bored and carfaxing used vipers, Buyer Beware!

[488civ10]

To all thinking of buying used Vipers, please do lots of homework before making offers. I'm coming across more than a few Vipers with histories or salvage titles that are not stated at all in the advertisement.

Due to my recent Viper purchase, I have sparked some friends' interests, so I've been putzing around on Autotrader, Craigslist and eBay the past few days in my spare time looking for clean cars and deals for them. Since I still have my Carfax subscription, I have a few more days to run them up freely.

I'm sure there are private sellers and dealers able to get away with factual omissions quite frequently. I understand the concept of buyer beware, but are there any sort of legal ramifications for not stating certain facts about a car's history? Attorneys out there, I'd appreciate your comments. Also gonna check with some of my friends when I get around to it.


See this link:
Cars For Sale: Car Details - AutoTrader.com
Seller's Comments
1995 DODGE VIPER, 43,125 mi, ps, tilt, lthr, am/fm, pdl, ac, rare black leather, upgraded dash, Alpine CD, cold air intake, short shifter, new mats, last 300 ever made with side exhaust, very fast, $30,000, FIRM
***This seller makes no mention of the fact that a salvage title was issued and that it had left front impact and right side impact damage. I'm sure this Viper was very fast, since it was previously crashed.


Or this one:
Cars For Sale: Car Details - AutoTrader.com
BUCKLE UP AND BRACE YOURSELF!!! THIS IS A RACE CAR FOR THE STREET. THIS GORGEOUS RED VIPER COUPE IS A LOW MILE DREAM CAR THAT GETS EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION AND IS PRICED TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE. Some Features Include: HIGHLY Preferred GTS Coupe Platform, Viper Red with Black Leather, 8.0L V10 with Tons of Power - 450H.P. & Nearly 500ft/lbs of Torque, 6 Speed, Pwr Window, Mirrors, and Doors, Tint, Cold A/C, Keyless Entry, Premium Alpine Sound, CD, Amp, Customer Preferred Package, ABS 4 Wheel Disc, Theft Protection, White-Faced Gauges, 18" Aluminum Wheels, PLUS: Clean Title, Clean Carfax, Non-Smoker, CA Registered, AND ONLY 19K ORIGINAL MILES. WITH ALL OF THESE FEATURES PLUS A SPECIAL INTERNET PRICE THAT BLOWS AWAY THE COMPETITION, THIS SUPERCAR WILL NOT LAST!!!!
***This is conveniently left off:
08/30/2007, Automotive Parts Supplier, Los Angeles, CA
Parts requested to repair damage after an accident or other incident
Air conditioner condenser
Left side headlamp assembly
Right side headlamp assembly
Radiator
Wheel

Notice the advertisement said "Clean Title, Clean Carfax." Are you kidding me???


Mileage declining with age:
Cars For Sale: Car Details - AutoTrader.com
Seller's Comments
!!2000 VIPER GTS BLACK/BLACK LEATHER ONLY 13250.00 MILES WELL MAINTAIND FULL OPTION 19" CHROME 3 PC. WHEEL WHIT GUAGES 450 HP. 6 SPEED ,FAST ,FAST CALL FOR MORE INFO. FOR ONLY $48000.00
***08/10/2007, 14,518mi
California Motor Vehicle Dept. Mission Viejo, CA
Title issued or updated
New owner reported

So 3 months later, we're looking at 1,268 miles less on the clock?


The worst part about this is that I came across these 3 examples in just a 25 mile radius search! And it took me less time to find them than it's taken to type up this post.

Oh well, we can only hope karma actually works. In the meantime: Viper enthusiasts (there is an obvious difference between enthusiasts and owners to me now) don't let prospective Viper enthusiasts buy crappy cars.

 

[AZTVR]

As far as the first ad goes, there is no factual omission at all. The seller does not have to assume that the buyer cares if there is a salvage title !!!!!!!!!! The salvage title is not hidden. This is merely a brief advertisement. If the buyer cares about whether there is a salvage title, the buyer asks to see the title before buying, and adjusts the price being offered accordingly. As far as you know, the car was repaired by a reputable repair shop and certified to be as good as new and the seller considers it to be such. While I do not want to buy such a car, I do not believe that we have to put bright orange warning labels on the front of everything being sold in order to protect other less gifted individuals from perceived potential harm or discomfort. If anyone expects full voluntary disclosure in a private party sale except where it has been legislated, they are living in a different world. What one can expect from a legal standpoint is truthful statements. "Puffing" is normal in automobile sales.

Caution: the above reply does not represent the opinions of the owners of the internet upon which it was transmitted nor should it be considered legal or binding discourse. The above advice is the property of the posting individual, and is for the private use of the viewing parties. If the above advice is used for more than four hours and still seems meaningful, please seek legal council immediately.

