SALT LAKE CITY -- When Kortnee Smith spotted a 2020 Toyota Camry on the dealership lot, she knew right away that it was the right car for her.
"Good on gas mileage," she said. "Toyotas are very reliable."
So in June, Smith and her husband paid cash for her 2020 Camry at Eurosports Automotive. But three months later, she still couldn't get the title.
"No paperwork, no documentation, no plates," she said.
Her Toyota's temporary tags had expired by that point, and all she said she got from the dealer were excuses.
"Just hold on," she said the dealer told her. "Your plates aren't done yet. Continue to call before you come in because we don't know if they'll be here. We don't want you to have a drive."
Smith did go to the Department of Motor Vehicles about not getting her title.
"They told me that only the dealership could handle my situation, and I have to get everything from them," she said. "And the DMV also told us that it wasn't even put in the system."
In August, when the calls and emails from Eurosports Automotive stopped altogether, she drove 35 miles to the lot to find out what was up. Turns out, the lot was locked up and closed down.
"And everything was gone," Smith said. "There were no cars. There were no people. Nothing in the building," Smith said.
Worried she'd never get her Toyota's title, she called the KSL Investigators. We took her case to Utah's Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division or MVED.
"That was the tip of the iceberg," Jason Gardner said of the case.
Gardner is the director of policy, planning and public affairs with the Utah State Tax Commission, which oversees MVED. He said over two dozen people filed complaints, saying they bought a car at Eurosports Automotive and couldn't get it registered with the DMV.
Gardner explained Eurosports Automotive purchased their inventory with lines of credit they had with two separate companies through floor planning but didn't always pay back those companies after selling cars.
"Then,, he added,The dealership did not use that money to pay off .the flooring company,.and thus,.the flooring company did not release title..to owners.
Now prosecutors have filed 10 felony charges against Eurosports Automotives owner Robert Hammers.
"It's unlikely this dealership will ever open again,",, Gardner stated.
We contacted Hammers asking about both Smiths Camry as well as his criminal charges; however while declining comment regarding counts faced personally delivered license plates shortly thereafter following our inquiry
As such according received those six months post-purchase finally obtaining its title:"We paid full amount vehicle."
Other Buyers Situation:
<p>Meanwhile other buyers facing similar issues may see resolution soon thanks efforts being made by two aforementioned flooring firms working towards releasing titles despite lack payment received thus far...</div>