How do car dealers handle damaged new cars?
#1
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Today on my way home from work, I stumbled upon this new Toyota Camry Hybrid with it's rear tail lamps damaged and the trunk misaligned my question is will the dealer still try to sell this car as a new car without mentioning it's been damaged ? I mean it's relatively minor do dealers actually sell cars they may have damaged while being transported from I suppose their storage to the dealer or wherever it happened? I would hate to take a delivery of a new car and something seemed off about the car when looking it over.
Sorry the pictures are not best, taken from an Apple iPhone 4S.
![](https://sphotos-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1004910_594303551762_824275605_n.jpg)
Sorry the pictures are not best, taken from an Apple iPhone 4S.
![](https://sphotos-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1004910_594303551762_824275605_n.jpg)
![](https://sphotos-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/946338_594303561742_1286572884_n.jpg)
#5
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They can legally fix them and sell with no issues. I have heard stories about cars coming off the docks with damages. They all get repaired and sent out to the show room. In fact my G35 had paint drips on the front bumper like it had been repaired and sold to me. I took it back to be repainted 11 times ( yes 11 times) before they got it right. I almost started lemon law proceedings on the car
#7
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How do car dealers handle damaged new cars?
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#8
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I worked at a new car dealership for a few years and yes, as previous posters have said, they are repaired and sold as new and never mentioned to the buyer. There's a dollar amount limit to the amount of damage that can go undisclosed to a buyer, although I can't remember the figure (it's in the thousands).
People would be surprised at how common new cars are damaged. Chances are, many of us have bought repaired new cars without ever knowing it.
One of the craziest things that ever happened at the dealer I was at was when we got a hail storm which lasted just a minute but turned the surface of every new car (and used car) on the lot similar to the surface of a golf ball. Thousands of dimples on each one. The owner came outside and nearly had a heart attack. All the cars went through hours of intensive labor to fix and sold as if it nothing ever happened. What a nightmare. I'm sure dealers all over the country have to deal with this same issue when it hails.
People would be surprised at how common new cars are damaged. Chances are, many of us have bought repaired new cars without ever knowing it.
One of the craziest things that ever happened at the dealer I was at was when we got a hail storm which lasted just a minute but turned the surface of every new car (and used car) on the lot similar to the surface of a golf ball. Thousands of dimples on each one. The owner came outside and nearly had a heart attack. All the cars went through hours of intensive labor to fix and sold as if it nothing ever happened. What a nightmare. I'm sure dealers all over the country have to deal with this same issue when it hails.
#9
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indeed, we did that too... although, it rarely ever happened. We had one car dropped from the truck (not secured enough) and rolled for 100ft before stopping on the curb, and we also had one car nick the under-bridge as the truck driver underestimated the height :-)
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#12
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One of the craziest things that ever happened at the dealer I was at was when we got a hail storm which lasted just a minute but turned the surface of every new car (and used car) on the lot similar to the surface of a golf ball.
I don't mind if a car had minor dings or things like that which the dealer fixes - but if they need to replace a windshield, headlight/taillight fixture, etc., I would be quite upset if the dealer didn't disclose it.
Where I draw the line, though, is frame damage. I was told by an employee at CarMax that some dealers sell frame-damaged cars as new (of course, they were trying to get me to buy one of their used cars, which is guaranteed not tohave frame damage). If true, that is just plain unethical, and the dealer should REFUSE to accept delivery of the vehicle.
#13
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Where I draw the line, though, is frame damage. I was told by an employee at CarMax that some dealers sell frame-damaged cars as new (of course, they were trying to get me to buy one of their used cars, which is guaranteed not tohave frame damage). If true, that is just plain unethical, and the dealer should REFUSE to accept delivery of the vehicle.
Its a big investment but I've also seen people come back a day later with the rims trashed, scratches all along one side
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#14
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A friend got an Audi AllRoad and it got sent from NH to Miami for a dealer xfer.. somewhere along the way the rear bumper got a good size scratch easily noticeable. Of course they wanted to act like it was fine but we didn't budge, so they offered to fix it but the part wasn't in stock. So the car is still sitting (now 2+ weeks) while he drives a loaner but it is being fixed.
No price was taken off since the color, car is really rare.
No price was taken off since the color, car is really rare.
Last edited by LexFather; 08-07-13 at 10:47 AM.
#15
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I worked at a new car dealership for a few years and yes, as previous posters have said, they are repaired and sold as new and never mentioned to the buyer. There's a dollar amount limit to the amount of damage that can go undisclosed to a buyer, although I can't remember the figure (it's in the thousands).
People would be surprised at how common new cars are damaged. Chances are, many of us have bought repaired new cars without ever knowing it.
One of the craziest things that ever happened at the dealer I was at was when we got a hail storm which lasted just a minute but turned the surface of every new car (and used car) on the lot similar to the surface of a golf ball. Thousands of dimples on each one. The owner came outside and nearly had a heart attack. All the cars went through hours of intensive labor to fix and sold as if it nothing ever happened. What a nightmare. I'm sure dealers all over the country have to deal with this same issue when it hails.
People would be surprised at how common new cars are damaged. Chances are, many of us have bought repaired new cars without ever knowing it.
One of the craziest things that ever happened at the dealer I was at was when we got a hail storm which lasted just a minute but turned the surface of every new car (and used car) on the lot similar to the surface of a golf ball. Thousands of dimples on each one. The owner came outside and nearly had a heart attack. All the cars went through hours of intensive labor to fix and sold as if it nothing ever happened. What a nightmare. I'm sure dealers all over the country have to deal with this same issue when it hails.