Well, as some know, I used the WWW (ebay) to buy a truck... not just any truck, a decent '02 Dodge 2500 Cummins... I payed for it using a wire transfer along with a Paypal payment. I had a lot of faith in this guy because of his feedback ratings and what not. So I figured it was a safe bet on this guy.

I got a plane ticket last weekend to leave SYR at 6:50 am and get to DCA and then leave DCA to go to MCO. Then the guy from the dealer was going to pick me up; which he did.

So I get over to the dealer, and while he was taking me there, I was chatting with him about all sorts of stuff. He seemed like a pretty decent fellow and it made me feel even better. When I got there, they were still detailing the vehicle (I think), and I talk to a few more people there. They all see rather ok. Finally the truck gets done, and he brings it out, and goes over everything with me. He then has me go out for a test drive, which I did, and everything felt ok, at least from what I could tell for going on a 15 minute little excursion. So I got back, and I signed a couple papers, typical of any car dealer, and they got me a temp tag and gave me the keys. They said the title would be on it's way in 2-3 weeks or so. I was fine with that, of course.

I asked one of the fellows in the dealer if there was a Walmart nearby, and he told me that it was pretty much right down the road from here. So I was fine and dandy with that.. I then went out, down the road to Walmart. I went inside, got myself some groceries and necessities for the trip home. I then started my voyage home, I found I95 and took it from Florida, to Georgia, to South Carolina, to North Carolina, and I decided to get something to eat and take a nap. By this time it was around 10:30. So I went to a Hardys got meself something to eat, and I layed down in the huge back seat and fell asleep for a couple hours until I was rudly woken by someone's boombox in their car along with some screaming, etc. So I got up and felt good enough to make it the rest of the way home. So at about 1:30 am, it's now Friday, and I get behind the wheel, and I was hoping the next time I was done, was when I was home. So I drove through North Carolina, then I got to Virginia, and I was supposed to get on I270 right at the Virginia-Maryland border... but they were doing tons of construction and they didn't have it clearly marked and I missed the exit. I kind of panicked for a little bit, and I decided to stop at the MD welcome center to check my Google Maps. Low and behold, I was on the right track, and all I had to do was catch 83 and the 81 to go home. Yay, only ~400 miles to go! I found 83, and I was on my merry way, until I started going up some hills. I hit my first hill, and it was ok. I hit a second hill, my truck started bucking, I hit the third hill, I was barely moving up the hill at 20 mph while blue smoke was pouring from my truck. I was livid! Here I am, stuck by myself, with a broke truck. So I call my mom up, and then I realized that I had a friend that lived about an hour or so away in Elizabethtown, PA. So I got ahold of him, and told him the situation. He came out to get me, while I was waiting for him, I contacted my insurance company and I got free wrecker towing and I had the Dodge towed to the nearest Dodge Dealer, which is in ****ysville, MD at Don White's Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep. Of course my phone died, and luckily there was a new firehouse down the street from where I was hanging around that they let me charge my phone.

When the tow truck driver loaded the truck up on to the truck, it was leaking fluid and he said it smelled like transfercase fluid or gear case oil. Yup, the tranny decided to have a bad day.

So my Mom ended up coming down to my friend's place, and we had dinner, slept the night, and had breakfast. My mom and I then went out to the Dodge Dealer in MD, to get stuff out of the truck. Luckily I did come back, because some how, I left my bank card in the armrest! However, they won't be able to look at it until Thursday! So we went home.

Crazy or what?!

 

Typical dodge transmission.

Sucks it happened on your maiden voyage in your "new" truck tho.

 

Man that's a crappy situation hopeeverything works out for you

 

Man oh man that soooo sucks. So what legal means do you have in this situation?

 

Yes it does...

Well, I got the Ebay VPP... but the dealer seems like they will pay to get it fixed. I hope, but I'm waiting until Thursday.

I just got a feeling they knew the tranny was bad, but they lied. But we'll see...

From what a buddy of mine told me, if they really mess me over, and the VPP comes into play, it's going to mess'em up big time.

At the last attempt I will get the FL state police involved to get them to either pay for the repair or to take the truck back.

It's in writing saying the truck is mechanically sound with a bunch of other good stuff. So there's no getting around it. Especially since it was on a legal trading site following terms and conditions.

 

other than the FHP i have no clue of this "state police" that you talk about. you have a best bet of a small-claims court. have you contacted the dealer about it? i want to hear what they said!

but why a Dodge? we all know that they have crappy transmissions!!

 

Well, you know what I mean... the FHP. If they don't want anything to do with it, I can get the NYSP involved. But it is easily attainable because it is clearly stated in the auction right in black and white.

Yes, I've contacted the dealer.

 

Man, that really sucks. Hopefully you can get all this straightened out. You've had some bad luck lately with trucks, that's for sure. Oh and welcome to MD, enjoy your stay.

 

Hope the dealer comes through. The only help from eBay VPP would be if you can prove that the dealer knew and did not disclose engine/transmission issues. That will be a long and tough fight to prove the dealer knowing sold the vehicle with issues.

Was it an "AS IS" purchase? I thought in some states that the buyer has some sort of recourse if a vehicle that is purchased breaks down within hours or days after. Did you have a 3rd party inspection done on the vehicle prior to purchase? I doubt the police would get involved.

 

Sounds like a typical Dodge. Transmission taking a **** when you least expect it.

 

I thought this was a MANUAL transmission...................

We all know about the crappy Dodge AUTOMATICS........I thought that those New Venture manuals were solid.

 

Is this the truck? As-is no warranty expressed or implied?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/02-RA...=p4506.c0.m245

 

That sux soooo bad! I really hope the dealers makes it right. Even if you would have had an independent mechanic look at the trans...could it have been caught??

If the dealer REALLY balks on this ask him if he will at least go half on the new trans. Please keep us posted.

 

looks like it. He posted a pic of that exact truck in another thread.

 

If so, their "AS IS - NO WARRANTY" seems to cover them of any liability once the buyer takes possession. I'm still currious if there is any Florida law that protects the buyer for a period of time, i.e. a week, after leaving the dealer's lot.