US News reported this week on "5 Sneaky Car Dealer Sales Tricks". All of the tricks in the article are tactics that we've seen time and time again. While the article does not discuss the legal recourse available to victims of these classic tricks, it offers some...
Month: August 2013
Top Ten Consumer Complaints
According to data from the most recent survey conducted by Consumer Federation of America ("CFA") and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators ("NACPI"), auto fraud is the most common complaint among american consumers. CFA and NACPI surveyed 40 general...
What to do if your car is a lemon
The last thing you want after purchasing a new vehicle is to start experiencing mechanical problems. It can be challenging, especially if you put everything into buying what you thought would be a reliable vehicle to meet your daily transport needs. Fortunately, there...
Some used car salesmen deserve their reputation
It’s fair to say that used car salesmen have a negative reputation. The cliche is that they’re out to trick consumers and sell them useless products at inflated prices. This is certainly not true for every salesman, and there’s a reason people say to be wary about...
Is an extended vehicle warranty worth the cost?
If the manufacturer warranty that came with your car is expiring soon, you may actually start to listen to those extended warranty robocall messages on your phone. But is an extended warranty – also known as a vehicle service contract – worth the money? Surveys of...
Can you return a used car to the dealership?
When you buy a vehicle, it’s with the expectation that it has been represented correctly by the dealership. In fact, you go to a dealership to avoid questions about the vehicle, because many dealerships do their due diligence and make sure they are aware of all...
Price gouging is more than irritating, it is illegal
It’s a hard time to buy a vehicle. Due to supply shortages, there are fewer new and used cars at today’s dealerships, and that means prices have skyrocketed. As Business Insider notes, a lack of computer chips, rampant supply chain problems and high demand have all...
Odometer “rollbacks” are often part of a bigger picture
The types of fraud that an auto dealership could commit are limited only by the fraudster's imagination. Many times, a multifaceted approach is used that incorporates a variety of methods. Odometer rollbacks are a common fraud in the used car market. Manipulating the...
Are you just unlucky with your car, or were you tricked?
When you buy a car, you know that it’s going to break down at some point. It’s going to need repairs. All vehicles do. This is just a given, and many people specifically budget for these future needs. However, you also expect it to last for a certain amount of time...
Vehicle history checks should consider recent flooding
Connecticut and states across the entire U.S. were negatively impacted by the recent massive storms and tornados. Damaged property was a major problem and a significant portion of that was inflicted on vehicles because of widespread flooding. Water damage can severely...
What to do if you’re a victim of auto dealer fraud
Purchasing a car is a major deal for most Connecticut residents. Cars cost thousands of dollars and it can be nerve wracking to go to a dealership, pick out a car, negotiate a price, and obtain financing. Car dealerships are full of notoriously shady characters and a...
Can a dealership just paint over major rust damage?
Winter weather, road salt and age can all contribute to the amount of rust that develops on a vehicle. Rust is unattractive, but it is far from just a cosmetic issue. Substantial amounts of rust on a vehicle can impact its structural integrity in the event of a crash....