AUTO REPAIR SHOPS CHARGED WITH UNNECESSARY REPAIRS
SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney‘s office filed a civil consumer protection lawsuit today against three auto repair shops alleged to have charged for unnecessary car repairs and for parts not replaced.
Defendants named in the lawsuit are:
- SoCal Empire Inc., doing business as Goodyear Advanced Tire & Service at 25502 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo;
- Ingenious Corporation, doing business as El Toro Tire & Service at 23211 Cherry Ave., Lake Forest;
- SOC Enterprises, Inc., formerly doing business as Quality Care Auto at 2705 S. Grand Ave., Santa Ana; and
- Homayon Bakhtar, president and owner of the three above corporations. Bakhtar sold the Quality Care location in June 2001. The three locations advertised as domestic and foreign auto repair/service shops.
The lawsuit alleges that the three businesses misled customers regarding parts and services needed, and charged for unnecessary repairs. Quality Care Auto and Goodyear Advanced Tire & Service failed to replace parts charged on the invoice. Numerous other invoice and estimate violations were noted when the Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Automotive Repair, sent in a total of seven undercover cars to the three locations between October 1999 and March 2001. Violations were noted on all seven undercover cars for a total of $3,809 in unnecessary repairs and parts invoiced but not replaced. The repair shops advertised coupon specials to attract customers.
The lawsuit has been assigned to Orange County Superior Court Judge William Monroe.