7 On Your Side helps car owners after dealership fails to provide titles
NANUET, New York (WABC) -- Imagine buying a car, then being forced to lock it up and not drive it.
That's exactly what happened to three customers of a Rockland County car dealership.
Route 59 Motors in Nanuet didn't provide vehicle titles to three of our viewers who emailed 7 On Your Side for help.
That makes it impossible to register the new cars and get license plates, rendering their new rides illegal on the road.
But, while they hold up their end of the deal, paying for their cars, the owner of the New York dealership has put the pedal to the metal avoiding them, and 7 On Your Side, at all costs.
"Insane and narcissistic," said Ryan, a customer.
"Violated and disrespected," said Carl, a customer.
Three strangers had one thing in common. They all had a car from Route 59 Motors that they could not drive.
Ryan bought his Jeep Wrangler in October of 2023, and Jonathan bought an Infinity a month later.
After a full year, they still didn't have a title for their cars.
"I wasn't given a reason as to why," Ryan said.
"The folks that work 59 Motors can continuously just delay the process, making you think that they're doing something for you or on your behalf and never follow through on it," Jonathan said.
"Then out of nowhere, they told me, Oh, come pick up the tags. I went there, they handed me Georgia tags," Carl said.
He's never even been to Georgia so Carl took matters into his own hands. After haggling with Route 59's owner, Peter Samaan, and the New York DMV for six months, he was finally able to register his Jeep with a duplicate title.
As soon as 7 On Your Side contacted the owner of Route 59 Motors he asked to sit down with us and provide financial statements he said would explain what went wrong.
He also agreed to cut cashier's checks to the customers, essentially refunding them and buying their cars back.
We never got the interview, they never got their checks, but the owner got arrested, for scheming to defraud."
"I said, I'm going to call the cops on you. He laughed in my face. He grinned. He, you know, at that point I feel violated and disrespected," Carl said.
Our customers were not alone.
The New York DMV also received numerous complaints. Investigators found valid violations including:
1. Practicing dishonest or misleading advertising
2. Failing to maintain proof of owning a sold vehicle
3. Selling those same cars without applying for registration and title
4. Then, providing a certificate of sale for the cars... they didn't own in the first place.
As a result, the dealership had its license revoked.
Mr. Samaan, the owner of the dealership, will be in court for charges on the first week of December.
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