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

As-Is is Not a Protection for Car Dealers to Scam Buyers

As it turns out, used car buyers do have some legal recourse when it comes to buying an advertised As-Is car from a dealership---especially when that used car breaks down shortly after buying it.

While it is generally advised to never buy an As-Is used car from a used car lot, the unfortunate fact is that many people do not have the resources to do otherwise and are in need of a car immediately for transporting children and getting to and from work. And, while not all dealerships are predatory, enough are to make this a real problem for society.

Part of the problem lies in that most car buyers do not understand that "As-Is" is not necessarily all-encompassing protection for sellers. Unlike eBay where As-Is is typically used to remove any and all responsibility for items sold---of which many of us can relate to how difficult it is to file a complaint and seek recompense---the court system takes a special interest when it comes to questionable used car sales and tactics to take advantage of used car shoppers.

Related article: Consumer Reports Warns Used Car Buyers About Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Car Scams

That was the message in a recent Lehto’s Law YouTube channel episode, where the host discusses a case where a used car dealer knowingly resold a problem car to another customer (victim) who sought justice after fruitless attempts to get the dealer to resolve the issue. Turning to the court system, the dealer was found violating disclosure laws with what could be described as a ‘sin of omission” range of offenses.

The Value of This Video

The value of this video is that it shows that sometimes the court system does take a dim view of As-Is cases with car dealers who try to hide behind As-Is sales and that it is worth the extra effort to seek recompense if you feel you had been cheated and/or deceived by a seller.

That said, here is the video posted below that offers some insight into what “As-Is” really means when it comes to car sales.

Judge Orders Used Car Dealer to Buy Back AS-IS Car It Sold

And finally…

One bit of advice, if you ever find yourself in an As-Is disagreement with a used car seller, be sure to keep a detailed record of who said what and what was done (if anything) to attempt to resolve the problem, as well as documents showing repairs and what a mechanic found, to add credibility to your complaint and make it less of a “he-said, she-said” mess for the courts to try to decipher.

For additional articles about car-related problems and the legal system, here are a few for your consideration:

• Why Your Car is Probably Illegal

• The Biggest Lie Dealerships Use on Their Customers

• Avoid Fines and Jail with This Speed Trap Evasion Radar Need to Know Info

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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