Arbitration Strikes Again: Used Cars
In 2007, John Perz (whose story has been covered by Consumer Reports, and who tells his own story here) bought a used car from a local lot in San Diego. The car had a rattle, but the salesman promised Perz that if he made an appointment, the rattle would be fixed free of charge. When he brought the car back the next week, however, the mechanic told him that not only could the car not be fixed, but the 48 hour return window had already passed, meaning Perz was stuck with a car that rattled and rolled. He had the car inspected and learned that the certified vehicle he purchased had substantial water damage, possibly from a flood, and had previously been wrecked.
However, when purchasing the car, Perz signed the dealer’s arbitration agreement, meaning that despite hiring a lawyer his case would never reach a judge. Despite being advertised as faster than litigation, after three years his case is still in arbitration. Now he’s up against an arbitrator whose record against consumers is abysmal.
Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety produced this video detailing Jon Perz’s fight against the dealer and against arbitration. Check it out!