Buyer Beware... Used Texas car lot selling NJ lemons?

[byeLT4]

So in my search for a new (to me) Model S I have come across a few good prices from a Texas used car dealer that caught my eye. 20k miles P85Ds, one listed for 69k, the other for 72. A 90X that was priced crazy that is no longer listed and now a 2015 MS60 for 49k. I requested the VIN for the $69k P85D and the only thing Google finds is that it pops up in a list "Vehicles branded under the New Jersey Lemon law". The newly listed MS60 has the VIN listed on the dealers website so I Googled it as well and lo and behold.... Vehicles branded under the New Jersey Lemon law.... I did not get a chance to see if the MX they had was as well but at the price it was listed at I assume it had to be as well.

I haven't come across this before but apparently it happens??.. I just thought it was strange that one dealer has so many. I really wish Texas could just have actual Tesla dealerships......

 

[JHWJR]

Wow does your post take a dumb turn right at the end. Like dealerships would do away with Lemon Law cars? Why don't you spend some time addressing how dealerships would eliminate Lemon Law cars? Why don't you spend some time addressing how the risk of used cars is worth reintroducing to the Tesla model all of the things that that NON-dealership model does away with? Like the risk that a used car you get might have an issue is the only consideration in the world. Please.

 

[mynameisjim]

It's legal to sell cars bought back under lemon law. It will be marked on the title and vehicle history reports. Lemon law can be multiple reasons, even if something is fixed. Number of return visits, number of business days out of service...

 

[SomeJoe7777]

Texas auto dealers have been doing shady things like this for years. After hurricane Ike hit in 2008, there were hundreds, if not thousands of vehicles that were abandoned and flooded on our freeways. The bulk of them were salvaged, repaired, and then shipped to car lots in the northeast for resale without being noted that they were flooded salvage vehicles.

They are also well-known to roll back odometers, take used parts and sell them as refurbished or new, perform repairs that aren't needed, and a whole host of other bad practices. This is why the dealers associations down here are so vehemently against manufacturer-owned car sales outlets, because all of their "easy green" would go away.

 

[brucet999]

Wow does your post take a dumb turn right at the end. Like dealerships would do away with Lemon Law cars? Why don't you spend some time addressing how dealerships would eliminate Lemon Law cars? Why don't you spend some time addressing how the risk of used cars is worth reintroducing to the Tesla model all of the things that that NON-dealership model does away with? Like the risk that a used car you get might have an issue is the only consideration in the world. Please.

Easy, Tiger. I didn't read @byeLT4's post as advocating dealerships. I think he is unfamiliar with the distinction between "stores" vs "Dealerships" and assumes that Tesla would not import out-of-state lemons to resell in its stores.

 

[byeLT4]

Wow does your post take a dumb turn right at the end. Like dealerships would do away with Lemon Law cars? Why don't you spend some time addressing how dealerships would eliminate Lemon Law cars? Why don't you spend some time addressing how the risk of used cars is worth reintroducing to the Tesla model all of the things that that NON-dealership model does away with? Like the risk that a used car you get might have an issue is the only consideration in the world. Please.

LOL.

I just thought it was strange and thought people would comment if it was common in other places. That is, for one car lot to buy up several of a manufacturer's (specifically Tesla's) lemons and attempt to resell them. I didn't know it would be marked on the title and thought the lot might be trying to pull a fast one. I thought it was strange buying several lemons from across the country whose history maybe hard to verify (again, until finding out the titles will be marked).

Just a thread to start conversation, there can be days between posts that I find relevant. I wasn't purposely trying to make a thread for someone to 'want their click back'

 

[GaryREM]

@byeLT4 Any time you post, there's a chance someone will latch on to a phrase and go off on a rant.

There's no excuse for it and unfortunately it's one of the thing TMC is noted for...

 

[byeLT4]

Texas auto dealers have been doing shady things like this for years. After hurricane Ike hit in 2008, there were hundreds, if not thousands of vehicles that were abandoned and flooded on our freeways. The bulk of them were salvaged, repaired, and then shipped to car lots in the northeast for resale without being noted that they were flooded salvage vehicles.

They are also well-known to roll back odometers, take used parts and sell them as refurbished or new, perform repairs that aren't needed, and a whole host of other bad practices. This is why the dealers associations down here are so vehemently against manufacturer-owned car sales outlets, because all of their "easy green" would go away.

I heard about that 'flood' of used cars that hit the market haha! It really is crazy what they can get away with.

Easy, Tiger. I didn't read @byeLT4's post as advocating dealerships. I think he is unfamiliar with the distinction between "stores" vs "Dealerships" and assumes that Tesla would not import out-of-state lemons to resell in its stores.

Correct. I have been to a few Tesla showrooms but obviously we can't actually purchase from there. So for now I am stuck looking online and visiting a few used car lots that are brave enough to sell used Teslas. It is hard enough trying to find one I like and finding one that was priced right with the battery and performance options I liked only to find out it was a former lemon car irked me enough to post. Thank goodness I'll live!....

 

[brkaus]

Good to know. I'd like to see if it is actually titled as a lemon.

Looks like there may be a loophole?

TXDMV.GOV - 005-07 Manufacturer Buy Back (Lemon Law) Title Transactions

Or perhaps above link is outdated.

 

[byeLT4]

Interesting........

 

[brkaus]

I found the car you are referring to. if I lived closer I would stop by and see what they disclose.

 

[CjRichMar]

So in my search for a new (to me) Model S I have come across a few good prices from a Texas used car dealer that caught my eye...

You wouldn't, by chance, be talking about Texas Direct Auto would you? I've been looking to trade my Model S for an X and have also come across consistently low prices from their site. Unfortunately, I won't be a Texas resident for another three months so it's somewhat difficult to visit the place in person.

 

[brkaus]

Frisco, TX

 

[byeLT4]

You wouldn't, by chance, be talking about Texas Direct Auto would you? I've been looking to trade my Model S for an X and have also come across consistently low prices from their site. Unfortunately, I won't be a Texas resident for another three months so it's somewhat difficult to visit the place in person.

No, Texas Direct does have great deals and their cars appear to be in great shape with no history.