Instagram page had already been directing people at that time to "follow our new business page" called State to State Automotive. And two months after A9's took in that car, the state approved a repair shop license for a new LLC under that name -- and the name on the sign later changed. too. "They're not investigating properly peoples' credentials, and that, unfortunately, is affecting the innocent people. And it's a trickle-down effect. I'm not getting paid rent. People have their cars held hostage," the lot owner said. The Department of Motor Vehicles regulates repair shops, but it says it can't do an interview with us because of an ongoing investigation into State to State. CBS News New York Investigates reached out to State to State again Tuesday and a man who said he's an employee apologized for the situation and any harm it's caused. We already helped that Brooklyn man get his car back and the employee said Ramsawak will get hers Friday. The employee said the shop will reach out to the lot owner to "work out whatever we have to work out with them." He also said those cars at the lot are all damaged cars that were uninsured.
