There are few bigger thrills for many of us than taking ownership of a clean, new, great looking vehicle. That car, truck or minivan will become part of our families, businesses and lives and we'll depend on it to serve us well, give us pleasure and take us where we want to go when we want to go there. It's no headline that it doesn't always work out that way. After all, a vehicle is a machine built by humans and a few robots which means things can go wrong. That's why we're here. If you plunked down your hard-earned money for a dependable ride but it smells like a lemon, or you're not getting satisfaction from your service center or dealership, drop us a line. We can't promise we'll get you your money back, but we will promise you honest answers and the best advice based on years of experience. Your "car concerns" are our concerns and we want you to have as much knowledge and ammunition as we can conjure to put your mind at rest.
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Harry,
If a vehicle is purchased without a warranty are you pretty much out-of-luck if there are issues with the vehicle that were not made apparent to you when you purchased it?
Basically a friend of mine purchased a truck two weeks ago; I am not sure that he received any type of warranty on it...it is a used vehicle. He was not made aware that there are problems with the truck. He took it to a mechanic today because the engine light is staying on. They said it also has transmission problems and that he will have to spend a large sum of money to fix it. There are also a few other minor issues that he was not aware of at the time of purchase.
Would he have a case if he tried to sue the dealership for selling him a "lemon?"
Beth,
Hendersonville, NC
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Beth,
There are several things that I need to know here. If your friend signed-off on this vehicle, "AS-IS" and the dealer has that in writing, then your friend owns this vehicle with all of its flaws.
If your friend was gun-ho to purchase this "used vehicle" and agreed to the asking price then they have accepted this vehicle in its present condition.
When you purchase a pre-owned vehicle there is no "lemon law" that covers such vehicles.
Buying a "pre-owned vehicle" requires plenty of homework. Getting a used vehicle checked out before money exchanges from the buyer to the seller would have been a wise investment.
Good Luck,
Harry Douglas
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Harry,
I am from Ohio and have an issue with a local car dealership.
I purchased a 2003 Ford Focus from a Ford dealer In December of 2003. It was a one owner car with 3800 miles. I took it in because the paint was peeling in march of 2006. They will not warranty the paint. they said it was painted before. A recent CarFax verifies this but the incident was not reported to CarFax until May of 2005. Had I known it was involved in an accident I would not have purchased the car. Do I have a legitimate complaint? What can I do?
Help Me Harry,
Ted
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Ted,
Three years after the facts? I see no course of recourse here.
Even one owner cars can be involved in accidents.
Who you possibly could take action against is CarFax if you purchased the report from them right before you bought the vehicle. CarFax is a great tool for used vehicle buyers everywhere. They stand behind their reports.
Three years out, this is now your vehicle and your problem. You might want to consider trading this vehicle at this time and just be rid of it.
Good Luck,
Harry Douglas
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Harry,
I sold a vehicle to an individual and one and half month later, buyer is asking me to share the expenses of some repair work that he has done on the vehicle.
Since this is a private party sale, and I keep reading about "AS-IS" sales, I just wanted to confirm if I am obligated in anyway to pay him.
Seller is from Virginia.
Buyer is from Maryland.
John
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John,
When the buyer paid you for this vehicle he was in fact agreeing to buy not the good half, but both halves of the whole vehicle.
It is unreasonable for this buyer to come to you a month later asking for a fix. He obviously was happy with the vehicle when he paid you for it and took physical delivery.
You have no way of knowing how this person has cared for this vehicle since taking ownership. People have different driving habits. It could very well be that this person is hard on his vehicles.
He paid and took delivery of this vehicle from you a month ago...he owns it!
Good Luck!
Harry
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Harry,
My father brought his early 1990's Ford Taurus into the dealership to get a new engine. Of course at that point the car was only worth about $1000 because of the mileage he'd put on it. Against our recommendations, he went ahead and had the dealership put in the new motor anyway because he said it was cheaper to "fix" the car rather than purchasing a new one. My father retired about 6 months ago so he and my mom are on a very limited budget.
The engine was installed, the car was picked up and as he drove it off the lot he instantly noticed it wasn't running correctly. As a matter of fact .. the car totally shut off. He took it back and they said they'd "fix it".
It's been over a month now and he's been given the car back two other times only to return it right away (within hours) because it continues not be fixed. Each time it was something else that was broken. Things that were fine before he brought the car in. Now, a month later and $5000 worth of work, they have yet again called to say there is another part that absolutely has to be replaced before the car will run and it is going to cost another $600! If my dad doesn't pay it, they are going to tow the car to the street and leave it there. The car is not working and now with five times the amount of money put into the car than it's worth.
This is a dealership that we as an entire family have used for years. My dad has been taking his car to then since he bought this car and the other Fords they've owned over the years. Never have they experienced this. Here's the kicker and why this is such an urgent need for answers, the dealership is closing on March 10 th!!
My dad is broke and is stuck with a car that he's invested $5000 in an it doesn't even run. The dealership isn't willing to help him in anyway. Is there ANYTHING he can do at this point to either get his money back or make them fix the car without having to soak him for more money? It just smells rotten to us and I think he's being raked over the coals.
CJ
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CJ,
Of course you think he's "being raked over the coals." He's your Father and you hate to see him being taken advantage of.
The fact is, he signed on to this mess. This "early 1990's Ford Taurus" should have been traded. Why invest good money in a $500.00 vehicle when all the repairs in the World won't make it anymore valuable.
Your Dad's a Big Boy now, he just needs to admit that he went the wrong way here.
Dad, let's jump ship on this vehicle and take the loss and move on! Trade it!
Good Luck!
Harry Douglas
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Harry Douglas is a former veteran new car dealer. Winner of the Chrysler Penastar Award of Excellence and Nissan's President's Award, Harry now is host of the consumer hit radio talk show, "Car Concerns" which can be heard locally on WNOX News-Talk 100.3 and The Horne Radio Network (WKVL 850, WLOD 1140, WATO 1290, WGAP 1400). Request "Car Concerns" to your local talk radio station.
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