HA! I love when they say "Don't you trust us?" ...My response to them is "OK, if I'm going to trust you why don't you sign the title over to me, let me take the car, and I'll come back tomorrow with the money."
I once bought a used Nissan Pathfinder from a non Nissan dealer, while inspecting the car before buying it the climate controls didn't work right. I mentioned that to the sales woman and she checked it and said that they would fix it. I told her I wanted that on the contract and she wrote it in. When I went back to pick up the car she said that they weren't able to fix it that day, they had to order a part and they would call me when it came in. When I took it back for them to put the part in it still didn't work. They tried to tell me there was nothing else they could do. I pulled out my sales contract and showed them where it said they would fix it. They then made an appointment at a Nissan dealership for me to take it there and that they would pay for the repairs, which they did and Nissan fixed the controls.
Had something somewhat similar not too long ago with a used car dealer. Bought our work truck from them, had them put in writing that they would fix/replace such and such issues/parts and there was actually a spot already on their forms for just that - maintenance/work to be done before taking delivery. There were a few very minor trim pieces that they had to order in so we took the truck while they waited on the parts and they actually drove out to our location and installed them. It was a nice change from what you hear about most used dealerships. I voiced my concerns about the truck and was immediately reassured that anything (within reason) I wanted addressed would be taken care of.
I am a gal close to retirement age - when I bought my last used car from a dealership I made them put it on the lift and I looked all around under it. They probably thought I was weird but I worked on cars for years with my late husband. BTW I was looking at 2 cars at 2 dealerships so I did have to "get up and walk out" at one of them. It was kind of scary but I did it.
As a private individual, over the years I have sold several used cars myself rather than accepting a lower value as a trade-in. I keep meticulous maintenance records and encourage any prospective buyer to have the vehicle inspected. Few do, however, but at least I have peace of mind that I didn't knowingly pass off a problem to someone else.
Flow chart! Use it every day as a mechanic. Also in 27 years I have never seen a used car worth blue book. Every used car has issues. A+++ on your advice. Always get the car inspected by a professional. Last year I looked at 22 used cars for 1 family till we found one without 2k in needed repairs. Cars from about 20 dealerships in town. It was awful what junk they were selling.
I bought an Impreza three years ago with 106k miles, in the first year the trans valve body went out and the engine started burning tons of oil, they were kind enough to replace the engine and trans valve body at no cost to me, and a year after when the input shaft bearing went out on the trans they called Subaru North America and managed to wrangle me a free new transmission, just had to pay the $1200 labor out of pocket! Think about that, car had no warranty, yet they took care of me. Reputation is valuable to some businesses I guess!
Bartismo Ellis the 2012 Impreza was the first year of the new 2.0 engine and it was supposed to address most of the consumption and head gasket issues because of its design, that first year they didn’t put piston rings in that had the proper tension so there was blow-by issues, they fixed it for following years. To their credit I didn’t burn oil at all after they replaced it!
I walked out of a car dealership on Steven's Creek Blvd in San Jose and got in my car and the young salesman *PUNCHED* my side rear view mirror. So let me add one more thing, "BRING SOMEONE WITH YOU"
I agree - I stopped at a dealership to test a car I had just heard about. When we got back and it turns out I'm not buying that day, the manager came storming out looking like he was ready to body-slam me to the ground...
I once went to a used car lot to look at a used pickup truck. I was already suspicious because the salesman had to ride with me and after I started to drive he advised I could not take it on the road, I can only test drive it around the lot. As I circled around to the office front the there was a horrific sound and the engine stalled and it appears the piston where laying under the truck. The sales guy was like you broke it you bought it. I left and never heard back from the lot. I don't believe I left my name and contact information. The label was clearly marked as is no warranty.
Buycars356 I think the part he was suspicious about wasn’t the fact that a salesman had to be in the car but the fact he couldn’t drive it on the road, but it’s hard to tell because the comment is so badly written
My comment was hurriedly written. I came across a used care lot with a 12 year old pickup truck for $1200 dollars as is no warranty. No rust through holes in the bed or body just a cracked windshield. Truck was easily worth twice that. I had already picked up $1400 at the bank to buy the truck. I pulled in with a $20000 car, at other car lots that is usually enough to secure the test drive. It was obvious the sale was going to go through on a successful test drive so no need for a salesman. Other lots have sent me out without any problem. I normally take a car out for around 20 minutes, check power windows, air conditioning cruise control etc. I like to make a few left and right turns at reasonable speed and from a stop. I like to take it on the interstate for 3 or 4 miles. I live in an area and the car lot is in an area the exits are that close together. I have had another car I was test driving on my interstate portion when the oil light came on. I stopped immediately to prevent damaged and called the lot back, I never deliberately destroy merchandise. When the salesman gets in after putting a temp plate. As I roll away from the office he tells me we cannot leave the lot for the test drive. I don't know why he bothered to put a plate on it if I could not leave the lot. I started to turn around to go back to the office and the power steering made a clunking sound in the turn, then the engine let go with no preceding noises. I was more like creeping, I did not gun the engine, I would have during an actual test drive. I offered him $200 if the threw in a tow to bring it to my house. No deal, the salesman counter offer was you broke it you bought it. That is when I left.
@@buycars3569 Maybe I am taking this wrong, so let me get this straight: you're a car salesman who lets potential buyers test a drive a car that you yourself will not get in because you are scared for your life?? You might not be putting your life on the line but you are putting your soul and karma in a bad place.
Last month I was at a friend's shop. He showed me a beautiful restored Ford pickup that was on the lift. The body work was spotless. The paint and and clear coat deep and immaculate. A stunning job. I told him how impressed I was. He smiled and turned the lift on and raised the truck. In two seconds I saw the the frame was cracked in one spot with a fucked up weld job, it looked like a ten year old did it. And in the second spot there was a missing chunk of frame replaced with two pieces of angle iron. My buddy refused to work on the truck when he saw the frame damage and hack job. This truck was burning tires after the customer bought the truck. He brought it to my buddy for new tires and an alignment. Apparently he thought that the truck looked like a million dollars so he didn't get it inspected.
Before the days of camera phones, I negotiated a deal for a particular new car sitting on the dealer lot. After purchasing the car, I was told that I could pick up the car the next day as they had to wash it, prep it, and fill the gas tank. They called the next day and told me to come get my car. I showed up and the car had not been washed, the gas tank was empty, and they had removed every dealer installed option they could including floor mats, mud guards, protective moldings, and the sun roof wind deflector. I asked what happened to all these items and was told that they were not on the purchase contract and therefor not included. This was despite the fact that in negotiating the price, they wrote these options on a scratch pad along with cost information to show how they came to the final price. Total scum. Every dealer I have dealt with since thinks I am paranoid for insisting that every tiny detail is written down.
I would think that what Steve said about once you signed the contract, the car is yours, including everything that is on the car. It should work both ways, if the car blows up before you drive it off the lot, it's your responsibility to remove it, and anything that was on the vehicle when the dealership signed the paperwork is also now yours and for them to remove anything constitutes theft. You negotiated the price as the car sat on the lot, if they weren't selling the car as it was, they should have told you before you signed the contract. You should have called the police.
I agree with what you said about the fun involved in walking out of a dealership. I had one run out after me when they tried to add extra fees once we agreed to total price, and I walked out. My dad taught me this, and yes, it was quite funny. P. S. They took the fees out of the total price 🤣
Well I lucked out. I bought a 2006 RAV4 with 147k miles. The guy told me if there was anything wrong come back. Sure enough 2 front bearings busted. I went back and sure enough they fixed it. No charge and not written on any papers. Some times things work out. I would not recommend trusting a dealer though.
That’s a cheap repair less than 200$ in cost cause thier mechanic makes like 20$ per hour and they get big discount on the parts try that with a 6000$ engine swap
@@mikeslater6246 cause fixing a tiny little issue is fine and dandy but with no warranty they wouldn’t fix a big issue I guarantee that be like buying used lawn mower and the next day the bearing goes out on the deck sure fix it for free but I’d the engine blows up you ain’t gonna fix it for free
A lot of buy here pay here places will fix somethings for cheap. They do this because they buy the cars from auction for much cheaper than you can find on the street. Add a huge markup and possibly finance fee's and they know the car is only going to last a few more years. That hopefully if they show good faith on little things they can keep you coming back while they make huge profits.
I go to dealerships and tell them flat out that if they want to make a deal then they'll do whatever it takes to make me happy. I've bought too many pieces of crap and I learned my lesson a long time ago. I have no qualms about walking out of a dealership. I don't let them hold me hostage anymore.
Funny story here in Wyoming. Months ago a guy followed me in my 1975 Toyota Pickup home. He said he had a 78 Toyota long bed for sale for $300. Just 2 weeks ago I bought that 78 & sold my 75 to a friend for $300. No concern about lemon laws. I got a upgrade. No car payments. I have a 90 Chevy van for the biz, $1700 a long time ago & a 76 Chinook for camping, $1500 a long time ago. Things are much more easier/simple in Wyoming. And we have places with no cell phone service.
A tail light warranty is when the seller can no longer see the tail lights going down the road and is out of sight , the warranty ran out . I bought a truck from a friend that told me that .
Also, never give them the keys to your trade. They held mine hostage when I tried to leave. If they need to inspect...go with them...and ask for keys back. I should have called the police
I find your videos really interesting... It also makes me value a lot of the protections we have in the EU. If we buy a car from a dealer, we have a 14 day period when we can change our mind and get out of the deal.
*l've been called many a time by friends to 'go have a look' at a car they were buying. lt's amazing how many times l've had to tell them it's a p.o.s.* (they're the lucky ones: others have come to me *after* the fact to get something expensive fixed on their 'deal of the century')
Every time I've bought a used car, I've been given a warranty - 3" or 3 seconds.. I've actually had good success with private sales - but it helps that a) I am mechanically inclined (I was hired by an auto parts store in the past due to this factor) and b) I wasn't expecting much. My current daily beater is a 1995 Suburban that I paid $2k for, and the only major things I've had to do to it to keep it on the road are a brand new battery and a set of used tires - in 5 years. My wifes van on the other hand, was a mistake - $40k new, depreciation has it worth around 10-12k now, and still 15k to pay off.
When buying a vehicle in Colorado, you do have one potential out. All used vehicles must come with a fresh (never used to license a vehicle) emission certificate. Dealers have the option of providing you with a prepaid voucher for an emission test, but the vehicle has to pass to complete the sale. If the vehicle does not have a valid emission certificate, the sale can be unwound (but you might have to get the courts involved.)
In the late 80s I was at the local Chevrolet dealership and I was looking at a used Ford station wagon that I was very impressed with. While laying on the ground looking under the engine for leaks I noticed that the oil drain plug had been replaced with a very large bolt and there was an excessive amount of silicone sealer around the bolt. At the time I was doing oil changes on my own cars and I just thought "NOPE." :-(
I had a chance to buy "the truck I always wanted" for $8000 from an individual. That was about $2000 higher then others of that year and mileage (check, research done). The truck was advertised as being in excellent condition....went to look at it (busy shopping center parking lot, daytime), engine ran good, and everything worked including air conditioning (check, did a visual inspection). I took it for a test drive, and it drove well on the highway, but the suspension made some noise when it went over some bumps. Looked at the front end and the sway bar bushings were worn out.....not a big deal, but if that was not looked after, what about the ball joints, tie rod ends, struts, etc...the seller then offered that he "knew about that"...I offered $6000 cash for the truck - he was "offended" and insulted me a little..... I walked away. This is an actual encounter I had - I hope this helped someone.
