Dealer, Customer Face Off Over Salvaged Car: Totaled Vehicles Often Missing Pink Slips
You know, if you buy a car for $29.00, can you reasonably claim to be surprised when it turns out that the vehicle is a piece o'crap with a salvage title? No, but you do have a credible claim to being a total DUMB@$$.
SAN DIEGO -- A car dealership that sold a customer a salvaged car said it wasn't aware of the car's status and should not be held liable under California law.
A vehicle is deemed "salvage" when it has been in an accident and a cost analysis shows the car is not worth fixing. Dealerships are legally required to reveal a vehicle's salvaged status before sale.
The 1985 Nissan King Cab was taken in through trade, El Cajon Ford spokesperson John Black said. The dealership is not liable because the truck came with no pink slip. The department of motor vehicles did not notify El Cajon Ford of its status until after it had been sold.
Its current owner, Bryan Banquells (pictured, left), isn't buying the dealer's arguments. While he knew the truck wasn't in perfect working order, he was led to believe it was safe. He bought the truck for $29. Four weeks later, he got a call from the dealership.
"He said, 'Bryan, we have a problem. You have a truck that you own that has a salvage title,'" Banquells said.
Banquells now refuses to drive the car and feels the dealership should provide him with a new one.
"I have a 4-year-old and a 14-month old and a baby on the way," Banquells said. "I don't want to take them in a truck that I don't know whether it has a cracked frame. I want to be in something safe. I think they should take care of my family and make sure we're safe on the road and put us in another truck."
Um, hello??? Earth to Bryan...come in, Bryan.... You bought a truck for $29.00, and you seemingly had no problem in putting your family into the vehicle. Now that you've discovered that the truck has a salvage title (I'm shocked- SHOCKED!!- that there is gambling taking place on these premises!), suddenly you do not feel right putting your family in the vehicle? Now you expect the dealership to "take care" of your family?
What kind of sick DUMB@$$ pays $29.00 for a truck and then thinks he has any claim to a new vehicle? The dealer has done what it should, by offering to by the vehicle back. This, unfortunately, is not enough for Banquells and his attorney (Didn't you just know there would be a lawyer involved somewhere?) It just figures that Banquells sees an opportunity to get something for nothing here, doesn't it?
Here's a quick piece of advice for our intrepid and profoundly intellectually challenged Mr. Banquells : if you're so concerned about your family, spend some money on a decent vehicle. Twenty-nine bucks will barely buy your family dinner at McDonald's, and yet you seriously expect to have safe transportation for your family? Get over yourself already. No one is going to hand you a car for nothing. They just might, however, give you a DUMB@$$ AWARD.
