Am I screwed? (Rust)

That is all common sense. What I asked is why it would matter if it was bought from a dealer vs a private seller as far as not being screwed?

 

Private Party vs. Dealership Auto Sales
Whether the buyer realizes it or not, there are important legal differences between buying a vehicle from a licensed dealership and buying from a private party.

When a person buys a used vehicle from a dealer, they are protected by state and federal consumer protection laws because the dealer is a business. However, when a person buys a vehicle from a private seller, the vehicle is sold "as is," meaning without warranty, unless otherwise noted in a contract signed by the seller and the buyer.

Purchasing something "as is" is a legal term meaning “with all issues known and unknown." This means the seller is generally off the hook for any problems that may occur after the title changes hands. At that point, the problems become the buyer's responsibility.

Of course, there are exceptions to this. Namely, if you, as the seller, were not honest about the condition of the vehicle, or you didn't have legal standing to sell the vehicle in the first place, then the buyer could make a fraud argument.

 

You have a better shot at going after a dealer than a private party. I bought a used Ford Taurus once (big mistake) from a lot. The next day, the tranny quit. I went to the lot highly pissed off, and they told me it was just repaired by a local shop. I went to that shop, and indeed they had worked on it just a few weeks prior. Long story short, they backed up their work, and just charged me for the part that failed and waived the labor. Turned out it was a sensor in the transmission that involved a lot of labor to get to.

 

I would run the vin# on Toyota’s website to see if the vehicle had a frame inspection.

Or take the vin # to the closest Toyota dealer nearest the seller and ask the service mgr if they inspected this vehicle before.

He just may have a fraud case if it can be proven the seller knew.

 

I think the seller knew what he was doing, judging by the second picture that frame has been coated with black spray paint previously.

 

I highly doubt it. I messaged him and honestly I'm pretty convinced he had no idea. To him it was a solid work truck that he hated to part ways with and he genuinely seemed surprised when I messaged him. And Missouri

 

8800

 

pretty obvious in the pic that a blow with a ball peen made that hole, most likely from a dealer inspection so why wasn't it replaced? I'd follow the trail as far as I could hoping a dealer said "no" to replacement in the past. As mentioned above run the VIN for inspection info. Worth an e-mail/call to corporate Toyota

 

Where can I run the vin for the inspection info?

 

^^ here ^^

 

Oh sorry. Missed this. Thanks

 

It was in in 2016. No other toyota service recently.

 

"ALSO, WE INFORMED CUSTOMER THERE IS A HOLD IN THE FRAME"

So they had it on their racks within the time period of the extended warranty program and just told the customer without offering to fix it?

 

Wow. I'd go see the guy about getting your money back, or go talk to a lawyer.

 

The guy I bought it from said he's only owned it since November. So probably the guy he bought it from. I genuinely don't believe the guy I bought it from had any idea.

 

What was the date of this entry?

 

10/2016

 

That's where" BUYER BEWARE" comes from.

 

It seems like this should fall on whoever owned it when the dealer found the hole.. Or, maybe the dealer that found the hole should have replaced the frame then?

I hope Toyota takes care of you, @smithc2768

 

You should start searching for a shop that specializes in repairing vehicle chassis. You need to know the extent of the rust damage and if it’s repairable. It’s not a job for Billy Bobs auto repair either. You need to have a structural sound chassis from someone who knows what there doing, if that’s even possible.