Bought a truck and then ......

DEKE01 · #1 09/09/13, 07:09 PM

Bought an '08 F-450 today. As usual, the dealer made it more painful than necessary and it took hours longer than it should. Finally after the deal was made they tell me it will take another hour to do the paperwork and wash the truck. I complain that I have stuff to do and need to go and tell them not to worry with washing the truck because one day on the farm and it will be way dirty anyway.

Finally all the paperwork is done and they haven't brought the truck around, it is drying. I tell them I don't care about that that I need to go. 20 minutes later they tell me just a couple more minutes.

And 20 minutes after that, they tell me I need to come see the truck. They've wrecked it on the way back from the wash area. A new car coming off the car hauler and my truck hit each other. The car lost the entire front end in front of the fenders and burst the radiator. My truck has a one inch dent in the front bumper, some plastic trim ripped off, and the front wheel is scratched up bad.

I was given a loaner and came home. Then I got to thinking I've got nothing from the dealer saying they will do the repairs, that I never took possession of the truck. Suggestions on what I should request tomorrow?

simi-steading · #2 09/09/13, 07:16 PM

WOW!!!! And I thought only things like that happened to me... Hope they are honest.. So sorry to hear about it.. I can't imagine what choice words you must have had..

plowhand · #3 09/09/13, 07:18 PM

I wouldn't have it. They'd release of any agreement, and then we might haggle over their wrecked truck. It isn't your fault they wrecked a truck you bargained to buy, before you could get it off the lot.

watcher · #4 09/09/13, 07:36 PM

As little as possible because the truck driver will be paying for it, not the dealer.

simi-steading · #5 09/09/13, 07:36 PM

I agree with plowhand.. that truck just lost a lot more value than you paid for it..

charmd2 · #6 09/09/13, 07:36 PM

I also wouldn`t take it. However, If you still choose to take it, legally you do not have to you have 72 hours to back out of contracts, Make dang sure they fix everything with new parts at a body shop of your choice.

tinknal · #7 09/09/13, 07:55 PM

So you have a few scratches on a 5 year old truck that you say will be a farm truck. I would have said hand me $1000 cash and the keys and they wouldn't have to worry about it anymore.

HOTW · #8 09/09/13, 08:09 PM

You have 3 days to change your mind legally. I would say that th econtract is null and void because there was no delivery of the vehicle into your hands PLUS the fact that they wrecked it during negotiations an dallowed you to proceed..sounds like it could be a caseof fraud to me....... bet thye won't like that word..I wouldtell them No and also make sure you have the local DA number on you to verify th elaw..

DarleneJ · #9 09/09/13, 08:09 PM

Don't take it. Have them rescind the contract. You have no way of knowing the extent of the damage, only what they tell you and any problems you will have down the road on your own dime.

copperkid3 · #10 09/09/13, 08:20 PM

I wouldn't take it at all . . .

"IF" (and that's a BIG if) you decide to

continue doing business with this company,

you should make them bring out a whole 'nother vehicle

that meets your earlier criteria; not having to wait around for

more wasted hours [remember, they lied to you - a delaying tactic

while deciding how best to break the bad news!] and wouldn't accept their

version of your 'new' and slightly abused, used truck.

How have they begun to compensate you for those lost hours?

Not likely to happen without a lawyer either.

wogglebug · #11 09/09/13, 08:39 PM

You've been given a golden opportunity to see how the dealership will treat you, listen to your wishes, carry out your instructions, as they shower down their interpretation of your golden opportunity on you.

What they now want to deliver to you is not what you bargained to pay for and receive. YOU consult a lawyer beforehand, and know your rights. I'd say that if there is anything remotely close (but more valuable) then you give them the opportunity to deliver it instead, at the same price they were going to charge you for the truck they were going to sell you before they screwed it up by ignoring your instructions. If they won't, either get what you want or walk away free and clear - they have no claim coming against you, since they won't deliver what they agreed to.

Harry Chickpea · #12 09/09/13, 09:20 PM

WALK.

WALK.

WALK.

don't look back

DEKE01 · #13 09/09/13, 11:38 PM

here's why I don't want to walk

1. F-450s are not all that common around here. I've been shopping for 6 months and got a deal I was very happy with. If I walk, I am likely to pay more. I've already walked out of three negotiations were I would have paid up to $5K more. There are not many 24K mile, 5 year old f-450s, that have not pulled heavy loads. I liked that this one didn't have a 5th wheel/gooseneck hitch though it will cost me another $750 to get it installed.

2. I need a truck bad. My tractor is 60 miles from my farm at a friends house for the last 3 months because I don't have a truck that will pull a 24K load. My F350 died a horrible, slow, painful and expensive death. The dealer gave me $5200 for it and no one else had been willing to give me more than $3500.

