Dealer Fraud

One of the most annoying things about the purchase of a vehicle is to find out that it has sustained prior material accident damage. According to the law the sale of a new vehicle with any unrepaired damage, any structural damage or even if repairs were made costing more than 3% of the vehicle’s value is illegal. Also the vehicles sold as Certified Pre-Owned vehicles are required to be sold according to the dealership’s advertised certification standards. It is prohibited for car dealers are to sell an unsafe vehicle.
If the customer asks questions about a new or used vehicle, the dealer is obligated to provide any information to the best of his knowledge. Thus if the customer asks a dealer whether a vehicle has been in a prior accident and the dealer gives incorrect information than the action of the dealer is termed as misrepresentation can be auto fraud. Another type of car fraud may be dealership’s failure to disclose material damage, even if previously “repaired.”

Soon after the purchase of a vehicle the buyer starts to notice some problems in the appearance as well as performance of their vehicle. These may be typical signs of a previous accident.
Some of the common signs of previous accident in the appearance of the vehicle may include over-spray paint on portions of the vehicle, panels that don’t line up or fit correctly, and doors or trunk lids that don’t close properly. Common signs in the performance of the car may include accelerated or uneven tire wear and front-end pulling.
You can avoid purchasing a damaged vehicle if you have it inspected by a body shop. An experienced mechanic can easily detect signs of damage, although a frame check may be required if structural damage is suspected.
You can also get a vehicle history report. However, remember that these vehicle history reports often fail to reveal prior accidents or damage.

There are new car dealers selling so-called “certified” used cars who say that there is no way to make absolutely sure that the used cars they sell have not be involved in major collisions and have been re-built to be re-sold to unsuspecting car buyers. However, this is not the truth because if independent car mechanics can easily spot re-built wrecks then so can car dealers!

Hundreds of thousands of totaled or completely wrecked vehicles get re-built for re-sale and end up being bought and driven by unsuspecting car buyers. One reason for this is only around half of the motor vehicle departments in all 50 states in United States supply local governments with enough information to determine if a used car has been completely wrecked then re-built for re-sale to the public. This makes the so-called “used car search and information” internet services or independent services being sold to consumers for a fee not very practical and essentially unable to really know if a used car has ever been wrecked or not.

There are cases when these cars end up getting involved in collisions again. This may kill the driver and passengers because the re-built wrecks were not re-built for safety but were re-built just to “look” good to prospective buyers. Re-built wrecks usually don’t have proper functioning airbags and other safety equipment put back into them and few, if any, proper repairs may be made to ensure the re-built wrecks are even safe to drive again!

To avoid buying a wrecked vehicle you should have the car you intend to buy inspected by an mechanic independent from the dealer and determine if the car has been wrecked then re-built.

Millions of vehicles that have sustained prior material accident damage are sold throughout the country every year. The law prohibits the sale of the vehicle that has any unrepaired damage, any structural damage or even if repairs were made costing more than 3% of the vehicle’s value. Also it is against the law to sell a new vehicle with any Vehicles sold as Certified Pre-Owned vehicles, meanwhile, must live up to the dealership’s advertised certification standards. The sale of unsafe vehicle is also illegal. The car dealer is always required to disclose any information about the vehicle and give truthful answers to all questions of the consumer. If the consumer asks the dealer whether a vehicle has been in a prior accident, the misrepresentation by the dealer can be auto fraud. Moreover, if the car dealer fails to disclose material damage, this can also be fraud.

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Pursuant to California law, if the vehicle you have been sold is previously wrecked, you are entitled to recover a full refund and also recover punitive damages and attorneys’ fees and costs from the fraudulent party. Consult an experienced auto fraud attorney will be able help you defend you legal rights.

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[ To Learn more our services and areas of practice, please visit our website at

www.DealerFraud.org]

Most consumers suspect that they have been sold a previously wrecked vehicle they notice problems in the appearance or performance of the vehicle. If you believe you are a victim of this fraud conduct a research about the vehicle’s history and have it inspected by a qualified mechanic. Contact an experienced auto fraud attorney.

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[ To Learn more our services and areas of practice, please visit our website at

www.DealerFraud.org]