Some Hecker customers still in limbo on tabs and titles

Related: Car buyer complaints trigger raid on Hecker Automotive Group

The latest twist in the financial turmoil inside Denny Hecker auto empire played out Wednesday at dealerships across the metro area, including Southview Chevrolet in Inver Grove Heights.

State Troopers and armed investigators from the Department of Public Safety could be seen walking in and out of the showroom, apparently gathering evidence tied to consumers complaints about delays in getting license tabs and lien releases on trade-in vehicles.

Just across the street from Southview, a different kind of drama unfolded at Hecker's Inver Grove Heights Toyota. Customers arriving just before midday found the doors shut and locked.

"I was going to get an oil change," Susie Holub of West Saint Paul said, "And they told me they were closed for business and to stop by next week."

Pat Sokol, who purchased a vehicle there in January, tried in vain to open the door.

"I've just got to get new tabs and never got a notice," he explained, "So I was going to go see if I could get my title re-printed off for me."

What was his next move?

"No idea," he said.

The Minnesota State Patrol urged Hecker's customers to call their special hotline at 1-800-593-5000 if they're still in limbo on their tabs, titles or liens.

Riding out the storm

Angie Eichten, who has worked in the service department since early May, received a call from a co-worker Wednesday morning telling her to get anything she needs from her desk before 11 a.m.

She said the Toyota dealership is being sold to another auto company, and everyone who works there had been warned they'd have to reapply for their old jobs once the new owners take over the lot.  But Eichten, who coordinates after-market enhancements for vehicles, was surprised by the abrupt closure.

"I scheduled appointments blindly hoping that it was going to be okay, but then got the call this morning. 'Oh no we're closed! so I scrambled to get in there, to get the phone numbers and scrambled to call the customers to let them know."

She said the dealership's employees were looking forward to the new ownership, because it hasn't been easy dealing with customers since Hecker went into bankruptcy.

"We don't have gas cards or rental cars, so some of the sales managers were buying customers gas and paying for their rental cars out of their own pockets just to keep those customers."

The same cash flow issues have caused the dealership to fall behind on processing license tabs, she said.  They are getting processed, she explained, but not always before the 21-day temporary permits expire.

"Toyota kind of goes through everything with a fine toothed comb, makes sure everything's there, every thing went through," she explained, "Then we'll get a whole block of maybe 30 customers who need titles and plates and lien releases, the pay-offs we have to do and we'll do it in a big bunch."

Eichten said a few customers have threatened to call police over the delays in getting their tabs and titles, especially after being ticketed for driving on expired permits.  She said some of those tickets are being paid by Hecker sales managers who hope to be reimbursed after things calm down.

"They'll get a ticket, and they'll just come and give it to us," she remarked, "Tickets for expired tabs, $180, and now these bills are Denny Hecker's bills if they get paid, but I don't know, because that's a very scary thought because it's in the customer's name."

Conditional License Tabs

Gay Smith, at Kathy's License Service in South Saint Paul City Hall, told KARE she's heard from many Hecker customers wondering what to do next

"When Hecker was doing well those dealerships were always great to work with," Smith said, "But those customers have really become frustrated over the troubles with their liens and tabs."

She said customers may have to wait some time to get the titles for their vehicles, but that doesn't keep them from becoming street legal.  They can register their cars and get license plates as "conditional customers" pending resolution of the Hecker's financial complications.

Customers need to produce proof that they've paid for tabs and/or traded in a vehicle, by bringing in an original copy of the purchase agreement signed by both the buyer and the seller. At that point the licensing bureau will call the Dealer Unit at Driver and Vehicle Services or D.V.S., which will issue a "conditional customer number."

Armed with that number, the car buyer can get license tabs without being forced to pay double or pay sales tax on the vehicle a second time.  Smith said there's normally an $8.50 processing fee, but that's much better than being stuck with a traffic ticket for driving with an expired 21-day permit.

Consumers wishing to contact the D.V.S. dealer unit directly can call 651 296-6911, but an agency manager said that group could easily be overwhelmed with Hecker customers in 15 different counties.  Pat McCormack of D.V.S. suggested people stick with their the local license bureaus or with the hotline offered by the Minnesota State Patrol.

The Minnesota Attorney General's Office is also fielding complaints from Hecker customers.  The Consumer Protection unit's main number is 651 296-3353, but McCormack suggested most of those consumers in search of titles and tabs are being referred back to D.V.S.

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