sold a vehicle, not sure if i am still liable.

K

klaw1991

New Member
Jurisdiction
Washington
I sold a vehicle private party through craigslist. They bought it even after I had mentioned an issue with the vehicle. The cost to fix it is greater than either of us thought and they want money from me. I already transferred ownership and reported the sale through the DOL website. The only problem is when we were signing over the title, I had to make a correction with the date of sale. So I gave them a certificate of fact stating that the mix up of dates was not intended to be fraud on the title. Because of this issue, could I still be liable for the vehicle? Could I potentially owe these people money?
 
adjusterjack said:
Anybody who buys a $1500 car is guaranteed to have things wrong with it and shouldn't whine when it starts falling apart. ;)
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Thats how i feel. I just hate being the person who sold it to them. If i was just made of money i would take the car back. I already spent their money to pay my bills though.
 
klaw1991 said:
Thats how i feel. I just hate being the person who sold it to them. If i was just made of money i would take the car back. I already spent their money to pay my bills though.
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Never feel that way. Too dangerous. You have no idea what the buyer's done to your car even within the first few minutes driving away from your house. I had a guy buy a car from me (3 speed standard), handed me the money, I handed him the executed title, he handed the keys to his teen age son who drove off grinding the gears all the way down the street.

You'll sell other cars in the future.

Make sure you make two copies of a bill of sale with the words "AS IS, no warranties or guarantees of any kind" and have the buyer sign both and you keep one. Make sure you fill out the buyers name and address in the buyer's spot on the title to avoid title jumping. Make copies of both sides of the title before you turn it loose. (Scanner, digital camera or camera phone is helpful for that.) Notify the DMV online of the sale and take a screen shot of the confirmation. Keep all copies in your permanent files.

WA allows (or requires) you to retain the license plates. Not sure which but it's a good idea. Means the buyer has to get it titled and registered right away rather than drive around with plates with your name on it.
 
klaw1991 said:
He is coming at me saying there is the lemon law and they will garnish my wages.
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Block his messages, phone calls, and emails.

Stop listening, stop being curious, stop explaining.

If it worries you that much, don't sell anymore junk, and give the whiner back his money, or block him, move on.

If he sues you, he loses.

Yes, there should be a lemon law against losers who buy junk cars.

You're lucky if you get a new car that's not a lemon these days, and don't even mention used cars.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you bought a great used car back in 1945, yes, in 1945, this is a new day, a new crooked way.
 
Typically Lemon Laws are drafted to deal with the slang for what a "lemon" is as it relates to consumer goods. It is about holding manufacturers liable and requiring them to accept responsibility for defective goods. They sometimes can cover used cars but only in limited circumstances, usually to deal with an intent to deceive by concealment. If he wants to make that case then he's free to waste his money and time by filing and trying.

The Washington State Motor Vehicle "Lemon Law" is designed to help new vehicle owners who have substantial continuing problems with warranty repairs.
 
Michael M. Wechsler said:
Typically Lemon Laws are drafted to deal with the slang for what a "lemon" is as it relates to consumer goods. It is about holding manufacturers liable and requiring them to accept responsibility for defective goods. They sometimes can cover used cars but only in limited circumstances, usually to deal with an intent to deceive by concealment. If he wants to make that case then he's free to waste his money and time by filing and trying.

The Washington State Motor Vehicle "Lemon Law" is designed to help new vehicle owners who have substantial continuing problems with warranty repairs.
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Thank you! That sounds right.
 

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