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A DREAMER sought to buy a slightly used Toyota Supra from a dealership – a different dealership revealed the car’s dark history.
The buyer said he was fooled after the salesman connected with him on an “emotional level.”
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Hector Munoz, a San Diego resident, had dreamed of owning a nice sports car since he was a child.
As an adult, he worked hard at his two jobs, ambitiously saved, and sought out a Toyota Supra to fulfill that dream.
In July of 2023, he finally found a used one in El Cajon for $57,000.
Munoz floated to the dealership on Cloud Nine and spoke to a salesman who related to him on a personal level.
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The two were both first-generation Californians to immigrant parents and could relate to one another, leading Munoz to trust him.
“He was very friendly, and connected with me on an emotional level,” Munoz told CBS affiliate KFMB.
“I related to him because I’m also first generation and my family doesn’t have much. And we’re here really working for something. So honestly, he seemed like a really familiar guy that I could trust.”
However, the first red glad he spotted was during the test drive, when the salesman insisted he be the one to drive the car.
That way, the salesman insisted, he could show Munoz what the Supra was made of.
“He was going really fast,” Munoz recalled.
“He was accelerating and letting the muffler make little noises. It was cool, to be honest.”
He admits now that his excitement about the car could have caused him to miss those important clues.
“I think the issue with me at the moment, was that I was so close to getting a car that I never thought I could ever afford. I got starstruck,” he said.
He bought the car and took out a loan for the rest.
As he drove his new car home, he noticed a check engine light on the dashboard.
He tried to take it back to the dealership to find out what was wrong, but the salesman told him it was a “glitch” and didn’t need to worry.
I related to him because I’m also first generation and my family doesn’t have much. And we’re here really working for something. So honestly, he seemed like a really familiar guy that I could trust.
Hector Munoz
But Munoz knew better and began to realize he’d been deceived.
“I was destroyed. Mentally, I was a little freaked out but I thought he was being honest,” he said.
“I trusted that I could probably call him up. Tell him about it so he can fix it.”
He took it to a different dealership, who gave him the bad news.
A technician explained the check engine light was from a missing catalytic converter, and the CARFAX showed it had been in multiple accidents from previous owners.
“It broke me. I was mentally destroyed and a bit depressed,” he said.
“It hurt because you get yourself in a position where you can finally afford something that you always wanted and then it turns out that it has all of these problems.”
California has some of the strictest smog and emissions laws in the nation, and the dealership explained his car would never pass an emissions test.
Tips on buying a used car
When looking to buy a used car, U.S. News & World Report experts have a few tips before walking onto the sales lot.
- Set a realistic budget. Some cars are more expensive to insure and register than others depending on engine type, body style, weight, and the amount of doors. Before being swindled by a crafty salesman, it’s important to know what you can and can’t afford.
- Researching what car would fit best into your lifestyle can save a lot of time. Would a sedan work better for your garage or narrow street? Would a truck meet hauling or towing needs? Knowing what suits your needs can narrow down your options.
- Look into certified pre-owned cars. Certified pre-owned cars are backed by the manufacturer and come with comprehensive warranties at affordable prices. Some manufacturers have better deals on CPO cars, so research diligently.
- Not all financing options are created equal. Depending on where you look to finance, if that’s on the table, be very careful about who you finance with. Your best option would be to get preapproved by your bank before going in to give you an idea of what rates are affordable, and to give a dealership incentive to meet or beat those rates.
- Consider a used car inspection. Depending on where you’re buying a vehicle from, you can opt to pay roughly $200 for a used car inspection to have key components examined by an expert.
- Consider a vehicle history report. When things get close to signing, buying a vehicle history report based on the VIN can help clarify the previous owners, maintenance records (if it was taken to a dealership), title status, and more.
Source: U.S. News and World Report
A lawyer told him it was illegal for the dealership to sell him a car that was lacking the part – though he sees dealerships do it often.
“Unfortunately, [Munoz’s] story is pretty typical,” said Greg Babbitt, Munoz’s lawyer from Auto Fraud Legal Center.
“I tell my clients, who are from all different walks of life, whether lower-income people or very wealthy, that they are always susceptible to being cheated by car dealers because it’s human nature to trust people. They don’t want to believe that a person is going to blatantly lie to them just to get them to buy a car. Nothing surprises me after doing this for so long.”
Munoz pursued the dealership, asking for his money back, legal fees, plus the value of the car he traded in to buy the Supra.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Greg Babbitt for an update.
