SickStroke6.0
New member
Hey guys, trying to help out a friend.
He just bought a truck (his first diesel), and the CarFax was super clean. No accidents, 2 owners; both times sold by a dealership. He bought the truck privately. After owning the truck for a few months, I noticed he had some extra bolts on the frame rail. Upon further investigation, the frame has been cut, notched, and welded back together right beneath the firewall. It looks to have been repaired very well using solid welds and frame connectors. It is not noticeable until you sit underneath the truck. However, this goes against the CarFax and suggests that the truck has been previously wrecked. Frame damage is nearly ALWAYS an automatic trip to the salvage yard. I also told him sometimes the airbags are not replaced, due to the heavy cost of replacement. He is incredibly upset, and I told him I would seek advice. I am concerned for his safety, but he is more concerned about the large check he wrote several months ago (he paid cash for the truck). Would this be something he should seek a lawyer about? Quick research pulled up the suggestion of contacting a "lemon law" lawyer, because this is most likely a shady crime that some dealerships have been known to commit. They will buy the wrecked vehicle at an auction, and fix it before having the title branded.
Having a truck with previous frame damage cuts the value in half, IMO, as with salvage titled vehicles. He paid right at market value for the truck. Any help would be greatly appreciated. He is also afraid to sell the truck, since he does not want to be held liable for this issue in the future.
He just bought a truck (his first diesel), and the CarFax was super clean. No accidents, 2 owners; both times sold by a dealership. He bought the truck privately. After owning the truck for a few months, I noticed he had some extra bolts on the frame rail. Upon further investigation, the frame has been cut, notched, and welded back together right beneath the firewall. It looks to have been repaired very well using solid welds and frame connectors. It is not noticeable until you sit underneath the truck. However, this goes against the CarFax and suggests that the truck has been previously wrecked. Frame damage is nearly ALWAYS an automatic trip to the salvage yard. I also told him sometimes the airbags are not replaced, due to the heavy cost of replacement. He is incredibly upset, and I told him I would seek advice. I am concerned for his safety, but he is more concerned about the large check he wrote several months ago (he paid cash for the truck). Would this be something he should seek a lawyer about? Quick research pulled up the suggestion of contacting a "lemon law" lawyer, because this is most likely a shady crime that some dealerships have been known to commit. They will buy the wrecked vehicle at an auction, and fix it before having the title branded.
Having a truck with previous frame damage cuts the value in half, IMO, as with salvage titled vehicles. He paid right at market value for the truck. Any help would be greatly appreciated. He is also afraid to sell the truck, since he does not want to be held liable for this issue in the future.