Always assume something is wrong in a private sale, especially in today's market. I tell them if it's a good car go trade it to a dealership for more then I would offer. They can easily trade it to a dealership but if there's a mechanical issue they will try to instead dump it on a chump.
This one episode needs to renamed to: "Common Sense, That's Not Common". Thank you for distilling the cautions needed when buying goods from individuals and the lack of recourse if you don't do your own due diligence".
I had a recent horror story buying a used car. My wife mistakenly thought this might be a legit "Lemon Law" issue, but I knew better because I watch Steve Lehto on You Tube😉. We had a "used" car that we loved and owned for 2 years but some guy with no insurance T-boned us at an intersection last October. A paperwork filled month of back and forth with my insurance I ended up with about $5000 in my pocket to replace my vehicle. Follow that with an exhaustive search my wife and I ended up at a used car dealership. I was about to walk out of the dealer on a car my wife liked but the guy offered an add on 3 month limited third party warranty which I knew wasn't worth much but I bought the car because I was tired of looking. The car had 116,000 miles but for $5000 I would have been lucky to do any better. In the next couple of weeks I found problems that I realized the dealer purposely hid from me but only cost me a few hundred dollars in parts and some of my time to repair. I sucked it up and moved on. 2 months after I had bought the car it stalled on a trip home from a Christmas party. It turned out that the timing chain was stretched out and slipped and being that it was NOT a non-interference engine it was destroyed. It cost a little over $3000 to replace the engine with a used engine but the limited warranty only covered $1200. Again I suck it up and move on. This $5000 car has now cost me $7500. A month later the engine starts running bad so I take it back to to the garage that replaced the engine to take a look at it. The service associate tells me that the timing chain needed to be replaced and started to tell me what it would cost. I stopped him and questioned "Why should it cost me anything?" The service rep tried to tell me that the used engine only had a 30 day warranty and we just missed the deadline. I explained that I was told it was a 2 month warranty on the engine and on the back of their service receipt states that their work is warrantied for 60 days. "I brought my car in for a failure with the timing chain and it seems you have not repaired it sufficiently", I explained calmly. The service associate scrambled and said he would need to talk to his manager and get back to me. The next day I got a call that my car was fixed at no cost to me. I can only blame myself for not inspecting and doing more thorough research, or get my mechanic to inspect it. The car has been running good for that last six months but if I knew what I know now I would have never bought the car. I've learned I hate this car but in spite of that I have resolved to keep driving it until it is ready for the junk yard so it pays me back for the hell it put me through.
@@apprenticefelix7740 haha, very close. 2008 Saturn Vue. That was after GM took over and decided to put a 2.4 liter Honda engine in that model that is a peice o' crap and has barely enough power to make it worth stepping on the gas pedal. I would have been better off if I got the V6 AWD version. Better research I would have known. But now I know to stay away from GM.
It’s easy to see Steve truly loves to help people!!!! Years ago, I was a member of Pre-Paid Legal. I learned the hard way if you want FAIR in this life, you have to go to the County FAIRGROUNDS when the FAIR comes to town!!!! The first job for any type of insurance is to deny service if there is any legal way to do so!!!! Steve’s Used Car Lot idea of burning money and DESPERATELY NEEDING ME AS A BUYER TO KEEP THE BUSINESS OPEN is absolutely SPOT ON, the only way to look at a Used Car Dealer!!!!! Thank you Steve for being the great man and great Attorney you are, Sir!!!! SALUTE!!!!!
Great stuff! On walking out, a younger version of myself fell in love with a Chevy truck on a dealer lot. We got to negotiating and we’re $250 apart (on approx 9k truck)… he said that was his best price. I said mine was all I would offer, so I got up and walked… knowing he’d stop me and not lose the sale over $250… not a single person tried to stop me as I walked slowly and to my car and took my time starting it… HOPING they’d stop me. It must have been his best offer. I drove home. Lol
Decades ago I worked at the corner gas station where auto repairs were part of the business. When my car needed repairs I would purchase the parts needed elsewhere because it was cheaper than what the station charged. Because I did this the mechanic would give me an outta sight warranty. The mechanic explained it thusly: “When it’s outta my sight it’s outta warranty.”
most used car dealers i have been to have disabled (removed the bulb) the "Check Engine" light. If the check engine light is not on when the ignition turns on - walk away.
I had a lady that managed to bring in her car saying it needs brakes, the brake light was on but it went out. That light was on long enough to burn out the bulb! Absolutely nothing left of the rear brakes, just parts rolling around inside the drum, and a master cylinder that was half empty.
If it's new enough to have a check engine light, then I ain't buying it. I only own and drive vehicles that are old enough to not have electronics to help them function. That way I can work on it if something goes wrong with it. I also make sure it doesn't have Ford written on it anywhere. That's usually an indication that it's junk.
@@jerrybrooks870 I don't buy anything OBD II unless it's a fix n flip. I can deal with OBD I I also own 2 Ford Rangers (one with a 302), along with 2 Dodge pickups and a bunch of GM products. It's getting harder every day to find a vehicle without some sort of electronics and a check engine light. My 77 GMC, both 75s, my 74 Camaro and both Dodge pickups are my only vehicles that never had one. My 94 V8 swapped Ranger used to but it went away at the same time the ECM did.
Meh, the check engine light is a waste of a light bulb anyway. My mom's old car ran for 10 years with the check engine light on and we never had any problem with it. We did take it in when the light first came on and they couldn't find anything actually wrong except that the check engine light was on. Keep in mind that it was out of warranty at that point, so they had no incentive to not find the problem.
Hello Steve. I bought a used Chevy Silverado 1500 truck almost two years ago from a local Chevrolet dealer. It was a local trade, one owner vehicle. I didn't have it inspected before I bought it, but the dealer stated they inspected and detailed it. I noticed a crack in the dash before the sale and they offered to have the crack repaired at no charge and also threw in a bottle of touch up paint for a couple of scratches on the fenders. I did purchase the extended warranty from the dealer for piece of mind. A week later, I brought it to an independent shop to have a BlueStar insteption (bluestar dot com). They found a torn front axle CV boot. I brought the truck back to the dealer. They stated that the torn boot was not on the video they took when they inspected the truck. That's fine. I'm glad I bought the warranty. The dealer also waived the $100 deductible. Great service. Since then I've brought the truck in for service and also had the steering wheel position sensor and transmission and engine oil cooler lines replaced under warranty. The dealer has provided great service and I consider myself lucky. It was the first time I bought a used vehicle since being married seventeen years ago. So far, sor good. I also researched the VIN before I bought the truck to be sure the title was clean and the truck had all of the equipment I needed to tow my travel trailer RV.
When I was shopping for my first vehicle we had one that we wanted to look at. We arranged to have the seller meet us at a mechanic of our choosing to have it looked over. We didn't buy the vehicle, the seller stuck around to discuss repairs..
Steve you really do provide a great public service with your videos. Unfortunately too many people are too stupid to talk advantage of your expertise and knowledge. I have tried my whole life to explain how things work to my friend and family and most of them do not take advantage of my experience. So all I can do is shrug when they tell me their tales and troubles.
Joy. Subscribed to both your Channel and Louis Roseman”s. Seeing you together was awesome. The advice is always relevant. This first stater thanks you.
My Dad bought an Aveo a few years ago from a woman that was selling it for her boyfriend sight unseen. He was at her house but paid her before even looking at it. The air did not work, windshield cracked, would not start so he called AAA. The blue book value was 50% less than what he paid. Welcome to the whole of my life with my Dad. I used to go with him but he did not like me telling him not to buy a car he wanted.
"My dad bought an aveo..." I stopped there and wondered if i heard enough or should keep reading. Having worked for AAA i do tend to see a pattern as far as brands, years and models. The aveo was made during a time when GM was experimenting with swapping parts and designs from off brand or brands purchased in other markets, as well as trying to downsize parts from discontinued models.
nunya bisnass My Dad never does research. What he likes are small cars...Bugs, Geos, etc. He just bought another VW and I have had to speak to the seller about fixing things. I know Steve, he has no obligation but I think he felt sorry for me.
@@sammijohnson7707 ah, he likes the more compact variety that tend to be trendy but not have a large enough demand for manufacturers to have the incentive to maintain a positive reputation for. My dad is the same with trucks and SUVs except he thinks bigger means safer. If your dad likes small cars...a camry is the way to go all day. A nice mid 2000's will still go 200k without major issues if you first check the mileage and look unde the hood to see if the previous owner kept up with the maintenance schedule. Check fluids for metal, milkiness and clarity, oil around the head, sediments in the coolant resevoir, rust around frame and suspension...any shiny new parts.
nunya bisnass All great advise but my Dad is so stubborn and because he is Japanese, the opinions of girls are not as valuable as guys. I wanted to be an engineer or mechanic but that was not acceptable for a girl. Plus my Dad is short and the small cars make him feel average height. He still tells people he is five foot six but that is my height and he is more like five foot three.
When my dad was in the Air Force (or just before he went in) he got a new 1965vor 1966 VW Beetle. A car that he loved, He drove it to his first Duty Station from Oregon to North Carolina, When that assignment ended he drove the car back to Oregon and mothballed it before heading off to his next duty assignment in the Azores. As that assignment ended he returned home and then headed to his last duty station Travis Airforce Base in California. He dove all over the place and getting out of the Airforce and a new job he traded the VW in on a 1969 Beetle. This car had a bigger engine but the oil cooler was placed where it would bock air flow to one cylinder and after that cylinder blew up a 3rd time (he re built the engine twice to this point) he fixed the engine just enough that it would run, took it in and traded it for a brand new Dodge. A couple of weeks later he got a phone call from a woman who was in the process of test driving the car. She had found his phone number and called him, asking if the car was worth buying. He asked here if there was oil dripping out of the engine, she went out to check, came back and said there was. He advised her not to buy the car. That Dodge was the first car I remember having. The thing was, about a few weeks after he purchased the car, the local police department decided to replace their entire fleet of patrol cars with that same make and model only the cops had the bigger engine. But from the outside they looked exactly the same. And because at the time the city painted all of the city vehicles the cop cars looked exactly like my dad's car when seen in a rear view mirror. This would mean everyone my dad got behind would slow down to the speed limit. This would drive my dad nuts.
Was going to look at a car dealer offering off a car. Before I went to even see it, I ran a carfax on the vehicle. The report said that the dealership group had owned the car for almost a year. It had been on 5 dealers lots and still wasn't sold. That changed my mind about looking at that car or any other used car that this dealership group offers every again.
I saw a used 2007 Explorer. I wanted to buy it from a dealer for $4500. He wouldn't budge on the price (red flag #1, but it was a decent price for the mileage). Ok, I made a list of things to fix, everything wrong with the truck. He said no problem. I left a 200$ deposit, he never did anything. Weeks went buy, I just didn't want it anymore. One issue was a bad cat, even if I repaired myself a CA cat is over $1000.. Ended up getting $100 back, I told him I'm not taking it. I just didn't want to argue anymore.
I bought a good used Dodge Truck 10 yrs ago. When I bought it, it said on windshield "As Is" I asked for the Car Fax, it said the truck had only 1 other owner. Best truck I have ever had. I still have it. I did buy my truck from a Dodge Dealership.
My husband likes to buy and sell vehicles (after he tinkers with it). He will tell buyers if they have a problem, call him, and he'll help take care of it and has. Handshake warranty, personal sale.
