Many consumers have driven cars off the lot of CarMax with a Quality Certified and 125+ point inspection label only to discover the car has an outstanding recall. Knowingly selling unsafe vehicles puts everyone on the road at risk and could result in more car accidents, injuries and deaths.
CarMax, the largest used car dealership in the country, first received attention about its deceptive marketing practices last year. In a New York Times story about new federal legislation to regulate the sale of used cars, reporters spoke with a number of drivers who had troubles with used car purchases. Several customers unknowingly purchased cars with open recalls and other undisclosed problems.
In some instances, consumers got into accidents shortly after buying their cars, directly as a result of the defective components the car was being recalled for. Manufacturers announced recalls a few days before CarMax sold them to unwitting drivers in several cases.
Recently, local news organizations have uncovered that CarMax is still selling vehicles with open recall orders on them. A recent investigation by the California Public Interest Research Group found that 10 percent of cars at one CarMax lot had recalls issued on them that had not been fixed.
To add insult to injury, these vehicles are being sold as Quality Certified with claims that they have undergone a thorough 125+ point inspection. The message to consumers is that they can trust CarMax to sell them a safe vehicle. Despite this, CarMax continues to sell cars they know are unsafe without disclosing that information to consumers.
CarMax and other used car dealers are fighting legislation to ensure cars with known recall orders are not sold until they are repaired. They claim that it is unfair because only manufacturer authorized dealerships can do recall fixes. Since they are in direct competition, new dealers might slow down repairs for used dealers, hurting their bottom line.
Of course, this argument fails to take into account what is fair to the consumer, and how knowingly selling defective cars puts everyone at risk.
If you recently purchased a vehicle from CarMax and were injured in a car accident as a result of a defect in the vehicle, you may be able to file a claim for damages. Greg Coleman Law will offer a free consultation for consumers pursuing a CarMax lawsuit. Contact a Knoxville personal injury lawyer today and get the justice you deserve.
Call (865) 247-0080 today or fill out our FREE case evaluation form.
