Bought a used Tacoma... never made it home
10-23-2011, 12:14 PM
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Bought a used Tacoma... never made it home
So its been a rough weekend. I found a 05 Taco V6 that i wanted and flew to Tupelo, Ms (I live in Atlanta) to get it. It was high mileage but it was in very good shape and didnt look beat and all the fluids were good. I drove it and everything felt tight. The only thing that felt weird was a little vibration at 70mph. I figured it would be a tire or something.
So i left the dealership and made it back to the interstate. As soon as i got on the interstate the low oil pressure light came on. I looked in the manual and it just said to check the oil. I drove about 10 miles to the first exit with a gas station and as i slowed up the off ramp i heard a knocking from the motor. The knock mimic'd the revs of the motor so i was thinking the worse.
I pulled into the gas station and checked everything out. I was expecting a cracked block and oil all over the place but i didnt see or smell any. It was 8pm and very dark so i couldnt see much. I called the salesman/owner of the dealership and he was very nice and promised to be fair about everything. He sent a wrecker to pick my up and i got a hotel for the night.
While waiting for the wrecker i cranked the truck just to see if i could make out the problem. I figured if it was as bad as i thought i couldnt do any more damage. When the truck cranked the oil light was off and the knocking had quieted to a tap. it was still there but not even close to as loud as it was the night before. I figured id drive it around the parking lot to get it in a better spot for the wrecker and everything drove fine. I backed into a spot and the oil light came back on.
The wrecker got there and took the truck and my wife drove out and picked me up. Now im just waiting for the worst and hoping for the best. But in the mean time, do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone??
So i left the dealership and made it back to the interstate. As soon as i got on the interstate the low oil pressure light came on. I looked in the manual and it just said to check the oil. I drove about 10 miles to the first exit with a gas station and as i slowed up the off ramp i heard a knocking from the motor. The knock mimic'd the revs of the motor so i was thinking the worse.
I pulled into the gas station and checked everything out. I was expecting a cracked block and oil all over the place but i didnt see or smell any. It was 8pm and very dark so i couldnt see much. I called the salesman/owner of the dealership and he was very nice and promised to be fair about everything. He sent a wrecker to pick my up and i got a hotel for the night.
While waiting for the wrecker i cranked the truck just to see if i could make out the problem. I figured if it was as bad as i thought i couldnt do any more damage. When the truck cranked the oil light was off and the knocking had quieted to a tap. it was still there but not even close to as loud as it was the night before. I figured id drive it around the parking lot to get it in a better spot for the wrecker and everything drove fine. I backed into a spot and the oil light came back on.
The wrecker got there and took the truck and my wife drove out and picked me up. Now im just waiting for the worst and hoping for the best. But in the mean time, do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone??
10-23-2011, 04:46 PM
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10-23-2011, 04:50 PM
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I've heard a buddies Camaro after a piston skirt broke off and it sounded a lot like that the night it happened. The next morning it just sounded like a valve tapping.
10-23-2011, 04:54 PM
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This sounds yucky...... If MS has a "used vehicle cooling off period" I'd get my $$ back ASAP. If not, good luck and hope for the best.
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10-23-2011, 06:31 PM
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10-23-2011, 07:46 PM
#10
The bad part is.... i've been told that these motors are not rebuildable. The blocks are machined so far out that there is no room for any machining. But I don't know this for fact. The reason the knock "went away", the oil had a chance to cool down so it was thicker. I would get in that dealers face for selling you a heaping pile. THere is no way that the dealer didn't know.
10-24-2011, 01:59 AM
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Heres my problem... The guy has been extremely helpful thus far. According to the law he doesn't have to do dick, but he's offering to "be fair" with the cost of repairs. I have no idea if that means he'll pay for 50% of the repairs of 2%. But if I get hotheaded and start yelling and bullying, he can tell me to bring a flatbed and get my truck off his property and not pay anything. So I have to kind of tightrope the situation.
If I could prove he knew about the issue prior to sale I would have a legal leg to stand on. But that would only be looked at by a court as speculation on my part because it would be pretty tough to prove.
