I need help returning a car i bought from a private party.?

Question

I bought a 1990 honda CRX from a private party few days ago. They said everything was in excellent working condition. Everything was find when i test drove it but when i brought it home next morning it wouldn't start. Owner told me that motor was replaced and only has about 45-50k miles and that he used it for commuting. I called them and they told me i bought it as is and they wont take it back. They said the car has never done anything like that before and that it was I who broke it. I haven't done anything to the car beside clean it.

I have no clue what to do if anybody could help me i would really appreciate it.

It makes the starting sound just like usual but just doesn't start. All i did was wash the body and vacuumed it. It had leaves all over it and between doors under hood. I am going to have someone check it out and see if its any of the common stuff you guys mentioned. thanks

I also noticed that when i try starting it the check engine light comes on and stays on if the key is left in the on position after trying to start it. But when i turn it off and just turn the key back to the on position without trying to start it the check engine light goes back off.

Answer 1

The 'Check Engine' light is designed to stay lit until the motor is running, then shut off. The reason for this is so people can check the warning lights in the dash prior to starting to make sure none of the LED's are burned out, or worse yet, disconnected.

Private seller purchases are final, so unfortunately, you can't take it back. The seller should have provided you with receipts of the new engine, if in fact they had one installed. Simply 'replacing' a motor is extremely vague, since they could have simply exchanged it with one with more miles from a junk yard if the previous motor stopped running. Good luck and I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Used cars are sold as is. A private party does not have to provide a warranty. It is unlikey that a dealer would give a waranty on an 8 year old car.

It was up to you to make sure how road worthy the car was BEFORE you bought it. You should have had it inspected by a reputable mechanic BEFORE you purchased it.

To take any legal action, you would have to prove that the previous owner knew of a major defect and was hiding it. This is usually difficult to prove.

This is an 8 year old car. It is unrealistic to expect it to be perfect. It has a newer motor. I suggest you figure out what's wrong with it and keep it.

Answer 3

Private Owners
Buying a used car from a private owner may be cheaper. But private sellers are not covered by the Federal Trade Commission’s rules and don’t have to use Buyers Guides. In addition, private sales are usually not covered by the implied warranties given for dealership cars, meaning most used cars will be “as is.”
Prior to making a purchase from a private seller, do your research. Find as much information online about the car’s major systems, and use that information as a shopping tool. In addition, don’t hesitate to have a privately sold car inspected by your mechanic.
No matter if you buy a car from a private seller or dealer, protect yourself by examining the car thoroughly, test driving it under varied road conditions, inspecting the car professionally, and checking the maintenance record. Following these steps can ensure your used car will be a reliable addition to your life, and not a regrettable lemon.
good luck man

Answer 4

the previous owner is correct most private party sales are considered as is unless you have something in writing (a contract) that says otherwise. you say you cleaned it, did that cleaning include pressure or otherwise washing under the hood? if it did you could have got something electrical wet and that is why it won't start. you do not give any details as to what happens when you do try to start it so i can only guess about different things. does it turn over but not start which means no spark so could be bad coil or it is wet if you washed under the hood, and or bad (or wet) distributor cap and rotor, and or bad spark plug wires (or wet) . if it just clicks when you turn the key that means that the starter solenoid has gone bad which means if it is the solenoid you have to replace the starter. if it turns over slowly but does not start it could be a bad battery which could have been caused by a bad or going bad alternator. i could list a lot more things but these are the most common

Answer 5

YOU CANT DO ANYTHING AT THIS POINT BECAUSE AS STATED ABOVE THIS IS CONSIDERED AN "AS-IS".

YOU SHOULD GET THE VEHICLES COMPUTER SCANNED AND CHECK FOR ANY PROBLEMS AS WELL AS CODES AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD IDEA ON WHAT THE PROBLEM TRULY IS.

TRY FINDING AN INDEPENDENT SHOP INSTEAD OF THE DEALER OR A CHAIN STORE BECAUSE YOU WILL BE OVERALL MORE PLEASED WITH THE FINDINGS AND THE SERVICE.

LEAVE IT THERE WITH THEM SO THAT THEY CAN FIND THE PROBLEM FOR YOU, IT WILL BE A LOT BETTER THAN JUST REPLACING PART AFTER PART AND NOT DOING ANY GOOD.

Answer 6

You bought the car and all the problems that go with it. Used cars are sold as-is, meaning there's no warranty, no right to return. The seller doesn't owe you a thing. Get it fixed and drive it or sell it to some other sucker.

Answer 7

Why don't you figure out what's wrong with it first. It it's a loose wire you'd be a fool take it back. It the battery is dead, buy a new one, that's the price you pay for a used car.

If the car is blown up and won't ever run again, then I think you might have a legitimate complaint.

Answer 8

Wouldn't start how?

"Won't start" is pretty vague. It could be hundreds of posibilities.
Dead battery, Low battery, bad ground wire to engine, bad power wire to starter, bad power wire to battery, bad connection at battery post or terminals, blown fuse, bad key switch, bad starter, bad fuel pump, bad injectors, out of gas, neutral safety switch, seized engine, broken connecting rod, no compression, no spark, bad oil pressure switch, broken timing belt, plugged fuel filter, bad starter solenoid, bad starter, broken rotor, cracked distributor cap, Anti-theft device, water in/on engine, out of gas, vacuum leak, bad gas, bad ignition coil, blown computer, faulty cam or crank sensor ...

I could list 50 more things easiy...

When you turn the key to start it, what happens?

Could you be a little bit more specific