IT'S ONE OF THE MOST
COMMON COMPLAINTS TO 8 ON YOUR
SIDE.
I WAS IN A FINANCIAL JAM SO I
BOUGHT AN AS IS VEHICLE AND
WITHIN DAYS THAT USED CAR DIED.
MORE THAN ONE MILLION USED
VEHICLES WERE SOLD IN FLORIDA
LAST YEAR.
SO MANY VEHICLES.
8 ON YOUR SIDE SENIOR
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER STEVE
ANDREWS FOUND STATE LAW DOES
LITTLE TO PROTECT A CONSUMER
WHEN A VEHICLE IS SOLD AS IS.
IN 2015 LYNN ADAMS WORLD
SHATTERED HER 26-YEAR-OLD SON
GARRETT SUDDENLY DIED.
MY SON DIED AND MY PARENTS
WERE DOWN HERE AND I JUST
NEEDED MY FAMILY.
GRIEF STRICKEN LYNN WALKED
AWAY FROM HER HOME, HER
BUSINESS IN MARYLAND,
EVERYTHING.
CAME DOWN HERE AND SORT OF
MIGHT SAY HAD A BREAK DOWN.
LOW ON MONEY IN JUNE 2017,
LYNN NEEDED A CAR TO GET TO
WORK.
A COLLEAGUE RECOMMENDED BILL, A
VIP AUTO SHOW ROOM IN LARGO.
ALL I ASKED FOR WAS A
DEPENDABLE VEHICLE.
THEY SAID SURE WE CAN TAKE CARE
OF YOU.
A CRIMINAL RECORD THAT
INCLUDES ARRESTS FOR FRAUD
SCHEMING FRAUD AND THEFT OF
STATE FRAUDS.
I ENDED UP WITH A BEAUTIFUL
JAGUAR AND IT WAS FANTASTIC FOR
FOUR DAYS.
THE ENGINE BLEW, NO COOLANT
IN THE RADIATOR.
ACCORDING TO THE STATE THEY NOW
CLOSED THE LICENSE TO SELL
VEHICLES EXPIRED A MONTH BEFORE
LYNN SHOWED UP.
SHE SOLD THE JAGUAR TO ANOTHER
DEALERSHIP.
SHE PURCHASED THE JAG FOR FOUR
GRAND.
TRUE CARS FINANCED HER AT 28%
INTEREST.
ACCORDING TO HER COMPLAINT WITH
PINELLAS CONSUMER PROTECTION
CAR AFTER CAR MISLED ABOUT THE
OPERATING CONDITION AND EACH
BROKE DOWN.
WHY DID YOU KEEP DOING BUSINESS
WITH THIS GUY?
BECAUSE HE WOULDN'T GIVE ME
ANY MONEY.
THE LAST CAR HE PAWNED OFF
ON LYNN.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ADDER
AND STOPPED TO RUN AN ERRAND,
CAME OUT AND THE CAR NEVER
STARTED AGAIN.
THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD AS IS
AND IT'S HER FAULT SHE DID NOT
CHOOSE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE
CHECKED OUT BY A MECHANIC.
LYNN DEMANDED HER MONEY BACK
AND THREATENED LEGAL ACTION.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY THERE IS
NO RECOURSE BUT THERE OFTEN
ISN'T.
ACCORDING TO ATTORNEY JAMES,
80% OF THE CALLS HIS OFFICE
RECEIVES ARE FROM PEOPLE UPSET
WITH USED CAR DEALERS.
AS IS PROVIDES DEALERS WITH
PROTECTION.
UNLESS A CUSTOMER CAN PROVE A
DEALERSHIP KNEW AN AS IS CAR
WAS A CLUNKER BEFORE SELLING IT
THE CUSTOMER WILL LIKELY END UP
PAYING ATTORNEYS FEES FOR THE
OTHER SIDE.
I COULD NOT IMAGINE WHAT A
CLIENT WOULD DO INSTEAD OF
GETTING A CHECK FROM US THEY
GOT A BILL TO PAY $50,000 TO
THE OTHER SIDE'S ATTORNEY.
THEY NEEDED DEPENDABLE
WHEELS TO GET TO WORK.
THE VAN LOOKED NICE AND
EVERYTHING.
THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A GOOD
RUNNING VEHICLE.
HE BOUGHT THIS 2012 DODGE
CARAVAN FROM TRUE CARS AS WELL.
THEY SOLD IT FOR $13,000.
THE MOTOR MOUNT BOLTS FELL
OUT WITHIN TWO DAYS.
MIKE BOUGHT THE VAN AS IS.
WHILE TRUE CARS REPAIRED THE
MOTOR, MIKE CONTENDS MORE
PROBLEMS POPPED UP.
I CAN'T USE IT AT ALL NOTCH.
MIKE CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX AND
MAKE PAYMENTS ON THE VAN.
HE EXPECTS THE FINANCE COMPANY
TO REPOSSESS IT.
THE CONSUMER LOSES BECAUSE
NOW THEY DON'T HAVE A CAR BUT
THEY STILL OWE MONEY FOR THE
REPOSSESSION AND FOR THE
PAYMENTS THAT THEY WERE
SUPPOSED TO MAKE TO THE BANK.
14 STATES AS WELL AS
WASHINGTON D.C. DO NOT ALLOW AS
IS SALES BECAUSE AS IS PROVIDES
NO CONSUMER PROTECTION.
USED CAR DEALERS IN THOSE
STATES ARE REQUIRED TO OFFER
SOME SORT OF WARRANTY SO HOW DO
YOU AVOID THIS HAPPENING TO YOU
NUMBER ONE GET A MECHANIC TO
CHECK ANY USED CAR YOU ARE
THINKING ABOUT BUYING AND IF
THE DEALERSHIP DOESN'T ALLOW
YOU TO DO THAT DON'T WALK AWAY
FROM THAT DEALERSHIP.
RUN.
RUN AWAY.
REMEMBER AS LONG AS THAT AS IS
BOX IS CHECKED IT DOESN'T
MATTER WHAT THE DEALERSHIP
PROMISES.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT IN WRITING
YOU'VE GOT NOTHING.
FLORIDA IS NOT ONE OF THESE
STATES THAT PROTECTS CONSUMERS
AT ALL.
IT SHOULD BE.
ABSOLUTELY IT SHOULD BE.
A MILLION CARS SOLD LAST YEAR.
THANK YOU STEVE.