Bought car from dealer on 3/22/2010 - still no title/registration: What do I do?
09-01-10, 02:53 AM
#31
I think I know EXACTLY which '99 GS this is... I remember seeing a ridiculously low price on a 1999 GS in Kentucky several months ago on Autotrader mixed in with a bunch of wrecked and damaged listings. I thought to myself, "whoa, that price is insane, this must be a fake ad". Then I saw it was Lexus of Louisville and I immediately clicked on it to see why it was so cheap. I saw the accident on the Carfax, and then I saw the car looked pretty bad, it had dings and scratches all over the place and generally looked like it had been abused. I had serious concerns as to why ANY Lexus dealer would keep such a vehicle as "prime" lot inventory, and decided they must be hurting for sales bad enough to throw any old thing out on the lot and the internet.
My opinion? Return that thing (if thats the one) and run FAR FAR away. You will never get a better resolution to this than to get your hard earned money back in your pocket. Then make sure Lexus corporate is aware of the situation, as that dealer needs further investigation.
It sounds to me like this is a case of a dealership who got overzealous on the sale of a new car and didn't take the time to do its homework on the traded vehicle. Something similar happened when I traded in a 2003 Escalade with a Theft Recovery VIN at Ernie Haire Ford in Tampa, for an LS400. They were happy to take the Escalade off my hands and then spent the next 3 months trying to straighten out the VIN issue and title for the next customer.
EDIT: Something else that concerns me I just noticed... You said "the car came with tags that expire in October 2010"... Does the tag stay with the vehicle in Kentucky? If not you have yet another mystery, because the dealership should have given you a 30 day temporary tag to begin with, not left the prior owner's tags on the car. This whole story is just so odd, even moreso now with the wife being deceased.
My opinion? Return that thing (if thats the one) and run FAR FAR away. You will never get a better resolution to this than to get your hard earned money back in your pocket. Then make sure Lexus corporate is aware of the situation, as that dealer needs further investigation.
It sounds to me like this is a case of a dealership who got overzealous on the sale of a new car and didn't take the time to do its homework on the traded vehicle. Something similar happened when I traded in a 2003 Escalade with a Theft Recovery VIN at Ernie Haire Ford in Tampa, for an LS400. They were happy to take the Escalade off my hands and then spent the next 3 months trying to straighten out the VIN issue and title for the next customer.
EDIT: Something else that concerns me I just noticed... You said "the car came with tags that expire in October 2010"... Does the tag stay with the vehicle in Kentucky? If not you have yet another mystery, because the dealership should have given you a 30 day temporary tag to begin with, not left the prior owner's tags on the car. This whole story is just so odd, even moreso now with the wife being deceased.
Last edited by Playdrv4me; 09-01-10 at 03:07 AM.
09-01-10, 12:25 PM
#33
I was just reviewing their inventory and it seems like they do carry a lot of more plebeian vehicles than your average Lexus dealer. It looks like the closest thing they've got right now is a 2002 ES with 103k miles, but if you bought a GS I am sure that is the car you fell in love with and that is the car you want. Do not accept anything less than a suitable replacement at their cost, or your money back in FULL.
09-01-10, 12:53 PM
#34
listen, stop for a second, get the number to your local police department, please dont call 911, ask to speak with a detective, tell them everything that happened. IF this was me i would say **** the 10k why let them get away with this, they knew what they were doing they committed a crime, they sold a car they did not own. If they brought a headache upon you then you need to let them know that and the only way to do so is to involve law enforcement. Stop being nice to them, just your money back is not good enough. They are trying to shut you up but please dont fall victim to that and get the police involved. They need to learn their lesson. last time i had the dealer lie to me about a service bill i went crazy on their *** in the showroom, needless to say they lost many customers that day and bowed down to their knees and did everything i asked for. You are the customer you hold the power and you got robbed. This was a robbery not a car sale. call the police
09-01-10, 01:05 PM
#35
LOL, please DO NOT call the police over this very civil financial matter. I assure you if the local news (which in Louisville can't be all that busy) didn't give a rip about this, the cops certainly won't. The worse part is, by involving legal action, you could potentially DELAY any chance you had of getting your money back in a friendly straight-forward fashion.
Really, we can sit here on the internet and bloviate all day about how we're going to "get 'em" and bring this Lexus dealer to the ground but... its not gonna happen. It's just not reality. Lexus corporate needs to know about how poorly this was handled and the dealership will get enough of an earful from them to ever consider selling another customer an improperly titled vehicle again. If you want to take this even further, report the whole sordid story (AFTER YOU GET YOUR MONEY BACK) to the state's Attorney General, and the BBB.
I did not know your car was 10k though, in that case it may not have been the one I saw for sale with the scratches and dings.
