Used car sold as "New", what do you think?

[chopppa]

Posted this in the lounge, I figure I should post here too. Let me know what you guys think.

So I purchased a "new" GTI last week Thursday. Dealer said the car was ready so I had my girlfriend pick me up and we drove over 100 miles to pick up the car. Got to the dealer, no car.. They said it was coming from a different dealer but they didn't drop it off yet.

I was disappointed and annoyed that I had to drive so far to come to no car. I let it go and figured I might as well get all the paperwork finished so I can just pick up the car the next day when it gets delivered.

Signed papers and they told me they would give me the 0.9% apr for 60m through VW. I drove down again the next day and picked up the car.
A week later they told me to come back to figure out some paperwork. I recently opened up a subsidiary of my dad's company in a different state. They required personal bank statements but I choose to use my credit card and directly pay off the balance through the parent company's checking account instead of depositing into my checking then paying off the card.. I guess credit card statements paying off the the balance of 5-7k every month wasn't enough proof so they financed me with a different bank at 2.19% increasing my monthly 10$.

I accepted this, even though we had agreed upon different terms. I just wanted to get everything settled and done. HOWEVER, while reading the contract again, I noticed that the car changed from new to USED. I asked about this and they said it was because I had driven the car for a week and now that I drove it is used. I took their word for it, signed and was ready to leave.

Then something caught my eye, there was a large note on my file that said something along the lines of, "Used car from (other dealer), this was an UNWIND!" (that means someone bought the car, drove it off, and had to return it because their loan didn't get approved.)

So basically they sold me a used car, telling me it was new.. And I left paying more than what we originally agreed upon. I don't know how I feel about this, I found out AFTER signing the papers again because I was informed otherwise. I feel somewhat lied to and not as happy with my purchase anymore. If I hadn't seen the note on my file, would I have never found out?

What does everyone think.. Should I be upset or just deal with it.. I don't know what to think anymore.

[llllllll vr6 lllllll]

I would be bull****, call the dealer and after for an explanation. if they don't give a valid explanation just say you'll here from my lawyer


best of luck to you man, seriously though stay persistent and get to the bottom of it

[aampsmb]

WTF?? I would definitely look into this. Can anyone be trusted in the new and used car business. It's shameful that that businesses just blatantly try and screw honest hardworking people. I would demand an explanation and seek legal advise if you are not satisfied.

I just got totally screwed on a recent used car purchase, so I'm ready to help anyway I can!!

[Derrick_B]

I don't know everything about how the car business works, but I would ask for full disclosure of the documentation and a renegotiation of terms if everything doesn't check out. If they refuse, contact VWoA and explain the situation. I would hold out on legal action until VWoA has had a chance to make it right. They are big on customer loyalty and will do a lot you to retain you.

[Blaylock1988]

Thats messed up. If they won't work with you then you could get a lawyer, but you have to decide if paying the lawyer is worth how much you might get back from the car with a "used" price.

[chopppa]

Thanks to everyone for the support. I really want to be happy with my car but it's hard after this whole ordeal. They seem resistant to renegotiating so I might have to reach out to vwoa.

They are trying to play it off like it is nothing and that it happens all the time... I am losing more and more trust in everyone at that dealership and don't think I can believe anything they say now.

I hope everything works out and I can finally enjoy the car I purchased.

[SoCalMK6GTI]

Call VWoA immediately. Save every document you have or receive and notate every phone call with a person's name and position.

[intoflatlines]

Wow, that's ****ed up.. I don't have any advice, but good luck!

[R32dreamer17]

I sold VW for the past 3 years pretty successfully here in the D.C. area. What you need to do is speak with a lawyer. He/she should be able to tell you what your rights are and what the law is for recession in your state. Regardless of what your lawyer tells you, make sure you call VW customer care and make as big stink of things as you possibly can if you want to back out--going through the dealer directly will get you nowhere.

[DasCC]

Wouldn't there be a record of the car being registered to the original owner? Possibly thru DMV or car fax?


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[R32dreamer17]

Wouldn't there be a record of the car being registered to the original owner? Possibly thru DMV or car fax?


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If it is what the op says than yes it will be in the DMV's records.

[mike356]

They should give you the used car at the used car price, that is, MSRP minus 10%-15%, and they should reimburse your GF's expenses because they lied to you when they said the car was ready.

