ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) A family is sharing their story after purchasing a vehicle that caught on fire here in Rock Hill. Now, they say they want to save other consumers from having the experiences they’ve had.
15-year-old Shanea Hutchison was exciting to get her first car. Shanea and her parents purchased the car from Allen’s Autos on Cherry Road, in Rock Hill. Shortly after buying they said they had no idea what would happen next.
“I smelled plastic burning and there was smoke coming out of the hood in the light turn green at that point so I just went ahead and went and pulled over,” says Shanea. “I got out of the car and I went about 20 feet away from the car, and it was already huge smoke, and flames, and flames dropping out of the bottom of the car.”
Only 12 minutes away from home, Shanea pulled off on this I-77 exit saying that she was terrified and her parents wanted answers.
“We were sold by a businessman we were sold by a salesman. We didn’t take the time to investigate Google reviews, had we, we would have not even stopped at that dealership,” says Shanea’s mom, Electra Hutchison.
Allen’s Autos owner, Ron Allen, says he’s been in business in this area for more than 20 years. He says in that time he’s built a good reputation in the community having sold, he says, more than 6,000 cars.
“We sell everything 100% as is because of the price range I fell I have no idea what the customer that is buying the car from me is going to do when they actually leave my lot,” says Allen.
Ron says the car the Hutchison’s purchased had more than 280,000 miles and he always encourages customers to try before they buy.
“We let our customers check the cars out thoroughly, it says right on the buyers guide that they can take it to their own mechanic and have it checked out before they purchase it,” says Allen.
In the video above, CN2’s Rachel Richardson is speaking with the family, the auto shop’s owner and is getting some tips from the Better Business Bureau about the car buying process.
