Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online! Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online!
Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online! 
-
Latest | 0 Rplys
Go Back   Automotive Forums .com Car Chat > Cars in General > Dealer Experiences
Dealer Experiences If you want to brag or complain about the deal or the service you got, this is the place.
Reply Show Printable Version Show Printable Version | Email this Page Email this Page | Subscription Subscribe to this Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 06-19-2021, 06:20 PM   #1
dustan303
AF Newbie
 
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Fulton
Posts: 2
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Is my car a lemon

So back in December I bought a 2017 Ford Fusion from a dealer for 16k with 29k miles. It was a good car at the time other then a small chip in the paint on the front bumper. The car had previously been a lease car. And now 5 months later. One of the wheels has a squeaking noise and the check engine light comes on and off. I brought it back to the dealership as they were offering to buy it back. They only wanted to offer me 15k for it and I still owe 17k on it from my previous trade in. Does anyone think it’s a lemon or what should I do. I honestly think it shouldn’t be having problems at such low miles. But I don’t know much about cars. Any help?
dustan303 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-19-2021, 06:59 PM   #2
shorod
SHO No Mo
 
shorod's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Posts: 10,946
Thanks: 99
Thanked 350 Times in 344 Posts
Re: Is my car a lemon

The squeaking noise could be due to brakes that need attention. Brakes are a normal maintenance item. It could also be due to a dry tie rod end or ball joint. Yeah, 29k miles or so would be low mileage for a set of brakes or for a ball joint/tie rod end, but you don't really know how the car was used/abused before you purchased it. Also, a check engine light (CEL) that comes on doesn't necessarily mean there is something seriously wrong with the car. If it's driving fine, the light might just mean you have a loose gas cap. Or if you are one of those people that leave the car running when refueling, that could cause the check engine light to come on as well. Most of the chain auto parts stores offer a service to check the diagnostic codes (which your car will have since the CEL has been on recently). I'd strongly recommend getting the full code number rather than just the store employee's interpretation of what the code number means, then do some research on possible causes of the diagnostic code.

Without knowing what the source of the squeak and check engine light are, it's difficult to suggest if you should sell the car back to the dealer at a loss. They are likely banking on being able to repair both issues for less than $1k and therefore that's what they offered you. It was a used car and if you bought it as-is, they likely have no legal obligation to buy the car back or fix it for you.

Since you're kind of upside down on this car right now you might be best off to sell the car back for $15k, then find a decent lower priced car and spend the $100 or so to have it checked out by a professional shop that you trust prior to purchase. But only you can decide what the right choice is for you.

-Rod
shorod is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to shorod For This Useful Post:
dustan303 (06-19-2021)
Old 06-19-2021, 07:36 PM   #3
dustan303
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Fulton
Posts: 2
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: Is my car a lemon

The check engine light was caused by a map sensor. And as far as the breaks. Looked at them and everything looked fine. The dealership didn’t even know about any of those issues as the light went out and comes back on. And the squeaking only occurs when the steering wheel is turnt or pressure is being put on the car by sitting in it.

I’m just mainly deciding. I had a couple of peaple that would want to offer me me just to get me into a new car. The dealership that i got the car from ripped me off from the beginning and there is a lot of stuff that would take forever to type. But that’s been the main reason why I have been deciding rather to get rid of it or keep it

QUOTE=shorod;7228447]The squeaking noise could be due to brakes that need attention. Brakes are a normal maintenance item. It could also be due to a dry tie rod end or ball joint. Yeah, 29k miles or so would be low mileage for a set of brakes or for a ball joint/tie rod end, but you don't really know how the car was used/abused before you purchased it. Also, a check engine light (CEL) that comes on doesn't necessarily mean there is something seriously wrong with the car. If it's driving fine, the light might just mean you have a loose gas cap. Or if you are one of those people that leave the car running when refueling, that could cause the check engine light to come on as well. Most of the chain auto parts stores offer a service to check the diagnostic codes (which your car will have since the CEL has been on recently). I'd strongly recommend getting the full code number rather than just the store employee's interpretation of what the code number means, then do some research on possible causes of the diagnostic code.

Without knowing what the source of the squeak and check engine light are, it's difficult to suggest if you should sell the car back to the dealer at a loss. They are likely banking on being able to repair both issues for less than $1k and therefore that's what they offered you. It was a used car and if you bought it as-is, they likely have no legal obligation to buy the car back or fix it for you.

Since you're kind of upside down on this car right now you might be best off to sell the car back for $15k, then find a decent lower priced car and spend the $100 or so to have it checked out by a professional shop that you trust prior to purchase. But only you can decide what the right choice is for you.

-Rod[/quote]
dustan303 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2021, 05:52 AM   #4
RidingOnRailz
AF Enthusiast
 
RidingOnRailz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Stamford, Connecticut
Posts: 761
Thanks: 44
Thanked 15 Times in 15 Posts
Cool Re: Is my car a lemon

Quote:
Originally Posted by dustan303 View Post
So back in December I bought a 2017 Ford
Fusion from a dealer for 16k with 29k miles. It was
a good car at the time other then a small chip in the
paint on the front bumper. The car had previously
been a lease car. And now 5 months later. One of the
wheels has a squeaking noise and the check engine
light comes on and off. I brought it back to the dealership
as they were offering to buy it back. They only wanted
to offer me 15k for it and I still owe 17k on it from my
previous trade in. Does anyone think it’s a lemon or what
should I do. I honestly think it shouldn’t be having
problems at such low miles. But I don’t know much about
cars. Any help?

It's a FORD! Check Engine lights happen.

In 1997, I bought a trade 1996 Contour(Mondeo) - fine road manners by the way! - and it was relatively trouble free until 1999. From late that year until 2002, the Ford dealer chased check engine lights on it, up to and including replacing "the entire wiring harness" - whatever that meant. Service manager just shook his head "We've thrown everything at it, there's nothing more we can do"

From '02 until I sold it in '03, I just drove it around with the light on, and had a local mechanic clear it a few days before I took it for emissions.
RidingOnRailz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2021, 06:12 AM   #5
Stealthee
Your worst nightmare
 
Stealthee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Smithfield, Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,048
Thanks: 37
Thanked 251 Times in 245 Posts
Re: Is my car a lemon

You bought a used car so you dont have any lemon law protection. If you "got ripped off" then the only person you can blame is yourself because you didn't do research beforehand.
__________________
Stealthee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2021, 07:40 AM   #6
RidingOnRailz
AF Enthusiast
 
RidingOnRailz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Stamford, Connecticut
Posts: 761
Thanks: 44
Thanked 15 Times in 15 Posts
Cool Re: Is my car a lemon

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stealthee View Post
You bought a used car so you dont have any
lemon law protection. If you "got ripped off"
then the only person you can blame is yourself
because you didn't do research beforehand.
Even if CPO(certified)?
RidingOnRailz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-20-2021, 10:01 AM   #7
Stealthee
Your worst nightmare
 
Stealthee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Smithfield, Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,048
Thanks: 37
Thanked 251 Times in 245 Posts
Re: Is my car a lemon

Only New York, Massachusetts, and California would a CPO be eligible lemon law. Used is a buyer beware. It's on the buyer to do their homework and protect themselves
__________________
Stealthee is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD

Go Back   Automotive Forums .com Car Chat > Cars in General > Dealer Experiences

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:16 PM.

Community Participation Guidelines | How to use your User Control Panel

Powered by: vBulletin | Copyright Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
 
 
no new posts