Ok all you seasoned car hagglers, what should we do here?

[arrow]

Not true especially if sold by a dealer or expressly sold ''as is'' . There is the implied warranty and the Moss warranty act, which are federal laws and could apply. A quick search also shows in Pa used cars are not covered by STATE lemon laws unless the vehicle is still under manufacturers warranty, which this car is.

Warrantees are also time based so not necessarily especially if the car was produced early 2012 or late 2011. In any event, this car should fall under "power train warranty" unless the "limp mode" is electronically controlled by the ECM. The biggest culprit for this is mostly electrical. Then it would not necessarily be covered if VW has a 3 yr/36K B to B warranty.. You could have a bad coil or a bad throttle position sensor or worse, a bad wiring harness. I'd wait to see what the dealer is going to do for you before i wrote the car off. No harm in asking for an "inconvenience" suffering perk. Again, it will depend on what the dealer has into it. VW makes some nice stuff and more than likely, this problem popped up before. The car is very young for an auction purchase and may be some type of "buy back". Where he got the car will tell volumes especially if it is a salvage or flood car. I would ask for a "Car Fax" as my "perk" before I re-drove this car off his lot.

 

[monster318]

Well my fiancé had a interesting idea. The car is paid for and still as of right now, ours. The owner of the dealer said the check engine light came on when he drove it. I have a code scanner, the car sits right along side the dealership outside, I should take my scanner down and plug it in and see what it says. This way I have something to compare it to when they call us back and tell us what it really was. Dealerships have a way of sugar coating things, I would like the hard evidence upfront.

 

[MikePA]

1. I noticed outer tire wear on the front tires.
2. Previous owner drilled a hole in the trunk lid behind the license plate
3. Check engine light on

I guess you won't be doing burns outs in your driveway with this vehicle.

Two of these three strikes should have told you enough about the dealer to walk out and not try and show what a great negotiator you are by getting a better deal.

1. Did you look up the PA Lemon Law?
2. Did you look the car up on Kelley Blue Book (it's free) to see if the price was fair?
3. A 3,500 rev limit indicates a diesel.

• TDI SEL Premium Sedan 4D at a dealer - $17,7xx - $21,6xx
• TDI SE Sedan 4D at a dealer - $15,xxx -$19,xxx

4. What kind of dealer would put a car on the lot with the Check Engine light on and clearly worn tires.
5. On VWs, if the Check Engine light is on steady, it's OK to drive, if it's blinking, it is not.
6. You should follow the same steps regardless of who the seller is.
7. Did the dealer offer a warranty? Some offer 30 day 1,000 mile for used cars.
8. All they did was reset the Check Engine light so it'd stay off until it was driven off the lot.
9. Before you start pushing for more, which didn't work out well the first time, make sure the car is working correctly.
10. Did you spend a few bucks to get a Car Fax report? If not, do it now.

 

[arrow]

Well my fiancé had a interesting idea. The car is paid for and still as of right now, ours. The owner of the dealer said the check engine light came on when he drove it. I have a code scanner, the car sits right along side the dealership outside, I should take my scanner down and plug it in and see what it says. This way I have something to compare it to when they call us back and tell us what it really was. Dealerships have a way of sugar coating things, I would like the hard evidence upfront.

I wouldn't do this on a bet if you mean going there while it's closed . You may own the car but you do not own the property it is residing on presently. If you're caught "trespassing" you could create more of a hole for yourself. Not all dealerships are "dirty rotten scoundrels". I'd wait to see what Im told and then ask to see the scan results. If you are so concerned and it's burning a hole in your brain, it might be wise to walk away form the car if your state carries a 3 day window law.

 

[arrow]

I guess you won't be doing burns outs in your driveway with this vehicle.

Two of these three strikes should have told you enough about the dealer to walk out and not try and show what a great negotiator you are by getting a better deal.

1. Did you look up the PA Lemon Law?
2. Did you look the car up on Kelley Blue Book (it's free) to see if the price was fair?
3. A 3,500 rev limit indicates a diesel.

