Q: My wife and I bought a car from a used car dealership 3 months ago.
The dealer did not disclose that it had a rebuilt title. We checked the CARFAX and it was a salvage title in Mississippi. The car has been having issues and is currently not operational. The dealer told my wife that the car was never repaired, but when I talked to him today he stated that the car was repaired by one of the five shops he uses. Our mechanic said the repairs were done incorrectly. He stated that the rebuilt title was disclosed on the purchase agreement, but he never told us that it was rebuilt. I would have never bought a car with a rebuilt title if it had been explained to me before I purchased the vehicle. Should I sue?
A: If you purchased a vehicle that you at least knew had a salvage title, you would have known that some major repairs had to have been done on the vehicle in order to make it operational again after a total loss. You will want to review your purchase agreement in detail. If the vehicle was purchased as is and without any warranties, the seller may not have any duties to compensate you if the vehicle is no longer working. The laws in this area are more "buyer-beware" than consumer-friendly. You would need to review your documents and specific circumstances with an attorney to see what the best options are in your situation. Especially if the seller is a bigger deal and reputable, they may try to work with you even if the contract itself doesn't require them to.
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