I bought a new car that broke on drive home – the dealership made a mistake but now they refuse to give me a refund

A MOTORIST who scooped her dream car was heartbroken when it broke down on the way home.

Tierra Snell bagged an eye-catching Chevy Trax at her local dealership in San Antonio but things quickly took a turn for the terrible.

KENS 5

KENS 5

“Before I got home the AC stopped working,” Tierra claimed to KENS 5 .

“Anytime I stopped, the car would start shaking really hard.”

Tierra forked out for the motor at Auto City Finance but the lot sold her the car under the business name “Cars 4 Sale.”

But after taking the vehicle for a spin, a diagnostic check at AutoZone found that the touch screen on the car’s console wasn’t working.

Moreover, Tierra claimed she was driving a 2015 Chevy Trax instead of the 2016 Chevy Trax she had signed the contract for.

“I start to realize… that’s not my VIN number. That’s not my mileage!” she said.

Tierra reportedly attempted to exchange the car for the correct model but claims the dealer refused to.

KENS 5 reportedly visited the lot where the vehicle was sold and were allegedly told by someone there that the issue had simply been a big misunderstanding.

According to the outlet, the individual added that they were working in conjunction with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to fix the contract with the correct Chevy – which can prove to be an awkward process.

“The dealer can’t just scratch out the VIN number and say, ‘Ok, here is the right contract.’” Consumer Protection Attorney Bill Clanton said.

“Each of the documents would have to be re-written with the correct VIN number and then re-signed by the consumer and the dealer.”

“If the consumer doesn’t want the vehicle they can say ‘give me my money back.’”

On June 5, Snell was finally issued her refund.

The dealership threw in an extra $1,000, too.

Tips on buying a used car

When looking to buy a used car, U.S. News & World Report experts have a few tips before walking onto the sales lot.

1. Set a realistic budget. Some cars are more expensive to insure and register than others depending on engine type, body style, weight, and the amount of doors. Before being swindled by a crafty salesman, it’s important to know what you can and can’t afford.
2. Researching what car would fit best into your lifestyle can save a lot of time. Would a sedan work better for your garage or narrow street? Would a truck meet hauling or towing needs? Knowing what suits your needs can narrow down your options.
3. Look into certified pre-owned cars. Certified pre-owned cars are backed by the manufacturer and come with comprehensive warranties at affordable prices. Some manufacturers have better deals on CPO cars, so research diligently.
4. Not all financing options are created equal. Depending on where you look to finance, if that’s on the table, be very careful about who you finance with. Your best option would be to get preapproved by your bank before going in to give you an idea of what rates are affordable, and to give a dealership incentive to meet or beat those rates.
5. Consider a used car inspection. Depending on where you’re buying a vehicle from, you can opt to pay roughly $200 for a used car inspection to have key components examined by an expert.
6. Consider a vehicle history report. When things get close to signing, buying a vehicle history report based on the VIN can help clarify the previous owners, maintenance records (if it was taken to a dealership), title status, and more.

Source: U.S. News and World Report

Snell was overjoyed to have the vehicle off of her hands, and her money back.

She told reporters the media attention is what helped speed the investigation along.

“They mentioned that because of your segment on KENS 5 it sped up the process and they could look into it a little bit sooner,” she said.

After the interview, she said she plans to use the money to buy a different car.

However, she hopes her story inspires others with similar issues to seek help.

“Take advantage of the rights that you have and get yourself help,” said Snell.

“Situations happen like this all the time but you can’t just sit back and take it.”