A man says he bought a 2014 Mercedes GL 450 sight unseen from an out-of-state seller for about $21,000, and the problems started almost immediately.
As reported at 5:30 p.m., Sheldon, a 62-year-old man from Rhode Island who asked that his last name be kept private, said he bought the car from a New Jersey seller, which was delivered to his home in October, according to our sister station WFXT in Boston.
“Half my kids think I’m an idiot, the other half feel sorry for us,” Sheldon said.
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He said the vehicle stalls and continuously leaks antifreeze. The frame is damaged, two doors have been replaced and leaking antifreeze is burning in the engine and causing white smoke under the hood.
‘We’re stuck with a car we can’t even drive. We can’t even visit our children, our family. We’re stuck with this car,” Sheldon said.
A mechanic told him the vehicle had been caught in a flood or had a major collision. He fought with the seller and his bank for months to get some of his money back.
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“You buy something sight unseen and you take someone at their word,” Sheldon said. “I would never buy anything again without seeing it in person and making sure it’s from a real dealer.”
Sheldon said that after his experience, he wouldn’t let anyone he knows buy anything online.
If you’re buying a car online from abroad, Brian Moody, editor-in-chief of Kelly Blue Book, recommends that you send an inspection company, such as Lemon Squad, to look at the car for you.
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“You can’t just take people’s word for it,” Moody said. ‘You can just pay them and they will inspect the car for you. They will give you a written report.”
Next, Moody suggests that you open an escrow account to pay the seller. This helps ensure your safety as your money is protected until the paperwork is completed.
“So you can say, ‘Hey, I got the car, but we didn’t talk about that,’” Moody said.
Sheldon is stuck with an SUV that keeps breaking down and wishes he had done more homework.
Moody also suggests getting a vehicle history report from a company like Carfax or Autotrader. This doesn’t always give you the full picture, but it’s one more tool you can use to ensure you don’t make mistakes.
