Fix My Car Or I’ll Put Up Magnetic Signs!

When I was in high school, I used to drive by this couple almost every day that would stand out front of a store with sandwichboards on, urging people not to shop there. “Refund my $500, Andalusia Television,” the one sign said (something like that, at least). “Don’t shop at Andalusia TV,” read the other. I can only assume that, unless Andalusia TV refunded their $500, the old couple is still there, still asking for $500, still urging people not to get their TVs repaired — if people still do, indeed, get their televisions repaired — at Andalusia TV.

Point is, people go a little over-the-top when they think somebody cheated them out of money. Such is the case with Jim Broomell, who hates Cherry Hill Dodge so much he’s affixed magnetic signs on his truck saying “Cherry Hill Dodge Sucks.” He even has a website dedicated to hating Cherry Hill Dodge, available at the easy-to-remember URL cherryhilltriplexscrewedmesuedmeandlost.com.

And, indeed, Cherry Hill Dodge — aka Cherry Hill Triplex — did sue Jim Broomell for putting those signs on the side of his truck, and did indeed lose after the lawsuit was thrown out on a technicality.

The story, recounted with more patience that I’d be able to muster by the Inky’s Troy Graham, goes like this: Broomell bought a used truck, which faltered. Broomell filed a lemon-law suit and got a nice warranty out of it. When he took it to Cherry Hill Dodge, they refused to work on it. He then sued, but the case was later thrown out.

Cherry Hill Dodge’s lawyer says Broomell was “yelling and screaming at people”, they were tired of dealing with him, so they didn’t work on his car. But after his lawsuit was thrown out, he put the magnetic stickers on his truck — and then the dealership sued him, accusing him of hurting the business with his signs.

Now that the case has been thrown out, Broomell is considering suing them again, this time for court costs, about $500. (He’s been acting as his own lawyer.)

Here’s Broomell’s summary on his website:

I bought a truck there with a warranty. I had problems with the truck shaking at 60+ mph. I took it to “my selling dealer” while it was under warranty. The mechanics at Cherry Hill Triplex couldn’t figure out what was wrong with the truck so Cherry Hill Triplex told me they were not going to work on it anymore. I told them I would drive around with these signs if they didn’t fix it! So I did, as well as told my story to several websites. Cherry Hill Triplex responded by suing me - a customer of theirs! I represented myself against their big corporate firm Capehart and Scatchard. In fact, the opposing attorney, Laura Ruccolo, was rated one of “SJ’s Top Attorneys” on page 41 of the August issue of SJ Magazine. (Editor’s Note: Sounds like someone doesn’t understand how those “South Jersey’s Top Attorneys” promotions work!)

Ahh, yes, the old “fix my car or I’ll put big giant magnetic signs on my truck” angle. Well, hey, I suppose it worked, though I can’t fathom getting upset enough about anything to put signs on my car about it. But, hey, that’s why I’m an amused observer of this saga rather than a participant. Keep it up, Jim! Maybe you can lease out the rest of your truck to other people who hate certain businesses. You could be a one-man traveling hate machine! Think about it.

Needless to say, he also started his own Google Group called “Cherry Hill Triplex Sucks.”

The Internet as battleground of free speech [Inquirer]
cherryhilltriplexscrewedmesuedmeandlost.com