My parents bought me a used car in Finland from a small dealer. The engine check light was on. He said it's "probably" the particle filter and it needs to be rinsed, won't be a big job. "If it turns out to be something else, I'll cover it". Then we took the car to a mechanic to get the filter rinsed off. The previous owner had cut a square hole in the filter, which is illegal. In Finland you need to have older cars inspected every year in a state approved inspection shop to have the car be legal to drive, and the dealer had had the car inspected and they passed it with the engine check light on which is a big no-no. The inspection shop would have lost their license to inspect cars if we made a complaint that they passed the car with the check engine light on, so the inspection shop demanded the dealer deliver on his promise, so he had to pay for a new particle filter and installation. That was probably 600-800€. If it weren't for the inspection bit, we would have been screwed over by the dealer.
Steve, This is a wonderful video that will help many people if they will only follow your advise; get it in writing for anything that is important to you--and always inspect a par before buying it--or better yet have a mechanic inspect the car. Thank you Steve.
You are so right about being in control. You ABSOLUTELY can get them to change that as is bullshit. I’ve done it more than once because IM IN CONTROL!!! I bought a 2014 BMW i3 REx in 2018. 22k miles still had a factory warranty but that’s besides the point. I knew quite factually that the cars made early 2014 had some issues that must be resolved but BMW didn’t issue recalls. I told the sales guy I wouldn’t buy the car unless I could bring it back if anything related to the electronics, drive train, EV components, or gas engine was wrong. He said he’d ask his manager and I told him to do it now. So he did and then he said it was ok. At the end it wasn’t in the paperwork I said you said we could do this. He said yeh it’s fine and I was like ok then change the verbiage. His manager came out and didn’t want to do it. I said I let him know early it was the only way. Guy didn’t want to budge and I was like ok man I’m out. He was like wait and then wrote in some stuff that would essentially knee cap me if something did happen. I go no no… you are writing this to benefit me not to benefit you. Be explicit about you repairing it or taking it back. I said if something is wrong and I can’t get BMW to fix it before the warranty is over (next month) then you pay or take it back. Said he couldn’t do that I said ok I’m leaving seeyah. So he wrote it in. They need you and they will rarely let you walk. I also forced them to pay for the missing key fob which I always do! Or I walk… I don’t know why they always loose the 2nd key fob but… we agreed to $450. Retail was $800 but I saw you could get dealers to do it for around $500. The sales person found the missing key fob after the transaction was finished LOL. Also the dealer failed to inspect my trade in. They could have inspected it but choose not to. Never even looked at it! They knew it had a huge dent that had to be repaired in order to sell it because it looked aweful bland they docked me $2000 on it. But they never checked the engine. It was a Chevy Volt and the engine didn’t run. We drove to the lot on electric power. We had to trade the car in because although under warranty Chevy was giving us a run around. I also had the Chevy charger and 2nd key fob in a duffle ready to bring it out if they tried saying the car was worth less because of this or that. Know when to walk out… When I bought a Dodge SRT product and they tried to sell me a warranty I said I’m good you guys already have a good warranty. He said oh well the SRT products are only 3yr/36k I said ok seeyah I’m out. There wasn’t even an offer of negotiation. The ass hat tried to call my bluff but it wasn’t a bluff. He said where are you going to go. I said I’m going across the street to Chevy. They don’t remove their warranties from their fast cars. I made it quite clear I wouldn’t be paying for a warranty AND wouldn’t be buying the car because of the lack of a warranty. They dropped the price on the car and the warranty so that it came out to be $500 more I said NO. They came back at $200 more and I said ok that’s fine. Returned the warranty later when I sold the car (legally required to allow that). Because they had dropped the cars price more than the amount they dropped the warranty I got back quite a lot. Anyways I’m not at all good at negotiating but I am good at walking away. I don’t bring money or credit cards. Just my ID. I always have pre approved loans from my credit union waiting around in case it gives me an advantage. That’s it really too… just be prepared to walk! Never ever take that bullshit about the deal expiring and only good for right now. That’s always a lie. With the exception that they will sell a car from underneath you. My friend talked a dealer down on a car and even put a deposit on it. Those assholes sold the car from underneath him because most likely someone offered them the internet price. Anyways be prepared to walk!
Excellent advice. I get those "I just bought this can you check it out" customers. Amazing what I find. Then you get the ones "I bought this and they fixed it, can you check it out" Oh the things I have seen! I get those, "I'm thinking of getting a used car, can you check it out" and then most of the time they never show up until long after they bought it. And once in a great while I get those looking for a used car, ask about getting it checked out and then some times show up with a car. Not the one they originally asked about but some other car as the original one the owner/dealer would not let them take it for a buyers check. My sound advice when used car shopping, when the sales person makes a beeline towards you, send him away after he has unlocked the car for your inspection. AT minimum, tell him to be quiet, do not speak unless spoken to and under no circumstances allow him to just jump in and start the car. I could go on and on for pages here about what and what not to do and how to go about it. Would love to do a show some time where we go car shopping and follow the process through.
My last couple cars had what I would call a good faith warranty from a franchise dealership, covering anywhere from 30 to 90 days and a couple thousand miles. This was include in the sales contract. This made me feel better about the car purchase.
I bought a used TV from a fellow soldier who repaired them, and his warranty was “anytime you can get me this TV and it doesn’t work, I’ll give you another used one as good, or fix this one for free”. I thought it was brilliant, because you’re unlikely to find him a couple years from now, but you will never be seeing him and angry about your TV. A very practical warranty.
I'm now 68 years old and over the years I have bought quite a few used cars. Two in particular I bought, one as is and the other with a 50-50 warranty. Both of them had problems that weren't obvious upon initial inspection and were safety issues. The 50-50 warranty didn't want to do anything and neither did the as is. They were bought in Virginia and Virginia has a very good state inspection law. Both of them had brand new state inspection stickers. In both cases I was able to convince the dealerships that if they didn't do something right then I would take the vehicle to the State Police Headquarters, the state police oversee the state inspection system, a few miles away from the dealerships and have them do an inspection on the car. Then I would seek their inspection license to be withdrawn. Both dealers responded in my favor. The as is Guy, I would only accept him giving me the parts cuz I didn't really trust him at all at that point. The 50-50 warranty, I watched the mechanic repair the brakes. He privately told me he didn't know how I got in there in one piece. The salesman had told me the brakes had just been replaced and I had believed him because it had a brand new state inspection sticker.
My last 2 used cars were bought from "no haggle" dealerships, so I paid a bit more than I would have otherwise, but it was stress free. They came with the remainder of the manufacturer warranty and had them delivered to my work since I couldn't pick them up in person. I know I was blessed in these experiences to get good vehicles.
I commented this on another video but it fits more here. I looked at a "newer" used SUV, lot price $14,675. The salesman came out, we talked, and we went inside we sat at his desk, offers were made. Mine was a lot less than his, Anyway he said he had to talk to someone (probably the sales manager). I told him he had ONE TRIP & ONE TRIP ONLY! . He came back with garbage. The wife and I got up, headed for the door, made it to the steps before being followed out by 4 guys in polyester. The lead guy asked what was the matter (told him about the "ONE TRIP" thing) he asked "What could be done to make the deal? I grabbed a number and said $10,000 OUT THE DOOR and he said yes. Well at paperwork, I still got hit with $700+ in Document fees. (On top of the 10,000 I should have backed out) The car was a good car (didn't owe me a thing) but those document. fees, bothered me for 9 years, till I sold it last year!
NJ's lemon law does cover used cars, with some restrictions (age, mileage, price, etc.). Probably the most important requirement is that the car was bought from a dealership. You won't get protection buying from an individual.
Hi, I actually bought my second used car from an individual (friend's husband) who gave me a 6-month warranty. It turned out to be a loan with an electrical problem (would just shut off - even when I was driving on the highway!). He worked at a mechanic's shop and he honored the warranty. I drove the car another 3 years before trading it in for my first new car. I hope to never have to buy another used car again - I keep my new cars for at least 10 years and I'm happier that way.
I watched a case while I was in Kentucky. It was advertised in the paper with a disclaimer "no motor". It was bought, sight unseen, by a grandmother for her grandson. She sent the seller a check, it was cashed and the grandson was sent over to pick it up. The grandson (before the days of cell phones) went to back to Grandma's and said, it has no engine. Grandma tried to get her money back and successfully sued in Circuit Court (the sales price was over $5K). On her own, she successfully sued saying that a motor is an electrical device like the motor in your washing machine and an engine is a gasoline or diesel device like what is in a car or truck. Not sure what they'd call that of steam. The ad said "no motor", it did not say "no engine". She was awarded treble damages and no punitive damages as this was a one time event. FYI, her late husband was a mechanic and he'd drilled that into her for decades.
Honestly I don't know how she won that case. There must be more to it than is said in this comment. I feel sorry for her that she made that mistake but it was her mistake. Motor and Engine are synonymous in automobile mechanics. It's obvious the person wasn't trying to defraud anybody.
My husband and I took a used car for a test drive at our local Ford dealership. They let us go alone. While my husband was driving, I looked in the glove box and the previous owner’s paperwork was inside. I looked at the receipts for the last couple of oil changes and noticed the car miraculously had less miles on the odometer during our test drive than had been documented previously during the oil changes.
the other items in writing box - I bought a used 1993 F150 with a limited powertrain warranty. The warranty was in that "other" box and the actual warranty was a rider to the contract.
Test drove a late 2000’s Escalade for my buddy since I can spot large red flags. We didn’t make it 200 feet before the “mechanic in a bottle” head gasket failed and lost 80% compression on a few cylinders. Last thing said before we left “it’s a great vehicle, very reliable.”
I walked away once (or twice) from a dealer. They wouldn't meet my terms...it was going to be a cash deal. So I walked. I got a call the next morning from the salesman who asked me what time I would like to come pick up the car. I asked if my terms were acceptable. He said no. I said no deal. An hour later he called back. "We accept." That car lasted over 400K miles. I used it for driver training. I only got rid of it because a mechanic friend wanted it. I had just purchased a 2005 Mustang GT and did not need two cars. This was 2013. I still have the Mustang. It still rocks...and I still get 28-31 MPG on the freeway. I now drive it to car shows. It is a work in progress as I slowly restore it.
The last time I bought a car was in 2013 and went to one of those auto malls that has literally dozens of dealerships on the same street. I visited a number of dealers that day (e.g. Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Chevy, and Ford) before ultimately deciding on buying a new Mazda 3. The one thing that stuck out to me was the Chevy dealership I visited. Looked around the lot and found a Chevy Cruze I wanted to test drive, no one was on the sales floor so had to go inside and ask for a test drive. A sales rep whose on the phone just hands me the keys and tells me to go on the test drive. I drove the car and liked it but had a few questions. Head back into the sales rep's office and wait, and wait and wait. Ask the receptionist where the rep is and she said he'll be back in a minute. End up spending a good 25 minutes sitting in the sales rep's office with him not being there before walking out. Literally, as I walk out of the rep's office and the dealership I see the rep frantically making some calls and as I get back in my car I see the rep running towards my car. I drove off.
Great Video Mr. Lehto. I would suggest this, If your not a mechanic, google automotive shops in the area. Call let them know what your doing (buying a car) and ask if they could inspect a car for you. Especially if you're out of town. The most I have paid for this is $50. Finally, if you really have little money and that's why you are buying a $1500 or $2k Used car. Even more important to figure in that ($50 or whatever)money. It takes very little to turn that $1500 car into a $2500 car or a lawn ornament.
I once bought a used Police Car (Crown Vic) from a used car lot. I was kinda wary about buying it knowing what they sometimes go through. But the salesman encouraged me to have it inspected, so I did. I ended up buying it and driving it for 5 years and 75k miles without a major issue. Needless to say, I'll go back to this guy anytime.
I had a co-worker that sold a mid ‘50s pickup that he had never advertised for sale to a young man that pestered him until he decided to sell it. Imagine my friend’s surprise when he was sued because the floor boards were rusted through in a few places. BTW the judge could not throw the kid and his complaint out of court fast enough when the kid admitted that he had inquired repeatedly if it was for sale and had been told no many times.