Really, we can sit here on the internet and bloviate all day about how we're going to "get 'em" and bring this Lexus dealer to the ground but... its not gonna happen. It's just not reality. Lexus corporate needs to know about how poorly this was handled and the dealership will get enough of an earful from them to ever consider selling another customer an improperly titled vehicle again. If you want to take this even further, report the whole sordid story (AFTER YOU GET YOUR MONEY BACK) to the state's Attorney General, and the BBB.
I did not know your car was 10k though, in that case it may not have been the one I saw for sale with the scratches and dings.
Last edited by Playdrv4me; 09-01-10 at 01:08 PM.
09-01-10, 01:11 PM
#38
My concern is that if he involves any legal action... Police, Lawyers whomever and he really wants his money back, he could potentially put himself in a situation where the dealership lawyers up and the whole thing drags on for months.
He has a chance right now to get his money back. I am not saying let the dealer get off easy as this was obviously a SERIOUS mistake on their part, but he could hurt himself if he tries to go up against a dealership that obviously has enough financial backing to take down an army of "little guys". Its not a corner lot, its Lexus of Louisville.
He has a chance right now to get his money back. I am not saying let the dealer get off easy as this was obviously a SERIOUS mistake on their part, but he could hurt himself if he tries to go up against a dealership that obviously has enough financial backing to take down an army of "little guys". Its not a corner lot, its Lexus of Louisville.
09-01-10, 01:15 PM
#39
Look, they take in what... 3, 4, 500 cars a year? And they've been in existence for how many years? They will have no problem proving that this was a mistake and there was not intent to harm the customer... as was proven by offering his full payment in return. Moreover, the supposedly "deceased" wife (if that's true) isn't even around to say her car was stolen. If anything, the dealership has a case against the customer who traded in the car and falsified any documentation stating it belonged to him.
The cops won't do squat about this for the person who has the car now (except MAYBE come and take the car FROM him).
09-01-10, 01:16 PM
#40
I completely understand where you are coming from, this is just my personal opinion so please OP you sir do as you see fit and whatever benefits you the most. However even better that its a big lexus dealer, they are held at a higher standard, they should know better than this. If it was a little car dealer uncle sam wouldnt care much but this is a reputable business which brings in millions of dollars. Its fraud, a scam is what they did. As i said its just my personal opinion. I hope this works out for you OP i would be really upset if i had been making payments for months and then they tell me bring the car back.
09-01-10, 01:18 PM
#41
im just sayin i wouldnt let it slide id do everything in my power to teach them a lesson, and why not? i dont think there is any one person on here who doesnt agree with me. They dont call them stealerships for nothing, soon as you pay for the car its like those effin hyienas change completely.
Also: just because they offered to pay him back does not mean they didnt break the law, it just means they are watching out for their own ***** and want to shut him up and hide their ridiculous behavior.
Also: just because they offered to pay him back does not mean they didnt break the law, it just means they are watching out for their own ***** and want to shut him up and hide their ridiculous behavior.
09-01-10, 01:20 PM
#42
I completely understand where you are coming from, this is just my personal opinion so please OP you sir do as you see fit and whatever benefits you the most. However even better that its a big lexus dealer, they are held at a higher standard, they should know better than this. If it was a little car dealer uncle sam wouldnt care much but this is a reputable business which brings in millions of dollars. Its fraud, a scam is what they did. As i said its just my personal opinion. I hope this works out for you OP i would be really upset if i had been making payments for months and then they tell me bring the car back.
Now, on the other hand, your idea of going crazy in the showroom? That probably would work! It puts them on the spot right then and there and it takes IMMEDIATE potential business away. That, was a brilliant move.
09-01-10, 01:30 PM
#43
I wish i had a camera that day man, i brought in the GS to change the rear diff seal as it was leaking and they looked at it took about an hour and said the seal needs to be changed it will take 3 hours at 100 or some dollars per hour and i said fine. Then i had my brother drive me home when half an hour later i get a call from the dealer saying it would now take 8 hours of labor and they had to replace the exhaust because it was too rusty and they couldnt put it back(the car was mint at the time) needless to say i walked up there and demanded my car back but they wanted to charge me 115 bucks for looking at the car, i told them that i knew what the problem was i wanted you to change the seal and thats it there was no need for diagnosis.
They refused to let the car go so i went in the showroom and i said loudly to he sales manager to stop stealing from loyal hardworking paying customers, and that they were liers and thieves and that whoever was in the showroom needs to run out fast before they get robbed blind by these people. Plus i said alot more things which i dont care to remember. However i was proper i didnt make stupid threats or use profanity or i would have been in handcuffs, i was just voicing my opinion and plenty of potential buyers heard me and walked right on out. The manager quickly released the car to me and i on the side told him to go **** himself and that he was a piece of **** lol.
