‘I Got Scammed:' Man Buys Volkswagen From Italy. Then He Sees the Sticker Over the Check Engine Light

Motor 1

5 days ago

A man who purchased a used Volkswagen from Italy got hit with the old sticker-on-the-check engine light scam. European car seller Cars & Millions (@carsandmillionsclips) documented his disappointment in a viral clip that's garnered more than 1.6 million views on the popular social media platform.
He records the video from the interior of the Volkswagen in question. Furthermore, a text overlay that's visible from the onset of the post delineates his problem with the car purchase: 'I got scammed buying a car from Italy.'
The salesman's voice can be heard narrating off-camera as he focuses on the vehicle's dash cluster. 'Check this out man. I bought a car from [expletive] Italy man.' As he speaks, his left hand can be seen reaching toward the dash display. Next, he starts to tug at what seems to be a sticker placed over the screen showing the car's speedometer and navigation screen. On the bottom portion of this section, a low tire pressure icon is shown beneath the GPS map. Moreover, the car shows that it has more than 121,000 miles on the odometer.
Volkswagen Sticker Shock
As he tugs on the sticker, the TikToker can be heard laughing. 'I can't believe my eyes, look at this. Look man. They [expletive] taped the engine light.' As he says this, he peels back a black strip of tape, revealing an orange check engine light symbol. It appears that the tape was perfectly cut to align with the shape of the cluster on the Volkswagen's dash.
'What the [expletive] is wrong with these people man? Like how can they even allow this to happen man? The engine light is on, like look at it. Look at the [expletive] tape. Like are you [expletive] kidding me man?' he says.
Moreover, he shows that his problems with the car don't stop at motor issues either. Following this, he directs his camera toward the front driver's seat middle armrest. It shows signs of wear and tear on it. 'Look at this man, look at this,' he remarks, pointing out the interior cosmetic damage. Next, he records the car's automatic window button, which has been snapped in half. He says that the harm done to the vehicle was hidden from him prior to purchase. 'Everything hidden in the pictures when I bought the [expletive] car. [Expletive] piece of [expletive] man, [expletive],' he remarks as he begins to drive the car while the video comes to a close.
Check Engine Light Warnings
Unfortunately, this type of scam isn't uncommon for used vehicles. At first glance, a buyer might think that everything is running fine with their vehicle upon a first drive. By covering up the check engine light, drivers can be lulled into a false sense of security with their cars. According to
Progressive auto insurance
, this light speaks to a potential litany of issues with a vehicle's engine, transmission, or emissions system.
Moreover, these problems could range from being more mundane and easy to fix. Some vehicle models will
key on a check engine light
as a sign that it's time for an oil change. After swapping out the fluids, the light will turn off after driving for a bit and the fresh oil is cycled through the engine. Another simple issue a check engine light could speak to is a loose gas cap. This can be remedied by easily tightening the gas cap or affixing a more secure cover to a vehicle's fuel tank.
However, there are larger issues that could cause a car's check engine light to power on. Progressive writes that 'faulty spark plug[s], spark plug wires, or ignition coils' could be the culprit. Sometimes, a tune-up will easily remedy this problem. But if the issue has persisted for too long, sustained misfirings can lead to long-term engine damage, as per
Mechanic's Diary
.
Check engine lights can also, more severely, indicate that there's an 'internal problem in the engine,' according to Progressive. These warning signs can also speak to a 'malfunctioning oxygen sensor, damaged airflow sensor [and/or] a bad tank of gas,' the insurance firm states.
A Common Scam
Unfortunately, many used car buyers have discovered this con-job exists the hard way.
The Auto Wire
writes that this technique is commonly carried out by bad actors looking to offload a faulty vehicle on unsuspecting buyers. Oftentimes they will sell the vehicle 'as is' in the hopes that purchasers won't further investigate the performance of the engine.
The blog writes: 'Most normal people don't pay attention to all the dummy lights. Which illuminate briefly when they first turn the engine over. A lot of people don't even notice something like the check engine light until it's been on for a while. They don't realize the car they bought has some lights covered up.'
OBD2 Scanning and Pre-Inspection
There are ways to combat this scam that don't require checking for tape. Because some sellers may go so far as to disable the bulbs that key on the check engine light. Or they'll go beneath the dash reader and place the tape over the light beneath its clear plastic cover. One way to ensure a car's engine is operating as intended is to utilize an OBD2 scanner. Prior to purchasing a vehicle, look up its manual or a tutorial online to find where the specific model has placed its OBD2 port.
Connect the diagnostic tool and run the scan. This will allow you to know of any problems with the vehicle. This way, you can determine if it has any issues. From there, you can look up any problem sources and find out how much it'll cost you to fix them. You could use this as a bargaining tool or to see if the used car is worth your time.
Additionally,
Lemon Car Protector
extolled the peace of mind that pre-purchase inspections (PPIs) provide used car buyers. The blog
Spend On Auto
reveals PPIs range anywhere from $100 to $200. Typically, a mechanic from a local shop will inspect a vehicle and let buyers know of any problems it may have, helping customers make better-informed decisions. The expenditure of a PPI can potentially save buyers from shelling out thousands of dollars for repairs of a used vehicle. Especially if they plan on acquiring an 'as-is' vehicle purchase. Furthermore, utilizing a service like CarFax to accurately assess a car's mileage as well as its service and accident history has its advantages. A PPI often incorporates OBD2 scanning and CarFax information with it, decreasing additional costs incurred by interested buyers.
Commenters React
Folks who responded to Cars & Millions clip had various replies to his video. One person quipped, 'I'm from Italy, you gave me an idea for selling my car.'
Whereas others speculated the specific region in which the auto salesman procured his car from. 'The guy that sold you the car Is probably from Naples,' one penned. Another echoed the sentiment, penning, 'not confuse the Italian people with Napoletans.'
'Man you buy a car from Naples, not Italy. I'm sorry,' another wrote.
One TikToker bluntly wrote: 'NAPLES?!' and appended their comment with a skull emoji.
Someone else pondered why anyone would buy a German car from an Italian seller. 'Who buys a Volkswagen in Italy though?' they queried.
While another seemed to think that the fault was on Cars & Millions for not doing his due diligence prior to buying the VW. 'Thats why you turn the key to first position and check all lights.'
Motor1
has reached out to Cars & Millions via Instagram DM for further comment.
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