I bought a late '50s Hormel camper for $800 and I love it! Then again, I would expect to put the same amount of work into a new one, possibly more (well, maybe not the part where I'm skinning it next month bc the manufacturer put the pretty side of the aluminum IN, but if vintage is your thang learn to do the work first)
I'd rather go with private seller (still with mechanic inspection) than deal with used car sales dealer. When I was looking for a car, I found one that was ok, and gave a small deposit check contingent on the car having no major issues with it after my mechanic checked it over (I defined major work by repairs totaling over 1k$) agreement written down with the caveat deposit was refundable if the car had major repair issues. Ofc the salesman said all the normal stuff etc etc brakes just done etc etc and I find out the engine was burning oil and the brake job they did was just a pad slap and the routers rusty. Brought back the car and it still took a few days to get my check back from them in person. I went with a private buyer who had service records and my Mech gave a clean bill of health on.
Years ago there was a buy here pay here in AL and the running joke was dealer name..."Guaranteed to get off the lot, if all four wheels fall off it's YOURS"
From an individual, it has a "tail-light guarantee", which is if you can see the tailights, it is guaranteed. Note that as soon as you get into the vehicle, you can't see the tail lights!
I’m a professional licensed auto mechanic I always inspect a used vehicle by opening hood checking all hoses and fluids (condition of and level) belts or belt check for glazing/cracks trunk (if applicable) all doors inside and outside (checking operation) pulling and looking at all 4 tires/wheels check brakes and brake hoses and do a shake down on the suspension and look underneath at the frame and exhaust (condition of and where it goes together )and exhaust isolators (rubber hangers) if they’re cracked or missing, then I start the vehicle check the dash lights that they work all exterior lighting, low, high beams and turn signals that they work and cancel properly, take vehicle for a road test by that time vehicle engine should be at operating temperature. Go up and down a long steep hill making sure transmission shifts properly if it’s an automatic also to check for any shaking when slowly applying the brakes coming down the hill,( if they’re bad you’ll feel it vibrate through the steering wheel/brake pedal which would be the front and/or vibrate through your seat which would be the rear brakes.) I would then proceed to an empty parking lot to engage the 4X4 high and low it’ll hop making tight turns (don’t keep doing tight turns with 4X4 engaged you’ll do damage your just checking to see if it works!) if everything appears to be in good working order with no issues do the deal. If you find problems take pictures and renegotiate on the price of the vehicle (be realistic with the price check prices on said price and labor to negotiate on new price of vehicle) 8 out of 10 times they’ll agree if not walk away..
Another advantage of carefully inspecting a car is that you can usually find quite a few little things wrong with most older cars. Often these are things wouldn't really keep you from using the car. Even if you'll never fix these issues. You might not want it or be happy with it unless you pay a price low enough to reflect its true condition. What you said reminds me of a bit of advice my dad gave to a lot of family members. "Remember the dealer has no choice. He has to sell that car. You don't have to buy it."
I have had a friend in WA that bought a car from a person. Over the course of 3 weeks, they discovered the bumper was taped on, the horn didn't work, it had cracking in the frame that was painted over, the engine would overheat, and the big kicker: they had spray painted the tires to hide that they were wearing through the metal fibers! Now, while lemon law doesn't apply, their are a lot of laws here restricting sales of vehicles that aren't road safe. My friend's father went back to the seller and basically insisted on his son's money back. The seller initially didn't want to do that. Then his father pulled up the rcws and started reading them to the guy and said, you couldn't legally sell this car. If I call the (local) pd, and they come over and look at this, how do you think it's going to go for you in court when they see that you spray painted the tires to intentionally hide their condition? They got the money back.
I used to hang out in small claims courtrooms when I had free time, and every day, in just about every courtroom, there would be two or three cases brought by as-is car purchasers who would always say "yes I am aware that it is as-is, your honor, but . . ." and they all end the same way. As-is means as-is. The only exceptions I've seen were variations on "I've put a lot of work into this car and there is nothing wrong with it" or "the only thing wrong with it is..." some minor technical matter. The seller implied that s/he has mechanical aptitude and then says the car is "good" -- that can take the sale out of the as-is rule. (This was all in California, other states might differ).
I walked out from a used Jaguar dealer, with a pocket full of CASH. The service department had a stuck lug nut so they touched the whole lug right out. 🤦♀️. Wouldn't come off the price, so I stood up pulled the cash out and said "That's too bad" Nothing better then being dirty from work, walking out of a Jaguar dealer with a salesman, suited up, chasing after you said "Wait, I'm sure we can blah blah blah" 😂😂. People also forget you can drive a few hours for an amazing deal. Your car is a huge investment, shit, I immediately left the dealer in Indianapolis and drove all the way to Chicago and bought one there, same day. I'm so glad I had the balls to say no or even check the first car out. Otherwise I'd be stuck in a lower optioned, missing lug, blown suspension car. For the same price. I used to get talked into buying all the time, trust me, say no, it feels great.
Thank God I live in the UK. The 'Sale of Goods Act' applies to ALL types of one-off purchased goods from legally registered businesses (but not individuals). Under the act, all goods sold MUST be FIT FOR PURPOSE, of MERCHANTABLE QUALITY, and last for a REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME (depending on the type of good being purchased). These are STATUTORY RIGHTS and cannot be signed away or waivered by contract terms (e.g. manufacturers warranty period). Combine this with paying a deposit by credit card (which under the Consumer Credit Act makes the credit card provider equally liable with the vendor for any misrepresentation or failure to honour the contract of sale) then you have very strong legal consumer protection.
@@tanelipirinen - Nope. ANY tax registered business selling cars (or any other goods of value) has to by Law follow these regulations. Remember I'm in the UK, where UK law and not US law applies. And we get strong customer protections over here.
@@tanelipirinen Sounds like alot of BS. So you would obviously have to have it reclassified it as "not a car" and of course there would be fees and taxes and paperwork, then what if I fix it and sell it as a car again? More worthless government red tape and fees and taxes token bribes to get permission to do what I want with my property.
I'm glad I watched this. In NJ there used to be a 72 hour buyers remorse clause in all car sales or lease contracts. From what I can see here (link below), that's gone. Surprisingly, there are used car lemon laws in NJ, and other states. The article is a year and a half old, it's not written by an attorney. For those reasons, I won't say anything in the article is true. It would be more accurate to state the claims in the article require validation. I am surprised to see the 72 hour buyers remorse probably no longer exists. I'm in the market for a specific car. I bought 1 car and returned it 20 minutes later. It had serious engine codes. I can't say the dealership deleted them, hoping the buyer would go directly to infpection. I never made it that far. I won't buy the car I want unless no codes appear on my code reader (they're cheap - there's no excuse for not owning one, and using it before test driving any vehicle). I won't buy any vehicle not guaranteed to pass NJ inspection, and cones with at least a one month/1000 mile warranty. Here's the link I viewed. It might help some people. But, it needs to be fact checked. Even if everything it states was true at the time, laws change. www.moneyunder30.com/buyers-remorse-laws
I neglected to mention, the warranty, guarantee, and anything else promised by the dealership is something I make sure iis in writing, and art of the contract or paperwork. I have you to thank for that. Thanks Steve.
In Connecticut interestingly (in certain circumstances) dealers need to provide express warranties: "Dealers must give express warranties in Connecticut: • If the car costs between $3,000 and $5,000 and is less than 7 years old (The dealer must cover all repairs necessary to keep the vehicle mechanically sound and operational for at least 30 days or the first 1,500 miles, whichever comes first). • If the car costs more than $5,000 and is less than 7 years old (The dealer must cover all repairs necessary to keep the vehicle mechanically sound and operational for at least 60 days or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first). • If the car costs less than $3,000 and is more than 7 years old, the dealer can sell the car “As Is,” meaning no warranty, if the dealer provides a disclaimer on the front page of the contract of sale and you indicate your assent to the disclaimer. • A dealer cannot exclude or limit an implied warranty on a car that costs more than $3,000.00. • The express warranty must provide that if the car breaks down during the warranty period, the dealer is responsible for all repairs necessary to keep the vehicle mechanically sound and operational. • If the car is in the repair shop for more than a day, the warranty is extended for every day the car is in the dealer’s or his agent’s shop. • A dealer cannot limit a warranty under the above conditions by using phrases such as “fifty-fifty,” “labor only,” or any other words that attempt to limit the dealer’s responsibility to the buyer."
Авто/Мото
HA! I love when they say "Don't you trust us?" ...My response to them is "OK, if I'm going to trust you why don't you sign the title over to me, let me take the car, and I'll come back tomorrow with the money."
Here's a check for the car...
People get wrapped up in the idea that "I need THAT car", forgetting that it isn't the only car for sale in any area. Great video Mr. L.
I once bought a used Nissan Pathfinder from a non Nissan dealer, while inspecting the car before buying it the climate controls didn't work right. I mentioned that to the sales woman and she checked it and said that they would fix it. I told her I wanted that on the contract and she wrote it in. When I went back to pick up the car she said that they weren't able to fix it that day, they had to order a part and they would call me when it came in. When I took it back for them to put the part in it still didn't work. They tried to tell me there was nothing else they could do. I pulled out my sales contract and showed them where it said they would fix it. They then made an appointment at a Nissan dealership for me to take it there and that they would pay for the repairs, which they did and Nissan fixed the controls.
Had something somewhat similar not too long ago with a used car dealer. Bought our work truck from them, had them put in writing that they would fix/replace such and such issues/parts and there was actually a spot already on their forms for just that - maintenance/work to be done before taking delivery. There were a few very minor trim pieces that they had to order in so we took the truck while they waited on the parts and they actually drove out to our location and installed them. It was a nice change from what you hear about most used dealerships. I voiced my concerns about the truck and was immediately reassured that anything (within reason) I wanted addressed would be taken care of.
I am a gal close to retirement age - when I bought my last used car from a dealership I made them put it on the lift and I looked all around under it. They probably thought I was weird but I worked on cars for years with my late husband. BTW I was looking at 2 cars at 2 dealerships so I did have to "get up and walk out" at one of them. It was kind of scary but I did it.
Good for you. Your husband would be proud.
@@meMiner Her husband would be proud????? Seriously?
@@scottr2706 It's OK to say a wife would be proud of her husband and visa versa. The world won't explode. Deceased or not. Don't be a control freak.
I was actually able to look at my vehicle up on the hoist at the dealership. My brother was our salesman. They put brakes on all the way around.
@Commenter2 Exactly. Why lower the the price until the customer heads for the door!
As a private individual, over the years I have sold several used cars myself rather than accepting a lower value as a trade-in. I keep meticulous maintenance records and encourage any prospective buyer to have the vehicle inspected. Few do, however, but at least I have peace of mind that I didn't knowingly pass off a problem to someone else.
Flow chart! Use it every day as a mechanic.
Also in 27 years I have never seen a used car worth blue book. Every used car has issues.
A+++ on your advice. Always get the car inspected by a professional.
Last year I looked at 22 used cars for 1 family till we found one without 2k in needed repairs. Cars from about 20 dealerships in town. It was awful what junk they were selling.
I bought an Impreza three years ago with 106k miles, in the first year the trans valve body went out and the engine started burning tons of oil, they were kind enough to replace the engine and trans valve body at no cost to me, and a year after when the input shaft bearing went out on the trans they called Subaru North America and managed to wrangle me a free new transmission, just had to pay the $1200 labor out of pocket! Think about that, car had no warranty, yet they took care of me. Reputation is valuable to some businesses I guess!
Name of dealer?
