Purchasing a manufacturer buyback vehicle

Dear Consumer Ed:  Does a manufacturer buyback car have a branded title for the life of the vehicle? I’m considering purchasing a 2019 car that was bought back by the manufacturer and resold with a warranty. The warranty has now expired, and the car is for resale at a used car lot. Am I crazy to consider buying this car?

Credit report not showing car loan pay-off

Dear Consumer Ed:  I paid off my car loan last year, but my credit report is still showing a balance of over $8,000. How can I get this corrected? 

Parking lot attendant gave my car to someone else

Dear Consumer Ed:  I left my car in a parking garage with an attendant. When I went to pick it up, I discovered that my car and my car keys had been given to someone else. What is the parking garage’s legal responsibility in this situation?

Mechanic charging for unauthorized repairs

Dear Consumer Ed:  Can a mechanic make repairs to your vehicle that were not discussed and agreed to ahead of time and charge you for them?

Is dealer allowed to advertise car at special incentive price?

Dear Consumer Ed:  I recently went to a dealership after seeing a vehicle advertised at a certain price. It wasn’t until after I arrived that I was told that if I wanted to pay cash or finance it through my own bank that I would have to pay an additional $3,000, as the advertised price included a discount that was only available if you financed through the dealership. Can they do that?

Dealership has still not repaired used car they sold me

Dear Consumer Ed:  I recently purchased a used car with an agreement that I would leave the car at the dealership, the dealer would repair a couple of items, and I could pick up the vehicle in two days. It’s been three weeks now and the dealer won’t produce the car or refund my money. When I try to find out the status of the car, they refuse to give me a delivery date. Can they do that?

How can I found out if a vehicle I'm buying was salvaged?

Dear Consumer Ed:  How can I find out if the vehicle that I am interested in purchasing from a dealership is a salvaged vehicle?

Car dealer refusing to return money after financing was denied

Dear Consumer Ed:  I put down money on a leased vehicle. The bank did not approve the loan request, so I had to return the vehicle to the dealership. But the dealer is refusing to return my money. Can they do that?

Car repossession

Dear Consumer Ed:  Once your car is repossessed, how much time are you given to pay the overdue amount before your vehicle is sold? Also, how long does a repo company have to wait before getting rid of any belongings you left in the vehicle?

Do auto repair shops have to disclose diagnostic fees up-front?

Dear Consumer Ed:  I dropped my car off for an estimate at the repair shop, and they want to charge me an $80 diagnostic fee. They never disclosed this fee beforehand. Is this legal?