Bought used car with poor maintenance...ripped off...need advice!?

Question

I bought a used Nissan 350Z about a 5 weeks ago...it turns out the car needed new brakes...all 4 brake pads as well as the 2 rotors in the front...the parts were really expensive since it needed specific parts...the total for the brake work was $600. It also needs an alignment and new tires...the warranty I purchased at the dealership does not cover this. I really don't want the car anymore, and I believe I was cheated and scammed...I know used cars are sold "as is" but come on...are they suppose to tell you or at least fix such basics as brakes...these guys sold me a car without brakes...how dangerous is that. Any advice on what I can do? I really want to give the car back without it hurting my credit since I have good credit for a young person.

I bought the car in Texas...maybe that'll help in answering

Answer 1

You can complain and start calling their corporate offices and the local manager. Most dealers (big dealers) have a 100 point inspection. Before they sell a car. If the brakes are bad they did not perform the inspection.

Otherwise you can call this a lesson learned and sell the car. They will not take it back.

$600 for brakes seems really steep. Replace the pads yourself for $50 You can likely get the dealer to do it for you free.

Answer 2

Nope... they did nothing illegal. As long as the brakes were working well enough to stop your car when they sold it to you then it was up to you to take the car to a place for inspection prior to your purchase.

I know it sucks, but that the way it is with used cars.

In the future, accept that items that require routine replacement like brake pads/rotors/belts/hoses and other items are never covered by any warranty. And as you found out on some items they can be very expensive. Now frankly I'm more concerned about the fact that you over paid for the brake job than that you bought a car that needed brakes... Unless you bought Brembo replacement rotors, each rotor is about $56 and pads for the front and back would have been about $60.... so it sounds like you paid almost 400 for labor.

Answer 3

Sporty cars are usually a bad bet to buy used. They are generally ragged out - even if routine maintenance has been done.

$600 for two new rotors, 4 sets of pads, and installation isn't too horrible (though you could have done it yourself for considerably less - brakes are very simple).

I would definitely crawl up their backside regarding the brakes - since that could be potentially dangerous, though it is up to you as a used car buyer to inspect things like this - or if you don't know what you are looking at, to bring along someone else who does. There is a thing called a 'lemon law' that allows you to take the car back - but it is generally limited to 24-48 hours. It sounds like you have already passed that.

You just learned an important lesson - but don't necessarily let it turn you off to the car. Brakes and tires wear out - you would end up having to do that stuff to just about any used car you buy eventually. Hunt around for a good deal on tires and alignment, and then you will have a 350Z with new brakes and tires.

Hopefully the engine/transmission/clutch, etc. are in decent condition. Otherwise you got screwed - and going back to the place that sold it to you would just end up making them laugh at you.

Answer 4

Those are routine maintenance items. You should have had the vehicle inspected by a qualified mechanic prior to purchasing it. This is particularly important on a vehicle like yours as it's likely to have been abused by the previous owner(s).

You were neither cheated nor scammed. You failed to do your "due dilligence" and are paying the price for your mistake now. Had you had it inspected you could have used that as a bargaining chip to reduce the price or have the work done prior to the purchase. The brakes may have been in serviceable condition when you bought the vehicle, even though they were at or near the limit of their life. The fact that you are an uninformed consumer doesn't make the dealer a rip-off artist.

You have no right to turn the vehicle back to the dealer. If you do, it will go down as a repossession and will trash your credit.

You've learned a cheap life lesson. $600 is peanuts. If you're lucky you have the important things covered now and will be OK for a while.

Answer 5

You bought a used car. It is your responsibility as buyer to determine the condition of said vehicle prior to purchasing it. Brakes and tires are designed to wear out, you would have to replace them at some point. You could have done the brakes yourself and saved half of the cost. You could have looked at the tires at the dealer and determined their condition. You just didn't do your homework here, sorry to say.

I recently bought a used truck from a private party. I took it home and pulled all 4 wheels and found the front brakes needed replacing, along with the calipers. I didn't get mad or feel scammed, I went and bought the parts and fixed it. My point is, I knew I bought a used vehicle and also knew I might have to do a little work on it.

If you try to sell the car or trade it in, you are going to lose money. You've already invested the money in brakes, why get rid of it now? Good luck!

Answer 6

Does the old saying "Let the buyer beware" mean anything to you? You bought a used car from some hack dealer after you had a chance to inspect it and now you want to give it back. Sorry, pilgrim, but if they sold it as is with no warranties expressed or implied, stick a fork in you 'cause you're done. Your only option is to sell it yourself otherwise you're still responsible for the car and the payments if any.

Answer 7

Next time, get someone like Lemon Busters to come and do a once over. It would be less than $150. and would reveal issues such as this that you can use to either get them to fix first or sell the car at a discount. BTW, Lemon Laws only apply to new cars and only for specific things.

Answer 8

Remember these cars may be trade ins and don't get inspected right away,but it is your responsibility as the buyer to have a mechanic take a look at it,before buying a vehicle and knowing what the warranty covers!You should have noticed when test driving the vehicle!

Answer 9

Rebel, you should have had the car checked out by your own mechanic before purchase. Get a quote from a shop not from the dealer. It may be cheaper. In any case these repairs are expected replaceable parts. Thank your lord it's not something more dire such as the engine or transmission.

Answer 10

The laws depend on what state you are in.

You tires were probably low on tread, but the dealership only has to sell you a car with very minimal tread depth. I mean, very minimal tread depth, especially on the rear tires, since they are not as important as the front tires. This I know from experience.

As far as brakes and rotors go, I'm not sure. Contact the Better Business Bureau in your area and see what they have to say.

Answer 11

Yes it was sold to you AS IS. What many do not know, is do not turn the radio on to hear the jams .... keep everything quiet... roll the windows down and listen carefully on your test drive, and drive it for a good half hour if possiable. I did this and the one I chose needed brakes, I brought it to the attention and they fixed it before I filled out any more paper work. As for what to do? Make the best of what you have and learn but what has happened.