Ask Dale- What can I do if a used car salesperson misleads me?

Today’s ask dale question is from Travis. He tells us — I bought a used car in 2023, and the salesperson lied to me about the car’s history.  in short, he said it has a clean title, but I later found out it was in a bad accident prior to purchase. What can I realistically do about this?

There is not much you can do about this.

Used cars are typically sold as-is. That means you’re responsible for anything that’s wrong with the car.  Yes, that is even if the salesperson lied to you.

You can always file a complaint with your state’s attorney general, or your state’s board of used motor vehicle dealers. They may even investigate but there’s no guarantee you’ll get what you want.

Here is what I advise anyone to do before they buy a used car.

First, have a mechanic inspect the car before you buy it. Don’t rely on what the dealership tells you.  Hire an independent mechanic you trust to do a full bumper-to-bumper inspection.

Second, get any promises and guarantees in writing. It doesn’t matter what a salesperson tells you. Get it in writing, in your contract, before you sign it. In fact, the contract you signed probably has a clause that says you didn’t rely on so-called verbal representations. It’s almost like a license to lie.

Third, do your own research. Pull the car’s title history yourself so you could see if the car had any prior accidents. Services like Carfax can help.  but be aware, not every accident gets reported.

Those three steps alone will help you the next time you buy a used car.

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