Private party car sale

[Rch204]

What is the name of your state? CA

I baught a used 2000 Integra coup a month ago and the mileage read 20838. The car has a salvaged title and has been repaired fully. I asked the seller repeatedly if it is the actuall mileage on the engine and he assured me and guaranteed the mileage was the actual and the engine was the original with the car.
A week after taken delivery the repaired passenger door leaked and he fixed it at his cost and after he gave the car back to me the engine began to sound louder by the day and a ticking sound also developed. I brought the car to a mechanic and he told me the valves needed adjusting and the engine definitely has been driven much more than 20K ml. The loud engine sound appears after a engine has been driven execssively after high mileage use.
Is there a legal way to reverse the transaction or at least get some money back from him since the car is definitely not worth the $7000 I had paid.

 

[Shelby6718]

I am offering some suggestions based on the following: You purchased the vehicle knowing it had a salvage title and, although you did not mention it, you most likely signed an "as is" statement. Bill of sale? Anything on it concerning mileage specifically.

As I understand it,(and I may be wrong) California has stipulations concerning engine changes in vehicles:" it must be an engine that was manufactured the same year as the vehicle model or newer. An engine swap has to be approved by a State Mediator for smog purposes and have their seal affixed to the door of the vehicle."

Now, was the engine actually changed in the car? Can you take a mechanic's opinion on this as fact? Probably not. Engines normally have tag's or stamps on them indicating the year of manufacture and size. See if you can find it and match it against what is appropriate for the car. The vin number contains information which identifies what size engine that should be in the car.If you are unfamilar with what's under the hood, I would suggest is take the car to a new car dealer that sells that model and have the engine change possibility checked out. They will know what's in it and what should be in it. If it is not correct, get a statement from them to that effect on their Company letterhead.

Now, the odometer issue. The miles should have been filled in on the title when it was assigned to you.( Again, I am going with the title was assigned to you and signed by the seller.)Next to where the odometer reading is filled in on the title, there are two boxes. 1. The milage stated is in excess of mechanical limits or 2: The odometer reading is NOT actual. (This is something you could have missed if you did not examine the title closely.)

If either one of these is checked, then the odometer reading is either not actual or exceeds by 100,000 miles what is actually shown. If neither is checked, the seller is stating that the miles filled in are actual. Federal law requires that you state the mileage, failure to complete or provide a false statement may result in fines or imprisionment.

If you find what you suspect is correct, you can contact the seller by certified mail advising him of what you have found and try to come to an agreeable arrangement with him (if you like the car and would like to keep it) or contact the Ca. DMV , provide them with all the facts and documents you have and let them handle it. IF the seller is a person who buys wrecks, rebuilds them and then sells them without being a licensed rebuilder or dealer, states take a dim view on this. You might mention this as well when contacting him. Perhaps it would help him with his decision on how he wants to handle it.