What exactly is “not taking care of her car mean” How does this lack of care directly translate into the destruction of the engine?
If MIL “took care of the car” is it 100% certain that the level of damage incured would not have happened.
If its missing a oil change,that’s not enough to destroy a engine.
Maybe you knew the car missed a oil change,you didn’t know this missed oil change damaged the engine,how could you have?
I don’t think that Lemon laws apply to used cars or private sales. I think your friend was not being responsible and is really to blame here, I don’t think you are getting the full story either. I think your friend is taking advantage of you.
Lemon law applies to used car sales in the state of MA where I believe the sale took place. The first part is a private or dealer car must pass state emmisions/safety, if it does not and repairs exceed 10% of sale price, you can return car for full refund.
The 2nd part is that if you do not reveal a known defect a buyer can come back within 30 days. After that you are out of gas.
Thanks for asking, oldschool.
Not taking care of the car, in this case, means no service at all for five years, while driving the car 6000 miles (city driving only). I think this qualifies as missing about ten oil changes, doesn’t it?
Certainly that did not destroy the engine in itself - my friend drove it 2000 miles after taking possession. But it may have caused damage that led to the final blow: running a long distance while down 3 1/2 quarts of oil. My friend got the tuneup after buying the car, then drove it those 2000 miles without checking the oil (I wouldn’t have checked it either - high-rated used car with low miles that just passed inspection).
I still think the seller is not responsible here. It wouldn’t have mattered if the car was serviced or not in the 5 years since it only had 6000 miles put on it. I’m not starting one of those time/mileage arguments, its just that 6000 in 5 years probably was the cause of some of the oil seals to dry out and start leaking. Even if it was serviced, the seals would have dried out anyway from lack of use. The seller did not know this.
Again, we don’t know the rest of the story and I doubt the OP knows the whole story, only the buyer knows what happened and we haven’t heard from that person.