What are my limits? Would this be slander?

[pa_brewer]

My issue is not a lemon law issue, but I could not find a category which best fits my situation. So here it is.....

I purchased a certified used vehicle from a dealership back on 4/22/02 in York, Pennsylvania. The vehicle came with it's original warranty which I was told by the dealer that it expired sometime in the middle of January 2003. Well I noticed around Christmas that my gas tank gauge was acting very funny. Apparently it was going bad. So I contacted another certified dealer Dec. 26 to see if they could take a look at it because it was still supposed to be under warranty. Well when they asked for my vin # I was informed that my warranty expired on 12/21/02. This was a huge surprise to me, because I was miss informed by my dealer when I originally purchased my vehicle. The bad thing is that I do not have that date in writing, but just a verbal date. Well I was very upset, because I was considering to get an extended before I found out that my warranty had already expired. Then around Jan. 6th, 2003 my 4 wheel drive system went crazy and I was told that it will cost me over $1000 to have my vehicle fixed. From all my research this problem would more than likely only surfaced in freezing wet weather.

The dealership does not even care to talk to me. So I am wondering if it is illegal for me to put signs on my vehicle claiming my lemon was bought from their dealership, and that I was given incorrect information and drive it around town to present negative advertising for them. At what point is it considered slander or could I be sued for driving around with this written/stuck to my vehicle. I just feel like I got screwed and would like to return the favor in a negative way, plus present them with some free advertising.

Thanks for your help.

Kevin
Pennsylvania

 

[stephenk]

what did the warranty paperwork say regarding its expiration date when you purchased the car?

 

[pa_brewer]

Warranty paperwork

There was no warranty paperwork given to me. The paperwork that I signed just informed me that the vehicle came with the origial factory warranty, but did not give a date. The dealership informed me that my warranty was good until the new year (2003) but that was not the case when I called to have my vehicle serviced right after Christmas. They told me my warranty expired on 12/21/02. The only one who witnessed them telling me my warranty was good until the beginning of the new year was my wife who also heard the dealer say that.

The only thing I can do is tell other consumers not to do business with them. My options are to tell friends, post it on my vehicle and/or call into a local radio show and have my issue broadcast all across my area. Which would be sure to get their attention.

The other thing I am going to do is contact the Better Business Bureau in my area with a complaint. The general manager at this dealership will says he will return my phone call and never does. I have been nothing but nice to this dealership and have not raised my voice once. They just figure sooner or later I will let them alone. I just want them to know that this is not the way one should do business and that they have messed with the wrong customer.

Thanks for any insight!

 

[cirrus0306]

When I was little, my grandma bought a car, I don't know what was wrong with it, but it didn't work. My dad, took a refridgerator box, painted it white with a giant lemon on it, and in the lemon, he wrote "I bought mine at blah blah dealership". Then he parked in front of the dealership. He wasn't there long before the GM came out with the contract and a check.