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Was almost killed this morning

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misticsurrender

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Hampshire

My husband and I bought a car Easter Sunday from a private seller -- a friend of our son's who works on cars. We met with him and went over the whole car and he said other than needed a new light bulb for the third brake light, it would pass inspection. We were told he put in new brakes and muffler. After going for a test drive, we purchased it. Had it registered Monday and then went for the inspection -- it failed. Here is what is in the report: "Failed for the front rotors rusted, rust holes through the floorboard in RF, LF, RR, LR and LR subframe is also rusted through in the left and right rear."

So we called the guy who sold it to us and he said he knew nothing about it and that and it should have passed. So we let it go until we could figure out what we wanted to do. I took it this morning to get anew bulb for the brake light and as I was slowing down for a curve in the road, I completely lost the brakes. I was literally standing on the brake pedal praying out loud! After the curve mentioned above there is a downhill and a stop light -- I tried the emergency brake and it was useless. I ended up going through a red light (blasting my horn the entire time) and just missed (by centimeters) being broadsided by a tractor trailer.

I got it into a shopping center parking lot (where it still is) and had my husband come to pick me up. We called this guy again and he NOW states that he told us he only did the front brakes (hmmm....with the rusted out FRONT rotors that he missed seeing?!) and that he told us that the entire bottom of the car was rusted out. NO HE DID NOT! There were 3 adults there that day talking to him and he didn't say a darn thing about that!!!

Is there ANYTHING we can do to get our money back? He adamantly refuses saying he told us all the things that were wrong. I am so furious right now and still shaking from that damn tractor trailer I can't think straight. All I want is to get my money back so we can look for a SAFE car.

Thanks in advance,
Jessica
 


Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
How old is the car and how many miles are on the car?

ETA: This is NOT a lemon. Google your state's laws regarding "lemons".

And, tell me, WHY did nobody catch if if the entire underside of the car was rusted through?
 
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misticsurrender

Junior Member
It's a 1999 and has 72,000 miles.

I knew it wasn't a 'lemon' per say (looked up the law for New Hampshire before coming here) but couldn't figure out where else to post...sorry if I pissed anyone off.

As to why no one else caught the rust issue...you're guess is as good as mine. The inspection sticker that is on it now expired last month (March) but no one can tell me all that rust, in the shape it's in now, appeared within a year.
 

Mass_Shyster

Senior Member
You can sue in small claims court. You can allege misrepresentation (he said it only needed a light bulb to pass inspection). If you can show that he in "in the business" of selling cars, you can allege that he is an unlicensed dealer and subject to the "unsafe automobile" statute.
 

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