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The US Sun
I bought an $11k van that broke down after leaving the lot – dealership covered up holes & rust but won’t give a refund
By Rebecca Lee,
7 hours ago
A DRIVER has been asking for help after spending thousands on a wheelchair transport van they claim they were sold with major issues.
Lisa and Scott Geibel needed a special vehicle for their daughter who is in a wheelchair but said they purchased one from an auto dealer that didn’t even make it home before breaking down.
Lisa Geibel said that the owner of the dealership told the family that he could put them in the van ‘as is’ at that price CBS The family said they didn’t even make it home before the car broke down CBS Catie Geibel’s mom said the car salesman has ‘become a predator of people with disabilities’ CBS
The couple’s 33-year-old daughter Catie is in stage 4 renal failure, CBS News affiliate KDKA-TV reported.
When they first started looking for wheelchair-accessible vehicle options, they expected to be spending up to $90,000.
The family claims they bought a used 2010 Chrysler van from 1st Quality Auto Mall in Tallmadge, Ohio for $11,000.
Lisa said that the owner of the dealership told the family that he could put them in the van ‘as is’ at that price.
“The outside appearance looked great, and the inside looked great,” the mom said.
The family said they didn’t even make it home before the car broke down.
Once they took it in for an inspection in Pennsylvania , they said that more issues were discovered than they expected.
“There’s a hole in the frame that’s filled with puddy,” Lisa shared with KDKA-TV.
“There are holes in the floor. There’s rust, it’s covered with black spray paint and tar and looks to be spray foam insulation.”
When she called 1st Quality Auto Mall to fix the problems, the mom was told that all sales were final.
“It’s as is, and basically,” Lisa stressed.
“He’s not doing anything.”
The family didn’t give up on getting the situation rectified and tried calling the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General who said it was actually an issue to take up with Ohio officials.
They said they would have liked to help them, but Ohio’s laws on the matter are different from Pennsylvania’s.
Dealership Tips
Here are some expert tips when purchasing a car from a dealership lot:
1. Set your price: Ensure you’ve calculated your monthly budget before going to the lot. You should include the car’s loan payment, insurance costs, fuel, and regular maintenance.
2. Research: Make sure you know which cars you’re interested in test driving before you reach the dealership.
3. Pre-approval: Secure financing before you go to the dealership. Dealerships may give you a better interest rate if they are competing with an outside bank.
4. Test away: Get behind the wheel before making any payments. A car purchase will be worth thousands of dollars – drivers should ensure they like the drivetrain, steering feel, and comfort of the car before taking it off the lot
5. Haggle: Drivers should always try to negotiate the price. There are so many good cars on the American market – buyers have a strong hand when negotiating price.
“Ohio has an as-is law that protects the dealer, not the consumer,” Lisa Geibel said.
When she finally reached out to KDKA-TV for help, the owner of 1st Quality Auto Mall told the news team that the Geibels signed the paperwork and knew what they were buying.
The salesman said that the dealership didn’t guarantee anything to the family about the van.
“I was just here to sell the vehicle,” the owner of 1st Quality Auto Mall told KDKA-TV.
“We’re not Walmart. We don’t take returns.”
While the car salesman said that he is just someone trying to run his business, Lisa stressed that he’s “become a predator of people with disabilities.”
1st Quality Auto Mall did not immediately respond to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
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