ST. CLAIR, MI — State officials on Tuesday suspended the license of a southeastern Michigan car dealership after multiple violations in the Michigan Vehicle Code, according to the Michigan Department of State.
Officials said LaFontaine Chevrolet Buick GMC of St. Clair was pulling vehicles from its loaner program and selling them as “new” to customers.
Officials accused the China Township dealership of:
Investigators discovered the violations during a September 2024 inspection and told the dealership to immediately stop selling used vehicles. The next month, department of state officials held a teleconference with the dealership and provided them with educational materials.
The dealership was then hit with a $3,000 fine and an 18-month probation period. Multiple representatives of the dealership also had to attend a department of state training session that included education on violations of the Michigan Vehicle Code, officials said.
Investigators conducted a follow-up inspection at LaFontaine Chevrolet Buick GMC on Sept. 24, 2025 and determined the dealership was still selling used cars as “new,” officials said.
They found more than two dozen instances of the dealership selling used vehicles as new, including one that had 6,000 miles on it, officials said.
That led to Tuesday’s suspension, which means the dealership cannot conduct business, officials said.
LaFontaine blamed the suspension on a “clerical error,” in the completion of RD-108. The dealership said the messy paperwork caused confusion between the dealership, automaker program requirements and the regulatory agency.
“LaFontaine Automotive Group has always operated in full compliance with automaker programs and remains dedicated to maintaining complete alignment with state regulations,” LaFontaine Automotive Group wrote in a statement. “Unfortunately, a long-standing disconnect between automaker program definitions and state titling requirements has created widespread confusion among dealers across Michigan.”
This is not the first LaFontaine dealership to run into trouble with the state. LaFontaine Motors of Livonia also had it license suspended last year after falsifying documentation so it could lease used vehicles as new, officials said.
Consumers who have a complaint against LaFontaine Chevrolet Buick GMC of St. Clair, Inc. are encouraged to call the MDOS Office of Investigative Services automotive complaint line at 844-372-8356.
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