Legal Question in Consumer Law in Pennsylvania

Re: sold as is

Funny thing, there was recently a query posted from someone who could have been the purchaser. Not really a coincidence, because this is a very common set of facts.

I don't know the facts so as to express any specific opinion or give advice, but the basic rules are that "as is" means "as is." No warranty or any other remedy for the buyer if the car completely fails the next day. There may be special rules for a dealer, especially with regard to deceptive sales practices, which could alter that.

The exception is fraud. Fraud's a lot easier to allege than to prove. Fraud means (to oversimplify) a knowing misstatement of a material fact, on which the buyer reasonably relied.

So, if you sold the car "as is," but told the buyer the engine was just rebuilt, when in fact you knew that the engine had only been steam cleaned and repainted, you might have a problem.

But if you only said the car ran well, and that was true, it's not fraud merely because you didn't predict future problems.