Jordan G
I recently purchased a used car from a Ford dealership.
On the window of the car, it had a small sticker saying this car had warranty plans, ranging from 30-90 days. On an even bigger sticker on the back windshield, in large print, there are 2 check boxes:
[ ] No Warranty- As Is
[X] Warranty
Warranty is clearly checked, and it goes on to describe the warranty info. It also had the specific model number and stock number of the vehicle, in the dealership's system. So this sticker was specifically for this vehicle.
So throughout the process of purchasing the vehicle, the dealer, named Mike, kept mentioning the warranty. When I went for a test drive, I noticed a possible leak and the A/C making a rattling noise. Again, he kept mentioning the warranty, saying "Any issues with the car, you bring it in and we fix that up for you, no charge." Those issues were fixed within a day, in the midst of finalizing the deal. With the warranty and these issues fixed, we obviously felt confident about this car.
The day I finalized the purchase, I met with Mike in the morning. I payed in full, cash, for the vehicle. It was being registered in my mother's name, so we had to come back to sign papers later on when she was out of work.
When we returned, Mike was not there, and we dealt with a different salesman. We sat in a room, and he had us signing papers. He kept making it a point that we'd be out of here with a new car in minutes. He handed us things to sign, basically said "sign this and you'll be out of here within 3 minutes." So clearly, he's in a rush to get us out. Without describing what we were signing, the receipt had in small print "Car sold 'as is.' No warranty on this vehicle." Never was I notified that the warranty was suddenly not being offered to me. So with that said, why would I even think to ask about it? And why would they not explain it to my mother? This was the first time she came with me to the dealership, so wouldn't they explain everything to the person they are really selling it to?
Less than a week after purchasing the vehicle, my check engine light came on and the car was leaking fluids. I called on a Monday to schedule an appointment, they couldn't get me in until Friday. I showed up and handed my keys over. Before going to the waiting room, I made sure to ask "This is covered under warranty, correct?" The lady responded, "Yes, you're all set. No worries." So I waited patiently for 2 1/2 hours. They finally came in, said they fixed the engine light issue (spark plug). They couldn't fix the leak, I guess they didn't have the parts they needed. It was a Friday, so any orders wouldn't be in until the following Tuesday the earliest. So Tuesday came around, no call. On Wednesday, I called them up and asked how long I'd be waiting. She said they don't have any way of tracking the shipment, so they didn't even know. On Thursday, I received a restricted call. They left a voice-mail. Turns out it was the dealership. The lady said to give her a call back.
I call her back, and she informs me that I am not covered under warranty. The car was sold as is, and they have the papers to prove it. I explain how there was a verbal agreement and how it was even posted on the car. She says that apparently, my car was too old to cover with a warranty (2000 Ford Taurus) so that is why it was sold as is. I WAS NEVER INFORMED THIS. She said they would be willing to work on my car, just obviously with me paying out of pocket as normal. She says that the mechanics also noticed a coil spring near the rear tire is loose. She just thought she would mention it to be courteous, as I have a 4 month old baby that I drive with in this car. She's worried that it could blow a tire while driving. WHY IN THE WORLD was I not informed this sooner? The mechanic withholding that information potentially put my daughter and I at serious risk, as I frequently drive on the highway.
So at this point, I decided to call Mike to set things straight. I explain to him how there was warranty information ON THE CAR in two different locations, and all throughout our discussion, he kept mentioning it. He explained that he doesn't recall discussing it, as it was 2 weeks ago. The only thing they can go by is what's on paper, which is a signature of my mother, finalizing the deal, with the tiny words mentioning the whole "as is" business. He said the best he could do was double check the papers. He abruptly hung up the phone.
I have not contacted them since. However, today I discovered the large sticker about the warranty in my glove box. I plan on having a talk with them tomorrow. At the least, I'll explain that I was completely mislead, that transferring to a different employee could've caused an error, that mine and my child's life has been in danger, and delaying the repair of this car has potentially caused even greater damage.
Am I in the wrong? Is there any chance they'll actually help me?
I literally just payed them in full, with cash, for a used car, and they clearly snuck this tiny detail of as-is under my nose at the last second...
Answer
That surely sucks when some con game dealer and salesman pull this kind of crap. Sadly this happens all across the is country everyday. One thing you need to look at is the year make and model of the vehicle and the mileage OK? because NO DEALER is going to warranty any car that is 10 years or older with excessive miles on it. I don't care how clean the dealer makes a 12 year old car look like new its not going to ever get a warranty. So do not fall for this again.
Only cars that are 3 years old and newer are likely to have any kind of factory warranty. Beyond that NO AFTERMARKET WARRANTIES ARE WORTH A CRAP. never buy one.
Some salesman prey on unsuspecting people like ourselves and say all the right things and when the money comes out this is where you hang on tho that top copy of the contract. Don't let it out of your sight after you sign the original Its a lot harder to change or do anything if you have it in your purse or pocket. If they need to make a copy fine use the one they have for their records.
