Used car (PU truck) buy - discover a problem 1 day later - can an attorney help?

[maxwelhse]

sreel breake lines will rust from the inside out because brake fluid will absorb water. When you use the brakes enough that the fluid gets hot, the water comes out of suspension. Hard for the dealer to see inside them.

Not trying to start a big thing here, but this has been fairly well proven to be a myth as far as corrosion is concerned. If it were true, all of the stuff out there with original brakes lines for decades in the past would have failed by now. Case in point, our '74 GMC was delivered new in November of '73. It still has it's original brake lines but is ready for its 3rd body. It was Ziebarted when new so the factory lines have held up nicely for 47 years and counting (obviously wasn't effective for the sheet metal). I can document that through the original owner (my Dad). My Dad never replaces any fluids other than engine oil unless something is leaking so I'd guess it's maybe on it's 5th brake fluid ever, which is terrifying for a whole variety of reasons.

A less extreme example is my '91 Mustang. OEM lines are fine after 29 years of garage life and no winters. I'm the 3rd owner, have had it for 14 years, and I see no signs of any of them ever being replaced. I haven't replaced the brake fluid in it in at least a decade as it's been in storage status for a variety of reasons and I have no fear at all of the lines spontaneously failing.

However... I bought a 1997 Oldmobile in 2000 and by 2002 every line (brake and fuel) had rotted off the car, including the fuel tank sending unit. Modern GM just uses some sort of ultra-junk steel for their lines. That's also why I haven't spent much money with the general since then...

 

[shibumiseeker]

I gave up trying to fix all of the problems on my '05 Silverado. The brake lines are notorious for rotting out on these. Mine did. The rust issues are horrible. The instrument cluster servos go out on virtually every one I've ever seen. You can replace the cluster for $500 or you can replace the servos for about $50 if you are handy with a soldering iron.

At 140k miles I parked mine after it accumulated too many problems and the coup de gras was the brake lines blowing out (I'd replaced several). I rebuilt the tranny at 130k, and had put new tires on it then too. I keep meaning to sell it because the engine and tranny are good and the tires are great, but it's low on my priority list because I'll never get out of it what I put into it and whomever buys it will have to haul it away on a flatbed.

As far as you issue, I doubt you can recover anything unless you can prove they knew this specific truck had an issue.

 

[maxwelhse]

At 140k miles I parked mine after it accumulated too many problems and the coup de gras was the brake lines blowing out (I'd replaced several). I rebuilt the tranny at 130k, and had put new tires on it then too. I keep meaning to sell it because the engine and tranny are good and the tires are great, but it's low on my priority list because I'll never get out of it what I put into it and whomever buys it will have to haul it away on a flatbed.

Sounds like you need a nice western/southern truck with a bazillion miles on it to swap your parts on to. You'd probably get another 10 years out of that rig with a Texas body/chassis under it, IMO, if you'd rather have the truck than the large financial loss.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Sounds like you need a nice western/southern truck with a bazillion miles on it to swap your parts on to. You'd probably get another 10 years out of that rig with a Texas body/chassis under it, IMO, if you'd rather have the truck than the large financial loss.

I bought a 2000 F150 4x4 with 50k miles on it that appears to have never been used as a truck for $6k and am just going to sell the Chevy heap at some point as I don't have the time or inclination to take on a project truck. If I were going to do a project it'd be a CJ-7 or the like. It hurts to take the loss, but I can barely get a spare weekend let alone the couple of weeks it would take, and I don't have a garage or any out of the weather place to work on it.

 

[maxwelhse]

I bought a 2000 F150 4x4 with 50k miles on it that appears to have never been used as a truck for $6k and am just going to sell the Chevy heap at some point as I don't have the time or inclination to take on a project truck. If I were going to do a project it'd be a CJ-7 or the like. It hurts to take the loss, but I can barely get a spare weekend let alone the couple of weeks it would take, and I don't have a garage or any out of the weather place to work on it.

I hear ya.

That would be a sweet drivetrain for a CJ-7 though...

 

[shibumiseeker]

I hear ya.

That would be a sweet drivetrain for a CJ-7 though...

Almost a classic!