3 years later i bought my ES from the same dealer and the same sales guy and he gave me a great deal lol. Weird i know
They refused to let the car go so i went in the showroom and i said loudly to he sales manager to stop stealing from loyal hardworking paying customers, and that they were liers and thieves and that whoever was in the showroom needs to run out fast before they get robbed blind by these people. Plus i said alot more things which i dont care to remember. However i was proper i didnt make stupid threats or use profanity or i would have been in handcuffs, i was just voicing my opinion and plenty of potential buyers heard me and walked right on out. The manager quickly released the car to me and i on the side told him to go **** himself and that he was a piece of **** lol.
3 years later i bought my ES from the same dealer and the same sales guy and he gave me a great deal lol. Weird i know
09-01-10, 02:55 PM
#44
Pit Crew
Thread Starter
Well, Monday I went in to speak to the sales manager to see what he had to offer for a swap but he offered me a Mercury Grand Marquis, he said that is the closest he had and the next thing would be an 02 GS300 but he wants $12k for it unless I would be willing to pay the difference. LOL! Needless to say I told him I would not downgrade, I will take that GS300 and we would be even. He said that would not be up to him. We huggled and he said he would talk to the general manager tuesday monring and get back with me.
Tuesday went by no phone call and still by 3pm today there was no phone call. I called his direct number and got a voicemail, called the reception and asked for him she told me he is on another line but she can give me his voicemail. I was already getting upset so I said fine; left him a voicemail, called the manager's line, left a voicemail, called Lexus corporate and reported it. Within 30 minutes later he calls me and apologizes saying he was not able to call me back yesterday coz it was the end of the month but he wants to get in to a loaner agreement with me until they resolve the title issue. He says I might be getting an 09 loaner car.
Should I take this or actually insist on squeezing them to a refund. Last time I spoke to him about a refund he was gonna refund ALL my money including taxes and license, plus the $150 I paid for a tint. My problem with that route is that I don't know if that is fair or it would be more fair to get a refund of the value of the car not just what I paid for it, because I would be without a car for a while trying to get a deal.
If I bought a car from you with a value of $100, but paid $70, I don't think you are making me whole by refunding me $70 for your mistake after you let me drive in a car that neither of us owns for a whole 5 months period, and now leaving me without a car and telling me to go find another dealer or seller willing to sell me a car worth $100 for $70. But I don't know if they would get my point and oblige.
Tuesday went by no phone call and still by 3pm today there was no phone call. I called his direct number and got a voicemail, called the reception and asked for him she told me he is on another line but she can give me his voicemail. I was already getting upset so I said fine; left him a voicemail, called the manager's line, left a voicemail, called Lexus corporate and reported it. Within 30 minutes later he calls me and apologizes saying he was not able to call me back yesterday coz it was the end of the month but he wants to get in to a loaner agreement with me until they resolve the title issue. He says I might be getting an 09 loaner car.
Should I take this or actually insist on squeezing them to a refund. Last time I spoke to him about a refund he was gonna refund ALL my money including taxes and license, plus the $150 I paid for a tint. My problem with that route is that I don't know if that is fair or it would be more fair to get a refund of the value of the car not just what I paid for it, because I would be without a car for a while trying to get a deal.
If I bought a car from you with a value of $100, but paid $70, I don't think you are making me whole by refunding me $70 for your mistake after you let me drive in a car that neither of us owns for a whole 5 months period, and now leaving me without a car and telling me to go find another dealer or seller willing to sell me a car worth $100 for $70. But I don't know if they would get my point and oblige.
09-01-10, 03:15 PM
#45
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I would demand the 02 GS300 or 110% refund amount.
I think you have a very solid case here. The dealership jipped you and you didnt know what was going on. I am sure you signed paperwork stating that they were the rightful owners of the vehicle and they were selling it to you for x amount of dollars. Just with that document alone you can squeeze them for more than you invested. They messed up big time, and for that you need to take advantage of it.
I would push them to put you in the 02 GS300 or call a lawyer and file suit. You have a solid case and if they do not comply with your requests then they are gonna get it worst. I would pursue it until you get what you want.
I think you have a very solid case here. The dealership jipped you and you didnt know what was going on. I am sure you signed paperwork stating that they were the rightful owners of the vehicle and they were selling it to you for x amount of dollars. Just with that document alone you can squeeze them for more than you invested. They messed up big time, and for that you need to take advantage of it.
I would push them to put you in the 02 GS300 or call a lawyer and file suit. You have a solid case and if they do not comply with your requests then they are gonna get it worst. I would pursue it until you get what you want.