When buying a used car, you have to be as thorough as you can to make sure that everything with that vehicle is fine. Not everyone does that, though, and can sometimes let the allure of that shiny “new ride” and car salesman charm get the better of them. That’s what happened to one used car buyer in Southern California. San Diego’s CBS 8 reports how one local used car dealership managed to convince a customer to buy a car that should have never been on their lot in the first place: A Toyota GR Supra with no catalytic converter and an accident history.
Hector Munoz had been working hard so that he could finally buy a car that he wanted. Along with saving his money from working two jobs, he even managed to take out a loan at his credit union, all so that he could buy his dream car, a Toyota GR Supra. After searching he managed to find a used one for sale at a local dealership — which was annoyingly not named— for $57,000.
Now one red flag to some might be the fact that a used Supra is going for that much. But that’s not out of the ordinary these days. A quick search of the surrounding area found 38 Supras for sale, 31 of which were over $50,000.
But Munoz was excited and went down to the dealership. He even mentioned to CBS 8 that his excitement may have clouded his judgment. Even though he told CBS 8 that he went into the dealer prepared, he let his emotions overcome him.
“I think the issue with me at the moment was that I was so close to getting a car that I never thought I could ever afford. I got starstruck,” he said.
That excitement spilled over onto the test drive, where the salesmen drove him around in the Supra fast, with Munoz saying that he “was accelerating and letting the muffler make little noises. It was cool, to be honest.” The sales guy even bonded with him, speaking to his own experience as a first-generation immigrant that had worked hard in a new country, something Munoz knew about being the child of immigrants. That was enough to make Munoz sign the papers:
“He was very friendly, and connected with me on an emotional level,” said Munoz. “I related to him because I’m also first generation and my family doesn’t have much. And we’re here really working for something. So honestly, he seemed like a really familiar guy that I could trust.” The supposed bond that Munoz felt mixed with the excitement of buying the car of his dreams remained as he signed the paperwork and took the keys.
But as he was leaving the dealership in his “new” car, the Supra’s check engine light came on. The salesman told Munoz it was a glitch and not an issue. Not satisfied, Munoz took the Supra to a local Toyota dealer for service a week later. That’s when they hit him with the bad news.
It was there that the service crew told him that the car did not have a catalytic converter and had been in an accident and had numerous issues with the engine and the body. The mechanic pulled up the CarFax and showed Munoz the accident history.
Dealer techs told him the car would never pass an emissions test for obvious reasons and that it was illegal that the dealer even sold him the car without the catalytic converter. Munoz immediately lawyered up and is now suing the dealership. Munoz’s attorney, Greg Babbitt, filed a suit against the dealer in June for “violating the Consumers Legal Remedies Act, intentionally misrepresenting the facts, among other complaints.” Babbit wants Munoz’s money back plus the value of his trade in and other damages.
“The bottom line is that this car was sold illegally. The used car dealer needs to make it as if this transaction never occurred; they take the car back, [Munoz] gets his money back, and we both go our separate ways,” Babbit said.
While the dealer is definitely scummy, Munoz is not without fault here, either. Munoz should have done more to check and make sure that everything with that car was fine. Most dealerships provide Carfax history reports for vehicles. If they refuse to give you one, that’s a red flag. Just always make sure to thoroughly check a vehicle’s history before buying so you won’t end up in a situation like this.