A Connecticut Serviceman and his wife have sued a West Haven dealership for selling them an unsafe car even though the dealership allegedly told them that the the car was certified-preowned. Read about problems with certified pre-owned cars here.
According to a federal lawsuit filed on June 26, 2014, Nebiyou Masresha, a member of the Connecticut National Guard, wanted to obtain a safe and reliable car for his wife and their young son before he left for a one-year tour of duty.
Masresha and his wife, Treatta Glasper-Masresha, allege that, in August of 2012, they were steered by a dealership employee to a used Nissan Altima that had a sticker claiming that it was a “Nissan Certified Pre-Owned” vehicle.
They claim in the lawsuit that although the employee emphasized that the car, as a certified pre-owned vehicle, had been inspected and met stringent standards, the Altima had previously been in a significant accident and had not been properly repaired.
The lawsuit also alleges that, earlier this month, after they were advised by an independent auto body expert that the car was not safe to drive, they returned it to the dealership.
We think that It is deplorable for a car dealership to sell an unsafe car to anyone. It is especially reprehensible to sell an unsafe car to someone who is serving his country and trying to arrange reliable transportation for his family while he is overseas.
Unfortunately, we have seen many instances of dealerships selling damaged cars as “certified pre-owned”. We recommend that consumers obtain an independent inspection before buying a used car, even if it has been certified by a dealership.
Consumer Law Group handles cases involving auto dealer fraud.