Stink Wink Ferguson Subaru
LeMarkD Media your first mistake was buying a Subaru. They are famous for oil consumption and head gaskets
Bartismo Ellis the 2012 Impreza was the first year of the new 2.0 engine and it was supposed to address most of the consumption and head gasket issues because of its design, that first year they didn’t put piston rings in that had the proper tension so there was blow-by issues, they fixed it for following years. To their credit I didn’t burn oil at all after they replaced it!
@@jonkeau5155 Dont mind him, some people dont know how cars work. Subaru is one of the best car brands there is.
I walked out of a car dealership on Steven's Creek Blvd in San Jose and got in my car and the young salesman *PUNCHED* my side rear view mirror. So let me add one more thing, "BRING SOMEONE WITH YOU"
The car you just bought? Why did he do that?
wow. That's going a bit far. He just lost you as a customer *forever* . His bad.
@@nayBobb he walked out without purchasing
I was test driving a Nissan 300 ZX at the time
I agree - I stopped at a dealership to test a car I had just heard about. When we got back and it turns out I'm not buying that day, the manager came storming out looking like he was ready to body-slam me to the ground...
I once went to a used car lot to look at a used pickup truck. I was already suspicious because the salesman had to ride with me and after I started to drive he advised I could not take it on the road, I can only test drive it around the lot.
As I circled around to the office front the there was a horrific sound and the engine stalled and it appears the piston where laying under the truck.
The sales guy was like you broke it you bought it. I left and never heard back from the lot. I don't believe I left my name and contact information.
The label was clearly marked as is no warranty.
@@buycars3569 Thanks tips
Buycars356 I think the part he was suspicious about wasn’t the fact that a salesman had to be in the car but the fact he couldn’t drive it on the road, but it’s hard to tell because the comment is so badly written
@@buycars3569 If the rules say I can't take a used car on the highway I'm not buying a car.
My comment was hurriedly written. I came across a used care lot with a 12 year old pickup truck for $1200 dollars as is no warranty. No rust through holes in the bed or body just a cracked windshield. Truck was easily worth twice that. I had already picked up $1400 at the bank to buy the truck. I pulled in with a $20000 car, at other car lots that is usually enough to secure the test drive. It was obvious the sale was going to go through on a successful test drive so no need for a salesman. Other lots have sent me out without any problem.
I normally take a car out for around 20 minutes, check power windows, air conditioning cruise control etc. I like to make a few left and right turns at reasonable speed and from a stop. I like to take it on the interstate for 3 or 4 miles. I live in an area and the car lot is in an area the exits are that close together. I have had another car I was test driving on my interstate portion when the oil light came on. I stopped immediately to prevent damaged and called the lot back, I never deliberately destroy merchandise.
When the salesman gets in after putting a temp plate. As I roll away from the office he tells me we cannot leave the lot for the test drive. I don't know why he bothered to put a plate on it if I could not leave the lot. I started to turn around to go back to the office and the power steering made a clunking sound in the turn, then the engine let go with no preceding noises. I was more like creeping, I did not gun the engine, I would have during an actual test drive.
I offered him $200 if the threw in a tow to bring it to my house. No deal, the salesman counter offer was you broke it you bought it. That is when I left.
@@buycars3569 Maybe I am taking this wrong, so let me get this straight: you're a car salesman who lets potential buyers test a drive a car that you yourself will not get in because you are scared for your life?? You might not be putting your life on the line but you are putting your soul and karma in a bad place.
Last month I was at a friend's shop. He showed me a beautiful restored Ford pickup that was on the lift. The body work was spotless. The paint and and clear coat deep and immaculate. A stunning job. I told him how impressed I was. He smiled and turned the lift on and raised the truck. In two seconds I saw the the frame was cracked in one spot with a fucked up weld job, it looked like a ten year old did it. And in the second spot there was a missing chunk of frame replaced with two pieces of angle iron. My buddy refused to work on the truck when he saw the frame damage and hack job. This truck was burning tires after the customer bought the truck. He brought it to my buddy for new tires and an alignment. Apparently he thought that the truck looked like a million dollars so he didn't get it inspected.
I've seen this as well where the vehicle had beautiful paint and interior but was a disaster underneath.
Before the days of camera phones, I negotiated a deal for a particular new car sitting on the dealer lot. After purchasing the car, I was told that I could pick up the car the next day as they had to wash it, prep it, and fill the gas tank. They called the next day and told me to come get my car. I showed up and the car had not been washed, the gas tank was empty, and they had removed every dealer installed option they could including floor mats, mud guards, protective moldings, and the sun roof wind deflector. I asked what happened to all these items and was told that they were not on the purchase contract and therefor not included. This was despite the fact that in negotiating the price, they wrote these options on a scratch pad along with cost information to show how they came to the final price. Total scum. Every dealer I have dealt with since thinks I am paranoid for insisting that every tiny detail is written down.
I would think that what Steve said about once you signed the contract, the car is yours, including everything that is on the car. It should work both ways, if the car blows up before you drive it off the lot, it's your responsibility to remove it, and anything that was on the vehicle when the dealership signed the paperwork is also now yours and for them to remove anything constitutes theft. You negotiated the price as the car sat on the lot, if they weren't selling the car as it was, they should have told you before you signed the contract. You should have called the police.
Money, sale contract (if dealer) title (if individual) and keys and possession all should always happen at the same time.
What if you removed things from your trade-in? The stereo, the custom wheels etc. Think the dealer would howl about that?
@@colt4667 Yes? That isn’t the rebuttal that you think it is.
I agree with what you said about the fun involved in walking out of a dealership. I had one run out after me when they tried to add extra fees once we agreed to total price, and I walked out. My dad taught me this, and yes, it was quite funny. P. S. They took the fees out of the total price 🤣
Me to an Illinois car dealer: "Can I take the car to Houston Texas to get it inspected by Scotty Kilmer?"
Unless it's a 94 Celica it's junk.
Ring That Bell !
will do
Rev up your engine's
Amen! REV UP YOUR ENGINES!!!
Well I lucked out. I bought a 2006 RAV4 with 147k miles. The guy told me if there was anything wrong come back. Sure enough 2 front bearings busted. I went back and sure enough they fixed it. No charge and not written on any papers. Some times things work out. I would not recommend trusting a dealer though.
That’s a cheap repair less than 200$ in cost cause thier mechanic makes like 20$ per hour and they get big discount on the parts try that with a 6000$ engine swap
@@TheMechanicj I don't see your point. The person selling the car didn't have to do anything at all, cheap or not.
@@mikeslater6246 cause fixing a tiny little issue is fine and dandy but with no warranty they wouldn’t fix a big issue I guarantee that be like buying used lawn mower and the next day the bearing goes out on the deck sure fix it for free but I’d the engine blows up you ain’t gonna fix it for free
A lot of buy here pay here places will fix somethings for cheap. They do this because they buy the cars from auction for much cheaper than you can find on the street. Add a huge markup and possibly finance fee's and they know the car is only going to last a few more years. That hopefully if they show good faith on little things they can keep you coming back while they make huge profits.
I go to dealerships and tell them flat out that if they want to make a deal then they'll do whatever it takes to make me happy. I've bought too many pieces of crap and I learned my lesson a long time ago. I have no qualms about walking out of a dealership. I don't let them hold me hostage anymore.
Funny story here in Wyoming. Months ago a guy followed me in my 1975 Toyota Pickup home. He said he had a 78 Toyota long bed for sale for $300. Just 2 weeks ago I bought that 78 & sold my 75 to a friend for $300. No concern about lemon laws. I got a upgrade. No car payments. I have a 90 Chevy van for the biz, $1700 a long time ago & a 76 Chinook for camping, $1500 a long time ago. Things are much more easier/simple in Wyoming. And we have places with no cell phone service.
flow chart would have been a good time for our friend the white board!!
Yup, haven't seen Boardie in quite some time now
A tail light warranty is when the seller can no longer see the tail lights going down the road and is out of sight , the warranty ran out .
I bought a truck from a friend that told me that .
All paths on that whiteboard other than "New car" would lead to "you're fucked"
Buying a car?->Get it inspected->Get any agreement in writing.->In case of doubt->Walk away
My son is in the market for a used car. I can’t wait to share this info with him. Thank you for the excellent info.
Best advice EVER! "Be prepared to walk away."
Also, never give them the keys to your trade. They held mine hostage when I tried to leave. If they need to inspect...go with them...and ask for keys back. I should have called the police
I find your videos really interesting... It also makes me value a lot of the protections we have in the EU. If we buy a car from a dealer, we have a 14 day period when we can change our mind and get out of the deal.
Sometimes I daydream that I’m being sued and Steve is my lawyer. The lockdown is doing funny things to me.
*l've been called many a time by friends to 'go have a look' at a car they were buying. lt's amazing how many times l've had to tell them it's a p.o.s.*
(they're the lucky ones: others have come to me *after* the fact to get something expensive fixed on their 'deal of the century')
Every time I've bought a used car, I've been given a warranty - 3" or 3 seconds..
I've actually had good success with private sales - but it helps that
a) I am mechanically inclined (I was hired by an auto parts store in the past due to this factor) and
b) I wasn't expecting much. My current daily beater is a 1995 Suburban that I paid $2k for, and the only major things I've had to do to it to keep it on the road are a brand new battery and a set of used tires - in 5 years.
My wifes van on the other hand, was a mistake - $40k new, depreciation has it worth around 10-12k now, and still 15k to pay off.
So pay it off and keep it for another decade; that way the average depreciation is reasonable and you will know it has been well maintained.
I feel ya, nothing I want is new.
When buying a vehicle in Colorado, you do have one potential out. All used vehicles must come with a fresh (never used to license a vehicle) emission certificate. Dealers have the option of providing you with a prepaid voucher for an emission test, but the vehicle has to pass to complete the sale. If the vehicle does not have a valid emission certificate, the sale can be unwound (but you might have to get the courts involved.)
In the late 80s I was at the local Chevrolet dealership and I was looking at a used Ford station wagon that I was very impressed with. While laying on the ground looking under the engine for leaks I noticed that the oil drain plug had been replaced with a very large bolt and there was an excessive amount of silicone sealer around the bolt. At the time I was doing oil changes on my own cars and I just thought "NOPE." :-(
Wow, how hard would it have been for them to get the correct oil drain plug?
callak _ I figured they had some how stripped the original threads so they just okefied it as dad used to say. 🤦♂️🤷♂️😂😂
@@davidpayton8336 I had to buy an oversized drain plug, for my old van, after I bought it, as the original was stripped out. It was even a one-owner.
I learned a long time ago, never buy a used car in the dark. The next day you will regret it :(
Hey Steve you should replay this video in an automated loop at least once a month or every 1,000 new subscribers, whichever comes first
I had a chance to buy "the truck I always wanted" for $8000 from an individual. That was about $2000 higher then others of that year and mileage (check, research done). The truck was advertised as being in excellent condition....went to look at it (busy shopping center parking lot, daytime), engine ran good, and everything worked including air conditioning (check, did a visual inspection). I took it for a test drive, and it drove well on the highway, but the suspension made some noise when it went over some bumps. Looked at the front end and the sway bar bushings were worn out.....not a big deal, but if that was not looked after, what about the ball joints, tie rod ends, struts, etc...the seller then offered that he "knew about that"...I offered $6000 cash for the truck - he was "offended" and insulted me a little..... I walked away. This is an actual encounter I had - I hope this helped someone.
Always assume something is wrong in a private sale, especially in today's market. I tell them if it's a good car go trade it to a dealership for more then I would offer. They can easily trade it to a dealership but if there's a mechanical issue they will try to instead dump it on a chump.
