‘Always [Do] Your Diligence:' Facebook Marketplace Customer Buys Car in Walmart Parking Lot. Then His Mechanic Checks the Carfax

Motor 1

11 hours ago

A man documenting the start of his own auto dealership posted a viral TikTok showing the pitfalls of
Facebook Marketplace
car purchases.
Anthony (@anthonyv299) begins his video with a recording of an auto shop. Inside the garage is a Toyota Sequoia hoisted high above a group of auto techs. They saunter around the vehicle as the TikToker issues a warning to his viewers. Emphatically, he highlights the car as a prime example of why folks should steer clear of
Facebook Marketplace
.
'This is why you never buy a car [on] marketplace at a Walmart parking lot at 8 o'clock at night,' he says.
Next, he continues with his story. 'My mechanic sent me this video of a customer of his that came to the shop,' he says. At this point in the clip, the cameraman begins to inspect the Sequoia's underbelly. On the right side of the car's front axle, a broken component can be seen jiggling in place. Immediately, it appears that something is off, which Anthony confirms is the case.
Unfortunately, the damage to the vehicle isn't a cheap fix, either. 'He was told that the car had suspension issues. Well, it's not [the] suspension; it's the rack and pinion. So that's a huge [expletive] expense,' he says.
High Mileage
However, that wasn't the only problem with the car, either. According to Anthony, the Sequoia was also much worse for wear than its odometer reading indicated.
He says, 'And now, the car on the odometer reads 170,000 miles, but he didn't run the Carfax, and guess what? The Carfax says 300,000 miles. So, they definitely rolled back those miles.'
The person recording the video pans down to a phone screen. Indeed, the Carfax reads that this particular vehicle has accrued 297,987 miles of road travel.
'And that's not even the worst part,' Anthony says. 'The car drives like [expletive], and looks like there's a problem with the ABS module. They put the scanner and the codes come up on the scanner, but not on the dash.'
Following this, the person recording the clip shows the disassembled dash component. A finger can be seen hovering over the section that indicates oil levels and warning lights for service issues. Then, the finger lifts up this panel to reveal small pieces of black tape. They've been strategically affixed to the warning lights, effectively blocking them out. At first glance, one would assume that there isn't anything wrong with the car. 'They put … tape all over the lights so that the buyer wouldn't know,' Anthony says.
Facebook Marketplace Woes
Anthony highlighted this incident as the type of worst-case scenario that can occur with private sales. He urges folks to spend some more money when buying a vehicle by visiting a dealership with a good reputation.
He says, 'And these people just screwed him over and now the customer's screwed. He can't do anything about it. You know why? Because he has no information from the seller. This is why you spend a little bit more money and you buy from a reputable dealership, all right? You pay a little bit more, but you get a better car.'
Used Car Sales: Private vs. Dealership
There are pros and cons to purchasing a car from an individual seller vs a dealership. However, according to
AutoTrader
, there are identical precautions buyers should consider with each process. For instance, thoroughly assessing a vehicle's history on the road and in the shop. Utilizing a service like Carfax, which scans every car's individual VIN, can help. Accidents, especially ones that cause significant damage to a car, are likely to be reported. If the Carfax displays that a car's been in a fender bender, the buyer can inspect this particular area of the vehicle.
Furthermore, Carfaxes include the number of owners a car has had in addition to its maintenance records. If a car has been passed around like a hot potato, this could mean that numerous drivers were unhappy with it.
Additionally, as Anthony showed in his video, the Carfax will give an accurate reading of the car's odometer, which can tell you if its total mileage has been scaled back.
Autotrader also states that securing a loan for a private purchase may be more difficult than acquiring one at a dealership. This is because financiers see purchases via a certified business like dealerships as a safer enterprise than going with a private seller.
Moreover, should anything go wrong with the vehicle, a dealer has more to lose than, let's say, the guy in a Walmart parking lot. And, as AutoTrader puts it, owner-to-owner sales often don't come with any 'consumer protections.'
