Private sales

Kolassa1

New Member
Jurisdiction
Michigan
My son test drove car, seemed fine ,bought said car, later that day wouldn' start, took to shop said 2800 to fix needs new engine.



Do we have any legal options,or our we just screwed
 
If son didn't have a trusted mechanic to check his new car out before he bought it, he will next time. He has learned an expensive lesson.
 
Go to another shop for another opinion. Find out exactly why the first shop says a new engine is needed and compare with others. There are few reasons why an entire engine would need to be replaced.
This is not something he can put back on the seller.
 
My son test drove car, seemed fine ,bought said car, later that day wouldn' start, took to shop said 2800 to fix needs new engine.



Do we have any legal options,or our we just screwed


Okay, $2800 to repair the broken down beast.

How much did Junior shell out to buy this vintage automobile?

If he paid $5000 up to about $7500, you might be better off using the $2800 to buy a better vehicle, or saving it until you acquire enough money to make a better purchase from a trusted dealer.

Person to person used car sales can be very tricky offering no recourse when things go wrong.
 
Do we have any legal options,or our we just screwed

We? You wrote that your son bought the car, so I'm not sure why this has anything to do with you.

As for your son, private used car sales are made on an "as is" basis unless otherwise expressly agreed to by the seller. Your son should have had a mechanic look at the car before buying it.
 
Okay, $2800 to repair the broken down beast.

The mechanic in me is very suspect of that price quote. Changing an engine is an extreme option.

Mechanic #1 might say change the engine because he doesn't know how to fix it or misdiagnosed the problem (or simply doesn't wasn't the job).
Mechanic #2 might easily identify the underlying problem and be able to repair the engine at a fraction of the other quote.
ShiS around.

I'd be very curious to know WHY the engine must be replaced and whether any other reputable mechanic agrees with the diagnosis. I bet you will find differing opinions on the remedy.
 
The mechanic in me is very suspect of that price quote. Changing an engine is an extreme option.

Mechanic #1 might say change the engine because he doesn't know how to fix it or misdiagnosed the problem (or simply doesn't wasn't the job).
Mechanic #2 might easily identify the underlying problem and be able to repair the engine at a fraction of the other quote.
ShiS around.

I'd be very curious to know WHY the engine must be replaced and whether any other reputable mechanic agrees with the diagnosis. I bet you will find differing opinions on the remedy.


It never hurts to get a couple other evaluations and estimates.

I agree, $2800 is high.

I'm guessing it could be as low as $700 to $1200.
 
The OP never indicated whether this was a private party sale or whether it was purchased from a dealer. He needs to clarify the details.
 
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