BELLEVILLE — A Wood River Chevrolet dealer is accused of selling a vehicle that had floodwater damage and failing to disclose the defects.
Melinda Dirksmeyer filed a complaint July 23 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Jack Schmitt Chevrolet of Wood River Inc., alleging violation of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty-Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act and the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practice Act.
According to her complaint, Dirksmeyer purchased a 2016 Buick Regal from Jack Schmitt Chevrolet on May 21, 2019, for a total price of $17,522.60. She claims that on Feb. 6 she took her vehicle to a Buick dealership in Alton for an oil change and was informed the vehicle "showed several signs of being underwater."
Disrksmeyer alleges Jack Schmitt Chevrolet purchased the vehicle from a wholesaler and failed to do any type of inspection on the car. She claims the dealer knew or should have known about the flood damage which they failed to disclose. She also claims Jack Schmitt has failed to offer her "any assistance" or remedy the problem after she informed them about the damaged vehicle.
Dirksmeyer claims the vehicle's "defects and nonconformities" are also a breach of Implied Warranty of Merchantability and that Jack Schmitt was given an opportunity to remedy the defects.
Dirksmeyer seeks a judgment in her favor and all other proper relief. She is represented by Alexander Cornwell of Brody & Cornwell in St. Louis.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 20-L-0553