Comments on: Is it illegal for a used car dealership not to disclose if vehicle has had frame damage? http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/ All About Shopping Sat, 19 May 2012 16:35:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Gary G http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1319 Gary G Sun, 30 Dec 2007 22:38:26 +0000 http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1319 only if the car has a salvage title only if the car has a salvage title

]]> By: escaped_mental_case http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1318 escaped_mental_case Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:12:16 +0000 http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1318 Yup.. if the car has been repaired it doesn't always have to be disclosed. I had a family friend buy a newer vehicle for what seemed like a screaming deal. I pulled back the carpet to fix her tail light and saw massive damage that was repaired. BUYER BEWARE! Usually you can spot this kind of damage just by crawling under the car. Bodyshops never straighten every square inch of the car. Yup.. if the car has been repaired it doesn’t always have to be disclosed. I had a family friend buy a newer vehicle for what seemed like a screaming deal. I pulled back the carpet to fix her tail light and saw massive damage that was repaired. BUYER BEWARE! Usually you can spot this kind of damage just by crawling under the car. Bodyshops never straighten every square inch of the car.

]]> By: palebeachbum http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1317 palebeachbum Thu, 27 Dec 2007 03:56:57 +0000 http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1317 The laws on used vehicles vary from state to state on your rights as a used car consumer. I used to run a used car dealership in Georgia. I know that in Georgia, it is illegal for the dealer to not disclose if a car has a branded title ("flood", "salvage", "rebuilt"). However, if the accident was simply a fender bender that was repaired, the dealer is not required to disclose that information. If they knowingly sell you a used vehicle that had accident damage that was repaired and do not disclose it to you the consumer, that is unfair business practice and in my opinion, sneaky and underhanded. You should check into your state laws on such doings. Carfax is a great source for checking on things like mileage accuracy, accidents, number of owners, etc, but it is not a fool proof system and there are often inaccuracies. I've experienced similar with Carfax and other such online services. The last car I bought, I paid the $13 or whatever it was to do an AutoCheck report on the car, and every single mileage statement was left blank, so I could not verify the accuracy of the mileage, which was the main reason I did the AutoCheck to begin with. Answering a statement left by someone above this comment...in GA, it IS ILLEGAL for a used motor vehicle retailer to sell a salvaged vehicle to the general public. Dealers can however purchase a vehicle with a salvaged title, rebuilt it, have the vehicle inspected by the state and if it passes, it gets a "rebuilt" title, which can then be sold to the general public, as long as the dealer discloses that it is a rebuilt vehicle. The laws on used vehicles vary from state to state on your rights as a used car consumer. I used to run a used car dealership in Georgia. I know that in Georgia, it is illegal for the dealer to not disclose if a car has a branded title (”flood”, “salvage”, “rebuilt”). However, if the accident was simply a fender bender that was repaired, the dealer is not required to disclose that information. If they knowingly sell you a used vehicle that had accident damage that was repaired and do not disclose it to you the consumer, that is unfair business practice and in my opinion, sneaky and underhanded. You should check into your state laws on such doings.

Carfax is a great source for checking on things like mileage accuracy, accidents, number of owners, etc, but it is not a fool proof system and there are often inaccuracies. I’ve experienced similar with Carfax and other such online services. The last car I bought, I paid the $13 or whatever it was to do an AutoCheck report on the car, and every single mileage statement was left blank, so I could not verify the accuracy of the mileage, which was the main reason I did the AutoCheck to begin with.

Answering a statement left by someone above this comment…in GA, it IS ILLEGAL for a used motor vehicle retailer to sell a salvaged vehicle to the general public. Dealers can however purchase a vehicle with a salvaged title, rebuilt it, have the vehicle inspected by the state and if it passes, it gets a “rebuilt” title, which can then be sold to the general public, as long as the dealer discloses that it is a rebuilt vehicle.

