The first clue should have been when he told me I was free to report any value I wanted when buying a car from him and getting it titled in Ohio to reduce my sales tax. He told me all the positive attributes about the car - things to help establish the value and his asking price. It was in great shape, had new tires, was a recent new car trade, and he bought if direct from the dealer just this week. I traveled from Columbus (112 miles), drove the car, negotiated the price, then he showed me the title. He told me five times he had nothing to hide (another clue?).
When I reviewed the title it was marked ""Rebuilt Vehicle"". When I asked what that designation meant in Kentucky - he said it just had minor fender damage when it was new, and ""you know how those insurance companies are""... Said he checked it all out with his friend at the Toyotal dealer where he bought it. I stepped outside to call the BMV, who told me that in Kentucky a Rebuilt Title is issued after significant damage, and after an inspection to certify it is roadworthy. I went back inside and presented this information to Randy, who stuck to his story that it was minor damage and no big deal.
I then used the VIN from the title to purchase a CarFax. It revealed that the 2004 Corolla he claimed had minor damage when it was new, had actually been declared a total loss in November, 2005, and the damage was greater than 75% of the pre-damage value of the car. The 12/14/05 CarFax entry says: SALVAGE TITLE/CERTIFICATE ISSUED - Damage Disclosure reported - Severe damage reported.
I asked Randy if he didnt think it would be more proper to reveal the salvage status prior to making the trip from out of state, or prior to negotiating a price. His response was that he knew other dealers that sold 30-40 salvage cars a month and they didnt tell their customers beforehand, so why should he? He ten told me that some customers buy the CarFax BEFORE coming to look at the car. He was telling me in a nice way that smart people dont trust him and do their homework before buying from him.
My point is that having a ""Salvage Title"" is material to the valuation of the car. He should have revealed that along with all the other things affecting the valuation of the car. When pressed on this point, he justified this by comparing himself to one of his friends in the car business. Second, he told me this was a new car trade he got from the Toyota dealer a few miles away, but the CarFax report last entry shows an auction sale on 5/25/09, so he did not get it from the local Toyota dealer. Finally, I am concerned that he completely mis-represented the damage done to the car prior to offering it to me for sale. His only consolation was that I didnt have to buy the car if I didnt want to... BTW the VIN is 2T1BR32E14C276031.
I wont judge Randy or his business for people reading this. You can decide if this is someone you want to trust with a large purchase. I am just providing honest, relevant information. Good luck on your decision.
Pros: Convincing sales pitch
Cons: Withheld information until negotiation completed
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