Advice needed on new to me truck

So I posted the otherday that I bought a 98 4x4 single cab 2.7 with 138,000 miles. I bought it Monday from a local body shop but have yet been able to pick it up. This may be a little long but please read. So I found it on craigslist listed for 8,000 and figured I would check it out and see if I could get it for less. So I went and test drove it first thing I noticed was the front tires were worn on the out sides but was able to live with that figuring it could just be an alignment. I then looked the frame over and has just about all the under coating on it, looked in excellent shape. Then took it for a ride it drove well had a slight shimmy at 55-60 but I was figuring it had to do with the tires being worn and alignment issue mentioned before. Any way got back to the shop and started talking price got him to 6,000 and ended up doing paperwork. Now here is where it gets interesting. They say we would like you to take it today because we need the space so I agreed and left to go get my car trailer a 2.5 hr round trip because of the roads I have to take with the trailer and 50$ in fuel later I get back to the shop. Secretary say we can not let it go yet because it needs to be inspected first. She gives me the option of taking it and getting it inspected or they can. I opted for them to do it so if there was an issue it was still in their hands. So I wait for them to take it to get inspected and 20 min later get a call it can't get inspected because they were keepin it in the yard with the battery disconnected. This is an immediate red flag to me, I now obviously think they are trying to hide a check engine light. What other reason would there be to keep it like that. So now it can't be inspected because it has to go through it's checks and cycles. So I say ok but why was it stored with the battery unhooked are you guys trying to hide a check engine light? And she assures me no we would not do that. She then says it will be inspected tomorrow (Tuesday) and it will be ready to go. So I agree and am ready to leave but before I do I ask for the previous owners phone number so I can get in contact with to find out a little about the truck. She says he is one of their regular customers and she will call him to see if he can give me his number, I know this is prob bs and she never tried to contact him. Before I left she made a copy of the title for me so I could insure it. I went to the address on the title and found out this guy has not lived there for 3 years. So there is another red flag to me. I wanted to contact him because I wanted to know if the frame was ever coated or replaced so she said she could find out and I agreed to let her. I then called toyota with the vin and they said no frame work was ever done so I call the shop and she tells me the frame was under coated, wouldn't this be under toyota a records? Any way it is now Friday and still no truck hearing the same thing everyday that it will be inspected tomorrow. So I call 10 min ago to find out what's going on and it is an the shop getting an o2 sensor now so that confirms my check engine theory . So I feel I was lied right to my face a few times after I had already filled out the paperwork and made the payment. So do you guys think I am being screwed or getting the run around or am I just paranoid.

 

DO NOT buy this vehicle, perios

 

This all happend after the paper work and payment. I just received a call that it was not going to be Able to get inspected today and the owner o the shop was going to put miles on it this weekend to inspect it Monday morning. I also forgot to mention the craigslist posting was up for 18 days before I went to see it. Shouldn't of these issues be taken care of before the sale? Or even put up for sale

 

I'd get out of this deal any way possible.

 

Unfortunately it was cash but I do have a receipt. Showing the down payment of 5000 that I left after the paper work then the balance of 1,500 I paied when returning with my trailer. It's very unsettling being out 6,500 (tax I paied them included) and no truck or even title after 5 days

 

^^^This

 

Yeah unfortunately I made that bed and now have to lie in it. I have bought many vehicles off craigslist but never from a shop/dealer and I just always used cash when doing so. I didn't even think of that. I don't think they are gunna take my money but I am afraid of them selling Me a lemon. I am going to go there after work today and see what happens. My bank statement will show the money taken out if that helps any. Did I also over pay for this truck?

 

I did that a little while ago when they called. They said I couldn't get the paper work until it was inspected. Like I said the paper work is done and it is signed over to me I am just afraid I am being lied to and the truck has a laundry list of problems.

 

Tell them to give you back your money.

 

OP - Any updates?

 

Yes I was locked into getting the truck because paper work said so. They had it at the shop and replaced an o2 sensor. Drove it for about 60 miles today. Seemed ok except for when I would go over 60 mph the front end had a bad shake to it. Like I said the front tires were worn on the out side so I hope an alignment will fix it or maybe wheel balance. I also got under the truck with a hammer and started hitting around. Was not to bad except one spot I am not happy about. I guess they sprayed over the frame with some kind of paint to cover rust in areas. But I found a soft spot the hammer went through between the front of the passanger side front leaf spring mount and the cross member for the bed of the truck. The spot is the hole is the size of a half dollar. Around that hole the metal is still ridged but has a bounce to it compaired to the rest of the frame. I guess this truck will go in the books as a very valuable lesson. $6000 worth lesson. The rest of the truck is in good shape but I wish I could have seen that spot on the frame. It will haunt me now.