Here are some things I like to do when test driving used cars. I like to do a cold start test drive after the vehicle has been sitting overnight I like to start it up listen too the engine it should smooth into a nice quiet fast idle and while I look for any clouds of blue smoke I let it warm up for a minute or two and then drive it like I stole it. Any used car that will run drive and stop good cold is probably in great shape. Some cars with transmission problems may not even move for the first 5 to 15 minutes when cold in the morning due to transmission problems.
A car that gets up easily to 55 miles per hour is usually in pretty good shape. I like to test drive a used car for 40 minutes to an hour one of my first questions the night before is if its ok to take a used car to a mechanic and a long test drive the next morning any one who says NO I thank them and move on anyway.
I work out with the mechanic before hand what inspection I want. Since I checked all the power windows and accessories and heater and lights and stuff my self already no reason to pay the mechanic. I ask the mechanic to put the car on a lift and take off the wheels. I then have a quick brake inspection and front end check done to make sure its all in good shape and while under the car the mechanic inspects the frame and underside of the body for any damage or repaired damage He also checks for oil leaks in the front and rear end and transmission then puts the tires on drops the lift and takes the car for a test drive.
that all takes about an hour and 20 minutes or so. If we have any further questions we can do a more comprehensive engine analysis but by this time Im pretty sure what I want to do. following these guidelines is not a perfect answer but its a heck of a lot better than blindly trusting some greedy sob who would rip off his grandma for a few bucks.
That surely sucks when some con game dealer and salesman pull this kind of crap. Sadly this happens all across the is country everyday. One thing you need to look at is the year make and model of the vehicle and the mileage OK? because NO DEALER is going to warranty any car that is 10 years or older with excessive miles on it. I don't care how clean the dealer makes a 12 year old car look like new its not going to ever get a warranty. So do not fall for this again.
Only cars that are 3 years old and newer are likely to have any kind of factory warranty. Beyond that NO AFTERMARKET WARRANTIES ARE WORTH A CRAP. never buy one.
Some salesman prey on unsuspecting people like ourselves and say all the right things and when the money comes out this is where you hang on tho that top copy of the contract. Don't let it out of your sight after you sign the original Its a lot harder to change or do anything if you have it in your purse or pocket. If they need to make a copy fine use the one they have for their records.
Here are some things I like to do when test driving used cars. I like to do a cold start test drive after the vehicle has been sitting overnight I like to start it up listen too the engine it should smooth into a nice quiet fast idle and while I look for any clouds of blue smoke I let it warm up for a minute or two and then drive it like I stole it. Any used car that will run drive and stop good cold is probably in great shape. Some cars with transmission problems may not even move for the first 5 to 15 minutes when cold in the morning due to transmission problems.
A car that gets up easily to 55 miles per hour is usually in pretty good shape. I like to test drive a used car for 40 minutes to an hour one of my first questions the night before is if its ok to take a used car to a mechanic and a long test drive the next morning any one who says NO I thank them and move on anyway.
I work out with the mechanic before hand what inspection I want. Since I checked all the power windows and accessories and heater and lights and stuff my self already no reason to pay the mechanic. I ask the mechanic to put the car on a lift and take off the wheels. I then have a quick brake inspection and front end check done to make sure its all in good shape and while under the car the mechanic inspects the frame and underside of the body for any damage or repaired damage He also checks for oil leaks in the front and rear end and transmission then puts the tires on drops the lift and takes the car for a test drive.
that all takes about an hour and 20 minutes or so. If we have any further questions we can do a more comprehensive engine analysis but by this time Im pretty sure what I want to do. following these guidelines is not a perfect answer but its a heck of a lot better than blindly trusting some greedy sob who would rip off his grandma for a few bucks.
When Purchasing a Vehicle From a Car Dealer (Used), How Does the Insurance Info Work?
Shakiki
If I wanted to purchase a used car from a dealer and did NOT have insurance, would I have to purchase insurance BEFORE purchasing a car (ex. have a vehicle insured in my name then use that info for the other vehicle and/or switch the vehicle info in the account) OR do you purchase a vehicle and THEN purchase the insurance?
I'm new to the insurance bit as my car is insured in my stepfather's name and he now lives in a different state so I don't know anything about this stuff! Also, how long do the dealer temp tags last? Thanks!
So.. Before I purchase a car I should register my own car in my name and then get the other car and update the vehicle info?
Answer
You get insurance before you purchase the car. They will ask for information like the VIN number and such. I believe the temp dealer tags last for around a month.
I know for a fact that you need insurance to drive your car off the lot of a dealership. It is illegal to drive without some kind of insurance, and almost all dealerships will make sure you have insurance.
Now, if you buy it from a person, i don't think they would care too much.
You get insurance before you purchase the car. They will ask for information like the VIN number and such. I believe the temp dealer tags last for around a month.
I know for a fact that you need insurance to drive your car off the lot of a dealership. It is illegal to drive without some kind of insurance, and almost all dealerships will make sure you have insurance.
Now, if you buy it from a person, i don't think they would care too much.
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