NHTSA Complaint #10363945 — 1995 CHEVROLET LUMINA

ON OR ABOUT 10-6-10 I ASSISTED MY GRANDSON IN PURCHASING A VEHICLE FROM A CAR LOT IN CLEVELAND OHIO. THE CAR WAS A 1995 CHEVY LUMINA. WE WERE TOLD THE CAR HAD BEEN PURCHASED AT AN AUCTION IN PA. AND DRIVEN TO CLEVELAND WITHOUT A PROBLEM. I PAID $635 FOR THE DOWNPAYMENT WITH ADDITIONAL $300 TO BE PAID BY 11-5-10 FOR A TITLE TRANSFER. THEN $200 A MONTH THEREAFTER FOR 12 MONTHS. WE LEFT WITH AN ELATED YOUNG MAN WHO NOW HAD A WAY TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK FOR HIS TWO JOBS. THE NEXT DAY HE TAKES IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND IS TOLD THAT THE CAR HAS NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, LEAKING GASKETS, BAD STRUTS, RUSTED FLOOR, AND LEAK IN GAS TANK AND TRANSMISSION. THE NEXT DAY, IT STOPPED RUNNING. CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO TOWED IT AND CLAIMED TO REPAIR LEAKING TRANS. THREE DAYS LATER IT STOPS AGAIN, THEY TOW IT FROM I-480 HIGHWAY AND EACH TOW WE HAVE TO PAY THEM $45. THEY ARE GIVEN A LIST OF REPAIRS NEEDED, EVEN THOUGH PURCHASED WITH NO WARRANTY THE CAR BARELY LEAVES THE LOT BEFORE IT BREAKS DOWN. ON PAYDAY, HE GETS CAR BACK THIS TIME AND FILLS TANK UP ONLY FOR HIS JOB PARKING LOT TO BE COVERED WITH LEAKING GAS AND THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPT. ARE CALLED AND TELL HIM NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AS THE LEAK IS A DEATH TRAP. AGAIN I PAY FOR A TOW FROM AAA $64. THEY ARE INFORMED AND STATE THEY PUT A GAS TANK ON AND THAT WE CANNOT CONTACT THEM REGARDING ANYMORE PROBLEMS. TWO DAYS AGO THE CAR STOPS AGAIN, BATTERY DEAD. I PURCHASE A NEW BATTERY AND TODAY, THE STABILIZER BAR FALLS AND THE STRUTS ARE HANGING LEAVING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE REGARDING UNSCRUPULOUS DEALERS THAT SELL THESE HARD WORKING PEOPLE UNRELIABLE TRANSPORTATION. *TR