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WWYD : Sold Used vehicle that promptly broke down the next day (1 Viewer)

What would you do?

  • Offer to take the jeep back and hand over the check

    Votes: 3 2.5%

  • Offer to help offset the costs of the repairs

    Votes: 23 19.3%

  • Offer to help diagnose the issue and source parts, but he's on his own for cost of repairs

    Votes: 40 33.6%

  • It's sold As-Is, buddy.

    Votes: 53 44.5%
  • Total voters
    119
[icon] said:
I hear ya. Problem is it's impossible to tell if he did something stupid, or if it just randomly broke... short of him admitting "yeah I did donuts on asphalt with lockers on" or something...which he would never admit to. 
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That's the rub. How do you do a forensic exam to find root cause?

 
TheFanatic said:
That's the rub. How do you do a forensic exam to find root cause?
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Not really a way to do so... once we know what exactly is busted and I see photos of the damage I can begin to piece together likely scenarios... but some scenarios will likely be coin flip between liability or randomness. Hence why I think i'm just going to offer to cover half of diff or case if that's what it is. If it's worse or something different will re-evaluate. 

 
[icon] said:
Not really a way to do so... once we know what exactly is busted and I see photos of the damage I can begin to piece together likely scenarios... but some scenarios will likely be coin flip between liability or randomness. Hence why I think i'm just going to offer to cover half of diff or case if that's what it is. If it's worse or something different will re-evaluate. 
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Either way, there's no good way out of this. 

 
We bought my MILs car for my daughter when she got her license years ago.   Paid Blue Book value for the car thinking it was driven by an old lady who bought it new and will last forever.

Two days later I was driving it to get the oil changed and the new plates and the trans blew. Had to have the car towed to a shop and the repair cost 2200.00.  My wife tells her mom what happened and the response was "I am so sorry honey"  and that is it.

So you just probably just do the same,

 
Da Guru said:
We bought my MILs car for my daughter when she got her license years ago.   Paid Blue Book value for the car thinking it was driven by an old lady who bought it new and will last forever.

Two days later I was driving it to get the oil changed and the new plates and the trans blew. Had to have the car towed to a shop and the repair cost 2200.00.  My wife tells her mom what happened and the response was "I am so sorry honey"  and that is it.

So you just probably just do the same,
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Jesus really????? That would piss me off.

 
Guy checked back "Heard anything? Any Ideas?"  I was waiting to heard from him once he got home and put his hands on it to do some of the stuff I told him to do (put TC in neutral and see if rear wheels still bound.... pull rear diff cover... etc). 

He seems to be being cool. "Oh OK. I'll let you know after I dig into it"... but who knows. 

Told him I'm "100% not flaking out on him and am willing to tap my resources here to help diagnose the issue", and reiterated that I "Feel bad, as the driveline has been bombproof/reliable with zero issues so I'm kinda shooting in the dark without full details on what happened and being able to look at the jeep physically". 

Replied "I understand" 

Trying to be helpful without over promising or committing to anything beyond diagnosis right now. 

 
RokNRole said:
Yeah I'm sure the guy will risk his career to frame the OP for a crime over buying a lemon.
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1. There is a lot a LEO can do within their scope besides frame someone to make life difficult for the average citizen.

2. People be crazy. 

 
I would bet that he put the Jeep in 4 wheel drive on the asphalt.   Causing it to "lock up!"  The asphalt is a no no unless snow or ice is on top of it.      

 
SHIZNITTTT said:
I would bet that he put the Jeep in 4 wheel drive on the asphalt.   Causing it to "lock up!"  The asphalt is a no no unless snow or ice is on top of it.      
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Yep. 4WD on dry asphault is a no no... 4WD on dry asphault with lockers engaged is a YUUUUUUGE No no. 

 
I'd tell him to buy a new car. But probably not from you  again. 

ETA he's a cop? Uhm....damn. Good luck with all that. 

 
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[icon] said:
Yep. 4WD on dry asphault is a no no... 4WD on dry asphault with lockers engaged is a YUUUUUUGE No no. 
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I bet he tried to use the 4wd when he got home, or was showing his family.  Which I can understand, but on asphalt  ... nope.   

If he gets all uppity and rude tell him you can throw in a bag of meth, or weed to smooth the road.   

 
I think it's important to keep acting concerned and helpful like you have been, so he'll stay calm as well. I suspect from your earlier posts that he wasn't familiar enough with the vehicle and did something to cause the issue. And if he's a doosh ex-cop with a huge ego he may not be too quick to live up to the mistake, even though he knows damn well it's his fault. He's going to take a semi-tough but fake position and then just say okay screw it, I'll pay for the repair, thanks a lot. The half hostile, half face-saving thing where you pretend you were screwed over but you're letting it go.

 
[icon] said:
Guy checked back "Heard anything? Any Ideas?"  I was waiting to heard from him once he got home and put his hands on it to do some of the stuff I told him to do (put TC in neutral and see if rear wheels still bound.... pull rear diff cover... etc). 

