Photo: Ford
Dealerships are, at least in theory, trusted sellers of used vehicles, and this is one of the main reasons people end up reaching out to them whenever they’re in search of a new car.
However, one recent case brought to light by the Haines family in Flagler County proves that always doing your homework before buying a new car is mandatory no matter the seller.
Brandon Haines found the 2019 Ford F-350 he was looking for at Bill Bryan Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Fruitland Park back in May, and given everything looked just right, he decided to go for it.
A month later, when he took the truck to another dealership for an oil change, the staff told him something that came as a shock: the Ford F-350 he just bought was reported stolen. After checking out the VIN code, the serial code didn’t even match a 2019 F-350, so after further inspection, they discovered that the purchased vehicle was actually the model year 2017.
It was two years older than the dealership told the buyer it was, as it turns out, some features typically available on an MY 2019 were missing.
The truck was stolen from a dealership in Colorado, and the VIN tag on the door came right off – this is a sign that the thief tried to fake the numbers and make it harder for law enforcement to track it down.
Needless to say, the police impounded the Ford, with the customer then reaching out to the dealership and the bank to ask for the money back and to cancel the loan. The Haines claimed they ended up hitting several roadblocks during the talks with the dealership, so they eventually decided to move the dispute to court.
As per the local media, the man eventually filed a lawsuit against both the dealer and the bank, claiming it was all just a breach of contract. While it took many months for a response to be offered, the dealership reportedly reached out to the customer earlier this month to inform him that a settlement was on the table and waiting for the green light from the insurance company.
Brandon Haines found the 2019 Ford F-350 he was looking for at Bill Bryan Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Fruitland Park back in May, and given everything looked just right, he decided to go for it.
A month later, when he took the truck to another dealership for an oil change, the staff told him something that came as a shock: the Ford F-350 he just bought was reported stolen. After checking out the VIN code, the serial code didn’t even match a 2019 F-350, so after further inspection, they discovered that the purchased vehicle was actually the model year 2017.
It was two years older than the dealership told the buyer it was, as it turns out, some features typically available on an MY 2019 were missing.
The truck was stolen from a dealership in Colorado, and the VIN tag on the door came right off – this is a sign that the thief tried to fake the numbers and make it harder for law enforcement to track it down.
Needless to say, the police impounded the Ford, with the customer then reaching out to the dealership and the bank to ask for the money back and to cancel the loan. The Haines claimed they ended up hitting several roadblocks during the talks with the dealership, so they eventually decided to move the dispute to court.
As per the local media, the man eventually filed a lawsuit against both the dealer and the bank, claiming it was all just a breach of contract. While it took many months for a response to be offered, the dealership reportedly reached out to the customer earlier this month to inform him that a settlement was on the table and waiting for the green light from the insurance company.
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