Action 9: Conflicting reports of used car bothers man

Before shoppers buy a used car, they need to be sure they check out its past.  A Concord man received conflicting reports and turned to Action 9‘s Don Griffin to tell others what to look for to protect themselves. 

“We have a problem with the back window; it doesn’t go down,” Bryan Johnson said.  Johnson recently started having electrical problems with his 2005 Infiniti he and his fiancée purchased last July, so they went to trade it in. 

The dealer pulled a CarFax vehicle history report and Johnson was surprised at what he saw.  It stated that the car had been in an accident and was hit by a train.  The report identified the vehicle as severely damaged.

Johnson says the dealer revealed to him that because of the CarFax report, the car was worth only $7,000.  Johnson said his loan is double that amount at $14,000.   

Johnson says before they bought the car from Pineville Imports, they asked the salesman if it had been in an accident. 

Action 9 went to Pineville Imports for answers, but the owner declined to comment on camera.  The owner did however show a document disclosing possible paint and body work which Johnson's fiancée signed.  He denied the car had been hit by a train and agreed to dispute it with CarFax. 

CarFax researched the accident records and determined they were given incorrect information by investigators. They issued an updated report showing Bryan’s Infiniti had not been involved in an accident.

He is now telling others to be careful buying used cars.  “Do your homework,” Johnson warns. That includes having it checked out by a mechanic before you buy.