• TDI SEL Premium Sedan 4D at a dealer - $17,7xx - $21,6xx
• TDI SE Sedan 4D at a dealer - $15,xxx -$19,xxx

4. What kind of dealer would put a car on the lot with the Check Engine light on and clearly worn tires.
5. On VWs, if the Check Engine light is on steady, it's OK to drive, if it's blinking, it is not.
6. You should follow the same steps regardless of who the seller is.
7. Did the dealer offer a warranty? Some offer 30 day 1,000 mile for used cars.
8. All they did was reset the Check Engine light so it'd stay off until it was driven off the lot.
9. Before you start pushing for more, which didn't work out well the first time, make sure the car is working correctly.
10. Did you spend a few bucks to get a Car Fax report? If not, do it now.

Mike, the engine light when on as soon as he started it up at the dealership. 2. The rpm limit does not necessarily mean it's a diesel. Limp mode is set from 3000- 3500rpm on gassers as well. Plus, it's an awfully low price if it was a diesel.
The Car Fax could be gotten from the dealership itself.

Your no. 9 is solid advice.

 

[MikePA]

Mike, the engine light when on as soon as he started it up at the dealership.

Yep, read that. I would not even have test drove the car if the CE light was on. Limp mode implies to me the Check Engine light, actually called a MIL by VW, was blinking, at least on the way home.

2. The rpm limit does not necessarily mean it's a diesel. Limp mode is set from 3000- 3500rpm on gassers as well.

I'd imagine limp mode = blinking MIL.

Plus, it's an awfully low price if it was a diesel.

Agreed. If it is a diesel, the low price would have been another clue the car was a lemon.

The Car Fax could be gotten from the dealership itself.

I pay the relatively few dollars to have this information before I visit the dealer.

Your no. 9 is solid advice.

Thanks.

Way too much of the final 'good deal' was for things that cannot be verified were completed. Essentially, the dealer reset the MIL light and claimed they did a FEA. Perhaps other items were in the final 'good deal', but I lost track in all the 'of courses'.

P.S.
OP - Demand to see the receipt from the VW dealer. DO NOT take your dealers word for what was done. He has already proven he cannot and should not be trusted.

The paperwork from the VW dealer will list;

1. What your dealer told them was wrong with the car, which should include the MIL light being on AND the improperly worn tires.
2. What the VW dealer did.
3. What the VW dealer found.

If you want to visit your car;

1. Drive by your dealer on Monday to confirm your car was taken to the VW dealer.
2. Visit the VW dealer while the car is there and ask them what's wrong with it and what they fixed.

 

[RollingsFarms]

I'm picky when it comes to buying used. The littlest thing will turn me off in a heartbeat. The first thing that would have turned me off was the tires and the hole in the trunk from the missing backup camera. I don't like other people's "Jerry rigging" and won't touch anything that's had Jerry rigging done to it. At the price they sold the car at and the mileage, you honestly weren't but about $7k off a brand new Passat. Granted that won't be a loaded one but I've seen them with leather seats sticker for $21k and they are dealing on the 2015's right now. I recently bought a used 2006 crew cab Z71 with 75k miles on it and I spent a good hour and a half crawling all over and under the truck, test drive it twice, and then decided to buy after it passed my strict standards of pickiness. Been a good truck in the month ive had it, no complaints at all and no surprises. I even checked the transmission fluid to make sure it was clean and the right color that GM requires. Like I said, I'm picky, a care salesmans worst nightmare.lol

 

[monster318]

I had the car fax run on this car and this is what kind of made me really solid on going with this car. It had a beautiful car fax. Oil changed and tires rotated every 5k miles. 10,000. 20,000 30,000 40,000 services all done by the dealer it was bought new from. No accidents. One owner car. Everything was documented down to them bringing it to the dealer to have new wiper blades put on it. All documented right there on car fax

 

[monster318]

I guess you won't be doing burns outs in your driveway with this vehicle.