 

[RTTTTed]

Checking before buying is only common sense.

I know that many people buy from ebay, sight unseen. I wouldn't do that, but it seems that about 50% of North Americans are honest when they sell.

I normally drop a deal when I find that the owner's English is bad. Not discrimination, just been too many attempted cons by people with bad english.

I also hang up the phone when the speaker speaks bad english. Not only don't I understand them well, but they always want my money or personal info. Everyone I know speaks good english.

It seems that big corporations hire cheap, as in India or Montreal, and they don't care about how strong the accent is. Why hire someone to speak English that can't enunceate well enough for me to understand them? Hire local.

Ted

 

[dave6666]

I saw a blue GTS in my Cheerios yesterday morning. The car is now waste. I would not try to salvage it.



Bored 2.

 

[FIREITUP]

To all thinking of buying used Vipers, please do lots of homework before making offers. I'm coming across more than a few Vipers with histories or salvage titles that are not stated at all in the advertisement.

Due to my recent Viper purchase, I have sparked some friends' interests, so I've been putzing around on Autotrader, Craigslist and eBay the past few days in my spare time looking for clean cars and deals for them. Since I still have my Carfax subscription, I have a few more days to run them up freely.

I'm sure there are private sellers and dealers able to get away with factual omissions quite frequently. I understand the concept of buyer beware, but are there any sort of legal ramifications for not stating certain facts about a car's history? Attorneys out there, I'd appreciate your comments. Also gonna check with some of my friends when I get around to it.


See this link:
Cars For Sale: Car Details - AutoTrader.com
Seller's Comments
1995 DODGE VIPER, 43,125 mi, ps, tilt, lthr, am/fm, pdl, ac, rare black leather, upgraded dash, Alpine CD, cold air intake, short shifter, new mats, last 300 ever made with side exhaust, very fast, $30,000, FIRM
***This seller makes no mention of the fact that a salvage title was issued and that it had left front impact and right side impact damage. I'm sure this Viper was very fast, since it was previously crashed.


Or this one:
Cars For Sale: Car Details - AutoTrader.com
BUCKLE UP AND BRACE YOURSELF!!! THIS IS A RACE CAR FOR THE STREET. THIS GORGEOUS RED VIPER COUPE IS A LOW MILE DREAM CAR THAT GETS EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION AND IS PRICED TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE. Some Features Include: HIGHLY Preferred GTS Coupe Platform, Viper Red with Black Leather, 8.0L V10 with Tons of Power - 450H.P. & Nearly 500ft/lbs of Torque, 6 Speed, Pwr Window, Mirrors, and Doors, Tint, Cold A/C, Keyless Entry, Premium Alpine Sound, CD, Amp, Customer Preferred Package, ABS 4 Wheel Disc, Theft Protection, White-Faced Gauges, 18" Aluminum Wheels, PLUS: Clean Title, Clean Carfax, Non-Smoker, CA Registered, AND ONLY 19K ORIGINAL MILES. WITH ALL OF THESE FEATURES PLUS A SPECIAL INTERNET PRICE THAT BLOWS AWAY THE COMPETITION, THIS SUPERCAR WILL NOT LAST!!!!
***This is conveniently left off:
08/30/2007, Automotive Parts Supplier, Los Angeles, CA
Parts requested to repair damage after an accident or other incident
Air conditioner condenser
Left side headlamp assembly
Right side headlamp assembly
Radiator
Wheel

Notice the advertisement said "Clean Title, Clean Carfax." Are you kidding me???


Mileage declining with age:
Cars For Sale: Car Details - AutoTrader.com
Seller's Comments
!!2000 VIPER GTS BLACK/BLACK LEATHER ONLY 13250.00 MILES WELL MAINTAIND FULL OPTION 19" CHROME 3 PC. WHEEL WHIT GUAGES 450 HP. 6 SPEED ,FAST ,FAST CALL FOR MORE INFO. FOR ONLY $48000.00
***08/10/2007, 14,518mi
California Motor Vehicle Dept. Mission Viejo, CA
Title issued or updated
New owner reported

So 3 months later, we're looking at 1,268 miles less on the clock?


The worst part about this is that I came across these 3 examples in just a 25 mile radius search! And it took me less time to find them than it's taken to type up this post.

Oh well, we can only hope karma actually works. In the meantime: Viper enthusiasts (there is an obvious difference between enthusiasts and owners to me now) don't let prospective Viper enthusiasts buy crappy cars.

I for one am glad that you are willing to offer up your help. Not many people do that in this day and age. This helps those guys still looking for a Viper and it is never a bad thing to have someone offer up some good information that they may have about a prospective car another guy might purchase.

 

[viperpilot99]

Wow I ran a autocheck on some of these cars and it showed none of the accidents reports that carfax did! I will not be using them anymore even those they give two times more use then carfax for the same price.