This one episode needs to renamed to: "Common Sense, That's Not Common". Thank you for distilling the cautions needed when buying goods from individuals and the lack of recourse if you don't do your own due diligence".
I would like to have a list of people that bye cars on the internet. So that I could sell them some land.
in Florida, at low tide
Bye car on the internet. See you never.
Buy car on the internet. I would never.
I had a recent horror story buying a used car. My wife mistakenly thought this might be a legit "Lemon Law" issue, but I knew better because I watch Steve Lehto on You Tube😉.
We had a "used" car that we loved and owned for 2 years but some guy with no insurance T-boned us at an intersection last October. A paperwork filled month of back and forth with my insurance I ended up with about $5000 in my pocket to replace my vehicle. Follow that with an exhaustive search my wife and I ended up at a used car dealership. I was about to walk out of the dealer on a car my wife liked but the guy offered an add on 3 month limited third party warranty which I knew wasn't worth much but I bought the car because I was tired of looking. The car had 116,000 miles but for $5000 I would have been lucky to do any better. In the next couple of weeks I found problems that I realized the dealer purposely hid from me but only cost me a few hundred dollars in parts and some of my time to repair. I sucked it up and moved on. 2 months after I had bought the car it stalled on a trip home from a Christmas party. It turned out that the timing chain was stretched out and slipped and being that it was NOT a non-interference engine it was destroyed. It cost a little over $3000 to replace the engine with a used engine but the limited warranty only covered $1200. Again I suck it up and move on. This $5000 car has now cost me $7500.
A month later the engine starts running bad so I take it back to to the garage that replaced the engine to take a look at it. The service associate tells me that the timing chain needed to be replaced and started to tell me what it would cost. I stopped him and questioned "Why should it cost me anything?" The service rep tried to tell me that the used engine only had a 30 day warranty and we just missed the deadline. I explained that I was told it was a 2 month warranty on the engine and on the back of their service receipt states that their work is warrantied for 60 days. "I brought my car in for a failure with the timing chain and it seems you have not repaired it sufficiently", I explained calmly. The service associate scrambled and said he would need to talk to his manager and get back to me.
The next day I got a call that my car was fixed at no cost to me.
I can only blame myself for not inspecting and doing more thorough research, or get my mechanic to inspect it.
The car has been running good for that last six months but if I knew what I know now I would have never bought the car. I've learned I hate this car but in spite of that I have resolved to keep driving it until it is ready for the junk yard so it pays me back for the hell it put me through.
let me guess gm engine ly7 v6
@@apprenticefelix7740 haha, very close. 2008 Saturn Vue. That was after GM took over and decided to put a 2.4 liter Honda engine in that model that is a peice o' crap and has barely enough power to make it worth stepping on the gas pedal. I would have been better off if I got the V6 AWD version. Better research I would have known. But now I know to stay away from GM.
@@evilshiloh your engine is worth then your car. honda k24 engine right
@@evilshiloh the 2.4 is a GM engine. The Honda 3.5 V6 was an optional engine in the Vue. All of the other engines offered were GM.
Think I have a thing more fun.. quiting a job at a used car dealer on a busy Saturday when you the only person that is licensed to do the paper work.
It’s easy to see Steve truly loves to help people!!!! Years ago, I was a member of Pre-Paid Legal. I learned the hard way if you want FAIR in this life, you have to go to the County FAIRGROUNDS when the FAIR comes to town!!!!
The first job for any type of insurance is to deny service if there is any legal way to do so!!!!
Steve’s Used Car Lot idea of burning money and DESPERATELY NEEDING ME AS A BUYER TO KEEP THE BUSINESS OPEN is absolutely SPOT ON, the only way to look at a Used Car Dealer!!!!!
Thank you Steve for being the great man and great Attorney you are, Sir!!!! SALUTE!!!!!
Great stuff! On walking out, a younger version of myself fell in love with a Chevy truck on a dealer lot. We got to negotiating and we’re $250 apart (on approx 9k truck)… he said that was his best price. I said mine was all I would offer, so I got up and walked… knowing he’d stop me and not lose the sale over $250… not a single person tried to stop me as I walked slowly and to my car and took my time starting it… HOPING they’d stop me. It must have been his best offer. I drove home. Lol
Probably because of the market. If this was pre-2020 or especially pre-2010 they were idiots.
Reminds me to watch the movie "Used Cars" again. Funny stuff.
"That's yellow primer"
Decades ago I worked at the corner gas station where auto repairs were part of the business. When my car needed repairs I would purchase the parts needed elsewhere because it was cheaper than what the station charged. Because I did this the mechanic would give me an outta sight warranty. The mechanic explained it thusly: “When it’s outta my sight it’s outta warranty.”
Also known as a "taillight warranty"
most used car dealers i have been to have disabled (removed the bulb) the "Check Engine" light. If the check engine light is not on when the ignition turns on - walk away.
I've never been to one that disabled the light but they just LOVE when I pull my code reader out and plug it in!
I had a lady that managed to bring in her car saying it needs brakes, the brake light was on but it went out. That light was on long enough to burn out the bulb! Absolutely nothing left of the rear brakes, just parts rolling around inside the drum, and a master cylinder that was half empty.
If it's new enough to have a check engine light, then I ain't buying it. I only own and drive vehicles that are old enough to not have electronics to help them function. That way I can work on it if something goes wrong with it. I also make sure it doesn't have Ford written on it anywhere. That's usually an indication that it's junk.
@@jerrybrooks870 I don't buy anything OBD II unless it's a fix n flip. I can deal with OBD I
I also own 2 Ford Rangers (one with a 302), along with 2 Dodge pickups and a bunch of GM products. It's getting harder every day to find a vehicle without some sort of electronics and a check engine light. My 77 GMC, both 75s, my 74 Camaro and both Dodge pickups are my only vehicles that never had one. My 94 V8 swapped Ranger used to but it went away at the same time the ECM did.
Meh, the check engine light is a waste of a light bulb anyway. My mom's old car ran for 10 years with the check engine light on and we never had any problem with it. We did take it in when the light first came on and they couldn't find anything actually wrong except that the check engine light was on. Keep in mind that it was out of warranty at that point, so they had no incentive to not find the problem.
Hello Steve. I bought a used Chevy Silverado 1500 truck almost two years ago from a local Chevrolet dealer. It was a local trade, one owner vehicle. I didn't have it inspected before I bought it, but the dealer stated they inspected and detailed it. I noticed a crack in the dash before the sale and they offered to have the crack repaired at no charge and also threw in a bottle of touch up paint for a couple of scratches on the fenders. I did purchase the extended warranty from the dealer for piece of mind. A week later, I brought it to an independent shop to have a BlueStar insteption (bluestar dot com). They found a torn front axle CV boot. I brought the truck back to the dealer. They stated that the torn boot was not on the video they took when they inspected the truck. That's fine. I'm glad I bought the warranty. The dealer also waived the $100 deductible. Great service. Since then I've brought the truck in for service and also had the steering wheel position sensor and transmission and engine oil cooler lines replaced under warranty. The dealer has provided great service and I consider myself lucky. It was the first time I bought a used vehicle since being married seventeen years ago. So far, sor good. I also researched the VIN before I bought the truck to be sure the title was clean and the truck had all of the equipment I needed to tow my travel trailer RV.
"Send Lawyers, Guns, and Money -- My used car is no good." (Thanks, Mr Zephon.) Sounds like the title of a car book by a Michigan Lawyer.
The opening stanza of that song is some of the finest poetry in the English language
@@dixiechampagne2892 SAmd a great piece of music, too!
When I was shopping for my first vehicle we had one that we wanted to look at. We arranged to have the seller meet us at a mechanic of our choosing to have it looked over. We didn't buy the vehicle, the seller stuck around to discuss repairs..
Out of the estimated 500 cars I sold, I have had a handful of people ask/followed through to have them inspected by a shop.
"Paddle to the Sea" is a great book. Thrilled to see it behind you.
Steve you really do provide a great public service with your videos. Unfortunately too many people are too stupid to talk advantage of your expertise and knowledge. I have tried my whole life to explain how things work to my friend and family and most of them do not take advantage of my experience. So all I can do is shrug when they tell me their tales and troubles.
Funny the end quote for THIS video is "Get used to disappointment" 😂
Beautiful Presentation of some really practical and important points of law. Thank you Steve. This is a MasterPiece!
Joy. Subscribed to both your Channel and Louis Roseman”s. Seeing you together was awesome. The advice is always relevant. This first stater thanks you.
My Dad bought an Aveo a few years ago from a woman that was selling it for her boyfriend sight unseen. He was at her house but paid her before even looking at it. The air did not work, windshield cracked, would not start so he called AAA. The blue book value was 50% less than what he paid. Welcome to the whole of my life with my Dad. I used to go with him but he did not like me telling him not to buy a car he wanted.
"My dad bought an aveo..."
I stopped there and wondered if i heard enough or should keep reading. Having worked for AAA i do tend to see a pattern as far as brands, years and models. The aveo was made during a time when GM was experimenting with swapping parts and designs from off brand or brands purchased in other markets, as well as trying to downsize parts from discontinued models.
nunya bisnass My Dad never does research. What he likes are small cars...Bugs, Geos, etc. He just bought another VW and I have had to speak to the seller about fixing things. I know Steve, he has no obligation but I think he felt sorry for me.
@@sammijohnson7707 ah, he likes the more compact variety that tend to be trendy but not have a large enough demand for manufacturers to have the incentive to maintain a positive reputation for. My dad is the same with trucks and SUVs except he thinks bigger means safer.
If your dad likes small cars...a camry is the way to go all day. A nice mid 2000's will still go 200k without major issues if you first check the mileage and look unde the hood to see if the previous owner kept up with the maintenance schedule. Check fluids for metal, milkiness and clarity, oil around the head, sediments in the coolant resevoir, rust around frame and suspension...any shiny new parts.
nunya bisnass All great advise but my Dad is so stubborn and because he is Japanese, the opinions of girls are not as valuable as guys. I wanted to be an engineer or mechanic but that was not acceptable for a girl. Plus my Dad is short and the small cars make him feel average height. He still tells people he is five foot six but that is my height and he is more like five foot three.
Aveo, yuck
Excellent video, I give you an A+ people need to learn these lessons from you not the hard way by getting ripped off.
Caveat emptor comes to mind.
When my dad was in the Air Force (or just before he went in) he got a new 1965vor 1966 VW Beetle. A car that he loved, He drove it to his first Duty Station from Oregon to North Carolina, When that assignment ended he drove the car back to Oregon and mothballed it before heading off to his next duty assignment in the Azores. As that assignment ended he returned home and then headed to his last duty station Travis Airforce Base in California. He dove all over the place and getting out of the Airforce and a new job he traded the VW in on a 1969 Beetle.
This car had a bigger engine but the oil cooler was placed where it would bock air flow to one cylinder and after that cylinder blew up a 3rd time (he re built the engine twice to this point) he fixed the engine just enough that it would run, took it in and traded it for a brand new Dodge. A couple of weeks later he got a phone call from a woman who was in the process of test driving the car. She had found his phone number and called him, asking if the car was worth buying. He asked here if there was oil dripping out of the engine, she went out to check, came back and said there was. He advised her not to buy the car.
That Dodge was the first car I remember having. The thing was, about a few weeks after he purchased the car, the local police department decided to replace their entire fleet of patrol cars with that same make and model only the cops had the bigger engine. But from the outside they looked exactly the same. And because at the time the city painted all of the city vehicles the cop cars looked exactly like my dad's car when seen in a rear view mirror.
This would mean everyone my dad got behind would slow down to the speed limit. This would drive my dad nuts.
For more advice, watch The Homework Guy.
