Legal Question in Consumer Law in Delaware

Misrepresentation of CAR

On July 21, 2004 around 3:30 PM I purchased a car from an individual Matt. I found the ad for his car on Autotrader.com. The ad stated 1998 Acura Integra GSR 39000mi Black with Black Leather seats. Car is in great cond. Has tanaba sustec pro coilovers, rota slipstreams, apexi catback exhaust, car has lots more call for details. Matt 302-475-8505 302-753-4988 cell. $9400 obo. When I called him about the car on July 20, 2004 he told me the car was original with only 39000mi and he was selling it because he needed to buy a truck to pull his jet ski. I agreed to come look at and purchased the car. So on July 21, 2004 I went with a friend and bought the car. He told me he had a lien on the tittle so he would mail it to me once he pays the loan off. The interior was missing a lot of trim pieces which Matt said he would send via UPS in couple of days. So we did a Bill of Sale for the amount of $7800 and I took the car home to VA. The next day I was driving the car and tried using he horn but it didn�t work plus the car was blowing out white smoke. So after work I took it to a Mechanic and he told me that this is not the engine of a Acura Integra GSR. He said the engine was of a Honda Civic. I was appalled and came home called Matt�s mo


Asked on 7/24/04, 11:13 am

2 Answers from Attorneys
Jonathon Moseley Jonathon A. Moseley

Re: Misrepresentation of CAR

Even though you live in Virginia, I think from what you describe this really comes under Delaware law, because you travelled to Delaware and bought the car there. (By contrast, if the seller had travelled to Virginia and sold you the car there, Virginia law would control this.)

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Answered on 7/29/04, 10:36 am
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Re: Misrepresentation of CAR

Looks like "Matt" has taken you for the proverbial "ride to Fraudsville". You've purchased

an Acura Integra chassis (minus certain trim pieces)fully equipped with the engine of a Honda Civic.

You could certainly pursue this shyster in Delaware for fraud but, realistically, I doubt that you'd ever be able to get him before a judge.

There are too many lessons here in this unfortunate situation as to what a consumer should and should not do in buying an a used car(particularly one located in another state)to even begin to enumerate them here, other than to say: you did everything wrong and nothing right with repect to this purchase and, therefore, your recovery options are virtually zilch.

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Answered on 7/25/04, 12:00 pm


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