If I could prove he knew about the issue prior to sale I would have a legal leg to stand on. But that would only be looked at by a court as speculation on my part because it would be pretty tough to prove.
10-24-2011, 05:01 AM
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copied and pasted from another site:
"As Is" Used Car Warranties
The first used car warranty we're going to discuss is an "as is" warranty, which is essentially no warranty on the car at all. If a dealer is offering a used car with this type of arrangement, then the check box on the buyers guide will indicate this understanding. If you negotiate a different arrangement, or a promise is made beyond "as is," then make sure you get the offer in writing.
Even if you buy a car "as is" from a dealer, you have some protections under the law. This includes what are called implied warranties.
Implied Warranties
All dealerships selling used cars are expected to sell vehicles that have met reasonable quality standards. This is sometimes referred to as an implied warranty. However, in certain states, the "as is" language can be used to eliminate most implied warranties. On the other hand, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Vermont, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, do not permit "as is" sales.
Warranties of Merchantability
The most common form of an implied warranty is that of merchantability. Essentially, this means if you bought a car to drive, then the car should be able to provide this function. In this example, if you bought a used car, then you should be able to drive it home and to work the next day.
The difficult part with implied warranties is the buyer might have to prove the defect existed in the automobile before they purchased it. Certainly if the car experiences a serious mechanical failure at a much later date, an implied warranty will not apply. Basically, this kind of warranty states: You are buying a used car, and this car is in good running condition today.
"As Is" Used Car Warranties
The first used car warranty we're going to discuss is an "as is" warranty, which is essentially no warranty on the car at all. If a dealer is offering a used car with this type of arrangement, then the check box on the buyers guide will indicate this understanding. If you negotiate a different arrangement, or a promise is made beyond "as is," then make sure you get the offer in writing.
Even if you buy a car "as is" from a dealer, you have some protections under the law. This includes what are called implied warranties.
Implied Warranties
All dealerships selling used cars are expected to sell vehicles that have met reasonable quality standards. This is sometimes referred to as an implied warranty. However, in certain states, the "as is" language can be used to eliminate most implied warranties. On the other hand, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Vermont, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, do not permit "as is" sales.
Warranties of Merchantability
The most common form of an implied warranty is that of merchantability. Essentially, this means if you bought a car to drive, then the car should be able to provide this function. In this example, if you bought a used car, then you should be able to drive it home and to work the next day.
The difficult part with implied warranties is the buyer might have to prove the defect existed in the automobile before they purchased it. Certainly if the car experiences a serious mechanical failure at a much later date, an implied warranty will not apply. Basically, this kind of warranty states: You are buying a used car, and this car is in good running condition today.
10-24-2011, 05:24 AM
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copied and pasted from another site:
"As Is" Used Car Warranties
All dealerships selling used cars are expected to sell vehicles that have met reasonable quality standards. This is sometimes referred to as an implied warranty. However, in certain states, the "as is" language can be used to eliminate most implied warranties. On the other hand, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Vermont, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, do not permit "as is" sales.
Warranties of Merchantability
The most common form of an implied warranty is that of merchantability. Essentially, this means if you bought a car to drive, then the car should be able to provide this function. In this example, if you bought a used car, then you should be able to drive it home and to work the next day.
The difficult part with implied warranties is the buyer might have to prove the defect existed in the automobile before they purchased it. Certainly if the car experiences a serious mechanical failure at a much later date, an implied warranty will not apply. Basically, this kind of warranty states: You are buying a used car, and this car is in good running condition today.
"As Is" Used Car Warranties
All dealerships selling used cars are expected to sell vehicles that have met reasonable quality standards. This is sometimes referred to as an implied warranty. However, in certain states, the "as is" language can be used to eliminate most implied warranties. On the other hand, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Vermont, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, do not permit "as is" sales.
Warranties of Merchantability
The most common form of an implied warranty is that of merchantability. Essentially, this means if you bought a car to drive, then the car should be able to provide this function. In this example, if you bought a used car, then you should be able to drive it home and to work the next day.
