Posting on behalf of a friend.

[CoolWhip]

So my friend wants to buy an MS3 and he just recently purchased an 03' Acura RSX Type-S for a good deal.

We took the car to get it appraised ... and the dealer told us a clean trade in for his car was 12,900 ... BUT the car has frame damage and they would only take it for 5,100.

My buddy knew the car had been in an accident but when he checked the CarFax report (the date of purchase) he was never told the frame sustained damaged. One of the dealers we went to (really nice) told us that the CarFax had just recently been updated and it looks like the previous owner tried to dump it off on some poor unsuspecting buyer.

When he bought the car (Some Ford dealership in MD) the salesman told him the car had been in a front-end accident but there was no frame damage and the previous owner had paid to have the front bumper replaced and repainted.

Is he pretty much stuck with the car?

Can he return the car? (Has had it for almost 4 months now)

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

How much time has gone by? I would take it back to the original dealer he bought it from and try and return it. Maybe a nice letter from an attorney will help. Otherwise he just spent 6k on nothing. That sucks!

 

[numbnuts22715]

Yep, Id take it back to the dealer either with a letter from an attorney or even ahve one present. **** dealerships that try to rip people off.g
That pisses the **** out of me.

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

Perhaps they didnt know? To me it looks like the blame lies on the original owner of the car.

He got in a wreck and found out about the frame damage and unloaded it before the carfax showed up...

If they didnt inform the dealer about the damage then the dealer would have no more knowledge about the damage than this guys buddy that bought it...

Sounds like an unfortunatwe situation...hopefully the dealer makes it right.

Yep, Id take it back to the dealer either with a letter from an attorney or even ahve one present. **** dealerships that try to rip people off.g
That pisses the **** out of me.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

I dont know your state laws on returns but if they falsified anything you can get them to buy it back.

 

[MikeHTally]

In my observations, CarFax isn't very reliable in showing things like body shop trips. I'm not even sure they research wreck reports. Sorry to be a wet noodle, but your friend may be stuck. The dealership can't be held liable unless he has something from them in writing attesting to the level of damage. That's not likely, of course, since who'd buy a car with that much damage.

Hope it all turns out well.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

Yea, how did this get on Carfax now and not then? That is strange...

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

CarFax is kinda useless....theres no rhyme or reason as to what and when it shows up....there's no real regulation on it so unless the shop reports it to carfax or the insurance company reports it then it will not be on there.

 

[CoolWhip]

How much time has gone by? I would take it back to the original dealer he bought it from and try and return it. Maybe a nice letter from an attorney will help. Otherwise he just spent 6k on nothing. That sucks!

More like 12K ....

Yea, how did this get on Carfax now and not then? That is strange...

That's what we can't figure out.



He remembers signing a slip about the car being in an accident, but before doing so he again asked as long as the car didn't sustain any frame damage.

I'm thinking that won't hold up because it comes down to he-say/she-say bull s***. I went to other dealers around our area and this dealership is known for its bad rep.

Do you think a letter from an attorney will really help?

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

perhaps he should check this out...

http://www.carfaxonline.com/cust-guarantee.cfx?locGid=70429

 

[CoolWhip]

perhaps he should check this out...

http://www.carfaxonline.com/cust-guarantee.cfx?locGid=70429

Woohoo (yippy)

When was this put into effect?

Edit:

Just read the terms and conditions. You have to buy it within 90 days of purchasing the vehicle.

 

[evilmonkeyMSP]

I think its always been in effect...

edit: Since March 1 2004

http://www.carfax.com/guarantee/hctermsanddef.cfm

 

[///M Compact]

It's going to be pretty hard to hang anything on the selling dealer, especially if your pal purchased it "As-Is". He'll have to prove that the dealer knew or should have known that the car had sustained damage to the unibody.