RIP-OFF Car Dealer!

[Coralgurl]

[quote=Slick Fork;

Coralgurl: Dealerships are allowed to sell cars as Demo's. Usually low mileage (Think under $10,000). It's still registered as a "new" vehicle but doesn't qualify for any incentive programs. These are typically last years model that didn't get sold in time for 0% financing or other fancy deals so they put some miles on them and offer them as a heavily discounted almost new vehicles. They can be a REALLY good deal.[/QUOTE]

Agreed! These can be good deals. I've also read about dealers employees having accidents but this not being disclosed and they are still sold as new. I don't know that this is huge problem in Canada as I've read this on US sites referring to US dealers.

The situation totally sucks, I wish I could offer something more than this. Good luck!

[Lance]

Thanks for the replies guys. Coralgurl, the car is sound in every way other than the repaired hood, fender and bumpers. It still has low mileage. 23,000 miles and runs excellently. A very nice car. Just pi$$es me off that we will not get fair trade-in value and have had to pay for the repair of the hood ourselves.

Slick Fork, thanks for the info. Kinda what I was thinking too. A letter to the dealership and Nissan Canada can't hurt I guess. I will also add that my auto body guy said that in his opinion there is no way they could not have known about the repairs. Also, my wife sent an E-mail to her nephew and he will not return her call, which strikes me as kind of funny if he has nothing to hide. If the letters do not get us any satisfaction I will not throw good money after bad via legal proceedings. Put it down as Caveat emptor.

[Murminator]

I would like to see the pics...

[mseepman]

I'm currently in the Auto industry and have been for 15 years. I work with dealerships all over the province and for the most part they are all very good.
Here is my take on your situation. Because of the lack of good used vehicles in BC and because of the good dollar, many dealers have been buying "grey market" vehicles (ones out of the US). The are many rules in BC to protect the consumer and dealerships try very hard to follow these rules...but because US vehicles do not always report their accidents, there is very little the dealer can do to identify these. I doubt Nissan will help as they are dead set against the import of US vehicles into Canada.
My guess is that the only place you will ever get resolution is from the goodwill of the dealer.

Do you use the dealership in any other way than the original purchase? Many times there is so little money made on vehicles that dealers focus their goodwill spending on customers who help keep their doors open. You might be able to use that as leverage.

Best of luck to you...that is a bummer of a situation.

[dustinc]

in reality car dealers rarely look at the cars they have on the lot, I used to buy cars in bulk and some times I would get smoking deals 2008 chevy uplander with 170km for 1200, was supposed to have 300,000km but they didn't double check mileage, and a 2009 F350 lariat crew dually for 13,000 with 170,000km... not sure why I got that cheap its 19,000 wholesale 24 retail...
I doubt you will win the case since there is no paper proof such as a carfax... imo they are a waste of money because if you get it fixed properly it gets put in a carfax, if its some drug dealer who gets in a bad wreck then gets his connection to "hook him up" with a cheap paint job thats done b4 the cops come, thats the one you don't want.
If you don't have a good eye for detail in a vehicle or have a close friend that does its best to buy brand new. otherwise there is always a chance of being screwed because most mechanics are not going to care enough to carefully look at everything. I see lots of vehicles pass a 160 point inspection then blow up 5 minutes down the road haha mainly ford diesels

[subman]

I had a warranty problem with Toyota and after fighting with morons at the 1-800 number I called the better business bureau and bingo within a couple hour I was talking to the right person and got it all taken care of. It definitely worth a shot.

[michika]

In the very least I think this is worth a letter to Nissan Canada and to the dealership.

Something that nobody else has touched on here is that the salesman was acting on behalf of the dealership, and the Nissan brand. In their capacity as employee they mislead you, intentional or not, and as a result you should have a leg to stand on.

Some big issues I see right off the fly from your post;
1) Lack of disclosure from the dealership
2) Employee/Salesman acting on behalf of the dealership and the Nissan brand and trying to pass the buck. There are laws dealing with this, when a company representative makes statements like the one above (no damage) there may be a leg here to stand on. By stating to you that the vehicle had no prior damage he was speaking on behalf of the dealership with that statement. You might be able to successfully argue the case that the saleman sold you a vehicle he stated was damage/history free, and you did not receive the goods as described. Now please note I'm trying to make the distinction between disclosure and the fact that you were mislead (intentionally or not) by the dealership upon discovery of the issue.


Include your photos in your letter and if you do send it, make sure you send the exact same letter to Nissan Canada, the Dealership and perhaps to the appropriate ombudsman body or BBB type organization. I like to include a little paragraph at the end about who else I've shared the story with as that seems to light some fires under people.


What about lemon laws? Anything under there that covers mis-representation of sold goods?

[Lance]

Catherine, I will be sending three letters: the dealership, Nissan Canada and the VSA (Motor Vehicle Sales Authority of British Columbia), who apparently really frowns on this kind of thing. Pictures along with statements from my body man and a 25 year head car salesman.
I like your idea of the threat of sharing my story; IE Facebook, Twitter, Local Newspaper Letters to the Editor, etc. I am waiting on the written and signed statements from the above and will then send off my letters and pics. Will keep you informed.

[chevyjaxon]

right better buisness bureau! I'd go that route for sure.

[Werbo]

Right now there is an influx of US cars coming into Canada (mostly eastern Canada) that were damaged/written off when Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey & NY.