As you guys may know, I like rangers. Not as much as rams, but they make good econo-commuters, while still being trucks. When I saw that the recently opened car dealership by where I work had a late 90s ranger in the lot, I stopped and looked. 77k miles, 4x4, and pretty as a button. No price, as of yet. Great? Right? . . . WRONG!

This is the frame. As you can see on the left side of the picture, its cracked the whole way through. And the body of the hole extends from the center of the axle to behind the (new?) shackle. B-E-A-U-TIFUL! Bear in mind this is only one of many holes.



And to top it all off, it had a brand new inspection sticker on it. Yes, this frame is legally unpassable in PA.

Being the hard-head I am, I called the dealership, and explained to them that Mr. Arc welder and I would be willing to pay them $500 for the truck, and would be more than grateful to hear a counter-offer. As a bonus for them, I wouldn't even complain when the newly inspected truck breaks in half on the way home. Yeah, I can be kind of a jerk when I'm upset.

The truck disappeared, and I thought some poor sap had bought it.

It turned back up at the lot today, and I stopped in and asked about it. It had been in a parking lot accident, and had the tailgate replaced, and was still waiting on a bumper. I looked over the truck again, and found that all of the lesser frame holes were still visible, but over the above pictured hole was a nice big slathering of body putty, and some black paint. It was flush with the rest of the frame. There was no big meaty bead and 1/4 inch plate hiding behind that unless they welded a concave plate to super thin rust, and did the weld entirely on the inside of the frame. Just bondo . . . yeah . . . that should hold.

Anyway, I started trying to squeeze a price out of the salesman, and when I mentioned that it needed the frame completely redone, he started looking at me funny, and asked me if I was the guy who called and left a voicemail about it. When I said that I was, he said that he had repaired the frame, and that my offer was ridiculous (it probably was, but so is hiding a foot long hole). I pointed to it, and said "that's still a hole, and that's bondo".

At this point, I was asked to leave.

As a used car dealership in PA, you can sell anything you want. However, as a dealership or an inspection station, you can not put an inspection sticker on anything you want. That is fraud. Also, you can not knowingly cover up major frame damage without sufficiently repairing it. That is also fraud.

Anyway, this guy, and the garage that inspected the truck have committed inspection fraud. If I reported them, the garage would lose their license, and I would imagine there would be consequences for the dealership as well. If they sell the truck, the dealer is also committing misrepresentation fraud, by knowingly hiding critical damage, and presenting it as having just passed a legitimate safety inspection. I would probably be doing him a favor by paying him $500 for this truck, and having him only take a big loss, but no lawsuit!

Here is the dilemma: I don't want to report him. If I do, that might be enough to close him down and put him out of business. He hasn't sold more than maybe a half dozen cars so far. He is going to screw somebody over, either with this truck or the next. Bondo on JUNK frames is not an ethical business practice. From what I've seen so far of this and other cars on his lot, him closing down would probably be a good thing for anybody in the used car market in the area.

On the other hand, he has a life, and a family. I don't want him to be able to screw over somebody with this heap, but I don't want to be responsible for putting him on welfare, you know? I feel like I have to duty for his potential customers to report this. If my aunt/cousin/grandma etc. paid good money for this truck, and a hunk of filler fell out on the way home and left a foot long hole in the frame, I'd be upset! But I just don't want to be responsible for potentially killing his business, though he may arguably deserve it. He did say something about "going back to the auction anyway" as I was leaving. But if that was the case, why was it out front by the road with stickers and window marker all over it? Maybe he got screwed over too, and is just trying to get his money back? Maybe he didn't like $500, but would sell it for $800? Maybe he has potential to run a decent outfit?

I don't know. I feel as though if he does sell it, it will probably come back to bite him. Maybe I'd be better off if I just sit back and watch. I may actually try talking to him again, and apologize for coming off as a jerk, and then try to have a civil conversation about inspection fraud reporting, arc welding, and honesty with him. Sadly, I don't know if that would get me anywhere but in a river with cinder block boots.

Thoughts?

 

i would report him. that vehicle could cause an accident and kill you or someone you know when the frame brakes and they could be doing hi way speed. all it would take is you driving behind it on the hi way. i don't care if the guy has a life and a family. deadbeats that do stupid stuff like that should be put out of business. he should live and learn. cut his losses. take the best offer which i think $500 was a reasonable offer since i doubt you could get that at a scrap yard. then learn to check out under the vehicle next time.

 

Do unto him as he would do unto others. He seeks to screw someone and not just financially but to put them and others in physical danger. He is not worthy of your concern. He obviously isn't concerned with others and that includes any family he may have. This scum doesn't deserve to waste oxygen.

I would calmly carry a cell phone in to talk to him. I would give him the choice of $200.00 for the truck or a call to the State Police on the spot. His choice.

P.S. Dishonest people do not deserve to be dealt with honestly. What ever he chooses I would turn him in afterward.

 

Isn't that bribery though? I'm thinking I'm probably going to be sending Penndot an email or two tonight.

 

i would even consider contacting the better business bureau and report that guy.
http://www.bbb.org/us/

 

Report him!! His bs practices will kill somebody.

 

Ive seen some crazy stuff at some lots around here in the Harrisburg area.. I wouldnt hesitate to report that guy. He is running a crappy company and just screwing people over left and right.. I went and looked at a dodge at a lot up here in Harrisburg.. Truck had no cat, bald tires, leaking power steering and a broken windsheild.. Fresh inspection and emissions sticker on it to. I pointed out all the issues and asked the owner how it passed PA inspection.. His response was " my qualified mechanic with 20 years experience went over it and found nothing wrong with the vehicle at all".. I laughed in his face and told him he was a fraud.. Reported him the next day.. The truck vanished and they no longer due inspections there.. Do i feel bad? Not at all..

I say report him and warn everyone about that place... Guy is running a crap business trying to screw unsuspecting people out of their hard earned money...

 

I agree with this one. Gives the guy a chance to learn his lesson and only lose $800, instead of losing his whole business.

 

I was a vehicle inspector in PA. many many years ago. The State Police is the agency that oversees the inspection stations. They were the ones that showed up if there were any consumer complaints. They were the ones that sent flawed undercover vehicles to be inspected and woo be the inspector that passed one of those flawed vehicles.

I don't know who told you that that frame would be legally passable but they don't know the inspection laws. This is the pertinent part of the actual law from page E-7:

175.78. CHASSIS
(a) Condition of Chassis - All items on the
chassis shall be in safe operating condition
as described in §175.80 (relating to
inspection procedure).
(b) Vehicle Frame - A vehicle frame shall be in
solid condition

No one could argue that that frame is in solid condition.

Page E-14 states what would qualify the frame for rejection:

(5) Inspect the vehicle frame and REJECT
IF
one or more of the following apply:
(i) The vehicle frame is not in solid
condition.
(ii) The repairs are made with tape, tar
paper or cloth, or are made in another
temporary
manner.
(iii) The frame components are missing,
cracked, rotted, or broken or are in
deteriorated or dangerous condition.
(iv) Body mounts do not hold as required.
(v) A body mount is broken, cracked,
deteriorated or missing.
(vi) The difference in the body floor and
the top of the frame rail exceeds
4 inches.

Here is the full code for light trucks and passenger vehicles:

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms...ubchapterE.pdf

 

I would report him. Doesn't seem like he is is just ignorant to the situation and that he is going to change his ways anytime soon. He is clearly aware of the inherent danger yet chooses to try and pass it off as if it wasn't there. He does not have the right compromise the safety of others.