 

^^ OK, now open a file with the State Attorney Generals office (this service is free to you compliments of your taxes) and tell them what you've said here.

Be calm, be nice and tell the facts in point form when dealing with the AG.

1. Sold you an unsafe vehicle with holes in frame
2. Refused to refund money.

Do NOT tell the dealer the AG is involved; leave that as a surprise (EVERYONE loves surprises)
Make a note of time, dates and names of the people you speak to at the dealer.

Sit back, relax and wait for fireworks.

Don't get mad. Get even.

 

I forgot to mention that I left the truck at my mechanic to be gone over tomorrow and to see if they can figure out the shake in the front end and to also have them give it a good inspection because the place that they took it to obviously did not because as I was driving it home I found the horn didn't work

 

^^ I rest my case.

 

Sorry OP, people suck. Don't beat yourself up too much. Many of us have or will learn an expensive lesson in life.
Very good advice given already. All I can add is to contact an attorney for a bit of advice. If needed he/she may be able to fire off a quick letter on your behalf stating the potential end result in front of a Judge. Many businesses do not want that kind of local publicity.
The best of luck.

 

X99999. Please do this, don't give up just yet because I have a feeling that like you said-this will haunt you. I would not take this truck and get my money back ASAP. The gas $, drive time, and days lost are the only lesson you should have to pay.

 

Well I'll see what happens tomorrow after my mechanic looks it over. I don't know if it's an issue or not but it's already registered in my name and the paper work is in. I don't know how much of a fighting chance there is. I don't know if it makes a difference or not but when I got the truck home for the little while it was here while I was testing with a hammer I started hitting areas with a wire brush and painting them as well.

 

before worrying about a lawyer, you need to check out your state laws on used vehicles, they vary from state to state. Some give you a return window of a few days, but alot of them a used vehicle is sold "as is" unless the dealer specifically states otherwise. This means once you sign the paper any problems you didn't notice are your problem and the dealer is not responsible legally. That's why its good to do your research and go over any used vehicle your lookin at with a fine tooth comb BEFORE you sign anything. I learned this the hard way as Utah is an "as is" state when I bought my duramax and it ran fine on the quick test drive but on the hour long ride home it puked the coolant out due to blown headgaskets. I researched as much as I could but come to the conclusion I had no legal recourse, luckily the dealer was decent and worked with me and covered most of the $6k tag for the job but legally they could have told me to pound sand. The only way you may have a chance at any recourse is if your shop finds something that should have failed in the safety inspection, then you could get them on not properly inspecting it but I don't know how far that would get ya. As much as it sucks you may have to chock it up to a lesson learned like you said and just be more prepared to thoroughly inspect the next one.

 

Yes I have been looking at the laws and I don't think ny honors the 3 day window and if a used vehical is over 100,000 miles it is not covered by any lemon law. There is a section that says a dealer can not misrepresent a car. Luckally I saved the craigslist post and it specifically states "this is not a rusty truck and retains it's original paint" but it has a hole rusted through the inside of the frame, also says it runs and drives great. I mentioned before the bad shake it has over 60 mph and like you when I test drove it in that area I could not get it to that speed. If nothing else I hope I can atleast get a few years out of it. I know I'm not going to go buy a 1998 and expect to have it for ever but for 6,000 I hope I will atleast get 3-4 years but that's probably questionable at best here in lovely salty and wet ny

 

Well I came across another interesting bit of information thismorning and it is now just getting comical. I went on to the toyota owners site that was mentioned on another post and ran the vin and apparently my this truck was serviced at the toyota dealer in 2010 and get this, the milage they have listed during the service was 143,789 miles. Funny thin is I just bought the truck with 138,563 miles in 2014. Could this be a mistake on toyota a part? The previous service before that was in 2008 and it had 132,858 miles. So I don't think the truck only had 6,000 miles put on since 2008 but I guess it could be possible. But this is just seeming worse and worse but this might be a way for me to get out now