buyer beware

[GrimmJeeper]

my buddy just picked up this XJ:
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/car/439171776.html

he got it home, ran a carfax report on it, and it turns out it was sold at auction 2 years ago with 272,000 miles on it, and sold at a dealership 3 weeks later with 79,000 miles on it. so now what does he do? call a lawyer? is there any legal way to force the guy to take the jeep back?

remember the old saying guys, if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.

edit: forgot to say, he doesnt want to keep this jeep. he hasnt talked to this guy yet and we are just wondering what to do if he wont take it back.

[spudly]

Looks like it was private party so you might be SOL.

Here's some stuff from the DMV: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/consumer/invest/inv172.htm

They might not be too helpful, but at least you could get a claim filed against him to hopefully prevent him from screwing someone else.

[GrimmJeeper]

thanks for the link spudly, i'll show it to my friend.

[Fergie]

Check on Full Disclosure laws...might be some kind of help there.

[JoesXJ]

small claims court

[HaleYes]

He screwed himself in my book.
He should have done the CarFax BEFORE he bought the damn thing.......


Hale

[GrimmJeeper]

He screwed himself in my book.
He should have done the CarFax BEFORE he bought the damn thing.......


Hale thats exactly what i told him.

[OverlandXJ]

Previous owner probably knew nothing of the odometer inaccuracy. Looks to me like the dealer turned it back. Title search on mileage when dealer sold it is in order.

We just had a dealer in this area get away with it though...

[IXNAYXJ]

Not sure about CA, but in Washington state if the vehicle is more than 10 years old, there is no requirement to disclose actual odometer readings. Carfax might also be wrong on the 272k mile reading...I've seen major errors on their part before. Does the Jeep look/drive like it's got almost 300k on it?

-----Matt-----

[Ben H]

Damn, I was looking hard at buying that same jeep. Sorry it happened, but better he than me. It looks so clean.

[GrimmJeeper]

Damn, I was looking hard at buying that same jeep. Sorry it happened, but better he than me. It looks so clean. its EXREMELY clean. in all likelyhood all the mileage is from being towed behind a motorhome or something. this jeep is like brand spanking new. it runs good, but it makes a clunking noise when you shut it down. i think the exhaust is loose, and it has a major exhaust leak under the hood. the suspension is also completely toast. i told him screw the mileage just keep it and fix it for that price, but he needs something he can drive right away, he's moving to northern cali next month. it needs to be taken in for a recall about the catalytic converter before he can register it, and its got arizona plates on it right now so it needs an out of state vehicle inspection done, which is no big deal. just too much work for what he wants. the registration is also expired. it would be an excelent project for someone who wants to work on it. it runs and drives well. if anyone wants to give my buddy the 3000 he paid for it he would gladly sell it just to be out of this mess so he can get back to looking for another 4x4.

[red91]

my buddy just picked up this XJ:
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/car/439171776.html

he got it home, ran a carfax report on it, and it turns out it was sold at auction 2 years ago with 272,000 miles on it, and sold at a dealership 3 weeks later with 79,000 miles on it. so now what does he do? call a lawyer? is there any legal way to force the guy to take the jeep back?

remember the old saying guys, if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.

edit: forgot to say, he doesnt want to keep this jeep. he hasnt talked to this guy yet and we are just wondering what to do if he wont take it back.


Try proving that the dealership KNEW it had that kind of miles on it....theres your problem.

Damn clean either way.

[Begster]

The Carfax could be a typo and it really meant to say 72,000 miles, then sold later for 79,000. That make some sense.

[Lowrange2]

YUp.... I recently bought a vehicle and got a carfax report before i bought it and it had 3 errors on it...one of which was mileage. The report said 168k and I know damn good n well it only has 68K on it since I know the guy I bought it from.

Ha it looks exactly like mine did stock! Kinda...

[IslanderOffRoad]

He screwed himself in my book.
He should have done the CarFax BEFORE he bought the damn thing.......


Hale

truth. although they decided to start reporting something after i bought a car once, and i got screwed, and they wouldn't do anything for me, so I don't trust carfax.

[RyanM]

send in a oil report!

[w_howey]

I don't trust carfax either.

A friend's uncle wanted to buy a truck from me. And he ran a carfax on it. Came back with THREE reported accidents, all in a period when I owned the truck and it was sitting in a locked storage building not being driven.