A car buyer is suing two local car dealers, alleging they significantly lowered the odometer mileage on at least two vehicles.
David Adamiec filed a complaint July 20 in Cook County Circuit Court against Interstate Auto Group Inc. and A1 Elite Auto Brokers Inc., alleging consumer fraud and and common law fraud.
According to the complaint, on Feb. 24, Interstate sold, through a subsidiary called CarHop, a 2002 Mercury Mountaineer to A1 Elite with the odometer reading 73,000 miles, and on May 20, Adamiec responded to an online ad from A1 Elite for a 2003 Ford Explorer with 85,000 miles. After test-driving the Explorer, the lawsuit states, he was ready to buy, but A1 Elite said it couldn't find the title, so they offered him the Mountaineer with 73,000 miles. Adamiec bought it for $4,600, the suit states.
But when Adamiec used Carfax to research his new vehicle's history, the lawsuit states, he learned the Mountaineer's miles, in 2014, was 134,943 and the Explorer, in 2014, had 220,650 miles. He says
A1 Elite wouldn't take back the Mountaineer or offer a refund.
The plaintiff alleges violation of the Federal Odometer Act and Illinois commercial fraud law.
Adamiec seeks $54,600, plus court costs, which includes the cost of the vehicle and punitive damages. He
is represented by attorneys Embassie Susberry and Timothy Kelly, of Scannell & Associates in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2015-L-007353.