When car purchases go wrong
What options are open to a car buyer who believes they have been wronged in a car purchase?
This is a good one. Because I deal primarily with used vehicles now and I do get to deal with this from time to time. If you feel you have been wronged first thing you want to do is make sure that you actually were wronged and that it is not just buyers remorse.
When you buy a car from a dealership, you will sign a good amount of paperwork and have plenty of opportunity to scrutinize the deal. If anything does not feel or seem right as you are signing, stop and ask for clarification.
Until you sign all the paperwork and drive the vehicle away it is not yours. However after you have signed and driven the vehicle away it is primarily yours, so make sure you feel everything is in order before you take the car. Remember, if you buy from a private seller the vehicle is always assumed “as is” and your recourse is very limited, so make sure you are very careful before you hand over your money.
After you have looked at your situation and still feel you were wronged then the next step is to contact the dealer. Problem solving with cars, as well as anything in life, should be attempted at the lowest level possible, so start with your salesperson. People that try to go directly to the owner or the general manager get a slower response because they have to go back down through the levels to find out all the details.
Your salesperson is already familiar with you, the car and the deal, so if you picked a good one he or she should be able to help you out the fastest. If you are still not satisfied with your results then the next step is to talk to the department manager and explain your concerns. You want to make sure you remove negative emotions from your conversation. If you yell or threaten you will tend to get less help and remember, at this point and time you own the vehicle and if you can not resolve it at the customer business level the next steps will cost you much more in money and time.
Do not ever threaten to use a lawyer. If you do, most managers are instructed to stop all conversation and have you have your lawyer contact the company's lawyer, because once lawyers are involved the company has to be very careful on how it proceeds.
So, unless you are at the point were you are going to turn the matter over to an attorney, don’t just threaten it. You will want to explain your concerns clearly and directly and where you feel you were wronged and allow the dealership to try to resolve the problem. If your concern can be resolved by the dealership they will usually try to find a solution.
Also, do not threaten to not pay the payments on the vehicle. Every car dealer knows that they have already assigned the financing to a bank and they will get paid on the car from the bank. So, if you stop paying it will be the bank and you that have a problem, not the dealer. If you are a reasonable person with a reasonable complaint the dealer will more times than not try to make you happy.
If you do not feel that you have had your problem resolved at the department manager’s level, and you still feel that it is a problem, then it is time to go to the general manager or owner. I would write them a letter with the details of your problem and what has or has not been done to resolve it up until this point.
I would send it certified to make sure they get it. Again all the rules of engagement still apply. Do not threaten, just simply work to get your problem resolved. If after all that you still feel wronged and that it has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you will want to get an outside force involved: either the factory, if they are a new car franchise, an attorney or the media.
You will want to explain your situation to them and what you have done to try and resolve it. They will either help you or tell you that you do not have a legitimate complaint. This is the best course of action to take to get a concern resolved. Remember, the nicer you are the nicer the dealer will be and try to get it resolved at the lowest level possible. This will give you the best chance at satisfaction. Good luck and have a great one.
This is a good one. Because I deal primarily with used vehicles now and I do get to deal with this from time to time. If you feel you have been wronged first thing you want to do is make sure that you actually were wronged and that it is not just buyers remorse.
When you buy a car from a dealership, you will sign a good amount of paperwork and have plenty of opportunity to scrutinize the deal. If anything does not feel or seem right as you are signing, stop and ask for clarification.
Until you sign all the paperwork and drive the vehicle away it is not yours. However after you have signed and driven the vehicle away it is primarily yours, so make sure you feel everything is in order before you take the car. Remember, if you buy from a private seller the vehicle is always assumed “as is” and your recourse is very limited, so make sure you are very careful before you hand over your money.
After you have looked at your situation and still feel you were wronged then the next step is to contact the dealer. Problem solving with cars, as well as anything in life, should be attempted at the lowest level possible, so start with your salesperson. People that try to go directly to the owner or the general manager get a slower response because they have to go back down through the levels to find out all the details.
Your salesperson is already familiar with you, the car and the deal, so if you picked a good one he or she should be able to help you out the fastest. If you are still not satisfied with your results then the next step is to talk to the department manager and explain your concerns. You want to make sure you remove negative emotions from your conversation. If you yell or threaten you will tend to get less help and remember, at this point and time you own the vehicle and if you can not resolve it at the customer business level the next steps will cost you much more in money and time.
Do not ever threaten to use a lawyer. If you do, most managers are instructed to stop all conversation and have you have your lawyer contact the company's lawyer, because once lawyers are involved the company has to be very careful on how it proceeds.
So, unless you are at the point were you are going to turn the matter over to an attorney, don’t just threaten it. You will want to explain your concerns clearly and directly and where you feel you were wronged and allow the dealership to try to resolve the problem. If your concern can be resolved by the dealership they will usually try to find a solution.
Also, do not threaten to not pay the payments on the vehicle. Every car dealer knows that they have already assigned the financing to a bank and they will get paid on the car from the bank. So, if you stop paying it will be the bank and you that have a problem, not the dealer. If you are a reasonable person with a reasonable complaint the dealer will more times than not try to make you happy.
If you do not feel that you have had your problem resolved at the department manager’s level, and you still feel that it is a problem, then it is time to go to the general manager or owner. I would write them a letter with the details of your problem and what has or has not been done to resolve it up until this point.
I would send it certified to make sure they get it. Again all the rules of engagement still apply. Do not threaten, just simply work to get your problem resolved. If after all that you still feel wronged and that it has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you will want to get an outside force involved: either the factory, if they are a new car franchise, an attorney or the media.
You will want to explain your situation to them and what you have done to try and resolve it. They will either help you or tell you that you do not have a legitimate complaint. This is the best course of action to take to get a concern resolved. Remember, the nicer you are the nicer the dealer will be and try to get it resolved at the lowest level possible. This will give you the best chance at satisfaction. Good luck and have a great one.
posted by Cory Fosbenner at
1:27 PM
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