Then, if possible, never deal with them again.

[prospal]

And this is why I hate scumbag dealerships. I was never more nervewracked in my life than when I was trying to buy the GTI. I was always skeptical of EVERY move the dealer made.

Sorry this happened to you OP, but I'd definitely give VWoA a call, they seem to be VERY receptive to poor salesmanship.

[dr. pimento]

[snip]

What does everyone think? Should I be upset or just deal with it? I don't know what to think anymore.

I would chalk it up to a lesson learned. Your warranty isn't any different and the time to raise questions about it was before you signed any papers that increased the interest rate (although reading between the lines it may have been that you weren't actually approved for the loan through VW Credit at the time you picked up the car). Your total out of pocket is $600 over five years. Can your really get a lawyer to do anything for less than that.

Enjoy your car. I've had my GTI for 18 months and it's always a blast to drive!

[dubluv2003]

Call them to dispute the issue. I wouldnt settle for less than renegotiating the current principal amount valued at the depreciation of the car after being previously owned or swapping the vehicle for an actual new car.

However on the same note, the reason I would do that is because the resale value would depreciate even further, should you decide to sell it. On the previous usage aspect, well lets be honest, I have been on many test drives before (last one's in a VW were the MKIV R32 in 04 and another in the MKV GTI when they first came out) and let me tell you that at least my dealership encourages "spirited driving". So for the maybe couple of hundred miles if that, that you didnt get to drive it, it couldnt have been treated any worse than when they leave the lot for test runs.

On a financial value note it would bother me, but knowing im not the 1st one to drive it.. eh, at least some else got to have some fun to. Sucks tho, I am currently trying to get my own mkvi soon. Almost done with school loans!! yay!

[blackdiamond]

I would chalk it up to a lesson learned.

Unfortunately, yes. Never, ever sign the paperwork for anything until the other party delivers on the deal. My wife still reminds me of this from when I sold my first house and signed off agreeing to pay the closing costs (stupid cow agent).

That said, I would still run it up the VW chain and see what you can get. Make someones life difficult for their shenanigans. Make it your new hobby, but don't expect more than some floor mats.

Oh, and which dealership? You need to publicly shame them for all those Google searches out there.

[intoflatlines]

Oh, and which dealership? You need to publicly shame them for all those Google searches out there.

Yelp/Google/BBB reviews/complaints are useful to educate prospective customers..

[sfpegasus]

Exactly how many miles are on this car?

California has some really strict DMV requirements on new /used car sales. DMV will be your friend.

[UnitedGTI.]

demand a golf r.


but seriously get vwoa involved and come to a solution, if i was buying a new car and did all the paperwork to find out it was actually used i would kill some one.

[chopppa]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, I really appreciate it.

Wouldn't there be a record of the car being registered to the original owner? Possibly thru DMV or car fax?

That is why they called me in to say there was an "error" with the DMV. Then lied to me saying that it was a used car because I drove it already..

I would chalk it up to a lesson learned. Your warranty isn't any different and the time to raise questions about it was before you signed any papers that increased the interest rate (although reading between the lines it may have been that you weren't actually approved for the loan through VW Credit at the time you picked up the car). Your total out of pocket is $600 over five years. Can your really get a lawyer to do anything for less than that.

Enjoy your car. I've had my GTI for 18 months and it's always a blast to drive!

I love the car, no question about that. But how would you feel if you thought you were buying a new car at a certain price, then told you had to pay more and it was a used car? Sure $600 over 5 years isn't much but its still more than what was agreed upon. If just the interest rate went up I would have been fine, but finding out its a used car just took it over the edge.

Exactly how many miles are on this car?

California has some really strict DMV requirements on new /used car sales. DMV will be your friend.

I think the DMV was the one who called them out on it and made them rewrite the contract. Financing a used car is also much different than financing a new car. There were 160 miles on the car, (I know not too much), but as they say, once it is driven off the lot it is a used car.

[chopppa]

Unfortunately, yes. Never, ever sign the paperwork for anything until the other party delivers on the deal. My wife still reminds me of this from when I sold my first house and signed off agreeing to pay the closing costs (stupid cow agent).

That said, I would still run it up the VW chain and see what you can get. Make someones life difficult for their shenanigans. Make it your new hobby, but don't expect more than some floor mats.

