The Car Store, Inc. The Car Store of Tampa Bay Does not stand behind their vehicles Seffner, Florida

@ Flynrider - Phoenix (, USA)

I understand that while there was no written warranty and that legally, the company doesn't need to stand behind their product, an acknowledgement and apology for the problems would have made a world of difference.

I didn't make it clear that the buyer (our 23-year old son) was buying this vehicle in Florida, not his native state. Being from another state with strong consumer protection laws as well as a used-car lemon law, in his youth and naivete, he thought all states had the same protection.

There's no question that his ignorance of the law and trust in the word of the dealer were his own mistakes.

And since the breakdowns, after having spoken to various parties at The Car Store of Tampa Bay, it seemed pretty clear that they knew the condition of the vehicle they were selling and were happy to unload it.

@ coast - (, USA)

It's a 2005 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck.

Again, although there's no legal obligation for this dealership to stand behind the faulty vehicle they sold, they could have and should have responded to and returned phone calls that began within 2 hours of the initial breakdown and shortly after purchase. Good communication is the key in dealing with an unhappy customer, even if the final outcome is not going to satisfy all parties involved.

Whether or not this vehicle was known to be a lemon or not, it was the handling of the problem that is now at issue.

Word of mouth can be the best or the worst type of advertising.

What is the make & model of the truck?

"I'll begin by saying that I understand that no extended warranty was implied nor purchased"

You say that you understand, yet you seem to be expecting the seller to cover the problems. When you buy a used vehicle "as is" you should not expect the seller to fix the vehicle if it breaks down. Forget the fluff in their advertisements. The only thing that counts is what is on the contracts you signed.

"She didn't have an answer as to why they were charging top dollar ($17.5K) for a car "expected to have problems.""

I don't follow your logic. A seller will charge whatever a buyer is willing to pay. Your assumption that by paying more you'll get a better vehicle is flawed.

The only way to protect yourself in a used car deal is to have the vehicle checked out by a trusted mechanic BEFORE you sign on the dotted line. Getting a history report from Carfax or Autocheck is also a good idea. Bottom line, when you buy "as is" with no warranty, anything that goes wrong after the sale is on you. As such, you need to do all you can to protect your interests. Used car salesman have become icons of shadiness (for good reason). Trusting that they have your best intrests at heart is naive at best.

While I'm not saying I approve of used car dealers selling crappy cars to people that don't do their homework, I do want to point out that they all do it (as do private sellers). It's just a matter of protecting your interests in the transaction.