Two of these three strikes should have told you enough about the dealer to walk out and not try and show what a great negotiator you are by getting a better deal.

1. Did you look up the PA Lemon Law?
2. Did you look the car up on Kelley Blue Book (it's free) to see if the price was fair?
3. A 3,500 rev limit indicates a diesel.

• TDI SEL Premium Sedan 4D at a dealer - $17,7xx - $21,6xx
• TDI SE Sedan 4D at a dealer - $15,xxx -$19,xxx

4. What kind of dealer would put a car on the lot with the Check Engine light on and clearly worn tires.
5. On VWs, if the Check Engine light is on steady, it's OK to drive, if it's blinking, it is not.
6. You should follow the same steps regardless of who the seller is.
7. Did the dealer offer a warranty? Some offer 30 day 1,000 mile for used cars.
8. All they did was reset the Check Engine light so it'd stay off until it was driven off the lot.
9. Before you start pushing for more, which didn't work out well the first time, make sure the car is working correctly.
10. Did you spend a few bucks to get a Car Fax report? If not, do it now.

No, no burn outs with this one!! BTW I am still having issues with that neighbor, as much as I know all the local cops and a State LEO on a first name basis.

No the car is not Diesel, I think someone already posted that once the car goes into a limp or "protection" mode it will take over and control rpms from reaching a certain point. My 07 GMC Sierra did this when the cam Position sensor wire rubbed the harmonic balancer and wore through, CEL came on, and would shift but would not rev over 2500RPM.

 

[arrow]

I had the car fax run on this car and this is what kind of made me really solid on going with this car. It had a beautiful car fax. Oil changed and tires rotated every 5k miles. 10,000. 20,000 30,000 40,000 services all done by the dealer it was bought new from. No accidents. One owner car. Everything was documented down to them bringing it to the dealer to have new wiper blades put on it. All documented right there on car fax

Great. How did this corner lot acquire the car? If the new car dealer has a used car section, this car seems like a great addition and if I owned the new car lot, I would not be so fast to give this car up. Is the lot you bought the car from associated with the new car dealership?
The 2009 Passat my daughter owned had all kinds of water leak problems. That is not to say that VW did not correct the problem but the trunk, passenger compartment and the engine area of my daughters car all had their share of aqua leaks leading to all kinds of ancillary electrical problems. I am prone to guess that it is one of the previous 3 things I mentioned. Ignition coils, wiring, distributor caps, engine sensors and bad or corroded harness connections can all occur because of moisture problems or bad components.

 

[MikePA]

I had the car fax run on this car and this is what kind of made me really solid on going with this car. It had a beautiful car fax. Oil changed and tires rotated every 5k miles. 10,000. 20,000 30,000 40,000 services all done by the dealer it was bought new from. No accidents. One owner car. Everything was documented down to them bringing it to the dealer to have new wiper blades put on it. All documented right there on car fax

This Carfax report and the car you bought seem like two different cars.

 

[EarPlug]

Not true especially if sold by a dealer or expressly sold ''as is'' . There is the implied warranty and the Moss warranty act, which are federal laws and could apply. A quick search also shows in Pa used cars are not covered by STATE lemon laws unless the vehicle is still under manufacturers warranty, which this car is.

In this case it appears that the car has a bad transmission and with a Check Engine light it would not pass inspection. So, even if it sold AS IS, the Dealer has some repair responsibilities.


From the website PA Law Help

Can a dealer sell a car without a warranty?

Yes. New cars are almost always sold with a warranty, but with used cars there is often only a short warranty or no warranty at all. But even if there is nothing in writing, there may be an implied warranty that the car is fit to drive.

When a car is sold "as is," it means that there are no written warranties or implied warranties. However, you may still be able to force the dealer to fix the car:

if the dealer told you things about the car's condition that turn out not to be true, or
if the car has one of the problems listed in the previous section.

Are there any minimum standards that vehicles sold in Pennsylvania must meet?

