This is a Buy Here Pay Here type dealer . And there has to be a lot more to this story such as where was the title . Also that 995.00 warranty was worthless from the start.
The shop usually holds a legally enforceable mechanic’s lien on any car left with them for repair. It gives them the right to sell the car to pay the repair expenses, if the owner doesn’t pay their bill in full. These laws vary state to state, but generally requires the shop give the owner plenty of time to pay up. Like any other law, it is possible for a shop to game the system. If I saw a lot of cars that look like they’ve been parked for long periods in & around the shop’s parking lot, I start asking some questions.
Did you not read the article ? They took it to the selling dealer because they thought the repair was covered by the service contract they bought . No refusal by the people to pay a repair charge.
Yeah I’d just caution that you can no longer rely on the old news sources giving accurate news or the whole story. Especially yahoo.
You can’t sell a car without the title and sounds like she/is still listed on the title. So it is a stolen car. Go pick it up. Ya got the keys right? Then sue the dealer for lack of care. See bailment.
Well yes a mechanics lien can be used to recover non-payment, but it is a legal procedure with requirements and restrictions. Even if the was the case here, they can’t just give the car to someone else without a court procedure. Ya just don’t say I put a lien on you like casting a spell.
Incomplete story. A service contract can have a clause stating that if repair costs exceed the vehicle’s value, the vehicle can be declared a total loss, same as with an insurance policy. The returned “value” of the vehicle would be applied to the debt.
It seems the used car dealer called the police, they wouldn’t have called the police on themselves for “stealing the car”. I suspect there was a communication breakdown, and the customer’s conduct became inappropriate.
Informative replies. At least my fear can now be gone with something like this.
I suspect yahoo news is an unreliable outlet for some time now. I still go there to keep up on sports and such.
If Eastern TN Tote the Note dealers are anything like most of middle TN Tote the Note dealers, they are last chance finance dealers that carry a lot of rebuilt titles (mostly junk, seen way to many of them) vehicles that have high mileage and worn out tires, rest of vehicle not much better, if you look at the pics on FB page, no close ups of tires or odometers, or the lower b pillars or upper rockers on the vehicles… So again, most of the time you are dealing with some shady people to begin with… They don’t report to the credit burro either, so no harm no foul if you can’t pay… I have seen some good ones, but most are not in these parts of the woods anyway…
Only an idiot would pay $6k for a 2005 Taurus anyway. Then add another $995, for a useless warranty, just another level of stupid.
I think I fell for something similar with my Lexus IS. The dealer sold me a bumper to bumper warranty which cost me $1,680. The warranty, however, expires in 2027
I don’t know why I agreed to the warranty and I don’t know what it specifically covers. The dealer said only $20 a month, so I said ok.
Don’t you think you should find out what it actually covers and at the same time see if you can cancel and get a partial refund ?
I should find out what it covers but I’m not sure if I should cancel or ask for a refund.
I did ask the dealer what it covers and he said some vague stuff and assured me it was worthy of having, such as if the air conditioner breaks it’ll be covered.
It’s been 3 years since I bought the car, so I’ll keep it and if anything happens I’ll ask if the bumper to bumper warranty covers the service.
You should have gotten a manual/pamphlet/whatever about what all it covers when you bought the car, might be with your owners manual stuff…
The Lexus CPO warranty is very good, and coverage is nearly the same as the factory basic warranty, the price is normally much more than you paid.
If you did get one on the better warranties, you will appreciate it when your HVAC servo motors fail.
I recalled asking the dealer for a copy of the warranty. He said there would be no copy but instead a receipt, and that the warranty is attached to my VIN I think and in their computer system.
I still have the receipt with me.
If you have a Lexus service agreement and create a “My Lexus” account at the Lexus site, your service contract will be shown.
Welcome to My Lexus | Lexus
There are component coverage charts found on the Lexus site, for example:
Thank you.
I’ll create account.
This is exactly how they prefer to present any sales opportunity to a customer. It sounds like nothing when considered alone. They keep tacking on things like this but avoid showing the customer the true and full cost of everything. Most people will say $20/month no big deal but if they said- this service contract will cost $1,200 then they balk. When you deal in payments, it’s easy to hide the real costs… Turn that around. Deal with them on out the door cost and then turn it into payments if necessary…
Dealership sales-training works. In any event it seems like a pretty reasonable deal, esp for owners who don’t engage in diy’er work on their own car. Not something to stress over imho.