Help with dealership...

[Falcon63]

Formal request for this topic to closed and erased.

[j-dawg]

After you've ensured that it's purely incompetence on their part, and not any issues of legality, consider a bond title. This is a way to get a title for a car whose title has been lost or damaged. In a nutshell, an insurance company will cover 1.5x the car's value (in Illinois, at least) to be forfeited if a previous owner comes up with proof of ownership and demands the car back. Given a legitimate bill of sale, this is not difficult to arrange; I had to do it when the DMV would not register a somewhat vandalized title from an absentee previous potential buyer. It cost me an extra $100, but I preferred to spend the money than to forge a signature on an affidavit stating that the car had been sold.

Of course, you will have to be extra vigilant about the car's history - if the car has indeed been stolen or has an otherwise dubious past, you can lose it. But an insurer will not likely take on a car with questionable credentials. Run a Carfax, drill the dealer, and consider a bond title.

As for the car throwing check engine lights, that's to be expected from a used car dealer. My sister recently bought a Nissan Maxima from a used car dealer. that appeared to be in decent shape. Of course, the dealer had reset the codes before putting the car on the lot, and as soon as she pulled into the driveway the CEL flashed on. Fortunately, the two codes it is throwing are not critical and can basically be ignored, but there is no doubt the dealer covered it up.

[Falcon63]

Formal request for this topic to closed and erased.

[Falcon63]

Formal request for this topic to closed and erased.

[Troels]

Stupid question perhaps, so please excuse me if it's irrelevant - but aren't car titles normally handed over to the buyer when the payment is made, i.e. before one leaves the dealer? Or are new ones printed each time the car is sold?

I really understand your frustrations though and the situation you are in right now. The dealer should have checked and told you about the car title being sent to Tallahassee as soon as you contacted them the first time - unless of course that's where you are now?!

EDIT: Sorry for the language, I was simply trying to be detailed. But tried to put *'s in there. Still seem to hit a few buttons, if this post upsets the mods. Please let me know and I will either edit it, or take it down. It's hard to read as my blood pressure is still through the roof...

Don't worry too much (although explicit language is never pretty) - no moderator moderated your post... the expletives are automatically removed and replaced by that message.

[JaneL]

Don't worry too much (although explicit language is never pretty) - no moderator moderated your post... the expletives are automatically removed and replaced by that message.

However don't do that again no matter how angry you are. We try to maintain some decorum in here.

[Falcon63]

Formal request for this topic to closed and erased.

[Falcon63]

Formal request for this topic to closed and erased.

[RealBlackStuff]

You shouldn't blame the dealer for your misery, but only yourself.
You acted unprofessionally by buying what you call a POS car, without taking due caution.
There's www.vehix.com where you can find any car you want, and at your price.
There is this thing called CarFax, with which you get bombarded in TV ads. It's not iron-clad but a dam good 'instrument'.
Had you asked for one (and not gotten it, or being laughed at...), you should have walked away from the deal.
Paperwork should have been there for you to sign, then submitted to the DOT.

Alternatively, you could have asked around about reputable car dealers (they DO exist), and only go there.
Buying a heap, then investing money in it for "New tires, belts, plugs, wires, filters, fluids, etc. " is not a sensible thing.
Spend a bit more on a car that has these things already done.

I go to my local corner-lot used car dealer if I need wheels. I don't buy new any more, too much depreciation.
I have bought 4 cars from him in the last 3 years, and am about to get another one for my daughter.
I've recommended him to a number of people who are all very happy to have bought from him.
This guy may be a rare species, but I fully trust what he recommends me.

[JaneL]

However don't do that again no matter how angry you are. We try to maintain some decorum in here.

I am just trying to emphasize on how unprofessional the dealer was.

Did anything about my comment give you the impression that I cared why you posted something that violated forum rules? When I come across a message in the forum full of the expletives-deleted warning message, I get a very dim view of anything that forum member has to say because s/he obviously isn't interested in communicating using this forum's standards. Don't Do It Again.

[Falcon63]

Did anything about my comment give you the impression that I cared why you posted something that violated forum rules? When I come across a message in the forum full of the expletives-deleted warning message, I get a very dim view of anything that forum member has to say because s/he obviously isn't interested in communicating using this forum's standards. Don't Do It Again.

Sorry for seeking advice on what to do. While trying to be detailed as possible and showing how unprofessional a company can be. In my book is unacceptable. While I tried to not put profanity, instead a single letter with *'s. It still most have aggravated the automated system. Again, sorry if that my post about a company dims the light on what I have to say. So consider this a formal request to dispose of this thread. I will no longer discuss this topic in open.

~Steven

[jronald]

I dont suggest we continue this conversation like this, however:

Im a Service Manager with GM, Toyota and Chrysler Warranty privilege. Not a dealership per se, but I do have dealership ID numbers, and I am reimbursed by the OEM.

If we are talking about one of the above 3, I can answer specific questions. If we are talking about any other make, I can point you in the right direction on anything else.

Shoot me a PM for further questions.

Ron