Pennsylvania law states that every vehicle offered for sale must be roadworthy. It is also illegal for a dealer to sell you a car without informing you of the following problems if the seller knows or should know that they exist:

a cracked or twisted frame
a cracked engine block or head
bad transmission
bad differential
flood damage
the car won't pass state inspection
These rules apply to both new cars and used cars and even to cars that are sold "as is."
Pennsylvania also has a "Lemon Law," but it applies only to new cars that are purchased and registered in Pennsylvania. It gives car buyers special rights when a new car does not measure up to its warranty.

 

[MikePA]

In this case it appears that the car has a bad transmission..

What would make you think the car has a bad transmission?

 

[zzvyb6]

Try the other key.

 

[EarPlug]

What would make you think the car has a bad transmission?

From the original post - she pulls into the driveway balling her eyes out "THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR...IT WONT GO OVER 20MPH" I was like "no you prob put it in the wrong gear, so I get in and drive it, and low and behold, in first gear it hits 3,500 rpm and hit the rev limiter and wont shift. right back to the dealership I take it, go right into the owner of the dealerships office (he has a big glass office right up front) I explain we just drove the car off the lot 10 minutes ago, he said he remembered seeing us in there earlier, I told him what the car was doing, he took it for a drive, found the same problem I did

 

[Bota4me]

I have never met anyone that never had problems with their volkswagon... They do not make good used cars imo. Good luck and hope you get your money back.

 

[ustmd]

Monster318--did the used car dealer ever tell you what they did to clear the check engine light from your test drive?

 

[bspeedy]

Perhaps too late for this advice, but I would never buy a VW. Long story short: I bought a new Jetta fully loaded, total piece of junk with an incompetent dealer, went to arbitration and VW bought it back through the Lemon Law program. Still a lot of aggrivation and lost money. VW dealership and Regional Manager were indignant jerks who couldn't have cared less about me or my vehicle or my money. NEVER AGAIN.

Advice that's not too late: Don't accept this vehicle. Undo the deal. Whatever it takes. Give them a couple of grand in the process, if you have to. It will be money well spent on a lesson learned. Try to approach it in a friendly way. Be nice. Tell them you'll tell all your friends nice things about their dealership. Do anything to get your money and get out of this problem vehicle. If they won't play ball, visit a lawyer and find out what your legal options are. If no legal option, sell or trade the car.

I'm sorry you are in this situation, but don't make it worse by throwing good money after bad. Cut your losses. Go get a nice honda accord and drive it till the wheels fall off. I replaced my 2000 Jetta with one and it has 186,000 miles and still going strong with only routine maintenance.

Good luck.

 

[hawkeye08]

Let us know what you figure out, clean carfax is not in itself a positive, just means it is not a negative in my book. I have seen too many cases where the carfax was clean, but the car had issues. We avoided a disaster this summer when shopping for SUV for my daughter. Came to agreement with private seller of SUV, asked to have a few days to sleep on it and make sure it was what she wanted. Carfax was a mess, 5 owners, stolen and recovered once.. daughter called him and said we were going to pass and thanked him for his time (we did not put a deposit down and he could have sold it before we got back to him, we didn't leave him hanging)..

 

[arrow]

From the original post - she pulls into the driveway balling her eyes out "THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR...IT WONT GO OVER 20MPH" I was like "no you prob put it in the wrong gear, so I get in and drive it, and low and behold, in first gear it hits 3,500 rpm and hit the rev limiter and wont shift. right back to the dealership I take it, go right into the owner of the dealerships office (he has a big glass office right up front) I explain we just drove the car off the lot 10 minutes ago, he said he remembered seeing us in there earlier, I told him what the car was doing, he took it for a drive, found the same problem I did

Nope, does not mean a "transmission" problem necessarily. I mean it could be but more than likely ,not. Todays cars are governed by their computers. If the computer is getting a "trouble code" from one of the various sensors that an automobile has such as the Map or Tp sensor, it will signal the transmission not to go beyond a certain rpm or shift point. Some shift into second, some shift into first it all depends on what the manufacturers "limp" mode has in its algorithm.