I had a CJ-5 for many years. I still regret selling it.

 

[maxwelhse]

Almost a classic!

I had a CJ-5 for many years. I still regret selling it.

I don't fit in 5s worth anything... I'm looking at my TJ right now though!

 

[foszoe]

Unless you damaged something and can prove the brake lines were somehow temporarily "fixed" for a civil suit, I think you are stuck with the bill. I went for a 13 mile drive with a camper on the back the first stop felt squishy. The second, well thank goodness for a yellow light, I rolled right through it and using the emergency brake was able to get it off the road. Could be a lot worse. However, ask! A little honey does go a long way. Maybe they will or offer a discount to fix if from a dealer.

For those who read my previous post on bed size I finally settled on a PU truck, a 2004 Chevy Silverado 1500 extended cab. Got it up in Elkhart.

I took it for a test drive. It has some issues. I need to fix the fuel gauge, drivers side mirror needs new glass. There are several more issues, all of them relatively minor. The worst after talking to my local car guy was the fuel gauge, he guessed a simple fix could be a bad wire for $50 bucks or less to dropping the fuel tank and replacing the sensor for less than $500. Okay. I can live with slowly fixing minor things.

However, tonight I was out with friends and the brakes went out. A massive leak under the front drivers side.

First, I am well aware that I bought it "as is." I signed the binding arbitration paperwork. However, to my thinking as it is a potential safety issue is there any hope of contacting my attorney to see if I have any grounds to get them to pay for at least the unknown brake line / other(?) failure or do I just eat it? I am guessing that I just eat it and can live with that although I don't want to, but I understand it.

I just don't know if there is some caveat that due to the safety of the vehicle on the road if they had any responsibility to inspect it and fix it?

That's my simple question. I got it very slowly to my mechanic and will have them fix the issue this week. I'll post a picture or two when I get it back.

Regards,

Doug

 

[churchmouse]

I gave up trying to fix all of the problems on my '05 Silverado. The brake lines are notorious for rotting out on these. Mine did. The rust issues are horrible. The instrument cluster servos go out on virtually every one I've ever seen. You can replace the cluster for $500 or you can replace the servos for about $50 if you are handy with a soldering iron.

At 140k miles I parked mine after it accumulated too many problems and the coup de gras was the brake lines blowing out (I'd replaced several). I rebuilt the tranny at 130k, and had put new tires on it then too. I keep meaning to sell it because the engine and tranny are good and the tires are great, but it's low on my priority list because I'll never get out of it what I put into it and whomever buys it will have to haul it away on a flatbed.

As far as you issue, I doubt you can recover anything unless you can prove they knew this specific truck had an issue.

There are refurbished dash clusters available. I did this and it was right at $200 for it. You send the vin# and mileage and they flash the cluster with the info so the ECU will see it. Took me a whole 10 minutes to swap it into place.
Yeah the brake lines are a crap shoot but as I mentioned up thread you can splice in repair sections but it will still be more failures.
I repaired 2 sections and before I plowed into someone I opted to get the lines replaced. $1100 and bingo. Rolling again. That was 10K miles ago.

Here's the thing peoples, when the time bell rings things will fail. You either have a serious payment and roll a nice rig or you drive what you have and repair as you go. That is the way of things. It has always been this way but seriously, we get way more miles out of these trucks than we used to.

 

[maxwelhse]

Here's the thing peoples, when the time bell rings things will fail. You either have a serious payment and roll a nice rig or you drive what you have and repair as you go. That is the way of things. It has always been this way but seriously, we get way more miles out of these trucks than we used to.

Can confirm... Believe me I can.

To CM's point, the GMC I mentioned upstream was about to jump a timing tooth at like 130,000 miles and the factory Rochester never has been right (probably worn out bushings) for my entire adult life. For as legendary as the SBC reliability record is, a modern LS will put one to shame many times over.

I like my car payments to mostly go in my tool box drawers, so I drive junk and fix it and buy tools like I'm going to die if I don't (I might... you don't know!).

 

[GLOCKMAN23C]

These are known issues with these trucks. As-is means just that.