Oh, and which dealership? You need to publicly shame them for all those Google searches out there.

McKenna VW in Cerritos. They kept on asking for 10's on their feedback as well. Not sure about that anymore..

[Squirrel Nuts]

The ****ing **** storm I would bring onto that dealer........

I hate, absolutely hate, dealers that try to pull fast ones. Pieces of ****.

[roger2050]

The ****ing **** storm I would bring onto that dealer........

I hate, absolutely hate, dealers that try to pull fast ones. Pieces of ****.

x2

Holy crap, I cannot agree more.

A couple of my friends have had bad experiences at that dealership's service department. I have talked to some of the sales people there and man are they a bunch of sleaze bags.

OP, sorry about what happened to you, best of luck.

[SupaWhiteTC]

As soon as I saw USED anywhere I would have handed them the keys and left. Went to another dealer and purchased a different one. Sounds shady to me, I would have never left with that vehicle.

[Aonarch]

Call VWoA immediately. Save every document you have or receive and notate every phone call with a person's name and position.

This. Op that is not acceptable. They tried sliding it under your radar let them burn.

[NYCRabbit]

What was the mileage on car when you got it?

[R32dreamer17]

30 is not that much for a new car--that's the car being inspected and 2-ish test drives. 160 is a little high but considering they got it from another dealer, the majority of the miles could be from the exchange. You don't have any leverage with that kind of mileage. I bought mine with 67 miles.

[DawnsKayBug]

If it wasnt registered with the DMV (Paper plates?) it is still considered new. It sounds liek the paperwork never made it to the DMV. 160 miles is nothing. I have sold cars "new" with 3,000 miles hell I sold one with 36k on the odometer before.
Sooo what are you trying to get out of this? the $10 a month back?

[chopppa]

If it wasnt registered with the DMV (Paper plates?) it is still considered new. It sounds liek the paperwork never made it to the DMV. 160 miles is nothing. I have sold cars "new" with 3,000 miles hell I sold one with 36k on the odometer before.
Sooo what are you trying to get out of this? the $10 a month back?

I believe it was registered with the DMV so that is why they had to revise the contract. How are you going to sell a car as new with 36k? Who do you work for?
It's not the $10 a month that concerns me, its the fact that I was deceived. I would have gladly paid the higher interest if I hadn't found out that it was used. I would want to negotiate the sale price as a used vehicle.

[Aonarch]

I believe it was registered with the DMV so that is why they had to revise the contract. How are you going to sell a car as new with 36k? Who do you work for?
It's not the $10 a month that concerns me, its the fact that I was deceived. I would have gladly paid the higher interest if I hadn't found out that it was used. I would want to negotiate the sale price as a used vehicle.

Screw that I would be pissed.

[aampsmb]

Screw that I would be pissed.

To OP. You have them by the balls. Now it's time to give them a twist and see how the bastards like it. Don't let this be swept under the rug.

[E CODE]

What is your difference bwtween a car labelled as new, with 160 miles on it, and used with 160 miles on it if they are identicle in every other way except for the label?

If it wasn't titled before you, it would still be a single owner car.... and chances are likely that the dealer you were dealing with didn't know....

[DawnsKayBug]

I believe it was registered with the DMV so that is why they had to revise the contract. How are you going to sell a car as new with 36k? Who do you work for?

Like I said if it wasnt registered it is new regardless of miles.
If it had 160 miles I doubt the paperwork made it to the DMV.
It was a G60 Corrado. total POS. This was in the 90s when VWs were well... POS.
I worked for a DC area dealership.

[R32dreamer17]

Like I said if it wasnt registered it is new regardless of miles.

This

['12Autobahn]

I believe it was registered with the DMV so that is why they had to revise the contract. How are you going to sell a car as new with 36k? Who do you work for?
It's not the $10 a month that concerns me, its the fact that I was deceived. I would have gladly paid the higher interest if I hadn't found out that it was used. I would want to negotiate the sale price as a used vehicle.

If it was registered with the DMV, you would've signed a title that had been assigned to someone else. If you signed the MSO, then it was a new car...but may have been punched to VW as a sale already. In VW's mind, once a car is punched as a sale(i.e. no longer new), then it is not subject to new car programs(i.e. 0.9% APR)......