@db4960 I agree, and an independant inspection is also a good idea! Last time I was looking for a car, I looked at one, that had what appeared to be bondo attempting to stop a transmission leak, oh sure we will fix that, bye bye, and another an odd clunking, told them about it and their explanation their was a stick ie branch stuck making the noise, 2nd test drive same noise, by bye.
Then I goofed, no leaks anywhere everything looked good after a 1 hour test drive. Bought the car, then went on a 4 hour road trip, pinion seal had a few drops of oil, now the $1200 it cost to replace bearings etc brought the purchase price still below book value, as I got a good price from an independent seller, but o well. The guys email was like christian saint or something, hope he rots in hell if he knew about the problem and did not tell me as I specifically asked if he was aware of any problems!
80k and 5 years later and minor repairs, thermostat, starter, swaybar links etc, going for 200k!
When looking at used cars, if I see a few dings or scrapes, I won’t necessarily walk away. That kind doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker. Just adjust your offer accordingly
I even bought a car with a whining noise once. I knew it was just the water pump bearing and an idler pulley Once the car was mine, I replaced the water pump and idler pulley, and all was quiet again.
But if there’s something mysterious, and I don’t know what the problem is, I walk away
If this happened to me – and as reported – and the dealership didn’t resolve it properly, I’d talk to the manager of the dealership, then somebody from the manufacturer. If all that didn’t resolve it, I’d ask one of the media consumer-help folks to see what they can do. Most cities have one or two of these broadcasters, and they have a lot of leverage as businesses don’t care if a single person is complaining to them, but if the complaint is being broadcast to 500,000 listeners, well, then they care.
My son was pretty naïve when it came to car purchases. He bought a couple of vehicles from us so both he and I knew what he was getting. A year ago, he was in the market for a compact pickup truck. He lives 350 miles from us, so I advised him before any purchase to have a mechanic check it out. My son had heard that Ford Ranger pickups were bullet proof, and he found two different Rangers. However, the mechanic told him to run away from each of these trucks. He did find a private owner who was selling a Chevrolet S-10. When he took that truck to his mechanic, the mechanic told my son that if he didn’t buy the truck, the mechanic himself would purchase it. The S-10 has worked well for my son. He did have to replace the starter and have a brake job, but otherwise has had no other expenses.
A used car is a game of incomplete information, like poker. Also like poker, it’s zero sum: you gain at the expense of your adversary. Given that, it’s pertty much “anything goes” (aside from behavior specifically made illegal). The salesman is NOT acting in your best interest; it’s safer to say he’s acting in opposition to it.
Given that, if I buy a car and the tranny konks out, I’m NOT mad at the salesman: I’m mad at MYSELF for being “bettered” at the art of negotiation. Similarly, if a seller accepts a low offer for a car with suspected engine issues (that I can fix with new plugs) I’m not ethically troubled: I’m proud of my acumen in diagnosing the car more adeptly than my adversary…taking my knowledge to the bank, as it were.
OP: you bought a car from the dealer. That transaction is over (as well it should be). You made a second purchase of an insurance product from a wholly seperate entity. The dealer’s willing to fix, so long as they get paid by “somebody.” Your issue lies with the T+C of your insurance contract…all that “legalese.”
You can try imposing upon the mercy of dealer to cover the gap betwen coverage and bill: that works sometimes, esp. if the repair is at least “break even” just with the insurance money. The second you even whisper “crooked,” though, that ship sails.