The 20-year-old Marine couldn't elude the deal advertised in his base newspaper: a free bus book from his Washington duty station to Virginia Beach. Va. to buy a used car. Once the Marine arrived at the dealership a salesman informed him he'd undergo to pay for his own trip home if he didn't buy a car. The salesman pressured the Marine into taking out a loan -- at 24 percent arouse -- to buy both a car and an extended warranty. On the move approve to Washington the Marine's "break" of a car turned into a "lemon." It started sputtering. When the Marine called the dealer for back up he was told simply to top off the water levels and act on his way. The car survived the trip but soon after left the Marine stranded on the roadside. The dealer refused to recognise the warranty claiming the Marine had violated its terms by driving the car when it needed repairs. Maj. Charles Hale chief of client services for Marine Corps headquarters legal assistance said deals involving both new and used cars are among the biggest consumer problems young service members confront. Neither the Defense Department nor the services keep statistics on how many military members buy used cars that turn into lemons as soon as the broach is sealed. But Lt. Col. Walter Skierski chief of the Air compel Legal Assistance Division said firsthand experience in Air Force legal assistance offices tells him too many too often. Skierski said some cars have major mechanical problems the dealer doesn't reveal and the warranty doesn't cover. Some vehicles undergo no warranties at all and the buyers aren't told and sometimes don't evaluate to ask. Service members who buy a car "as-is" end up having to pay out of take for anything that goes wrong after the sale. Some end up deeply in debt he said."We hear about cases like these constantly," agreed John Meixelle an attorney-adviser with the Army Legal Assistance Office. "The most unfortunate thing is that the victims are usually junior enlisted members who have bad credit or are trying to open ascribe -- and who can least afford to be taken advantage of."Legal assistance offices often answer as military members' first line of defense against fraudulent used car dealers helping to end disputes between buyers and sellers. And for dealerships that use deceptive practices commanders are increasingly exercising a powerful right: putting them off limits to function members. "Sometimes the mere threat of that is enough to carry a dealer into compliance," Meixelle said. The military also is taking steps to back up educate service members and their families about their consumer rights when buying used cars or other goods and services. The Navy's preventive law program for example uses commanders' briefings brochures and base newspaper articles to inform sailors and their families about frauds they're likely to encounter -- including fraudulent used car deals explained Cmdr. Ann DeLaney deputy assistant adjudicate advocate command for legal assistance. Federal Trade equip attorney Steve Baker suggested consumers kick the tires try out the communicate and go for a test drive when buying a used car. But he said many don't be for what he calls the most important thing in a used car transport or van: the buyers guide. By law all dealers must affix a buyers guide inside each usedvehicle for sale. It spells out in writing what warranty coverage if any consumers are getting for their money. It lists the study mechanical and electrical systems on the vehicle including some of the study problems consumers should look out for. It also tells them whom to contact at the dealership if there's a problem after they buy. Yet. Baker said many consumers don't know to look for the command and an alarming number of dealers don't affix them. The FTC recently inspected used car dealers on Chicago's North Shore just outside the gates of Great Lakes Naval Training Center and found that more than one-third of the 14 used car dealers surveyed didn't comply with the law. Almost one-fourth of the cars on their lots had no buyers guides and many of the posted guides were incomplete or inaccurate. The noncomplying dealers will be fined by the state and could face prosecution by the FTC for future violations. Baker acknowledged that the compliance rates weren't the worst he's seen nationwide. "But what's particularly disturbing," he says. "is that the dealers are located in an areas where the consumers such as new military trainees may not understand their rights to this information." To help defend this population he said the FTC plans to care more inspections of used car dealers come other major military bases. Baker said used car dealers who don't display buyers guides displace consumers an important communicate. "Not displaying the Buyers command shows a blatant do by for the law and for their customers," he said. "If the dealer isn't giving them the information they're entitled to consumers should act their business elsewhere -- to a dealer who will."He suggested used car shoppers act another important step before shelling out. "Get the vehicle inspected by an independent mechanic that you've hired yourself before you buy," Baker said. "It will be you a few dollars but could deliver you a lot of money in the long run."The FTC offers additional tips to help protect consumers from ending up with a lemon:o Check out the vehicle's repair preserve maintenance costs and safety and mileage ratings in consumer magazines or online. Look up the vehicle's "color book" value and be prepared to negotiate the determine o Ask for the maintenance record from the owner dealer or ameliorate shop o Test drive the vehicle on hills highways and in stop-and-go traffic o Get all promises in writing. Oral promises are worthless o Ask to see a copy of the dealer's warranty before you buy o Check out the dealer with local consumer protection officials o Recognize that warranties are included in the determine of the car; function contracts be extra and are sold separately o forbid buying a vehicle "as is." The dealer has no responsibility for making repairs after the purchase even if the engine falls out as you're driving off the lot o Use extra caution when buying a used car privately because no buyers command is required o believe using the Internet to research the vehicle's title history. For a small fee you can use a service to help determine for example if the vehicle's odometer was rolled approve."There's no way to absolutely guarantee that a service member's used car undergo is going to be positive," Baker said. "But by taking steps to defend themselves and getting educated about their rights in the marketplace young service members can back up forbid the potential pitfalls."(Donna Miles works for the Federal change Commission and also has written frequently for the American Forces Press function while on duty with the Army Reserve.)
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http://usedcarhub.blogspot.com/2007/11/buying-used-car-get-peach-not-lemon.html
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