Keep at it
complications, and more complications… thankful I have this forum, as I have just re-read the whole thread and that helps me to decide… thanks good people. More when I can say more.
My dad’s favorite saying was “Illegitimi non carborundum.” (Don’t let the b@@tards wear you down!)
Thinking the little guy stands a chance, here… Trending towards a good resolution.
P.S. I’m the “little guy” in this drama, but I’m a gal.
Good news. Let us know how it turns out.
Cash back with some depreciation. I won’t say the amount, but close enough to what I wanted to make me “happy”. It did take some wrangling. I played nice, then threatened legal action. Hate to say it, but the latter did the trick–or maybe it was the combination. Or maybe it was just time to make me go away. Anyway, I’m going car shopping, but man-o-man, I do not know what to buy, but that’s another story. Thanks for the support. You guys rock!
Congratulations. I think they knew they were on legal thin ice but were going to stonewall the issue as long as possible.
@SlowLane
Glad to hear you were made whole, to a large degree, anyways
Sometimes playing hardball is the right thing to do, especially when the other guy is dragging his feet
I just kept saying “I don’t think this car should ever have passed inspection.” I said it quietly, but they knew that I knew… I owe this forum for making it clear that issue was the key one. Thanks again.
Even in states without inspection, you would have likely prevailed. Putting their names on an inspection was just good evidence that they should have seen the severity of the rust damage. Glad you got s reasonable settlement, and happy car shopping. The General Discussion forum is a great place to ask for car-buying advice. Be as specific about your needs as possible, without asking for the impossible. If you can name some models you’re interested in and why, you’ll get better advice.
Sincere congratulations.
And a sincere thank you for having updated us. We really do care, but most OPs never get back to us with how they fared.
“I just kept saying “I don’t think this car should ever have passed inspection.” I said it quietly, but they knew that I knew…”
Speak softly but carry a big stick. ;-). Well done.
@SlowLane, hop on over to the General Discussion section and ask about what your next car should be. We like buying cars with other people’s money.
Re: OP’s not always telling the “end of the story”–I guess that’s the thing about car drama: when it’s over, it’s such a relief, you just want to move on.
… (edited) …
Excellent. Someone should be up on criminal charges for selling a flooded vehicle, although that probably won’t happen. At least the crooks know the authorities are onto them.
Last comments and lessons learned.
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Always get a trusted mechanic to look over a used car for purchase. Put it on a lift, and look for yourself.
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If it’s old, look for rust by poking and prodding, not just eye-balling. Sometimes a swing with a mallet is called for. If this isn’t your cup of tea, get help.
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Shop around; take your time. Try not to go to dealerships and buy their cheapest priced used cars. They don’t respect those cars or you–not really. (This might be too big a generalization, but … it seemed the case for me.)
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If you get into a conflict with a dealership, get help.
b. Get a troubled car investigated by an agency with your state government’s motor vehicle dept. if that is applicable. An inspected car that should have failed inspection at the time of sale is not an issue taken lightly, with regard to your safety and the inspection protocol.
Hint: If the agency is interested in seeing your car and looking into the matter, let them–they know a lot more about this stuff than you do, probably. Let them do their job.
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If there are results of an investigation showing dealer/seller fault, you probably have a good case for a full refund. At that point, it might be good to get a lawyer or to make your best offer to the dealership to get out the cash you want. Or make a claim in small claims court. Or some combination of these things.
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Don’t take it personally or get too emotional. Get the situation sorted out through persistence and showing that you know that you know what the deal is. No need to be nasty or loud; no need to be a pushover either.
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Friends you just met on Car Talk’s website may help you keep your perspective and understand the issues and where the answer lies!
Again, thanks everyone. Couldn’t have done it without you.
And I’m driving a used new-to-me car again! Love it! Yes, I certainly did look underneath before purchasing. 
@SlowLane, that’s a great list. Now on to the important stuff: whatcha buy?
I’ll add one thing to that list . . .
Don’t buy a used Toyota, Ford, Honda, etc., from a Chevy dealer
What I mean to say is . . . if the brand you’re looking at isn’t sold new by the dealer, don’t buy it
There are a few reasons for this
Used cars need to be flipped, as quickly and cheaply as possible. The used car manager often has a specific dollar amount in his head . . . meaning he won’t authorize more than x amount of dollars spent on each vehicle to get it ready for resale. Sometimes, if the car even needs a set of tires, that might be pushing the limit.
The Chevy mechanics might not be experts on Toyota, so they may miss a few things that the Toyota mechanics would not
I’m not blasting the brand Chevy, the Chevy dealers, or the Chevy mechanics. This could happen if you bought a used Nissan at a Kia dealer
Also, some states are as is and you are screwed if it’s bad, Ga is one. Get it to a mechanic before you buy.
@db4690, I agree with you. When I bought my Accord, the salesman asked me to park my Buick Regal around back and get it off the lot as soon as possible. They didn’t want any GM cars on their car lot.