In Pasadena, Texas, a used car lot has become the center of a dozen civil lawsuits. Strawberry Road Auto Sales, which markets itself as a trusted source for used vehicles, is now facing the wrath of customers who claim they were deceived and sold faulty cars. Alicia Butler's story is just one of many, as she reached out to KPRC 2 for help getting back a ,500 down payment for a vehicle she never even saw.Undercover Investigation and Assault Incident
When Gage Goulding and Oscar Chavez went undercover to observe the car buying process and later revealed their identities as journalists, they were invited inside to meet the manager, David Estrada. It was then that Estrada allegedly assaulted both of them. Pasadena Police arrested Estrada and charged him with assault. Later, it was discovered that a warrant had been filed for his arrest after he was accused of stealing nearly 5,000 from Fred Haas Nissan in Tomball during his time as a finance manager.
History of Bad Deals at Strawberry Road Auto Sales
According to court records obtained by KPRC 2 News, a dozen lawsuits have been filed against Strawberry Road Auto Sales in the last few years. The most recent lawsuit was in June 2024. The complaints vary, but most revolve around customers being lied to when buying a vehicle. Many victims claim they were bullied, persuaded, and pressured to buy extended warranties for junk vehicles. In one recent lawsuit, the customer was asked to pay several thousand dollars for a down payment on a 2015 Kia Sportage that wasn't even on the lot. When it arrived, it had body damage, a cracked windshield, and couldn't exceed 60 miles per hour. Another lawsuit alleged that the internal components of the vehicle were tampered with and the car was no longer safe to drive.
Odometer Rollback and Other Issues
It's not just about cars that don't run properly. In a lawsuit filed in March 2023, the car lot was accused of rolling back the odometer or trying to erase miles from the car. Each of these lawsuits claims that Strawberry Road Auto Sales sold vehicles knowing there was something wrong and intentionally hid the issues.
Sister Car Lot with Similar Accusations
The problem isn't limited to the Pasadena location. According to lawsuits and state records obtained by KPRC 2 News, there is a sister car lot in the Mission Bend area called Koncept Motor Cars. Although it operates under a different name, it is a subsidiary of Strawberry Road Auto Sales. The same accusations and lies are being made. Vehicles are being sold to customers who would never have bought them if they knew they would immediately break down. Just like Alicia Butler, whose message to the Click2Houston.com Help Desk sparked this investigation.Of the dozen cases, only one has been dismissed as the victim and the business settled outside of court. The remaining cases are still pending. This scandal has raised serious questions about the integrity of used car sales in the area and the need for stricter regulations to protect consumers.
