HOCKLEY, Texas – An Arkansas man is taking legal action after his request for a refund from City Classic Cars, a Houston-based vehicle restoration company, was denied.
Charles Johnson, an Army veteran diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a rare lung disease, says he paid $20,000 for a restoration project that was never started. Now, he is asking for the company to return his money.
Johnson, who contacted City Classic Cars in the hopes of restoring his dream car, eventually had to abandon the project due to his health issues. After notifying the company of his decision to cancel the restoration, Johnson claims they were unwilling to refund his money. Despite his contract with the company, Johnson claims he received no services, and his vehicle was never worked on.
“I just want my money, you know, want my money, you know, and pay for my lawyer,” Johnson said. “Because I shouldn’t have had to go that far. The contract never got to work. You never done work on my vehicle? So why are you holding my money?”
Legal Action and Demand for Refund
In response, Johnson’s attorney, Derrell Wright, sent a demand letter to City Classic Cars Tuesday, Dec. 11, requesting the $20,000 refund or the company would face a lawsuit. Wright said the restoration company has five days to respond. He argues that, although Johnson signed a contract for restoration services, the company failed to fulfill any of their obligations.
“As a matter of fact, the car is still located with my client in Arkansas. The company, City Classic Cars, doesn’t even have the vehicle in their possession. They have never had the vehicle in their possession,” Wright said. “We are requesting the refund because no work was done, and they are holding onto money for a service they never provided.”
City Classic Cars Responds
City Classic Cars, which has faced similar complaints in the past, responded to the allegations through an attorney. The company claims that, when Johnson requested the refund, he asked for the money to be wired to a new account, raising concerns over potential fraud.
“Our refunds team as normal cross referenced the recipient requesting refund to the wire sender name and there was not alignment,” James Pope, City Classic Cars’ attorney, said in a statement to KPRC 2. “This and more prompted an internal red flag which we have notified our banker, our general counsel and Charles Johnson.”
Pope said their bank is investigating before they send any funds.
“We are conducting due diligence due to concerns about money laundering and wire fraud,” the statement said. “Until the investigation is resolved, a full credit has been assigned to Mr. Johnson for the amount of $20,000. Once the bank completes its investigation, we will process the refund.”
Past Disputes with Customers
This is not the first time City Classic Cars has been at the center of controversy. Last year, the company was involved in disputes with other customers, including a family trying to restore a deceased patriarch’s car, and a customer who paid $61,000 for restoration work that he claims never began.
City Classic Cars’ Statement of Intent
City Classic Cars’ attorney emphasized that the company operates with ethics, morals, and legal compliance.
In a statement, Pope said, “We are the market-leading automotive restoration company in Houston, and we have clients from all over the world. Our systems are designed to ensure compliance with a global clientele.”
Pope also addressed Johnson’s health condition, expressing sympathy and support for the veteran.
“Although we never had the pleasure of physically meeting Charles Johnson, our entire staff prayed for [him] and his family when we learned of his diagnosis. We are believing for physical healing in Jesus’ Name,” the statement read.
