About a month ago I sold a 94 Saturn to a 62 year old man for 800 bucks. Yesterday he gives me a call and says he wants me to help him pay for a 1200 valve job or to buy the car back including the 500 he spent for a battery and starter repairs. Am I obligated by law to help this guy or buy the car back?

 

I believe used car sales are final. What type of paperwork did you do for the transaction? Once you sign the title over, I think it's his along with all the repairs.

 

I think usually with used car sales from private-party to private-party, there is no implied warranty. I think the only exception is when the new owner has problems smogging the vehicle.

 

The buyer purchased a 16 year old car for $800. I assume the buyer started and test drove the car when he purchased it and drove it home. I also assume that you, the seller, did not offer or provide any warranty on the car, in writing or aloud. The buyer then comes to you about one month later (not later later on the day of purchase or even within a week of purchase), asking for compensation for repairs that the buyer made or is planning to make on the car. I believe any reasonable person would say that any repairs on the car are the responsibility of the buyer and the seller has no obligation to repurchase the car or compensate the buyer.

If it goes further, hopefully you have a signed and dated sales agreement that indicates the selling price and stipulating that the sale was "as is". I assume you have a copy of the title that you signed over to the buyer.

 

I believe that you have no obligation to buy the car back, it's a used car from a private part, obviously there is no implied warranty.

 

If you wrote up a bill of sale you should be fine.

My friend sold her Volvo fully alerting the buyer that the engine was in very poor shape. The buyer accelerated hard on is way out after completing the sale, blowing a head gasket. He then wanted my friend to pay for the HG. But the bill of sale was binding.


Unfortunately that is the breaks of buying a used car, particularily a private sale. I had to put a new clutch in my car shortly after I bought it and it cost me $1200. I didn't like it, but it is what it is. That's why there is CPO.

 

Bingo. 5 days after I bought my GS the O2 sensor went bad and the following week a door lock actuator crapped out on me.

Do you think I went and asked him for the $$ for repairs or to buy the car back? No.

 

You have no obligation what so ever. Used, and very used at that, car that was sold as is where is. You bought an $800.00 car. If he wanted a warranty, he should have gone down to the local new car store and plunked down $20,000.00.

Always best to do a bill of sale that states car is being sold where is, as is, with no warrantly expressed or implied. But even without a bill of sale, there is no recourse for him. Anytime anyone of us buys a used car, there is risk involved. You do your best to minimized that risk by taking certain precautions. Even when you do those things, sometimes things do work out the way you would like. Its a risk we take.

 

Bill of sale stands. I bought my car from the states with Canover air suspension, I didn't get a chance to fly down to see the car and took his word for it since he's a CL member, when the car got to Canada via transport company, the left rear came blew, I can't do jack shxt. Oh well, something to learn in life.

 

If you lied to him, or concealed the need for repais, I might be worried. If not, unless CA has some law greatly favoring a private party buyer, this guy has nuthin'.

 

No way. As-is for this throwaway $800 car.

 

Correct, unless you lied/concealed a known problem it is his responsibility to determine if the car has problems prior to the sale so he can decide whether to take the risk and buy it knowing there are problems.

If he failed to inspect it that is his problem, hopefully you did not say he could not inspect it.

If there is no concealment and there are no warranties in the bill of sale you are fine, it is his problem for not checking out the car before he bought it.

 

tell him to **** off. he cant do **** to you.

 

Legally, I think that he is entitled to nothing from you.

However if he is crazy and knows your address....

 

A used car sale is final.. He doesn't sound like he's all their..