Complaints rattle used-car dealers

Andre Williams/Staff Reporter

Against the backdrop of mounting complaints in the sector, the Jamaica Used Car Dealers Association (JUCDA) has pledged to launch a public-education campaign so that consumers can identify red flags when purchasing pre-owned motor vehicles.

JUCDA President Lynvalle Hamilton said that his membership met recently to discuss grouses reported against industry interests.

“We have decided that it does appear that we have to take that route so we will be advertising, so to speak, to the dealers. The dealers are on the website but we need to do a little more for the public to be made aware,” Hamilton said in a Gleaner interview on Monday.

His resolve comes a day after the publication of a Gleaner story highlighting disgruntled car buyer Nadine Dixon who alleged that Singh’s Motors Limited had failed to deliver a 2013 Toyota Isis sedan in August or refund her deposit of $800,000.

The teacher assistant was reportedly promised that the vehicle would be delivered in two weeks.

After months of waiting, nothing was forthcoming and Dixon requested a refund in October.

After weeks of delay, the money was finally deposited to her account at 2:09 p.m. on Monday, November 7.

“I want to thank The Gleaner because if this didn’t go public, I would not have gotten back my money,” Dixon said in much happier tone than Friday’s when she visited the newspaper’s North Street offices in Kingston.

Hamilton said Singh’s Motors Limited is a certified used-car dealers but is not a member of the JUCDA.

“None of our members would have acted in such a manner,” he said.

Hamilton said JUCDA has received some complaints from customers which it has referred to the Consumer Affairs Commission.

“We have not received any complaints concerning any of our members, and that is what would have been of concern to us. We are quite concerned whether they are members or not, but there is little that we can do about those who are outside of the ambit of the association,” he said.

He said that even before The Gleaner’s story on the matter, steps were being taken to highlight its members.

More than 300 certified used-car dealers are members of the JUCDA.

Calls by this newspaper to Singh’s Motors Limited have not been answered, but a post to The Gleaner’s Instagram page, purportedly from the car dealer’s account, sought to justify the delivery delay.

“Whilst it is true that Singh’s Motors did suffer a 10-week delay in the shipping and delivery of over 30 vehicles to Jamaica, all are present and accounted for on the wharf awaiting clearance,” an excerpt from @Singhmotors876 reads.

Singh’s claimed that Dixon did not produce the balance while awaiting delivery.

Last October, a St Mary businessman filed a suit against Singh’s Motors over its alleged failure to deliver a motor car within the specified time.

The businessman, Dennis Brown, claimed that his deposit of $1 million should be refunded to him because of the purported breach of contract.

The allegations involve a July 12, 2021, contract for a 2015 Toyota Probox motor vehicle priced at $1.2 million.

It is unclear whether that case has been resolved.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com