He seems to be being cool. "Oh OK. I'll let you know after I dig into it"... but who knows. 

Told him I'm "100% not flaking out on him and am willing to tap my resources here to help diagnose the issue", and reiterated that I "Feel bad, as the driveline has been bombproof/reliable with zero issues so I'm kinda shooting in the dark without full details on what happened and being able to look at the jeep physically". 

Replied "I understand" 

Trying to be helpful without over promising or committing to anything beyond diagnosis right now. 
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That's a pretty reasonable exchange from both sides there. 

 
You're being very reasonable.  There is a reason cars are less expensive thru a private sale, no warranty.  I would tell him sorry for the bad luck but he's on his own unless you have a guilty conscience about something...

 
He bought a car from a dude off the street without having a mechanic give it the once-over. And, you think he did something dumb. Option 3 is the most I'd do for him.

 
sbonomo said:
This seems very reasonable to me.  Did you have the hardened axles on the rear (i think you are running the e-locker right)?  Unless you are pushing 37's it is pretty unlikely that they were previously damaged.  I have run a full detroit set-up (front and rear) with 35's and have never blown an axle (knock on wood).  something is fishy here. 
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I'm not sure if I should be proud or ashamed that I understood none of this. 

 
It doesn't sound like he has requested a refund or anything so I don't see a problem. Smart of him to tap the previous owner's knowledge, especially since it sounds like you're pretty savvy with that stuff. I'd probably even drive over and have a look. If a refund ever came up, I'd just be honest and say, 'hey, I feel bad it broke but I'm not sure if it broke because you did [xyz] - so I'm willing to help you figure it out but that's about it.'. 

 
MikeMan said:
It doesn't sound like he has requested a refund or anything so I don't see a problem. Smart of him to tap the previous owner's knowledge, especially since it sounds like you're pretty savvy with that stuff. I'd probably even drive over and have a look. If a refund ever came up, I'd just be honest and say, 'hey, I feel bad it broke but I'm not sure if it broke because you did [xyz] - so I'm willing to help you figure it out but that's about it.'. 
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Yeah he's certainly not asked for anything financially yet.  Last night when he confirmed the rear differential was toast, I told him to please get me pics of the inside and I'll offer guidance on the best way to proceed going forward.

I also let him know I can let him know where to get new Ring & Pinion gears + install kit for that axle for about $250-300 (brand dependent), and asked if he knew anyone locally with the ability to set gears for him. For the type of wheeling he's planning on doing, the jeep is PLENTY capable with just the front locker, and the Winch w/ synthetic line if he gets himself in trouble. 

Cashier's check funds hit my account this morning. Going to give it another day to be sure it's cleared and then send him the title and the keys to the console lockbox. 

 
[icon] said:
Confirmed: rear differential blown. Requested photos. 
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I don't think i have ever saw a build diff blow up.  Axles yes but diff no.  Something is fishy here.    

 
sbonomo said:
I don't think i have ever saw a build diff blow up.  Axles yes but diff no.  Something is fishy here.    
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Yep. He commented that it felt like he was pulling a truck.... meaning he either had the locker engaged or the O/D off... or both. Ugh.  Of course I commented on that and he changed his story to say it only pulled hard AFTER a loud bang. Right. Even if so.. who tries to continue to drive a vehicle with a loud bang and a seized rear axle?! 

This just doesn't add up. 

I'm frankly pissed at this point that my jeep is in the hands of a guy who clearly has no ####### idea what he's doing. :(

 
   You sold the guy a heavily modified Jeep.   Anyone who buys a vehicle like this needs to know that poop like this will happen, especially if you don't really know what you're doing (OTIS).   It sounds like you were upfront about any issues.  I'm sure you blew things up, had to pay for, and learned from those mistakes.  He shouldn't expect you to pay anything for his mistake.  Whether it be not having a mechanic look it over, or engaging 4wd on asphalt.   I wouldn't give the guy a dime.  Mistakes are costly.  Hopefully he'll learn from his.    

 
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If you do decide help him out, I would put that in writing too.  "[Icon] agrees to only pay for 1/2 of x and 1/2 of y and no more" - or something like that so he doesn't try to bleed you dry.  Of course, you still have the "as-is" sale as protection too but my mind thinks if you help him out then "as-is" in the eyes of the law doesn't mean "as-is" anymore.

I'm not a lawyer.

 
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[icon] I think you've gone above and beyond what could be expected of a private seller. You sold it as-is, yet your concern shows though your posts here. 

You're a standup guy. 

 
Da Guru said:
We bought my MILs car for my daughter when she got her license years ago.   Paid Blue Book value for the car thinking it was driven by an old lady who bought it new and will last forever.

Two days later I was driving it to get the oil changed and the new plates and the trans blew. Had to have the car towed to a shop and the repair cost 2200.00.  My wife tells her mom what happened and the response was "I am so sorry honey"  and that is it.

So you just probably just do the same,
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You must have been driving it pretty hard to get the new plates to blow. :drive:  

 
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