In this new era, car dealers have a bad reputation for ripping off customers. For years, many car dealers have been trying to fight the bad reputation by offering to work with their customers. This is especially true for used car dealers. Not all car-buying experiences are lousy, but when consumers run into problems with their car buying experience it can be exceptionally painful. After all, buying a car is one of the biggest purchases that most Americans will make. If you find yourself facing a problem after you’ve purchased your vehicle, or you find errors in the paperwork with a new or used car transaction, there are some steps that you might take against the car dealer.
Sometimes the issues are very small can be easily resolved by communicating with the dealership. Very often, however, dealerships may have a harsh reaction. Very often, we find that the dealership might try to correct some small issue with hopes that the car buyer will not find out about bigger problems. It allows the dealership to create a track record of doing right by its customer until the customer discovers a much bigger issue with the car or truck. Sometimes car dealers play games and may even try to get away with auto fraud or situations where the dealership uses its superior knowledge, along with the customer’s lack of knowledge, in order to induce the customer to buy the vehicle. In auto fraud situations, it is important to preserve your rights. Depending on the sort of problems you are encountering, it would be worthwhile to send a written complaint to several different organizations. From the dealer’s perspective, they may not want to lose their dealership license. Obviously, they also do not want multiple complaints against them - whether those complaints are easy to find online, or through an open-records request to a governmental agency.
Depending on the sort of situation you find yourself dealing with, you might want to firstly notify the car dealership in writing. If a telephone call to the dealership lands you in a place where they refuse to take your phone calls, it is imperative to send them notice of your complaint in writing. You might try to send your letter by fax and keep a fax confirmation page. Another option is to send your letter by certified mail with a return receipt requested. The point is that you want to retain a paper trail of your attempts to communicate with the dealership. There are other organizations that collect complaints. Consumers are always welcome to send finance related complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in Washington D.C. While the CFPB might not be able to offer immediate assistance, they collect information and will often attempt to resolve a finance-related problem for consumers. Texas consumers should also complain to the Office of the Texas Attorney General. Again, the AG may not be able to offer a quick resolution unless they have a sufficient number of similar, egregious, prior complaints. With most dealership issues, you can send a copy of your complaint to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Finally, sending a complaint to the Better Business Bureau might also get you some relief. Keep in mind that many car dealerships are actually customers of the BBB and may pay some sort of BBB membership fees. If organizations that are funded by the auto industry are offering to resolve your issue through a private arbitration panel, you may want to think twice before agreeing to arbitration. Another, sometimes the tricky option is to submit an online review to certain internet portals so that future potential customers will be able to read up about your experience. Very often, dealerships will take significant measures to prevent bad publicity on the web. With all of these complaint options, be careful that the information you provide is factually accurate; your opinions might be used against you in a defamation lawsuit if you publicize things that are not correct.
Finally, depending on your circumstances, you may be best served by consulting with a consumer rights attorney. A consumer rights attorney who has experience dealing with laws and statutes like the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, commonly known as the DTPA, should be able to assist you in determining what your rights are. Generally speaking, if you might have claims for relief under the DTPA, or even for a breach of contract - it would be a good idea to consult with a lawyer and know your rights. In many instances, the law allows the aggrieved consumer to sue for their own damages, as well as their attorney fees. In other words, some attorneys might be willing to pursue auto fraud cases without requesting an upfront retainer fee. While the process of litigation may be long and challenging, the goal would be to get you the relief you deserve.
Depending on the sort of situation you find yourself dealing with, you might want to firstly notify the car dealership in writing. If a telephone call to the dealership lands you in a place where they refuse to take your phone calls, it is imperative to send them notice of your complaint in writing. You might try to send your letter by fax and keep a fax confirmation page. Another option is to send your letter by certified mail with a return receipt requested. The point is that you want to retain a paper trail of your attempts to communicate with the dealership. There are other organizations that collect complaints. Consumers are always welcome to send finance related complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in Washington D.C. While the CFPB might not be able to offer immediate assistance, they collect information and will often attempt to resolve a finance-related problem for consumers. Texas consumers should also complain to the Office of the Texas Attorney General. Again, the AG may not be able to offer a quick resolution unless they have a sufficient number of similar, egregious, prior complaints. With most dealership issues, you can send a copy of your complaint to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Finally, sending a complaint to the Better Business Bureau might also get you some relief. Keep in mind that many car dealerships are actually customers of the BBB and may pay some sort of BBB membership fees. If organizations that are funded by the auto industry are offering to resolve your issue through a private arbitration panel, you may want to think twice before agreeing to arbitration. Another, sometimes the tricky option is to submit an online review to certain internet portals so that future potential customers will be able to read up about your experience. Very often, dealerships will take significant measures to prevent bad publicity on the web. With all of these complaint options, be careful that the information you provide is factually accurate; your opinions might be used against you in a defamation lawsuit if you publicize things that are not correct.
Finally, depending on your circumstances, you may be best served by consulting with a consumer rights attorney. A consumer rights attorney who has experience dealing with laws and statutes like the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, commonly known as the DTPA, should be able to assist you in determining what your rights are. Generally speaking, if you might have claims for relief under the DTPA, or even for a breach of contract - it would be a good idea to consult with a lawyer and know your rights. In many instances, the law allows the aggrieved consumer to sue for their own damages, as well as their attorney fees. In other words, some attorneys might be willing to pursue auto fraud cases without requesting an upfront retainer fee. While the process of litigation may be long and challenging, the goal would be to get you the relief you deserve.
