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Watching out for Fraud

35 messages,  Last post on Feb 23, 2013 at 3:07 PM

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Messages Page 3 of 4

#16 of 35 Re: Trade in values [tidester] by jwilliams2

Aug 17, 2009 (5:05 am)

Replying to: tidester (Aug 17, 2009 12:49 am)
Tidester, I don't understand your point. The dealer only gets what the salvage yard pays him for the disabled car. Most dealers want no part of dismantling junkers and selling used parts. They just want it off their lot as soon as possible. The salvage yard will certainly profit, but I'm not sure how the dealer stands to profit.

#17 of 35 Re: Trade in values [jwilliams2] by tidester

Aug 17, 2009 (9:34 am)

Replying to: jwilliams2 (Aug 17, 2009 5:05 am)
The law specifically states that the dealer must inform the customer of the scrap value of the clunker and it specifically states that the dealer may retain $50 for administrative costs. Naturally, that leads to the question of who gets the proceeds from the scrap. I am not lawyer but that wording suggest to me that the scrap funds should go to the customer.
 
If the (all) money was intended to be retained by the dealer then why specifically require the dealer to inform the customer? Perhaps someone can enlighten me.
 
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

#18 of 35 Re: Trade in values [tidester] by jwilliams2

Aug 17, 2009 (10:17 am)

Replying to: tidester (Aug 17, 2009 9:34 am)
Again, scrap value to the dealer is the amount the salvage yard is willing to pay him and haul it off. If it is $100, he should pass on the extra $50 to the customer. If it is only $50, then the customer gets nothing. If the salvage yard wants to charge the dealer $50 to come get it, then I guess the dealer has to eat that amount. I think that is the extent of the dealers responsibility.
 
I can't imagine the government wants the customer auditing the salvage yards to find out what parts they salvaged and how much they sold them for a year down the road.

#19 of 35 Re: Trade in values [tidester] by volvomax

Aug 17, 2009 (11:08 am)

Replying to: tidester (Aug 17, 2009 12:49 am)
The most VALUABLE part of any scrap car is the engine/transmission. In most cases these are still in working condition if the car is scrapped. Most common reason for scrapping is an accident. The rest of the car has very little value. Most interior trim pieces cannot be removed safely and the exterior panels are usually too beat up to be of any real value. Aftermarket parts are quite cheap for most cars as well as being brand new or remanufactured. So, you are down to recycling the metal. Given the influx of metal, prices will go down, A scrap yard just MIGHT make a couple or three hundred on such a car, but it isn't a great profit margin.

#20 of 35 Re: Trade in values [volvomax] by nortsr1

Aug 17, 2009 (12:26 pm)

Replying to: volvomax (Aug 17, 2009 11:08 am)
A lot of them take off the wheels, pop the windshields. possibly fenders, hoods. I know this is stretching the point, but most of the scrap yards I went to worked this way!!
  When I was younger, many a day I spent at the junk yard looking for a certain whatever. A lot of the bigger scrap yards now, actually have a computer based inventory.

#21 of 35 Watch-out - Fraud- Springfield Acura - NJ by ramiel

Sep 02, 2010 (9:31 am)