Was going to look at a car dealer offering off a car. Before I went to even see it, I ran a carfax on the vehicle. The report said that the dealership group had owned the car for almost a year. It had been on 5 dealers lots and still wasn't sold. That changed my mind about looking at that car or any other used car that this dealership group offers every again.
I saw a used 2007 Explorer. I wanted to buy it from a dealer for $4500. He wouldn't budge on the price (red flag #1, but it was a decent price for the mileage). Ok, I made a list of things to fix, everything wrong with the truck. He said no problem. I left a 200$ deposit, he never did anything. Weeks went buy, I just didn't want it anymore. One issue was a bad cat, even if I repaired myself a CA cat is over $1000.. Ended up getting $100 back, I told him I'm not taking it. I just didn't want to argue anymore.
hello 90s cars
I bought a good used Dodge Truck 10 yrs ago. When I bought it, it said on windshield "As Is" I asked for the Car Fax, it said the truck had only 1 other owner. Best truck I have ever had. I still have it. I did buy my truck from a Dodge Dealership.
There was a used car lot years ago in Tucson that sold cheap cars. They said that if the car broke in half you owned both pieces.
My husband likes to buy and sell vehicles (after he tinkers with it). He will tell buyers if they have a problem, call him, and he'll help take care of it and has. Handshake warranty, personal sale.
My parents bought me a used car in Finland from a small dealer. The engine check light was on. He said it's "probably" the particle filter and it needs to be rinsed, won't be a big job. "If it turns out to be something else, I'll cover it". Then we took the car to a mechanic to get the filter rinsed off. The previous owner had cut a square hole in the filter, which is illegal. In Finland you need to have older cars inspected every year in a state approved inspection shop to have the car be legal to drive, and the dealer had had the car inspected and they passed it with the engine check light on which is a big no-no. The inspection shop would have lost their license to inspect cars if we made a complaint that they passed the car with the check engine light on, so the inspection shop demanded the dealer deliver on his promise, so he had to pay for a new particle filter and installation. That was probably 600-800€. If it weren't for the inspection bit, we would have been screwed over by the dealer.
Steve, This is a wonderful video that will help many people if they will only follow your advise; get it in writing for anything that is important to you--and always inspect a par before buying it--or better yet have a mechanic inspect the car. Thank you Steve.
You are so right about being in control. You ABSOLUTELY can get them to change that as is bullshit. I’ve done it more than once because IM IN CONTROL!!! I bought a 2014 BMW i3 REx in 2018. 22k miles still had a factory warranty but that’s besides the point. I knew quite factually that the cars made early 2014 had some issues that must be resolved but BMW didn’t issue recalls. I told the sales guy I wouldn’t buy the car unless I could bring it back if anything related to the electronics, drive train, EV components, or gas engine was wrong. He said he’d ask his manager and I told him to do it now. So he did and then he said it was ok.
At the end it wasn’t in the paperwork I said you said we could do this. He said yeh it’s fine and I was like ok then change the verbiage. His manager came out and didn’t want to do it. I said I let him know early it was the only way. Guy didn’t want to budge and I was like ok man I’m out. He was like wait and then wrote in some stuff that would essentially knee cap me if something did happen. I go no no… you are writing this to benefit me not to benefit you. Be explicit about you repairing it or taking it back. I said if something is wrong and I can’t get BMW to fix it before the warranty is over (next month) then you pay or take it back. Said he couldn’t do that I said ok I’m leaving seeyah. So he wrote it in. They need you and they will rarely let you walk.
I also forced them to pay for the missing key fob which I always do! Or I walk… I don’t know why they always loose the 2nd key fob but… we agreed to $450. Retail was $800 but I saw you could get dealers to do it for around $500. The sales person found the missing key fob after the transaction was finished LOL.
Also the dealer failed to inspect my trade in. They could have inspected it but choose not to. Never even looked at it! They knew it had a huge dent that had to be repaired in order to sell it because it looked aweful bland they docked me $2000 on it. But they never checked the engine. It was a Chevy Volt and the engine didn’t run. We drove to the lot on electric power. We had to trade the car in because although under warranty Chevy was giving us a run around. I also had the Chevy charger and 2nd key fob in a duffle ready to bring it out if they tried saying the car was worth less because of this or that.
Know when to walk out…
When I bought a Dodge SRT product and they tried to sell me a warranty I said I’m good you guys already have a good warranty. He said oh well the SRT products are only 3yr/36k I said ok seeyah I’m out. There wasn’t even an offer of negotiation. The ass hat tried to call my bluff but it wasn’t a bluff. He said where are you going to go. I said I’m going across the street to Chevy. They don’t remove their warranties from their fast cars. I made it quite clear I wouldn’t be paying for a warranty AND wouldn’t be buying the car because of the lack of a warranty. They dropped the price on the car and the warranty so that it came out to be $500 more I said NO. They came back at $200 more and I said ok that’s fine. Returned the warranty later when I sold the car (legally required to allow that). Because they had dropped the cars price more than the amount they dropped the warranty I got back quite a lot.
Anyways I’m not at all good at negotiating but I am good at walking away.
I don’t bring money or credit cards. Just my ID. I always have pre approved loans from my credit union waiting around in case it gives me an advantage.
That’s it really too… just be prepared to walk! Never ever take that bullshit about the deal expiring and only good for right now. That’s always a lie. With the exception that they will sell a car from underneath you. My friend talked a dealer down on a car and even put a deposit on it. Those assholes sold the car from underneath him because most likely someone offered them the internet price.
Anyways be prepared to walk!
Steve is your ELH, your *EMERGENCY LEGAL HOLOGRAM* .. "Please state the nature of your purchase misadventure"
Excellent advice. I get those "I just bought this can you check it out" customers. Amazing what I find. Then you get the ones "I bought this and they fixed it, can you check it out" Oh the things I have seen! I get those, "I'm thinking of getting a used car, can you check it out" and then most of the time they never show up until long after they bought it. And once in a great while I get those looking for a used car, ask about getting it checked out and then some times show up with a car. Not the one they originally asked about but some other car as the original one the owner/dealer would not let them take it for a buyers check.
My sound advice when used car shopping, when the sales person makes a beeline towards you, send him away after he has unlocked the car for your inspection. AT minimum, tell him to be quiet, do not speak unless spoken to and under no circumstances allow him to just jump in and start the car.
I could go on and on for pages here about what and what not to do and how to go about it. Would love to do a show some time where we go car shopping and follow the process through.
I've always wondered if placebos come with a warranty of merchantability.
But but but there is a FEDERAL Lemon law so I'm covered right? 😉
And yes Steve I see this a lot in my FB RV groups. 😀
All my RV groups are Vintage, so, yeah, lol (neither of my travel-trailers even have 17 characters in the VIN)
@@dixiechampagne2892 saw a really old one in RV Newbies. Couldn't even find a vin.
My grandpa was trying to sell me a car for the cost of the repairs. I had to tell him if he didn't take more money, then no deal. Had him in my palms.
My last couple cars had what I would call a good faith warranty from a franchise dealership, covering anywhere from 30 to 90 days and a couple thousand miles. This was include in the sales contract. This made me feel better about the car purchase.
I bought a used TV from a fellow soldier who repaired them, and his warranty was “anytime you can get me this TV and it doesn’t work, I’ll give you another used one as good, or fix this one for free”.
I thought it was brilliant, because you’re unlikely to find him a couple years from now, but you will never be seeing him and angry about your TV. A very practical warranty.
I'm now 68 years old and over the years I have bought quite a few used cars. Two in particular I bought, one as is and the other with a 50-50 warranty. Both of them had problems that weren't obvious upon initial inspection and were safety issues. The 50-50 warranty didn't want to do anything and neither did the as is. They were bought in Virginia and Virginia has a very good state inspection law. Both of them had brand new state inspection stickers. In both cases I was able to convince the dealerships that if they didn't do something right then I would take the vehicle to the State Police Headquarters, the state police oversee the state inspection system, a few miles away from the dealerships and have them do an inspection on the car. Then I would seek their inspection license to be withdrawn. Both dealers responded in my favor. The as is Guy, I would only accept him giving me the parts cuz I didn't really trust him at all at that point. The 50-50 warranty, I watched the mechanic repair the brakes. He privately told me he didn't know how I got in there in one piece. The salesman had told me the brakes had just been replaced and I had believed him because it had a brand new state inspection sticker.
My last 2 used cars were bought from "no haggle" dealerships, so I paid a bit more than I would have otherwise, but it was stress free. They came with the remainder of the manufacturer warranty and had them delivered to my work since I couldn't pick them up in person. I know I was blessed in these experiences to get good vehicles.
I commented this on another video but it fits more here.
I looked at a "newer" used SUV, lot price $14,675. The salesman came out, we talked, and we went inside we sat at his desk, offers were made. Mine was a lot less than his, Anyway he said he had to talk to someone (probably the sales manager). I told him he had ONE TRIP & ONE TRIP ONLY! . He came back with garbage. The wife and I got up, headed for the door, made it to the steps before being followed out by 4 guys in polyester. The lead guy asked what was the matter (told him about the "ONE TRIP" thing) he asked "What could be done to make the deal? I grabbed a number and said $10,000 OUT THE DOOR and he said yes. Well at paperwork, I still got hit with $700+ in Document fees. (On top of the 10,000 I should have backed out) The car was a good car (didn't owe me a thing) but those document. fees, bothered me for 9 years, till I sold it last year!
NJ's lemon law does cover used cars, with some restrictions (age, mileage, price, etc.). Probably the most important requirement is that the car was bought from a dealership. You won't get protection buying from an individual.
This video deserves 100 million views! Great job, Steve!
Hi, I actually bought my second used car from an individual (friend's husband) who gave me a 6-month warranty. It turned out to be a loan with an electrical problem (would just shut off - even when I was driving on the highway!). He worked at a mechanic's shop and he honored the warranty. I drove the car another 3 years before trading it in for my first new car. I hope to never have to buy another used car again - I keep my new cars for at least 10 years and I'm happier that way.
I watched a case while I was in Kentucky. It was advertised in the paper with a disclaimer "no motor". It was bought, sight unseen, by a grandmother for her grandson. She sent the seller a check, it was cashed and the grandson was sent over to pick it up. The grandson (before the days of cell phones) went to back to Grandma's and said, it has no engine. Grandma tried to get her money back and successfully sued in Circuit Court (the sales price was over $5K). On her own, she successfully sued saying that a motor is an electrical device like the motor in your washing machine and an engine is a gasoline or diesel device like what is in a car or truck. Not sure what they'd call that of steam. The ad said "no motor", it did not say "no engine". She was awarded treble damages and no punitive damages as this was a one time event. FYI, her late husband was a mechanic and he'd drilled that into her for decades.
Honestly I don't know how she won that case. There must be more to it than is said in this comment. I feel sorry for her that she made that mistake but it was her mistake. Motor and Engine are synonymous in automobile mechanics. It's obvious the person wasn't trying to defraud anybody.
My husband and I took a used car for a test drive at our local Ford dealership. They let us go alone. While my husband was driving, I looked in the glove box and the previous owner’s paperwork was inside. I looked at the receipts for the last couple of oil changes and noticed the car miraculously had less miles on the odometer during our test drive than had been documented previously during the oil changes.
the other items in writing box - I bought a used 1993 F150 with a limited powertrain warranty. The warranty was in that "other" box and the actual warranty was a rider to the contract.
Test drove a late 2000’s Escalade for my buddy since I can spot large red flags. We didn’t make it 200 feet before the “mechanic in a bottle” head gasket failed and lost 80% compression on a few cylinders.
Last thing said before we left “it’s a great vehicle, very reliable.”
