Ugh. I CAN'T win!!

[Goofyexponent]

Let me start from the beginning.

Friday night, we got a HUGE snowstorm. This meant that I had to make sure that our clients were plowed out be no later than Saturday morning.

To do this, I fixed a "partner"s truck who plows with us (there are 3 of us grouped together) so he could plow out a 78 year old sienor woman that lives by herself.

Fast forward to yesterday. I get a phone call in the morning that this woman was not plowed out. The guy who was supposed to do it was not answering his phone and my plow brackets didn't come until suppertime last night.

I asked if I should go shovel it, but my other partner said he would do it after work.

1030 last night, I get a call that he is JUSt getting home from work and couldn't do it (not his problem, he works LONG hours) so I said I would do it this morning.

I thought to myself if something happened last night, I woudn't forgive myself if an ambulance couldn't get up her driveway...so I went ahead and plowed it last night. Told her to keep her money, that we dropped the ball and this one was on me!

The BFgoodrich Mud Terrain KM2's that are on it are in decent shape with 60%+ tread...but they SUCK inteh snow!!!

So I come home, go to bed and get up this morning to install the other tires that came with my explorer. They are screwed. weather cracked on one side (all 4) steel belts showing and the rims will not even fit my truck!!!!

I contacted the original owner and flew into him. He took me for a ride onthis deal and he sort of just laughs at me...says it's my fault for not checking the truck over befor eI took it.

Well, I was so sick at the time I could barely get up to walk outside to stand there and look at it, let alone crawl under it. I took his word (BIG mistake, I am an honnest guy!!!) and he left me witht his truck that I can't even run now!!

The intake gaskets are leaking (found it this mroning) and the tires are no good int he snow, the brakes are in need of replacement, the front end needs to be rebushed.....but this clown said all is good to go!!

I've been buying vehicles for almost 14 years now, only been burnt once before this, and it was when I was 17 and didn't know much about vehicles.

I guess I got to either knuckle down and deal with this legally, or try and put it on the road safely.

 

[koda2000]

I know you don't want to hear this right now, but... Buyer Beware. It was up to you to check out what you're buying, even if you have to spend some money to have a professional mechanic check it out for you. You're old enough (experienced enough) to know you shouldn't trust anyone when it comes to a used vehicle. I bought two 12+ year old vehicles last year, and I crawled all over them and test drove them before I put my money down. As a result of my due diligence, there have been few surprise repairs needed. I don't know that I asked the sellers any questions that I didn't already know the answer to, just to see if they'd lie to me. If they were lying, I walked away.

As far as you seeking any legal alternative, in the U.S. in most states you're gonna be SOL (I don't know about Nova Scotia law) because unless the seller gave you some sort of written warranty, you bought the vehicle "As Is".

I'm sorry to hear about your situation, but basically you just learned another of life's expensive lessons. Trust no one (or trust, but verify).

 

[swshawaii]

koda2000 couldn't have said it any better. Buyer beware, especially when it's a private party sale.

 

[1996BLKBauer]

This is why I pay a little more to buy from dealers, if the truck is crap, I can bring it back under our lemon laws. That sucks that you got burned though, I never ever trust anybody when buying something, When I buy something, I always take it to my trusted family mechanic.

 

[Goofyexponent]

I should have known better than to trust someone, but all the years I have dealts with buying and selling vehicles, I got burnt the one time I bought a truck off a large local dealer's lot.

The back brakes were worn down the the point where she brake pad squeakers should have been squeaking, but they took them and bent them back so they would wear the rotors out by the pad's rivets digging into the rotor.

I got the metal on metal and went back. They wouldn't do a THING for me.

ALL new brakes on a 1999 Silverado LT 4x4 out of my pocket.......NOT happy!!

Best part is, this guy is using(well it cost me $2000 to get your old truck up to snuff"

I was scratching my head until he said he had to buy a wheel bearing (I had one here new in the box along with other parts he agreed to come get, and never showed, because he know I'd find all the stuff wrong with the truck) and then buy a fisher plow.

I had to laugh. He said he had to buy a fisher plow. There was no plow with the truck, and I never thought that to have a truck road worthy, that you needed to install a plow on it.

But enough about this clown.

Time to knuckle down and get this thing road worthy. I got a few hours coming up doing mechanic work for a friend's fleet of plows. At least I am getting some $$!!!

 

[Cranmaro99]

You wont win legally. Sales like this are "as is"

It's all on you now. Sell it or fix it. That's all. Whether the previous owner knew the intake gaskets were blown or not has NO issue to the sale unless he signed a document stating "intake gaskets are fine" and signed it. Which no one does. Good luck, and dont spin your wheels with legal **** when you wont win, this is how it works.

 

[Goofyexponent]

What about emails where he explained this was a turn key truck. Needed nothing and was 100% operational?

 

[deweyville65]

I think you got screwed. Live with it. It isn't the first mistake you ever made, and won't be the last. And, you aren't the only one that ever got taken. Just chalk it up yo experience. Trust me. After all, I bought a used Explorer, gave way too much money for it, and waiting for the day when I can get rid of the POS.