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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    2

    Default Dealership Mess

    I'm posting this on behalf of my mother, so this is all secondhand. This took place in virginia.

    To make a long story short my sister was driving my mother's car and someone in a stolen car rammed into her at a stop light. The insurance company hemmed and hawwed about totalling the car, but eventually did so. The car was totalled under my mother's policy's uninsured motorist coverage. This caused a great deal of stress to my mother because she wasn't sure for weeks what would happen and she doesn't have the money to replace her car herself. This has nothing to do with the problem, I just want to convey that she was already stressed about the situation.

    She secured a loan - not through the dealership - and purchased a new Toyota. According to her she paid the dealership $300 and signed an agreement to buy the car. They turned over possession of the car to her. At this point I am not sure who has the title/ownership.

    This is where it gets tricky. The salesman made arrangements with her that he would pick the car up from her workplace and drive it to the dealership to get some kind of spray coating (I honestly have no idea what coating this is, but it doesn't matter). At this point my mother had had the car for two days. While he was driving the car on the the dealership's lot another worker at the dealership backed another car into him. My mother's brand new car now has a big dent on the passenger's side door. I have not seen the dent at this time. She told me the dent is at the place where the door joins the car making the door unusable.

    The dealership have offered to repair the car at their expense. I don't think my mother should take the car. She is paying for a new car, not a car that has been in an accident. She has not spoken to the dealership manager. I think they are trying to take advantage of a sweet single older lady.

    What are her options at this point?

    She is already stressed and tired of dealing with cars. She is also upset because she doesn't have wonderful credit and she thinks if she has to get yet another loan, the rate will be worse and it will cost her more money. However, she still has the loan money and has not given it to the dealership.

    Sorry for the long post... please help

  2. #2

    Default Re: Dealership Mess

    don't get another loan. that's how people began to sink themselves financially. why don't you go with her to this dealership and talk face to face with the owner of the dealership. give them a chance to make it right. either they put your mom in a car with the same model and value. or they fix the car at their own expense. the dealership has insurance and they can professionally get the car fixed. in the meantime they should be giving your mother a loan car to drive around while she is waiting for her car to be repaired or replaced. make sure you keep any documentations that proves that the dealership wrecked your mom's car. get something in writing from them proving that they will take care of the problem at their own expense

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Behind a Desk
    Posts
    98,846

    Default Re: Dealership Mess

    You need to find out the status of the purchase - if in fact your mother owns the car, or if the dealership still owns it. If it's the latter you may have leverage to get a different car. But if your mother owns it, that's a lot harder.

    In my opinion, the dealership should be offering her more than just a repair - it should be offering her some compensation (whether a payment or free future services) for her inconvenience and the loss of market value in the car, and should be offering her a loaner while they make the repair. She's not necessarily entitled to either depreciation or a loaner (I haven't researched VA's auto laws on this subject), but it's the right thing to do.

    If the dealer isn't being helpful, sometimes you can get more help by contacting customer service for the manufacturer of the car.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    2

    Default Re: Dealership Mess

    They have offered to repair the car at their cost and have provided a loaner.

    I just don't think my mother should take the car at all. She is paying for a new car, not a slightly repaired car. I will try to find out today if she took the car title or not.

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