Corrosion Warraty insanity question

[Alucard77]

So I purchased my vehicle from a dealership on Sept 13th, 2019. When I took my vehicle in to be checked out this week, I was told I was out of warranty. What I was told is that the dealership bought the car on July 31st, 2019, therefore all warranties on the vehicle have expired. This was not explained to me anywhere and it is just insane.

As some quick back ground.
- The initial dealership failed to switch my name in the Jeep system until after I contacted them years later. At that time they said they updated the information to reference the Sept 13th purchase date. I asked specifically about my warranty and they said it would be fine.
- I called 5 dealerships in total in regards to my corrosion, and none of them would take my car, including the original dealership. I finally found one 1 hour away that would and here is where I stand.

Is there something that I could do at this point, or am I out of luck?

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[TheNewGuy]

So I purchased my vehicle from a dealership on Sept 13th, 2019. When I took my vehicle in to be checked out this week, I was told I was out of warranty. What I was told is that the dealership bought the car on July 31st, 2019, therefore all warranties on the vehicle have expired. This was not explained to me anywhere and it is just insane.

As some quick back ground.
- The initial dealership failed to switch my name in the Jeep system until after I contacted them years later. At that time they said they updated the information to reference the Sept 13th purchase date. I asked specifically about my warranty and they said it would be fine.
- I called 5 dealerships in total in regards to my corrosion, and none of them would take my car, including the original dealership. I finally found one 1 hour away that would and here is where I stand.

Is there something that I could do at this point, or am I out of luck?

The warranty goes by the in-service date which is the date that it's first sold and titled. A dealer, CarFax or Jeep Cares can give you that date.

 

[Alucard77]

The warranty goes by the in-service date which is the date that it's first sold and titled. A dealer, CarFax or Jeep Cares can give you that date.

I am assuming that is the July 31st date that they are referencing. The word I am keying off here is first sold. I am assuming the first sale is to the dealership. My title says 9/13/18. But I am assuming that doesn't matter even though I bought the car as new.

 

[TheNewGuy]

I am assuming that is the July 31st date that they are referencing. The word I am keying off here is first sold. I am assuming the first sale is to the dealership. My title says 9/13/18. But I am assuming that doesn't matter even though I bought the car as new.

Nope. Unless the dealer titled it in their name and it was used as a courtesy vehicle or rental. In service date is the date it is sold/titled to its first owner.

 

[TheRaven]

I am assuming that is the July 31st date that they are referencing. The word I am keying off here is first sold. I am assuming the first sale is to the dealership. My title says 9/13/18. But I am assuming that doesn't matter even though I bought the car as new.

No. A dealer doesn't get a vehicle titled to them, they just hold the title until it is sold. It's not legally titled until a customer buys it. So its in-service date is that day, and that's when the warranty starts.

 

[AcesandEights]

@TheNewGuy is right. It's first sold to a customer. Maybe it was sold to someone else and their financing fell through or something.

If you have the purchase paperwork, it should be easy to show the dealership; however, they may have another buyer, prior to you. If that is the case, it was a "used" vehicle, not new, when you bought it.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

If you bought it new on 9/13/19, as far as I know that is the start of your warranty period. Don't let them tell you otherwise.

 

[Alucard77]

Luckily the person at the dealership escalated it her district manager, and he approved the repairs. $14.7k of repairs!

I found out the history of the car and the issue, and I'm happy the old dealership is out of business. Long story short, they bought the car outright to get rebates, which then kicked in the warranty. They didn't tell me, and all my paperwork said new car purchase. This would have been battle with Chrysler if the district manager didn't okay this. Well maybe a battle, this is my 4th Jeep.

 

[Ratbert]

Luckily the person at the dealership escalated it her district manager, and he approved the repairs. $14.7k of repairs!

I found out the history of the car and the issue, and I'm happy the old dealership is out of business. Long story short, they bought the car outright to get rebates, which then kicked in the warranty. They didn't tell me, and all my paperwork said new car purchase. This would have been battle with Chrysler if the district manager didn't okay this. Well maybe a battle, this is my 4th Jeep.

I'm thinking that means they sold a used car as new.

 

[rk911]

Seek legal advice from an attorney well versed in contract law.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

Luckily the person at the dealership escalated it her district manager, and he approved the repairs. $14.7k of repairs!

I found out the history of the car and the issue, and I'm happy the old dealership is out of business. Long story short, they bought the car outright to get rebates, which then kicked in the warranty. They didn't tell me, and all my paperwork said new car purchase. This would have been battle with Chrysler if the district manager didn't okay this. Well maybe a battle, this is my 4th Jeep.

Is it a 4XE?

 

[LARSONEM]

No. A dealer doesn't get a vehicle titled to them, they just hold the title until it is sold. It's not legally titled until a customer buys it. So its in-service date is that day, and that's when the warranty starts.

Not entirely true. Some dealers license them as loaners or courtesy vehicles which means titling the vehicle, which makes it a used car when it is sold to the next customer. This may be done directly to the dealership or a subsidiary of the dealership (very common to have land, buildings, vehicles and equipment held by a subsidiary business or corporation to limit liability should something bad happen while the vehicle is being used) which means the vehicle would be sold as used with the remainder of the factory warranty. The only exception to that which would allow them to sell it as new would be if the vehicle was used as a demonstrator or courtesy vehicle and was never titled or plated (just used on a dealer plate). Generally dealers limit mileage on this type of vehicle to somewhere between 1000-3000 miles and discount the price of the vehicle even further. Dad was an automobile dealership accountant for 53 years and was part of dealership management much of that time and was furnished with a demonstrator. It was a huge benefit considering the cost of vehicles, insurance, maintenance and depreciation. He typically drove a demo as they were called no more than 3000 miles before turning it over.

 

[TheRaven]

Not entirely true. Some dealers license them as loaners or courtesy vehicles which means titling the vehicle, which makes it a used car when it is sold to the next customer.

Right but then they would be required to disclose to the customer that they were buying a USED vehicle. The OP sounded like he believed he purchased a NEW vehicle.

 

[TheNewGuy]

Luckily the person at the dealership escalated it her district manager, and he approved the repairs. $14.7k of repairs!

I found out the history of the car and the issue, and I'm happy the old dealership is out of business. Long story short, they bought the car outright to get rebates, which then kicked in the warranty. They didn't tell me, and all my paperwork said new car purchase. This would have been battle with Chrysler if the district manager didn't okay this. Well maybe a battle, this is my 4th Jeep.

Believe it on not, 14.7 is on the lower end if they are replacing panels. I've seen quite a few that were $18k-$19k

 

[hamiamham69]

When I brought my 2019 Jeep in for hinge corrosion the dealer was - for lack of a better term - really “weird” about when the “in-service” was and what it meant to be “in-service.” At least in my state, the title will show the number of miles on the clock when then Jeep was transferred to you. Again it’s state dependent but in my state a car can’t be sold as “new” if it has 200 or more miles on the odo. I have to imagine burrows somewhere in the contract is a definition for “in-service” / Jeeps have been know to sit on lots for many months. If they are trying to say that is eating into your warranty period I would say that’s redic.

I’m glad you got a good outcome but I am bothered by the amount or effort and hassle you needed to go thru to get there.

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