Monthly Archives: December 2009

Some unscrupulous dealers sell poorly rebuilt salvaged cars, which are dangerously unsafe and overpriced. Typically, these cars are involved in major accidents or floods. They look fine because of cosmetic repairs; however, they may have defective brakes, steering problems, faulty and inadequate welds, and poorly aligned structures. Make the following inspections to see if a vehicle has been wrecked: Check to see that the paint on the outside of the door matches the paint inside the doorframe. Respraying a vehicle is just one method of camouflaging body damages because the vehicle will appear brand new or in a good condition. Usually, only the outside of the car will be …

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A lot of people fall victim to car dealer fraud every day. If you are thinking of getting a new vehicle, it would be best to know these dealer tricks and steer clear of them. Here are some things you should be aware of: Loan Assistance: If your dealer makes an offer to assist you if you are unable to pay off your loan, think twice before agreeing. You might end up with a bad credit rating and will start owing the dealer rather than your bank for a higher price. Easier Payments: There is a real difference in paying the car for a lesser amount and paying less …

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There are some common traps that you may fall into when buying a new or used car. To avoid these car dealer scams, please read our blog to learn some useful car buying tips. How Much Do You Want Your Monthly Payments to Be? In many cases the persuasive salesman will try to sell you a car that costs more than you want to pay but he’ll wrap it up in a deal with monthly payments that you think you can afford. Before you tell him what you’re willing to pay each month, you should find out what the car is going to cost. We’ve Got Some Extras For …

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Imagine for a moment that you are a car dealer who is trying to sell his/her old coupe for a bigger sedan.  You gather the keys, rummage through your junk pile for the owner’s manual and old service records.  You clean the engines, rub out the stains on the cushions, vacuum the interiors, and put your coupe through a car wash. Imagine and remember this since this is exactly how a private seller with an ounce of business sense would prepare his or her vehicle before a sale.  So, how to detect hidden defects on the vehicle and be protected from becoming a victim of dealer fraud? Body Check …

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A salvage title is something that is issued by a state when a vehicle is severely damaged and the costs of repair can exceed the vehicle’s value. The seller should disclose if a vehicle has a salvage title. Unfortunately, salvage titles are not always revealed. Sellers often alter title documents and make cheap cosmetic repairs to salvaged vehicles to make the vehicles look sound on paper and in person. A common scheme associated with salvaged vehicles is title washing. In title washing, a dealer moves a vehicle to a state with looser title laws and then registers the vehicle in that state. Depending on that state’s laws, the state …

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In one of our previous blogs (Beware of Water Damaged Used Cars (1)) we have already given you some tips that indicate water damaged cars. In this blog we will give you 6 more valuable tips to avoid becoming a dealer fraud victim. Look for dark lines on fabrics. Water lines or marks are created at the “high water points” on fabrics. A continuous line is visible along the length of any fabric (seats, rugs, headliner, etc.) that has been exposed to water and air at the same time. Look for rust. Rust will form on any steel surface that is unpainted and exposed to water. Since the inside …

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There is nothing worse than falling for a car sales scam and letting the dealer to rob your hard earned money.  You can avoid car sales scams if you enter the car dealership prepared. In this blog we will share 5 quick tips with you that you must know to avoid getting taken by a fraudulent car salesman. Know your limit. Before entering the dealership know exactly how much you can afford to pay.  The car salesman’s job is to sell you a car and make a profit and they will always try to persuade you to spend more.  If you know your spending limit you will not leave …

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As the price of new vehicles increases, there is more and more interest in used cars and subsequently odometer tampering has become a very lucrative fraud. Here are the varieties of odometer fraud. False or Altered Titles – A clear title is much more valuable than a wrecked or damaged car title. This car scam occurs when a dealer purchases a high mileage vehicle and subsequently resells it with falsified, reduced odometer reading. This is accomplished simply by tampering the high-mileage figure noted or by obtaining a new automobile title with a false mileage figure before reselling the vehicle. A professional calligrapher can perform excellent quality title alterations, which …

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Car dealer scams do happen because car sales involves a lot of money. This blog points out 5 things you should watch for in order not to fall victim to used car dealer scams. Everything from the greeting you receive to the places you are asked to sit is calculated when you enter the dealership.  The salesman in this stage is trying to find out how much homework you have done before entering the dealership. If you go in unprepared, it means you do not know what type of vehicle you are interested in. The salesman has an excellent  opportunity  to “talk” you into a deal that favors the …

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The fake dealer scam is one of the numerous scams you may become victim of when purchasing a vehicle. Here is how this scam is designed. You are conducting an online search for a used car and come across a car for sale at a very good price, you contact the seller and they tell you the car is a fair distance away but they will pay for the cost to ship it to you, they ask you to pay via a wire service they use many times and you never see the money dealer or the cars for sale again. The scam is clever here as the money …

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