Articles: Automotive

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?

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? 

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?

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?

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?

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?

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

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?

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?

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?