Is it legal to sell a used car with an open recall?
There is no law stating that a dealer cannot sell a used car with open recalls that have not been corrected. However, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) prevents dealerships from selling new, unrepaired vehicles that have open recalls. You can buy a used car with an open recall, but it’s important that you know what they are and make sure they’ve been fulfilled before finalizing a purchase.
Checking open reminders
The best place to look for open recalls is to visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website. Just type the vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the car into the search bar, and it will show you all open recalls associated with that specific model. NHTSA’s Recall Finder examines all uncompleted safety repairs and recalls performed within the last 15 calendar years.
It’s just one thing you should do before you sign the papers and get the keys to a used car. There are others used car buying steps you should follow as well as.
Steps to buying a used car
Before you even enter a dealership, you need to create a budget. You can use our Payment Calculator to get an idea of the price of the car you can afford. You can see how different interest rates and loan terms can affect the monthly payment.
Next, you need to find out where your credit is at by checking your credit reports. You are entitled to a free copy of your credit reports every 12 months from each of the three major credit bureaus, and you can get them at www.annualcreditreport.com. Make sure all information is correct and dispute any inaccurate negative marks with the reporting office. For your credit score, most lenders look at your FICO score. If your lending institution offers free access to your FICO score, you can get it there. Otherwise, you can pay a small fee to get it through the credit bureaus on their websites or through FICO directly at www.myFICO.com.
Then you can search for used vehicles online and visit dealerships for a test drive their. Take each car for a test drive and check all buttons, switches and displays to make sure they work. This is where checking for current recalls comes in – just because a used vehicle appears to be running and ready to go on paper doesn’t mean it necessarily is. If you’re considering buying it, have a trusted mechanic take a last look for you. They can tell you if there is something wrong that hasn’t been reported, or if there is potential for something to happen.
Buy a used car the smart way with us
Buying a used car can be both stressful and exciting. You might want to go ahead and buy that used vehicle you found, but you need to take a few steps before that, especially if you have bad credit. Finding financing for a used car isn’t always easy with bad credit, and that’s why we want to help.
AT Auto Express Credit, we work with dealerships across the country who specialize in helping borrowers in unique credit situations obtain financing for new and used vehicles. Start the process today by submitting our simple and secure car loan application form now!