News Summary
A series of abrupt dealership closures in Jacksonville, including City Mitsubishi and Bul Auto, has left customers like Jessica Hector facing serious financial and personal distress. Allegations of fraud and deceptive practices have surfaced, with customers claiming substantial financial losses. The situation has prompted investigations by law enforcement agencies, leading to discussions about consumer protections in the automotive market.
Jacksonville – A series of abrupt dealership closures in Jacksonville has left numerous customers, including one local woman, facing severe financial and personal hardships due to alleged fraud. These closures primarily involve City Mitsubishi and Bul Auto, both of which have reportedly defrauded customers out of substantial amounts of money.
Jessica Hector, a resident of Jacksonville, finds herself entrenched in financial distress after purchasing two malfunctioning vehicles from City Mitsubishi, which is now permanently closed. Hector bought a 2013 BMW that began to exhibit issues shortly after her purchase, causing the vehicle to shake while in operation. The dealership took back the faulty BMW and replaced it with a 2020 Land Rover in March, which also encountered mechanical problems and required towing.
Despite neither vehicle being usable, both remain listed under Hector’s name, leading to collections activity for the Land Rover. Upon seeking assistance from the now-closed City Mitsubishi, Hector discovered the dealership had changed ownership and is currently operating as Gravity Autos. Gravity Autos has declined to address her concerns, leading to ongoing frustration. City Mitsubishi has received significant scrutiny for its operations, earning an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau and having amassed 20 complaints about similar issues from affected customers.
While Hector received refunds for her down payments on both car purchases, she wishes to clear the remaining loan balances to secure a reliable vehicle for her family. After media involvement, General Manager of Gravity Autos, Ron Jones, initially expressed that he would provide assistance to Hector. Less than an hour later, he confirmed plans to pay off her outstanding balances.
The situation is mirrored at Bul Auto, an exotic car dealership owned by Vladimir Ranguelov, where customers have reported substantial losses and alleged fraud. Ranguelov’s dealerships in Jacksonville and Albany have closed suddenly, with many customers claiming million-dollar financial losses. Allegations against Bul Auto include serious claims of title forgery and multiple vehicles being sold to different customers, resulting in significant financial devastation for those affected. One victim reported losses amounting to $260,000.
Ranguelov is under investigation for allegedly selling vehicles without settling existing loans. Complaints have poured in, leading to police involvement and a multi-state investigation spearheaded by the FBI. The Bureau is working to assist customers in recovering their funds and stolen vehicles as multiple reports of theft and fraud continue to surface regarding Ranguelov’s dealerships. Furthermore, Karma Automotive, which had previously partnered with Bul Auto, has suspended its business relationship pending the outcome of the investigations due to the serious nature of the allegations against Ranguelov.
Victims of Ranguelov’s practices have expressed feelings of betrayal, as he was previously regarded as a trustworthy figure within luxury car communities. A common complaint among victims includes instances where customers were led to believe they had purchased vehicles only to find out those vehicles had already been sold, leaving them with outstanding loan balances on cars they could neither use nor possess.
The ongoing investigation by law enforcement agencies continues to unfold, with authorities urging other affected customers to seek legal assistance and report their grievances to local authorities. This alarming situation has opened discussions about necessary protections and regulations for consumers in the automotive market, especially concerning the certifications and practices of dealerships.
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Additional Resources
- News4Jax: FBI Investigating Jacksonville Exotic Car Dealer
- Wikipedia: Fraud
- Action News Jax: Jacksonville Car Dealership Investigated for Fraud
- Google Search: Jacksonville car dealership closures
- News4Jax: Flipped Cars with Dealer, Defrauded for 560K
- Google Scholar: Automotive Fraud
- First Coast News: Jacksonville Mother’s Car Nightmare
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Consumer Protection