I walked away once (or twice) from a dealer. They wouldn't meet my terms...it was going to be a cash deal. So I walked. I got a call the next morning from the salesman who asked me what time I would like to come pick up the car. I asked if my terms were acceptable. He said no. I said no deal. An hour later he called back. "We accept." That car lasted over 400K miles. I used it for driver training. I only got rid of it because a mechanic friend wanted it. I had just purchased a 2005 Mustang GT and did not need two cars. This was 2013. I still have the Mustang. It still rocks...and I still get 28-31 MPG on the freeway. I now drive it to car shows. It is a work in progress as I slowly restore it.
The last time I bought a car was in 2013 and went to one of those auto malls that has literally dozens of dealerships on the same street. I visited a number of dealers that day (e.g. Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Chevy, and Ford) before ultimately deciding on buying a new Mazda 3. The one thing that stuck out to me was the Chevy dealership I visited. Looked around the lot and found a Chevy Cruze I wanted to test drive, no one was on the sales floor so had to go inside and ask for a test drive. A sales rep whose on the phone just hands me the keys and tells me to go on the test drive. I drove the car and liked it but had a few questions. Head back into the sales rep's office and wait, and wait and wait. Ask the receptionist where the rep is and she said he'll be back in a minute. End up spending a good 25 minutes sitting in the sales rep's office with him not being there before walking out. Literally, as I walk out of the rep's office and the dealership I see the rep frantically making some calls and as I get back in my car I see the rep running towards my car. I drove off.
Great Video Mr. Lehto. I would suggest this, If your not a mechanic, google automotive shops in the area. Call let them know what your doing (buying a car) and ask if they could inspect a car for you. Especially if you're out of town. The most I have paid for this is $50.
Finally, if you really have little money and that's why you are buying a $1500 or $2k Used car. Even more important to figure in that ($50 or whatever)money. It takes very little to turn that $1500 car into a $2500 car or a lawn ornament.
I once bought a used Police Car (Crown Vic) from a used car lot. I was kinda wary about buying it knowing what they sometimes go through. But the salesman encouraged me to have it inspected, so I did. I ended up buying it and driving it for 5 years and 75k miles without a major issue. Needless to say, I'll go back to this guy anytime.
I learned that 'they are making cars every day' so be prepared to walk.
Thanks, Steve, we needed this!
Depends on the definition of what is, is. I’ve heard that somewhere before. 😂😂
Thank you Steve for this information. This will help me forever.
I had a co-worker that sold a mid ‘50s pickup that he had never advertised for sale to a young man that pestered him until he decided to sell it.
Imagine my friend’s surprise when he was sued because the floor boards were rusted through in a few places.
BTW the judge could not throw the kid and his complaint out of court fast enough when the kid admitted that he had inquired repeatedly if it was for sale and had been told no many times.
I bought a late '50s Hormel camper for $800 and I love it! Then again, I would expect to put the same amount of work into a new one, possibly more (well, maybe not the part where I'm skinning it next month bc the manufacturer put the pretty side of the aluminum IN, but if vintage is your thang learn to do the work first)
I'd rather go with private seller (still with mechanic inspection) than deal with used car sales dealer.
When I was looking for a car, I found one that was ok, and gave a small deposit check contingent on the car having no major issues with it after my mechanic checked it over (I defined major work by repairs totaling over 1k$) agreement written down with the caveat deposit was refundable if the car had major repair issues.
Ofc the salesman said all the normal stuff etc etc brakes just done etc etc and I find out the engine was burning oil and the brake job they did was just a pad slap and the routers rusty.
Brought back the car and it still took a few days to get my check back from them in person.
I went with a private buyer who had service records and my Mech gave a clean bill of health on.
Years ago there was a buy here pay here in AL and the running joke was dealer name..."Guaranteed to get off the lot, if all four wheels fall off it's YOURS"
Happy Easter back watching YOU right now
From an individual, it has a "tail-light guarantee", which is if you can see the tailights, it is guaranteed. Note that as soon as you get into the vehicle, you can't see the tail lights!
There's an old Clint Black song in that...think I'll go listen to it & start my day off right!
I’m a professional licensed auto mechanic I always inspect a used vehicle by opening hood checking all hoses and fluids (condition of and level) belts or belt check for glazing/cracks trunk (if applicable) all doors inside and outside (checking operation) pulling and looking at all 4 tires/wheels check brakes and brake hoses and do a shake down on the suspension and look underneath at the frame and exhaust (condition of and where it goes together )and exhaust isolators (rubber hangers) if they’re cracked or missing, then I start the vehicle check the dash lights that they work all exterior lighting, low, high beams and turn signals that they work and cancel properly, take vehicle for a road test by that time vehicle engine should be at operating temperature. Go up and down a long steep hill making sure transmission shifts properly if it’s an automatic also to check for any shaking when slowly applying the brakes coming down the hill,( if they’re bad you’ll feel it vibrate through the steering wheel/brake pedal which would be the front and/or vibrate through your seat which would be the rear brakes.)
I would then proceed to an empty parking lot to engage the 4X4 high and low it’ll hop making tight turns (don’t keep doing tight turns with 4X4 engaged you’ll do damage your just checking to see if it works!) if everything appears to be in good working order with no issues do the deal. If you find problems take pictures and renegotiate on the price of the vehicle (be realistic with the price check prices on said price and labor to negotiate on new price of vehicle) 8 out of 10 times they’ll agree if not walk away..
Another advantage of carefully inspecting a car is that you can usually find quite a few little things wrong with most older cars. Often these are things wouldn't really keep you from using the car. Even if you'll never fix these issues. You might not want it or be happy with it unless you pay a price low enough to reflect its true condition.
What you said reminds me of a bit of advice my dad gave to a lot of family members. "Remember the dealer has no choice. He has to sell that car. You don't have to buy it."
I have had a friend in WA that bought a car from a person. Over the course of 3 weeks, they discovered the bumper was taped on, the horn didn't work, it had cracking in the frame that was painted over, the engine would overheat, and the big kicker: they had spray painted the tires to hide that they were wearing through the metal fibers!
Now, while lemon law doesn't apply, their are a lot of laws here restricting sales of vehicles that aren't road safe.
My friend's father went back to the seller and basically insisted on his son's money back.
The seller initially didn't want to do that.
Then his father pulled up the rcws and started reading them to the guy and said, you couldn't legally sell this car. If I call the (local) pd, and they come over and look at this, how do you think it's going to go for you in court when they see that you spray painted the tires to intentionally hide their condition?
They got the money back.
I really liked the discussion about having the power at a dealership.
An old friend of mine is a retired used car salesman. His advice to me was, "Never buy a car at night or in the rain." Nuff said.
I used to hang out in small claims courtrooms when I had free time, and every day, in just about every courtroom, there would be two or three cases brought by as-is car purchasers who would always say "yes I am aware that it is as-is, your honor, but . . ." and they all end the same way.
As-is means as-is.
The only exceptions I've seen were variations on "I've put a lot of work into this car and there is nothing wrong with it" or "the only thing wrong with it is..." some minor technical matter. The seller implied that s/he has mechanical aptitude and then says the car is "good" -- that can take the sale out of the as-is rule. (This was all in California, other states might differ).
I walked out from a used Jaguar dealer, with a pocket full of CASH. The service department had a stuck lug nut so they touched the whole lug right out. 🤦♀️. Wouldn't come off the price, so I stood up pulled the cash out and said "That's too bad"
Nothing better then being dirty from work, walking out of a Jaguar dealer with a salesman, suited up, chasing after you said "Wait, I'm sure we can blah blah blah" 😂😂. People also forget you can drive a few hours for an amazing deal. Your car is a huge investment, shit, I immediately left the dealer in Indianapolis and drove all the way to Chicago and bought one there, same day. I'm so glad I had the balls to say no or even check the first car out. Otherwise I'd be stuck in a lower optioned, missing lug, blown suspension car. For the same price.
I used to get talked into buying all the time, trust me, say no, it feels great.
Thank God I live in the UK. The 'Sale of Goods Act' applies to ALL types of one-off purchased goods from legally registered businesses (but not individuals). Under the act, all goods sold MUST be FIT FOR PURPOSE, of MERCHANTABLE QUALITY, and last for a REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME (depending on the type of good being purchased). These are STATUTORY RIGHTS and cannot be signed away or waivered by contract terms (e.g. manufacturers warranty period). Combine this with paying a deposit by credit card (which under the Consumer Credit Act makes the credit card provider equally liable with the vendor for any misrepresentation or failure to honour the contract of sale) then you have very strong legal consumer protection.
It cant be waived? That is asinine. What if I wanted to sell you a car that doesn't run and you knowingly want to buy it?
Then it wouldn't be sold as a car, but for spares, or something.
@@tanelipirinen - Nope. ANY tax registered business selling cars (or any other goods of value) has to by Law follow these regulations. Remember I'm in the UK, where UK law and not US law applies. And we get strong customer protections over here.
@@tanelipirinen - just Google 'UK Sale of Goods Act' if you don't believe it yourself.......
@@tanelipirinen Sounds like alot of BS. So you would obviously have to have it reclassified it as "not a car" and of course there would be fees and taxes and paperwork, then what if I fix it and sell it as a car again? More worthless government red tape and fees and taxes token bribes to get permission to do what I want with my property.
I'm glad I watched this. In NJ there used to be a 72 hour buyers remorse clause in all car sales or lease contracts. From what I can see here (link below), that's gone. Surprisingly, there are used car lemon laws in NJ, and other states. The article is a year and a half old, it's not written by an attorney. For those reasons, I won't say anything in the article is true. It would be more accurate to state the claims in the article require validation. I am surprised to see the 72 hour buyers remorse probably no longer exists. I'm in the market for a specific car. I bought 1 car and returned it 20 minutes later. It had serious engine codes. I can't say the dealership deleted them, hoping the buyer would go directly to infpection. I never made it that far. I won't buy the car I want unless no codes appear on my code reader (they're cheap - there's no excuse for not owning one, and using it before test driving any vehicle). I won't buy any vehicle not guaranteed to pass NJ inspection, and cones with at least a one month/1000 mile warranty.
Here's the link I viewed. It might help some people. But, it needs to be fact checked. Even if everything it states was true at the time, laws change.
www.moneyunder30.com/buyers-remorse-laws
I neglected to mention, the warranty, guarantee, and anything else promised by the dealership is something I make sure iis in writing, and art of the contract or paperwork. I have you to thank for that. Thanks Steve.
In Connecticut interestingly (in certain circumstances) dealers need to provide express warranties:
"Dealers must give express warranties in Connecticut:
• If the car costs between $3,000 and $5,000 and is less than 7 years old (The dealer must cover all repairs necessary to keep the vehicle mechanically sound and operational for at least 30 days or the first 1,500 miles, whichever comes first).
• If the car costs more than $5,000 and is less than 7 years old (The dealer must cover all repairs necessary to keep the vehicle mechanically sound and operational for at least 60 days or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first).
• If the car costs less than $3,000 and is more than 7 years old, the dealer can sell the car “As Is,” meaning no warranty, if the dealer provides a disclaimer on the front page of the contract of sale and you indicate your assent to the disclaimer.
• A dealer cannot exclude or limit an implied warranty on a car that costs more than $3,000.00.
• The express warranty must provide that if the car breaks down during the warranty period, the dealer is responsible for all repairs necessary to keep the vehicle mechanically sound and operational.
• If the car is in the repair shop for more than a day, the warranty is extended for every day the car is in the dealer’s or his agent’s shop.
• A dealer cannot limit a warranty under the above conditions by using phrases such as “fifty-fifty,” “labor only,” or any other words that attempt to limit the dealer’s responsibility to the buyer."