Paid $200 for a 'no lemon law' used car and the thing crapped out in 3 weeks

I found this dumb old law in my town that says you can sell a used car 'as is' with no warranty if the buyer signs a specific form, but the town clerk told me there's also a weird local rule that the car has to pass a safety check within 30 days of sale or the seller has to take it back. So I bought this beat up 2002 Honda Civic from a guy on Craigslist for $200, signed the form, and the transmission went out after 3 weeks. I called the town clerk's office and they actually said the seller might have to refund me because of that old safety check rule from like 1984. The seller got all mad but eventually gave me $150 back. Still lost $50 but honestly it felt like a win against a dumb system. Has anyone else found a stupid old law that actually helped you out?

3 comments

3 Comments

christopherh7916d ago

That civic probably had over 250k miles on it for 200 bucks.

nguyen.angela16d ago

And honestly that kind of mileage on an old Civic is almost a selling point, not a downside. Those old 90s Hondas would run forever if you kept oil in em, which most people at least managed to do. Ngl for 200 bucks you're basically buying a set of wheels and a frame that'll get you to work for another year easy.

vera19516d ago

I bought a 97 Civic with 280k for $150 once and drove it three years without doing anything besides oil changes and one alternator. That car finally died when someone ran a red light and totaled it, not because the engine ever gave out. Honestly those 90s Hondas are the best cheap cars you'll ever find if you just need something that moves.