short story is that the dealer had done a botch-job repair to get it fixed, andI had to redo the whole system—which cost over $10,000! The car had lots (^)
of other problems, including that the dealer had taken its catalyticconverters off to put on another car and replaced them with hollowed-out (^)
ones. Technically this was a federal offense, but when I contacted theEnvironmental Protection Agency, they told me I’d have to sue the dealer in (^)
Florida court, which wasn’t justified by the repair cost (another $7,500). Isold the car at a loss 11 months later; my total out-of-pocket expenses
were over $57,000 ... ouch.
PRIVATE PARTY
There persists a perception that buying from a private party is inherentlyless risky. I would beg to differ. The motivation on the part of an individual (^)
to sell his or her own car is as strong as that of a salesperson at any givendealer.
At times over the years I’ve had to source used cars or trucks from privateparties and I find that their trustworthiness covers the spectrum. Some
have taken really great care of their vehicle, have records on all the workand will disclose any accidents, while others will lie through their teeth to
move their junker—you just never know. Dealers are bonded and regulatedby the state they operate in, and you can check to see if they are in good
stead with the dealer board and read online reviews. Complaints to theboard can generate results, and there is a legal structure in existence for (^)
you to work out issues. With a private party, it’s your word against theirs insmall claims court.
barry
(Barry)
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