B&G Auto Sales Lawsuit: Rodriguez v. Abate and BBB Complaints

The B&G Auto Sales lawsuit most often referenced online is Rodriguez v. Abate, a 2021 federal case filed in Arizona against the Mesa-based used car dealer’s owner and affiliated parties. A federal judge dismissed both federal claims with prejudice in March 2022. Separately, the dealership has drawn dozens of Better Business Bureau complaints over vehicle condition, financing, and repairs.¹²

The Federal Case: Rodriguez v. Abate

Leticia Rodriguez and her husband Guadalupe Rodriguez filed the federal complaint in February 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, docketed as CV-21-00289-PHX-DLR. The named defendants were Nino Abate, Sharol Harris, American Rental Properties LLC, Donald Calendar, and B&G owner Brian Ladouceur.¹

The complaint raised six claims. Two were federal: a civil rights claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 arguing that Leticia Rodriguez had been declared a judgment debtor and both plaintiffs had their wages garnished without a proper trial, and a claim under the Federal Trade Commission Act. The other four rested on state law.¹

How the Court Ruled

On March 14, 2022, U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes granted the defendants’ motions to dismiss. The § 1983 claim was time-barred: it was filed more than two years after the April 2018 garnishment, past Arizona’s statute of limitations. The FTC Act claim was dismissed because the statute does not give private individuals a right to sue under it; only the FTC can bring enforcement actions. Both federal claims were dismissed with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled. The court declined jurisdiction over the four state-law claims and dismissed them without prejudice.¹

What the Underlying Dispute Involved

The federal filing grew out of years of state court litigation. Leticia Rodriguez had bought a vehicle from B&G under a financing agreement with American Rental Properties LLC, defaulted, and voluntarily returned the car, which B&G then resold. In September 2014, Nino Abate sued Rodriguez in Maricopa County Justice Court for the remaining balance as ARP’s legal representative.¹

Two default judgments were entered against Rodriguez at different points, and Sharol Harris, who had been assigned the judgment, obtained writs of garnishment on both. Both judgments were eventually vacated by the Maricopa County Superior Court, the first because Rodriguez had not been properly served and the second because the record was insufficient. The Justice Court case was ultimately dismissed after the defendants chose not to contest the Rodriguezes’ motion to dismiss.¹

BBB Complaint Record

Beyond that single federal case, the more active picture of grievances against B&G Auto Sales sits with the Better Business Bureau. As of mid-2026, the BBB shows 48 complaints filed against the dealership over the preceding three years, 22 of them in the most recent 12 months. Forty of the 48 are classified as service or repair issues. Only 3 are marked “Resolved”; the other 45 are “Answered,” meaning the business replied but the customer did not confirm satisfaction.²

Recurring themes in recent filings include:

Buyers who say they were not clearly told at the time of sale that their vehicle carried a salvage title.
Mechanical failures within weeks of purchase, including engine blowouts, stalling, and electrical problems, with one complaint describing failure inside 45 days.
Billing discrepancies, with customers alleging they were charged more than the amounts written into their signed contracts.
Remote vehicle deactivation for late payment. In its response to one complaint, the business confirmed that vehicles are deactivated if payment is not received by noon on the due date.
Long repair waits, including weeks for engine replacements and tire installations, with limited communication.

How B&G’s Financing Setup Fits In

Several of the complaints, and the underlying Rodriguez dispute, involve the dealership’s in-house financing. B&G Auto Sales operates as a buy-here-pay-here lot, meaning buyers finance directly through the dealership rather than a bank or credit union.³ That financing runs through American Rental Properties LLC, which the BBB lists as an alternate business name for B&G Auto Sales. Some customers have also reported payments processed through a third-party entity called Desert Finance and difficulty reaching the finance company to resolve billing questions.² B&G is owned by Brian Ladouceur and operates as a limited liability company.⁴

No class action or active federal case against B&G Auto Sales appears in the available record after the March 2022 dismissal. Buyers with individual disputes have generally proceeded through the BBB or, as in Rodriguez, through state court.

1
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona. Rodriguez v. Abate, Order Granting Motions to Dismiss
2
Better Business Bureau. B&G Auto Sales BBB Complaints
3
B&G Auto Sales. Buy Here Pay Here Tucson AZ
4
Better Business Bureau. B&G Auto Sales BBB Business Profile