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A GRANDMA bought a car for $12,000, and it broke down on the way home – now she’s on the hook for an additional $2,500 in towing fees.
The car only drove for 15 miles before her nightmarish journey began.
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Marilu Covarrubias-Gonzales, a grandma in Central Florida, found herself in a financial rabbit hole after buying a used car from a dealership.
She posted her story two years ago in Free Legal Advice on Facebook, a public group made up of 433,000 members, seeking help with their troubling situations.
“I purchased a used car from a dealership. The car broke down the same evening I picked it up within 15 miles,” she wrote.
She’d called a tow truck to get her car back to the dealership she bought it from.
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A mistake made by the tow truck driver added to the mounting problems.
“The next day I had the car towed back to the dealership, but the tow truck delivered it to the wrong address, and the car was lost for two days,” she continued.
When her car finally made it to the dealership, it sat on their service lot for over three months.
“They have not repaired it after acknowledging it had a bad transmission as well as other problems,” wrote Covarrubias-Gonzales.
“These people got paid in full for the car, $12,000. I now owe the bank for the car, plus $2,500 in towing fees plus three car payments, and I have no car.”
She pleaded for the group to help her figure out how to get her money back or have the dealership pay the balance.
More than 12 people commented on her post, with all of them asking whether or not the car was sold “as is” or if she bought an extended warranty.
To her dismay, many drivers didn’t have good news.
“Unless you have a warranty or can somehow prove they had prior knowledge, even then adverse selection (them not telling you everything) is still legal in most situations,” one user wrote.
In the comments, Covarrubias-Gonzales confirmed she’d bought an extended warranty, but her incident didn’t meet their requirements.
“I do have an extended warranty but then I called they said if the car broke down within 24 hours it wouldn’t cover it,” she wrote.
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
“The car broke down within 15 minutes.”
Another wrote the fine print when buying a used car may have been the final nail in the coffin.
“Used cars are sold as is unless there was a written warranty by the dealer,” they wrote.
“Minus the warranty by the dealer, it’s on you to pay to get it fixed or sell it to someone else.”
Other users suggested she should start a GoFundMe for friends and family to help her buy a new car.
