Jun 28 2009
Failure to Disclose or Misrepresentation of Prior Accident or Damage History
Car Buyers should remember that used carshave an unknown history of ownership. The best used car buy is the one that has been well taken care of and well maintained.
Thus, if the customer is wise enough, the he/she often asks the salesperson questions about the vehicle’s history. Virtually every response is that the vehicle has never been damaged or in any previous accidents.
The truth is, the salesperson rarely ever knows whether what he is saying is in fact true. Every vehicle goes through some inspection by the service department of the dealership when it is first brought into the dealership. Most trained technicians can identify certain damage to a vehicle by noting re-painting, welding, or even replacement parts. However, this information is never passed on to the sales force of the dealership, nor is any record of these findings maintained. Therefore, the salesperson is really not the person with knowledge of the vehicle history, yet will answer the questions a consumer asks with the answer the consumer wants to hear so that he or she can make a sale. Remember, they almost always paid on a commission basis. If they tell you the vehicle is damage free and they are wrong, their conduct is considered dealer fraud.