I bought my '03 Silverado with bad brake lines (all of them were leaking). In the process of removing the old lines I broke the deteriorating fuel lines. Both got stainless replacement lines. The cluster was toast. I sent it off and had the servos replaced.

 

[Libertarian01]

To Everyone,

I agree with the overall tenor of the responses. What I think I was looking for was if I had any rights that I am not aware of. I believe the answer is no and I am fine with this.

I know the truck is older and has some issues. I have zero problems with this. Every car or truck will have some problems that are endemic to each particular model. Some of the problems I was aware of and willing to deal with on my own. It just blindsided me on the brake failure. Thank God it was on a parking lot and not traveling 55mph down the highway!

I will deal with the issues and get them resolved. I am going to have my mechanic address the fuel gauge and brakes. These are important. I'll also have them make a list of issues they can find and address them in priority of safety and affordability.

I am not unhappy with the purchase. Overall the transmission works great, the engine is good and immaculate, and the interior is fine. The bed is good.

I just wish I had a few monthes of time between the purchase and the first problem instead of mere hours. Ce la vie.

I look forward to bringing it to the INGO youth shoot later this month.

Regards,

Doug

 

[maxwelhse]

I just wish I had a few monthes of time between the purchase and the first problem instead of mere hours. Ce la vie.

As some of us have said, reach out to the selling dealer (it sounds like you bought from a dealer) and tell them just that. You never know what they'll say versus having an unhappy customer. Frankly, if they even covered half of the brake lines, I'd personally be a happy camper. That's a nightmare job.

 

[Hoosier Carry]

Sue!Sue!Sue!

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Sue!Sue!Sue!

[video=youtube;WOHPuY88Ry4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOHPuY88Ry4[/video]

 

[4651feeder]

Reading the suggestions to reach out to the dealer if one was involved, causes me to wonder how many reputable dealers would even have a 17 yr old vehicle on their lot to sell?

 

[maxwelhse]

Reading the suggestions to reach out to the dealer if one was involved, causes me to wonder how many reputable dealers would even have a 17 yr old vehicle on their lot to sell?

Reputable is a probably relative term, but those trucks still bring decent money and I imagine they move pretty quickly so they're just a cash register for any dealer. Notice OP drove over an hour to buy the one he got.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Reputable is a probably relative term, but those trucks still bring decent money and I imagine they move pretty quickly so they're just a cash register for any dealer. Notice OP drove over an hour to buy the one he got.

This anecdote is a few years old so who knows if it still holds but I retell it to support your statement... My wife was buying a used car from a local used car lot. They have a pretty good reputation and we’ve bought several cars from them over the years. They’ve pretty well stood behind what they’ve sold us. As she was completing the paper work, they asked if I was interested in selling them my ‘03 GMC. They told me they have a hard time getting good ones and told me they can flip them pretty fast, even if they’re not in the best, show room condition.

 

[maxwelhse]

They told me they have a hard time getting good ones and told me they can flip them pretty fast, even if they’re not in the best, show room condition.

4x4 pickups of any modern lineage are like gold in this part of the country. I've been sniffing around "beater" condition trucks for a few years now and it's like an $8500 minimum just to get your foot in the door for a complete pile. A nice, 15-20 year old, extended cab, Chevy 1500 with under 150k on it seems to be about 10 grand and up, if you're lucky. Could just be what I've seen too.

Up here in the land of insane salt, I've seen multiple guys spend big money on total rot boxes of trucks lately and just put bushwacker flares on them to hide it for a few more years.

I can't imagine having a payment on a vehicle that I have to hide HUGE amounts of rust on, but they do it every day up here...

 

[HoughMade]

Based upon the "binding arbitration" statement, I'm assuming this was bought from a dealership?

Assuming a true "AS-IS" transaction, I don't have much in the way of legal advice, though misrepresentations of fact that are not mere "puffery" could be the basis of something. (saying "we just fixed this or inspected that vs. saying "it's a great truck" or some such). However, I am not hearing that.

My better advice comes from my profession before I was a lawyer. I sold used trucks. Whether we had an obligation to do so or not, something like this we would fix. It helped if the customer was nice, reasonable and not yelling.