The difficult part with implied warranties is the buyer might have to prove the defect existed in the automobile before they purchased it. Certainly if the car experiences a serious mechanical failure at a much later date, an implied warranty will not apply. Basically, this kind of warranty states: You are buying a used car, and this car is in good running condition today.
I think my saving grace would be the truck broke down less than an hour and 100 miles after buying it.
I think im gonna wait until he calls me today to tell me what the shop says and at that point i'll ask him if he'll consider tearing up our sale. I hate to be a person that goes back on my word (giving him my word to buy the truck) but i would think this case would be different. I just hope it doesnt piss him off to the point he withdraws offers to help repair the truck and im stuck with it.
10-24-2011, 08:25 AM
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Rule of thumb, never buy a vehicle from a dealer who only sells vehicles "as is". If your buying the vehicle for parts then that is fine. Here in NY, we have the lemon law for people who buy from dealers. Something like this would be covered under the lemon law here in NY unless he sold the vehicle below market value then the dealer here can sell it "as is". Chalk this up as a lesson learned since I doubt he would pay 50% of the bill. Good luck to you though, I hope it all works out!
James
James
10-25-2011, 07:03 PM
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So i got a call from the salesman/owner today...
He spoke to the shop and they really havent had time to dig into it. They did get a chance to crank it up and the initial impressions were a bad oil pump. Theyre going to start digging into it later this week.
He mentioned several more times that he was going to be fair about everything. I asked him what he meant by that... he said he would pay at least the first $500 and 50% of anything after that. He said he wants me to feel like he was more than fair about the whole thing. I very mildly suggested a return and he said lets wait till after we get the report back from the mechanic to discuss it. I really like the truck so if it will work out that its fixed and im not out a total cost of a new engine, I'm in.
I think thats very fair all things considered. From what i've read of the laws he doesnt really have to do anything. Ill keep the thread updated as i hear things.
He spoke to the shop and they really havent had time to dig into it. They did get a chance to crank it up and the initial impressions were a bad oil pump. Theyre going to start digging into it later this week.
He mentioned several more times that he was going to be fair about everything. I asked him what he meant by that... he said he would pay at least the first $500 and 50% of anything after that. He said he wants me to feel like he was more than fair about the whole thing. I very mildly suggested a return and he said lets wait till after we get the report back from the mechanic to discuss it. I really like the truck so if it will work out that its fixed and im not out a total cost of a new engine, I'm in.
I think thats very fair all things considered. From what i've read of the laws he doesnt really have to do anything. Ill keep the thread updated as i hear things.
10-25-2011, 11:17 PM
#18
I don't know man. A major mechanical failure like that doesn't just happen so suddenly. I've know vehicles that have been driving 2 weeks with rod knocks before it blew. Some thicker oil could have quieted it enough to barely hear. I just don't believe that they didnt' know about it.
10-26-2011, 10:04 PM
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Just make sure you document all this back and forth so if you decide to walk away in the end he has'nt used up all your "lemon return" time. If they have one of those one/two week sale cancel deals folks were talking about prev.
10-28-2011, 08:25 AM
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Ok - I've got an update...
The mechanic said the oil pickup screen was clogged with crud. He said the engine was starved for oil and he didn't recommend reusing it.
On the bright side, they're going to replace it with a salvage yard engine with 56k miles and a 60 day warranty. My half of the engine will cost me $900 and I'll owe 1/2 of labor. He gave me the option of a 91k engine for $150 less but i opted for the lesser miles.
He expects everything to be done in the middle of next week - beginning of the following week.
The mechanic said the oil pickup screen was clogged with crud. He said the engine was starved for oil and he didn't recommend reusing it.
On the bright side, they're going to replace it with a salvage yard engine with 56k miles and a 60 day warranty. My half of the engine will cost me $900 and I'll owe 1/2 of labor. He gave me the option of a 91k engine for $150 less but i opted for the lesser miles.
He expects everything to be done in the middle of next week - beginning of the following week.
