Q: Purchased car advertised as clean title, found salvage with misfiring engine.
I purchased a 1999 Porsche 986 a couple of months ago from a seller who recently moved to Florida from Kansas. He advertised the vehicle as having a clean title and a perfectly running engine. However, I later discovered the title is salvage and the engine started misfiring the night I brought the car home, with the check engine light flashing. I have digital proof from the Facebook Marketplace listing and messages detailing the car's advertised condition. A VIN lookup confirmed the salvage title. I attempted to contact the seller using the same platform we used for the purchase, but he did not respond. I've spent $200 trying to repair the engine with no success, and the seller did not provide any disclosure documents. I haven't reached out to any consumer protection agencies yet.
A: Was there a contract signed related to the transaction or at the very least an email reflecting those terms? If not, you may still have a viable claim against the seller, but it will ultimately be a he said/ she said situation and likely no ability to recover attorneys fees. It may not be a lawsuit worth filing, but maybe a demand letter may incentivize an offer. You also need to obtain a repair estimate to identify the value of the case.
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