Full Tank of Gas Used Car Scam

Avoiding Used Car Scams

It’s an unfortunate fact that when it comes to used cars, many sellers will resort to all kinds of tricks to scam an unsuspecting used car shopper into buying a problem plagued car.

These scams can take any number of tactics such as:

• Odometer fraud

• Hidden flood damage

• Undisclosed accident history

• Faked titles

• Cosmetic chicanery

And if you believe that you are protected by the law, you just might want to rethink your thoughts on the matter as reported earlier with an eye-opening video by an attorney who explains why you might not have any legal protections to help you recover your losses.

This is especially true in localities where local laws differ on how they view what is considered to be a scam involving the sale of a used car and what is a failure of the complainant to take some responsibility for how wisely or not they spend their money.

Related article: Used Car Dealer Forced to Buy Back As-Is Car It Sold

In other words, the courts are not a customer complaint service---there has to be evidence of legal wrongdoing rather than it being a matter of buyer’s regret.

Do Your Part

The best protection to avoid being scammed in the first place is to be sure to do your part. While in the past we’ve discussed the importance of hiring a mechanic to do a prepurchase inspection of any used car offered for sale, it is understandable that this is not always possible for a used car shopper.

In that case the used car shopper still needs to “own up” to his or her responsibility and learn the basics of how to inspect a used car for sale. Fortunately, that was the topic of a recent Wrenching with Kenny YouTube channel episode where the host does an easy-to-follow Show and Tell of what a potential used car buyer needs to look for to ensure they are not being scammed.

Take the time to follow along with Kenny as he walks you through the least you need to know when giving a used car the once-over before making a purchasing decision.

Don't Get Scammed Buying Your Next Used Car!!

And finally…

For additional articles related to car shopping warmings and scams, here are a few for your consideration:

• Consumer Reports Reveals How to Find Hidden Problems in a Used Car Before Buying It

• Used Car Dealer Scam with Superglue and Drywall Screws

• Check That Used Car for Flood Damage with These Quick and Easy Tips

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

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