On August 2010 we purchased a 2007 Mercedes GL450 from Ibrahim Galabi and Bill Renau at Springfield Acura, in Springfield NJ. We were told that the vehicle had a navigation system, and we needed to wait for the DVD, which they had ordered, for the system to work. We were also informed that the vehicle had satellite radio and we would need to subscribe in order to activate it and was Bluetooth capable, and we needed to pair our phone with the vehicle in order to set it up. Upon returning home we attempted to activate our satellite radio, only to be informed by the provider that the car was satellite ready but did not have a receiver and that would cost $200 plus installation. We also tried to pair our phone with the vehicle, when we were unable, we called Mercedes and were informed that this vehicle did not have Bluetooth capabilities. When we went to the dealership on August …2010 to have the navigation set up in the vehicle, we were informed that it did not in fact have a navigation system. We researched getting one installed through Mercedes Benz and the cost would be $6000. Bill Renau, the general manager, informed us that he would correct this matter immediately, and for the time being we should use the vehicle that we had purchased until he could find a suitable replacement meeting the specifications of the vehicle we believed we had purchased. On Septmeber 1, 2010 we spoke to Ibrahim Galabi, our sales representative who sold us the vehicle, and he informed us that he was not able to get a comparable vehicle but was able to secure a 2008 but it would be an additional $5000 out of pocket for us. They also offered us $600-700 if we would be willing to keep the original vehicle. This setup was a scam, a play off of the traditional bait and switch. We were sold a vehicle which we believed met all of our required specifications, only to be informed after we had paid for it, that it did not have the amenities we were looking for and that in order to get those we needed to pay an extra $5000.

#22 of 35 Re: Watch-out - Fraud- Springfield Acura - NJ [ramiel] by jipster

Sep 02, 2010 (9:58 am)

Replying to: ramiel (Sep 02, 2010 9:31 am)
The General Manager didn't keep his word. I'd call corporate Mercedes and complain. You should either get the items that were promised, or the money that they cost, If corporate doesn't put some pressure on Mercedes to accomodate you, you can always take the dealership to small claims court. Or, you can counter offer. Tell them you want $2,500... or whatever you think reasonable.

#23 of 35 Re: Watch-out - Fraud- Springfield Acura - NJ [jipster] by jwilliams2

Sep 02, 2010 (12:39 pm)

Replying to: jipster (Sep 02, 2010 9:58 am)
Well, if the car was purchased at an Acura dealer, I'm not sure what Mercedes-Benz corporate can do. You might be better off insisting that they take the car back and return your money so you can buy a correct vehicle.

#24 of 35 Re: Watch-out - Fraud- Springfield Acura - NJ [jipster] by isellhondas

Sep 03, 2010 (7:01 am)

Replying to: jipster (Sep 02, 2010 9:58 am)
Mercedes won't do anyting. Why should they?
 
He bought it from an Acura dealer as a USED car.
 
You have to be very careful selling those cars! They "appear" to have a NAVI screen but it's not! Some even have a NAVI button that may cause someone to assume the car has NAVI when it doesn't!
 
This means the car is "prepped" to have NAVI installed. I didn't think it was anywhere near that much money though.
 
My guess is that the inexperienced dealer saw the NAVI button and assumed it had it. Making a dumb assumption will bite you every time. I doubt that fraud was involved just ignorance.
 
I would ask them to unwind the deal or refund whatever you think is fair.
 
BTW, the Mercedes NAVI systems weren't that great. For under 300.00 you can buy a nice Garmin or other system and getting a Bluetooth adapter is no big deal either.

#25 of 35 Re: Trade in values [volvomax] by cadillacmike

Oct 26, 2011 (8:43 am)

Replying to: volvomax (Aug 17, 2009 11:08 am)
Yes its over a year old, but this is just plain wrong.
 
Sure the most valuable thing in an scrapped car is the engine / transmission, and yes most cars are scrapped because of an accident, but your logic on everything else is non-existent. I don't know what you are seeing , but what I've seen is a lot different. The seats and interior panels can all be removed very easily as can the dashboard and all interior electronics. I've pretty much taken my convertibles apart more than once to clean / repair / replace. Exterior parts - except for the accident area are usually all usable as well. Sure some cars are trashed - usually the 12-25 year old ones. Newer ones have a lot of usable items in them. If the wheels weren't trashed, some of these factory chrome wheels are worth $500 EACH. I know my ElDorado's wheels were worth that much, when it got hit.
 
But car dealers don't want to have any part of this - it's the salvage / recycle (aka junkyards) that are doing this and they are making money - and not soley off engines & transmissions!
 
So yes scrap value to the dealer is usually less than $500.

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