The only possible hidden damage to the truck is in the steering system. I am no mechanic, but I've raced cars and examined damage before. I can't see anything out of sorts under the front end but ball joints and such are best examined on a lift -which I could not do today. They were still waiting on a cop to arrive when I left and would not move the vehicles. They told me, and I need to get this in writing, that they would rotate the tires (something I bargained for in purchase negotiations and lost when I grabbed another $250 price reduction) and perform an alignment since the front tire was hit and of course repair all damages.

bertneru · #14 09/09/13, 11:39 PM

Regarding the post from "watcher"...no, the driver will not pay for the damage. The dealer has insurance just like everyone else (required to do business) and they will get compensated for the damage and just fix the truck in-house.
I would not walk away from the deal (actually you got lucky, you will be able to purchase the truck cheaper than the original deal, minus the inconvenience).
Have them put in writing that they will fix the damage to the truck with warranty, and request money to be taken off the original agreement due to your inconvenience and loss of value to the truck due to this accident (depending of what you paid for it, but I would ask for 10% off). They off course have to provide a loaner during the time it takes them to fix your truck (and also as an incentive for them to repair the truck in a speedy manner).
If they don't give you 10% off, ask for 5% and free oil changes for two years.
Something similar happened to me and I got $800 off a $8000 vehicle and one year of free oil changes (4 oil changes). The car was like new after the repairs. Or you could ask for free warranty for a number of years for the entire vehicle (they might be more receptive to such an offer since they perform the repairs in-house and cheaper for them overall!
I would not walk away from this opportunity to purchase a vehicle you like cheaper than what you originally agreed to pay for it. The mainly cosmetic damage will not affect the condition of this vehicle.
Hope my advice helps, otherwise you can just walk away like most other posters suggested (they legally have to release you from the contract since you did not take possession of the vehicle and the truck is no longer in the same condition that was at the signing of the contract).
Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.

mmoetc · #15 09/10/13, 06:09 AM

If you're worried about hidden damage have them agree to pay for a third party inspection at a place of your choosing with an agreement to repair any damage found that could have been caused by the accident.

Grumpy old man · #16 09/10/13, 06:26 AM

once they decide to call the police and file an insurance claim your "new " truck will have an accident history , I'd let them fix it and have them install the new hitch at there expense and $1,000.00 cash back for my time and decreased value of the truck

suitcase_sally · #17 09/10/13, 09:47 AM

A few years ago I bought a BRAND NEW CAR. I spent and hour doing the paperwork, went to the credit union to get a cashier's check for the deal, came back and it was going on 5 p.m. The salesman finished the paperwork and said, "You'll have to come back tomorrow for the car. There's a little scratch we need to take care of." I asked to see the car. He said, "oh, you'll never know that there was a scratch." I insisted on seeing the car. We walk out back, and there is the car with a 3" deep, 10" wide crush in the driver's door! (can you say Bondomobile?) Like I wouldn't have seen that on the lot! To me, it's a used car at this point. We went back into the showroom and the paperwork was laying there on the desk. I reached over and snatched the cashier's check and told him the deal was off! It was nearly time for the salesman to get off work. He hustled and got another nearly identical (minus the dent) car and raced through the paperwork so he could leave. His attitude wasn't very friendly. He was making it out that I was making him late for his next appointment because I wouldn't take the car. I told him, "You knew that dent was in the car before you even started the paperwork and you didn't tell me!"

A year or so later, as they often do, he sent me a friendly letter saying how much they appreciated my business and I should come in and look at the new cars they have. I sent him and note saying I would never deal with him again and if he didn't understand why, look up my experience in his files.

BarbadosSheep · #18 09/10/13, 09:56 AM

A future carfax report will now show this truck was damaged. That decreases the value. Also a non-factory paint job won't hold up as well. Don't back out of the deal because it sounds like a good one, but they do owe you something for this.

Stephen in SOKY · #19 09/10/13, 10:53 AM

I drive vehicles til there's very little trade value left, so, I'd take $1000 (Your hitch & a little extra for your trouble) and a front end alignment/repair of the damaged trim/new wheel if needed or wanted & move forward. If you trade vehicles often, the carfax will be a significant blow & I'd totally back out of the deal.

ETA: You're right, 5 yr old heavy trucks with only 24K and no gooseneck/fifth wheel DON'T come along often at all. To me, all the more reason to see the deal through with compensation.

DEKE01 · #20 09/10/13, 11:57 PM

Update: I get a bad news / good news call this AM. The tires they said they would rotate for me is a no-go. After I left and the cops arrived and did the report, they went to move the vehicles. As I was told, my truck ran over a metal piece of the car and cut the tire. So now instead of rotating the tires, they are going to replace both front tires. These tires are $300+ each.

To clarify: There is no paint damage or dents. The front wheel is scratched (might need to be re-chromed which I would prefer the cash), one inch dent in front bumper, 3 plastic trim pieces were damaged but these are easy bolt on items. The steering linkage, bushings, ball joints, alignment are to be checked on the lift tmr AM when they are mounting the tires. I'll inspect it myself on the lift.

As to the dealership's responsibility - the accident was caused by the car hauler driver running a stop sign so the hauler's insurance is responsible. My only complaint abotu the dealer is that they kept me waiting for an extra 30-60 minutes while they were trying to figure out who to tell me what went wrong. They gave me a loaner truck and a free tank of gas to drive 150 miles today and seem to be bending over backwards to save this deal.

I like the idea about asking for some free oil changes. It takes 3.5 gallons of oil so the changes are not cheap.