Pre-Inspection on Private Sales
However, buying privately could ultimately net you a better price. But when buying anything, the age-old adage applies: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. This is where vehicle pre-purchase inspections (PPIs) come in handy.
J.D. Power and Associates
states that auto techs usually charge anywhere from $100 to $200 to inspect a vehicle. Buyers looking for a car can locate a mechanic who offers this service. Next, they can request that the seller meet them at a shop to inspect the vehicle. This way, the service tech can inform them of any issues to look out for, so they know what they're getting into prior to buying a ride from a private seller.
And if the car turns out to be a dud, then it's much better to lose $200 than be on the hook for thousands in repairs. Finally, if you're buying a car privately, be sure to get everything in writing. Verbal agreements are very difficult to enforce or prove in a legal dispute.
Used Cars on Facebook Marketplace
There's no shortage of horror stories from buyers who've shelled out their hard-earned cash to private sellers. One Redditor shared their own experience on the site's
r/AskLawyers sub
. They bought the vehicle for $5,500 and thought everything seemed fine after a test drive. However, upon cruising around in the vehicle for a few weeks, they noticed that it became more and more difficult to start.
Finally, the car just wouldn't turn on, forcing its new owner to coordinate efforts with co-workers to get it running. It did, but just long enough so he could get it to a shop. Unfortunately, the mechanic there informed him of some bad news. The ride's engine wasn't churning out a high enough PSI, necessitating an entirely new engine. They tried going the Lemon Law route, but were advised they'd have a better bet taking the seller to small claims court.
Commenters who replied to the unlucky customer's Reddit upload informed them that Facebook Marketplace purchases are 'always buyer beware.'
Another Private Sale Scam
Another hapless buyer shared a similar situation on
Avvo's
legal forum. According to them, just two days into their '02 Chevy Blazer purchase, the car's head gasket began leaking. Furthermore, 'the engine locked up, and the suspension and steering [started] falling apart.'
An attorney informed them that their claim for damages 'won't be easy.' That's because 'the law is very different from a car dealer sale.' Moreover, they explained that 'in most states the only obligation on the seller is to answer the buyer's questions honestly.'
Additionally, the attorney stated the buyer would need some kind of written statement acknowledged by the seller pertaining to guarantees on the car's performance. Without that, proving fault in court could be a tall order. In any event, however, the legal rep recommended filing a claim sooner rather than later. Putting it off only benefits the seller, who could argue that any damage to the vehicle happened after the sale.
Commenters Sound Off
Folks who replied to Anthony's video had varying opinions. One person said that buying from a dealer isn't necessarily a safe bet, either. 'Dealerships scam you too,' they penned.
Another TikTok user shared that scammers will often try and foist inoperable Toyotas on used car buyers. Presumably, this is due to the
manufacturer's reputation for reliability
. 'Scams are always in Toyotas, but buyer fault 100%' they wrote.
However, there were some folks who said they've previously purchased cars in parking lots from private sellers, and their experiences were actually positive. 'Bought and sold cars in parking lots. No issues,' one wrote.
And then there were those who said simple pre-inspection measures could've protected the buyer from purchasing a dud. Purchasing a car diagnostic scanning tool can save used car buyers from costly fixes, as can a Carfax VIN check. 'You can buy on marketplace but clearly bro didn't even use a scanner,' one person wrote.
Motor1
has reached out to Anthony via TikTok comment for further information.
Now Trending
'Make Sure You Understand:' Dealership Worker Shares First Thing You Need to Do After Buying a New Car. But Does Anyone Bother?
'Check the Card Slot as Well:' Chevron Customer Issues Warning on Using Tap-To-Pay for Gas. Then He Shows What to Look For
Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily.
back
Sign up
For more information, read our
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Use
.
Share this Story
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Flipboard
Reddit
WhatsApp
E-Mail
Got a tip for us? Email:
[e-mail]
Join the conversation
(
)