]]> By: athletic_sooner_lawyer http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1316 athletic_sooner_lawyer Wed, 26 Dec 2007 15:08:12 +0000 http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1316 If the car was totaled at any given point then it is VERY illegal for a dealer to resell it. In other words a dealer cannot sell a salvaged title car. They do not need to disclose wrecks to you, but you may want to contact an attorney to see if there is a Lemon Law in your state, Good Luck! If the car was totaled at any given point then it is VERY illegal for a dealer to resell it. In other words a dealer cannot sell a salvaged title car. They do not need to disclose wrecks to you, but you may want to contact an attorney to see if there is a Lemon Law in your state, Good Luck!

]]> By: BRUUUUSKI http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1315 BRUUUUSKI Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:20:19 +0000 http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1315 No, it's not illegal to sell frame damaged vehicles as long as it's road worthy. Now if the weld comes apart and you are injured or killed, they may be liable for it but not if it's working properly. And no, Carfax does not list everything that's happened to it. They only list those that are reported. I've had many frame bending accidents and none of them was ever reported to Carfax when I checked them years later just for fun. It may be that the dealer is just trying to find excuses to lowball your trade-in or they just don't want it. Because most trade-ins are auctioned off anyways. Sell it privately is my advice. Whether you disclose the "frame damage" is up to you. THERE IS NO LAW THAT STATES THAT DEALERS CAN'T SELL SALVAGED VEHICLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO NO IT'S NOT "ILLEGAL" WHATSOEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It would only be illegal if they sold it with a doctored title that doesn't state it is salvaged. Used car sales are "AS-IS" which means that you must have it checked out by YOUR mechanic. If you're too cheap to do that then it's your fault for overpaying for a "damaged" vehicle. No, it’s not illegal to sell frame damaged vehicles as long as it’s road worthy. Now if the weld comes apart and you are injured or killed, they may be liable for it but not if it’s working properly.

And no, Carfax does not list everything that’s happened to it. They only list those that are reported. I’ve had many frame bending accidents and none of them was ever reported to Carfax when I checked them years later just for fun.

It may be that the dealer is just trying to find excuses to lowball your trade-in or they just don’t want it. Because most trade-ins are auctioned off anyways.

Sell it privately is my advice. Whether you disclose the “frame damage” is up to you.

THERE IS NO LAW THAT STATES THAT DEALERS CAN’T SELL SALVAGED VEHICLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO NO IT’S NOT “ILLEGAL” WHATSOEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It would only be illegal if they sold it with a doctored title that doesn’t state it is salvaged.

Used car sales are “AS-IS” which means that you must have it checked out by YOUR mechanic. If you’re too cheap to do that then it’s your fault for overpaying for a “damaged” vehicle.

]]> By: bribri http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1314 bribri Sat, 22 Dec 2007 07:00:32 +0000 http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1314 umm lets see...if they sold it to you with a regular title it is illegal.. but if they sold it to you with a salvage title then they are ok... if you were to wreck the car and were to be seriously hurt from the 'bent frame' then you can take them to court... my bro in law did and got like 2.5 mill from the lawsuite umm lets see…if they sold it to you with a regular title it is illegal.. but if they sold it to you with a salvage title then they are ok… if you were to wreck the car and were to be seriously hurt from the ‘bent frame’ then you can take them to court… my bro in law did and got like 2.5 mill from the lawsuite

]]> By: bleyesl http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1313 bleyesl Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:17:25 +0000 http://youthinside.org/2007/12/19/is-it-illegal-for-a-used-car-dealership-not-to-disclose-if-vehicle-has-had-frame-damage/#comment-1313 Yes it is illegal. Check and see if your state has what they call a lemon law. I know of only 3 states that have this. I did not know this till it had happened to me a few years ago. Thanks Yes it is illegal. Check and see if your state has what they call a lemon law. I know of only 3 states that have this. I did not know this till it had happened to me a few years ago. Thanks

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