What would you do if you realised that the car you recently bought, shelling out a bomb, was worth its weight in scrap? Confront the showroom, right? But what if the showroom just shrugs off its responsibility? Now you would be in a fix. A man in Utah, US, was faced with the same predicament. The frustrated man saw only one way to make himself heard and demand a refund for his new Subaru — to drive home his point, he drove through the showroom.
According to the New York Post, Michael Lee Murray (35) purchased a used Subaru Outback for $4,000 from Tim Dahle Mazda Southtowne in Sandy, part of the Salt Lake City metro area, on Monday morning, according to Fox 13 News. Murray said that he had been sold a "lemon" — a vehicle with major mechanical defects that could compromise safety. After returning to the dealership to request a refund, he was told the car was sold "as is" and could not be returned.
Dealership manager Tyler Slade was quoted by NY Post as saying Murray knew before buying the car that it would need repairs. “We were upfront about the car’s condition,” Slade explained. "It's not a retail vehicle and it needs additional inspection and work."
Angry over the situation, Murray reportedly threatened to drive his car through the dealership unless they refunded him. Slade said they tried to calm him down, suggesting they could work out a solution, but Murray was determined.
Shortly after, Murray drove his car through the front doors of the dealership, shattering the glass and damaging a desk inside. A video from the scene shows Murray yelling, "I told you mother f*****! I told you," as he exited the vehicle, walked over the broken glass, and left through the demolished entrance.
A stunned employee can be heard urging colleagues to "call the cops" as others rushed to turn off the car's engine. The video ends with Murray pacing outside the dealership. According to police, about seven employees were near the front door when the car was driven into the building. Slade recalled hearing a loud crash, followed by confusion and chaos as workers scrambled to react.
No one was injured during the incident, but the dealership sustained an estimated $10,000 in damages. Slade later said that they had offered Murray a refund or a different car before the crash occurred. Murray was arrested and charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, and economic interruption. He was released from jail on Tuesday.
Murray later admitted that his anger over the situation had pushed him to his "breaking point". "I was just really angry, upset about my money," he said, conceding that he "shouldn't have driven the car into the dealership. "I guess I just hit a breaking point," he was quoted as saying by Fox 13 News.