Rattle Can Repair Scam Warning for Used Car Shoppers

Rattle Can Repairs

Literally a cover-up scam, rattle can repair scams using cheap canned spray paint to make repairs look new and/or coverup problems with a car, are one of the easiest (and laziest) attempts to scam a car buying customer.

Typically, I see this happens often with advertised claims of rebuild/refurbished restorations that turn out to be lame attempts to convince buyers that some work was done on an older vehicle or some machinery.

Related article: Car Repair Horrors Mechanics Face Every Day

Unfortunately, this scam works more times than it doesn’t because car buyers don’t always look close enough during a used car inspection. The key red flag of this type of scam is when you can find evidence of over-spraying when the scammer does a sloppy job by not even bothering to mask off the surrounding areas. However, some scammers are quite good at it---you can learn online how to properly do “touch-ups” on cars using a spray paint can.

Related article: Ceramic Coating for Car Paint Protection Questioned and Answered by Car Experts

Used Car Repair Uncovers Rattle Can Scam

In a recent Rainman Ray’s Repairs YouTube channel episode, Ray is hired to fix a failed tire pressure sensor problem on a recently purchased used 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid.

The TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) is a safety system in many models of cars designed to notify the driver when the tires become under-inflated. The benefit of this early-warning system is that it can help save a car owner from future problems due to flat tires, irregular or rapid tread wear, reduced fuel economy, poor handling performance, and irreparable tire damage and failure.

Related article: Common Brake Repair Scam in Major Name Tire Centers

While this was not a pre- or post-purchased vehicle inspection, Ray in figuring out the source of the problem found that his client would definitely have benefitted from a prepurchase inspection by a trusted mechanic,
That said, here is the video posted below that reveals yet another used car horror story perpetuated by a used car dealership.

Ripped off by Dealer | Buy here pay here special!

And finally…

The take-home message here is that you have to perform your own due diligence and make sure that any used car is properly inspected by a mechanic before agreeing to a sale.

Related article: How to Find Hidden Problems in a Used Car Before Buying It

For additional articles about protecting yourself and outfitting your car with the proper tires, here are two selected articles titled “Everything You Need To Know About Buying Car and Truck Tires” and “Consumer Reports Treadwear Testing Reveals How Long Some Tire Types Really Do Last.”

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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.

Image Source: Courtesy of Pixabay