Christy Direnzo is stuck with a car she says is not worth repairing and she wants everyone to know where she bought it, “Basically, what I did was put lemons all over the car, because a lemon, everybody knows is a car that's not fit for the road.”

She paid DJ Enterprises off Dorchester Road about $2,100 dollars for a 1999 Dodge Neon in March.  Before she paid for the car the dealer explained it only needed minor work that would cost about $300 dollars.  She soon learned it needed much more work.  By the time she drove it home, it died.

Direnzo took the car to Scott's automotive in Summerville for an estimate. Owner Scott Bryant says it would cost $1,500 dollars to repair the car's starter and a vacuum leak, “It should not have been sold in that condition I would think,” Bryant said.

When the dealer denied her request for a refund, she painted lemons and the dealer’s name on the car, and parked it less than a mile from the dealership.

Direnzo's lemon car claims are not alone.

Mary Grodjeski bought her son a truck from DJ Enterprises less than a month after Direnzo. She paid the dealership more than $4,000 in April. About two weeks later its transmission and engine went out.

“He said that's a really clean truck, they don't usually come in there that clean,” Grodjeski said.

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs also received two complaints with similar issues against the dealership last year.  DJ Enterprises denied wrong-doing in both cases.

Direnzo and Grodjeski say they both tried to return their vehicles to DJ Enterprise after they discovered major defects.  The dealership said they sold it “as is” and they are out of luck because South Carolina lemon laws apply only to new vehicles.

Consumer Attorney Steven Moskos explains there is hope for some consumers, “If the consumer is unable to find a problem with the vehicle, and he or she buys the vehicle and later experiences problems… you can say, ‘Hey, you sold me a defective vehicle, I need to get my money back.’”

Moskos is talking about a special consumer statute called Revocation of Acceptance.  Under special circumstances, it allows you to ask for a full refund for any produced during a reasonable amount of time; used cars included.

Here's what you need to know before requesting your money back.
1. The Department of Consumer Affairs says the statute is not enforced by any state agency.
2. You must fight it in civil court.
3. You'll have a better chance of winning in court when you've purchased a warranty or service contract and the dealership refuses or cannot fix your vehicle.

DJ Enterprises says it does not sell lemon cars.

Jason Judd helps run the family-owned dealership.  He declined to talk about the vehicle defect claims on camera, but over the phone he says both vehicles worked fine before they drove them off the lot.

He says Direnzo wants her money back because she didn't like the look of the car. Judd blames Grodjeski's truck troubles on excessive mileage added to the truck after she bought it.

Grodjeski and Direnzo deny Judd's claims.

We requested an interview with a satisfied customer from Judd several times, but he denied our requests.

Both women say they haven't pursued a civil lawsuit because it would cost too much to take the dealership to court.