Here’s what the official GM inspection sheet looks like and there’s no mention of checking for frame damage so you might be left holding the bag on this. They only reference doing a history report at most and if the report is clean then they’ve likely done nothing wrong; as least from a legal sense.
Carfax is also not the final word as to whether a vehicle has suffered damage or not as CF is frequently wrong or incomplete.
Another issue is the use of the word “certified”, which in my opinion is a sales tool more than anything else.
Note the form above has lines where the service manager and sales manager signs off on it but no place for the mechanic who did the inspection to sign off; assuming the car was even inspected.
That laundry list is long, time consuming, and brings up the point as to whether the dealer even paid a mechanic to check anything on that car. I’ve worked for a few dealers that sold certified cars and the question of “who exactly is doin’ the certifyin’” was always present because it sure wasn’t any of the mechanics in our shop.
My feeling is that you need to contact GM about this and, hopefully, they can resolve this to some degree. Otherwise, it may take legal action and nothing in your favor is guaranteed there.
I would certainly push the issue though.
The term “Certified” becomes meaningless when a dealership is so short of used cars they must resort to buying them from an auction…When they bid on cars with announced frame damage, then turn around and sell those cars as “Certified”, you are looking at a pretty sleazy operation…
If this “Frame Damage” exists only on paper, (??) I would have a independent body shop inspect the car and point out any actual frame damage found. Take pictures…
Have you checked the value of this car though any of the online sources (NADA or Kelly blue book) to see the current value? I think you’ll find that the greater loss is between last years retail price and todays trade in value. The marred history report is an extra bonus that would set anyone off but is the value is diminished by less than $1000 I wonder if it is worth the effort challenging a car dealer over.
@Nevada_545 The blue book for the car says that in Good condition it would be worth $8,400 in fair $7, 600. We have been offered $4000 to $5000. $4000 is what most places are telling us because of the frame damage. So that is close to $4000 less than we should be getting had we known about the frame damage. We asked about the history and what “Certified” ment to the dealership and we were so confident at the time. We know now how not to buy a car. This dealership is also one of the biggest most rebutable ones in the area which is why we were so confident. Apperantly you can’t trust anyone!
Speak to a lawyer. Disclosure requirements for dealerships vary from state to state, and unless you can prove fraud with a paper trail you may not have a case. And even if you can prove fraud, determining damages may be difficult. I will definitely not be to total amount, as you’ve gotten one years use out of the vehicle. Since it isn;t now rusting, what might happen in 5 years is pure speculation, and that won;t be worth zip in a civil suit.
Again, speak with a lawyer, but I don’t think you have any recourse.
While discussing your options with an attorney is a good idea, I suggest that you contact General Motors about the issue. First make sure that the car is certified as part of a GM program. If so, I highly doubt that GM intended for a dealer to take a car that had been damaged and put it into the CPO program. Those cars sell at a premium, and ought to be the cream of the crop. It seems to me that the CPO group at GM should know about this and may act on your behalf. Once you get a lawyer involved, all good will is gone. Try GM first if you haven’t already.
“Our 172 point inspection involves moving the car the 172 feet from one end of the lot to the next. If it makes it that far, it’s good to go!.”
I’m also in agreement that you should take the car back to the dealership you bought it from and ask for the full value of the car. Take it to the salesman you’ve been talking to and see if they’ll put their money where their mouth is. If they balk, remind them of the phone conversations you’ve had with them.
A CPO 2009 Impala LT would sell for $15,126 and a similarly equipped 08 with 13k more miles would get $9284 in trade, so that accounts for some of your loss. On the next car you buy, I suggest that you have it checked by your own mechanic, not theirs.
How is it that now you can get your hands on documents that prove the auction house announced frame damage, but you couldn’t get them when you bought it?
Just something for consideration here. The OP says they have an Autocheck report which shows damage.
Maybe the dealer pulled a Carfax or “other” report as shown on the Certified form and one or both of those do not show damage; or possibly the damage on the Autocheck report appeared on there after the car purchase.
I’m not defending the dealer at all here; just pointing out a what-if.
If all this is based on some report, then I think Caddyman has given the best advice and get it checked by a good bodyshop. If they cannot find the damage, then challenge the report.
The FIRST thing you need to do is “Certify” that the frame (it has no frame) is bent or was bent. You can’t take a Carfax or Autocheck report as gospel…If expert auto-body technicians can not detect any collision damage, your case becomes very weak…
I sold have gotten a carfax but didn't, I know dumb!
I’ve NEVER EVER gotten a carfax report…and NEVER EVER will. Their data is proven to be flawed.
I went back and re-read the post.
Someone in the chain of the sale should held liable. According to the OP…the Auction disclosed there was frame damage. Either it wasn’t reported to the dealer (but it looks like it was since the OP was able to find it). If it was…then the dealer should have disclosed this to the buyer. Most states have a disclosure law. Second…if the Auction didn’t disclose this to the dealer…then the OP might have a case against the Auction.
Second…I don’t care WHAT GM’s 172 point inspection says or doesn’t say…If the car’s frame is damaged that should be caught in an inspection. How can you NOT inspect a used vehicle for body damage. Well respected people here are always telling people that when they buy a used car they should get it inspected. Many suggest getting it inspected at the dealer. So a dealer is going to inspect a used vehicle they sell differently then one who brings one for a pre-buy inspection??? If it’s the same inspection…then what you’re saying now is never get the car inspected…because if they’re not even going to inspect the frame or car for damage…then their inspection is kinda worthless.
Guys–In the OP’s other thread, where she is trying to decide between a Jeep Liberty and a Mini (???), she informed us that the situation has been resolved by the dealership, and that she is very happy with the resolution. Take a look at:
jaclyn started BOTH threads on Aug 2… Having fun on the internet…generating four pages of advise addressed to a problem that no longer existed or was never a problem to begin with…
My son’s 96 Probe was t-boned when it was 6 months old. If it had been a year old they would have totaled it. It was actually bent into the shape of a comma. We used an excellent body man we knew and he cut the car in half behind the windshield and welded on the rear of a year older car. He must have done it right. The car was in another serious accident with my daughter driving and came through just fine. By the time we sold the 10 year old car it had had more money spent on body work than it cost new, but no one was ever hurt in it. There was some hidden damage to the catalytic converters, and the battery failed after a year. So I would agree with the Oldbodyman. I would not spend money on Carfax. I joined up with them when I was shopping for a car a few years after the accident. I checked on the Probe and they had no record of any accidents even though the car had been cut in half and had $7000 spent to repair it.