Knoxville woman’s car sold after taking it for repairs

A Knoxville woman said a used car dealer unexpectedly sold her vehicle instead of fixing it. She called WATE’s Don Dare after getting a notice from the Tennessee Department of Revenue showing the car was still registered in her name.
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[@AeroGuy07]

$7000 for a 19 year old car? That's a crime in itself.

[@Patrick-yh5yd]

Why poor people stay poor. Always pay cash for a car from owner.

[@theultimate_]

Paid $3000 for my 23 year old car, with only 85,000 miles on it. She got ripped off, and then robbed.

[@1967davethewave]

I saw that and about blew up. I own a used car lot in Missouri. I would sell a car like that for $1500 or so if it was mechanically sound but I usually avoid cars like that all together because they are just too old to be reliable. Those Buy Here lots are the biggest rip offs there are and they prey on the poorest people in our neighborhoods. Really sad.

[@twoeightythreez]

@@1967davethewave even sadder how that's not even enough profit for them they have to take the car away from the person and resell it to somebody else

[@VitoAnthonyD.-ow7oo]

Used cars when up through the roof. They are very expensive now but this was a bit of a gouge. Moral of the story is something is only worth what somebody is willing to pay for it justly or not.

[@danasmith858]

A stolen car is a crime, not civil

[@bigboytexasdownsouth]

Civil.. because the dealer still has the title to the car. The broke a contract which is civil.

[@mph5896]

Repossessed car is not a crime.

[@rangerrecon]

@@mph5896 How was it repo'd? They hadn't missed a payment.

[@SirStanleytheStumbler]

@@bigboytexasdownsouth I thought the documents showed her having the title as seen in the video. It is still in her name.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

​​@@SirStanleytheStumblerThe registration is in her name but the title is in possession of the dealership until she pays it off. This is not a normal dealership where the credit would go through a bank and the bank would possess the title. This is a buy here. pay here lot which is common for people with bad credit.

[@castlerock58]

File a police report. Stealing a car is a crime.

[@captainteemo1264]

police don't to jack shet about stolen car unless they are dealing with the kia boy !!!!!!!!

[@nancygodsey8312]

Definitely file police report for a stolen car. If the warranty she bought was void because over 12,000 miles was logged on the speedometer, that in no way defaults possession back to the dealership. She would have to pay her own repair. The dealership committed theft. She has the registration and vin number. It's a criminal act, not civil. After filing the report, contact the D A's office about bringing theft charges.

[@captainteemo1264]

@@nancygodsey8312 tell that to the pig. They dont do jack shet unless you sue them

[@karenwelch7232]

Yes, the dealership stole her car. Unfortunately, if she reports it stolen, the person the police would arrest is not anyone at the dealership, but rather the buyer who has possession of the car and who probably has no idea it belongs to someone else. So that would be another victim. She should sue to get her money back, and she should also report this place to the state attorney general for its shady business practices.

[@nancygodsey8312]

@@karenwelch7232 Not necessarily the person who bought the car. They're a victim too. But how can anyone SELL a car that is currently registered to someone else? There's no clear certificate of title because the car is in a payment plan. Something was fraudulently sold and it was sold by the dealership. The registration is still in the original buyers name because she received a notice from the state that her insurance had lapsed. It's a scam going on. But unless she gets a lawyer, that's not cheap, the dealership knows that they can skate by. It's likely not the first time they have done this.

[@djxuqyz]

If the state of Tennessee recognizes her as the owner then she could report the car as stolen.

[@walterwhite1]

She never owned it dude the bank owned it. What don’t you understand she was making payments so therefore the bank owns it.

[@djxuqyz]

The bank would be on the title not the dealership. She could have reported it stolen

[@Milesco]

​@@walterwhite1 No, the bank doesn't own it, the bank has a LIEN on it. Big difference. Lindsay Thompson is the *registered owner.* If the car gets a parking ticket, who do you think is on the hook for paying it? The bank? When the State of Tennessee sent her a letter regarding liability insurance, did that letter go to her, or the bank?

[@diegoharo7943]

@@walterwhite1she owns it but she owes the bank money and they can repo the car if she misses payments but she’s the owner

[@AfroDeesiac]

That company STOLE HER CAR. The next update from this news station should be showing the cops arresting the owner of that place.

[@bobroberts2371]

They didn't steal the car, Buy Here Pay Here is a weekly RENTAL with a buy out at the end. The car is out of the 12,000 mile warranty and apparently she stopped making payments.

[@dangeary2134]

@@bobroberts2371if she was missing payments, that newsroom wouldn’t have picked up the story.

[@marriedshades]

@@bobroberts2371 its still car theft if the payments are made no they dont have to fix it with it out of warrant but its also state fraud for not informing the state they had the car and sold it

[@bobroberts2371]

@@michaelbuckley134 You don't understand how a Buy Here Pay Here lot works. These lots can't charge interest on a car loan so they RENT the car to the person for a weekly payment with the option to retain the car at the end of the RENTAL period. Miss a payment and the rental is over. Also do some research on Rent to Own furniture stores.

[@nancyomalley6286]

​@@michaelbuckley134 ^^^ Apparently, we found the Cherokee Auto employees in the comments

[@Xt1000]

Don't buy a car at Cherokee auto sales. Moral of the story. Put them out of business.

[@mrcryptozoic817]

The state now has a reason to look at them more closely.

[@42luke93]

$1000 warranty for 12 months what a waste of money.

[@mrcryptozoic817]

@@42luke93 Ask any YT investment analyst what you should do with that 1000$. It's NOT buy the warranty. (BTW - It can't be a warranty, only the manufacturer can give you a warranty).

[@42luke93]

@@mrcryptozoic817 I feel like most people, including myself don’t really know how to invest . I save money, but dang inflation.

[@user-jl5iu8ee7y]

@@42luke93 On a 19 year old car, it sure is.

[@MISTERLeSkid]

My jaw dropped when I saw $6000 for a 2005 Taurus (with no listed mileage on the contract). That was the first crime in this story.

[@russdawson2023]

It showed 196k miles.

[@BobbyCarlBoozeDoc]

I pain $7,000 for a 2005 Taurus in 2007 with less than a hundred thousand miles that was 18 years and over 100,000 additional miles difference she got took.

[@santailmarie]

And it’s breaking down

[@ELEVOPR]

The first mistake she made was buying a Taurus 😂 Seriously speaking, this is theft and someone needs to go to jail for theft.

[@teresa.3621]

$7000 for an old car and made 5 payments and the transmission goes out, that's robery right there.

[@jstar1000]

Happens everyday to people who make poor life decisions.

[@mph5896]

"As-Is". They drove the car over 12k in 5 months, so the aftermarket warranty is over. Another commenter stated they used the car as a taxi. $2700 she had invested, 12k miles would be $.22 a mile.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

​​@@mph5896While ll I'm sure she did use it as a taxi, I doubt it was through a rideshare service because I don't think they let you use a car that old. That means she probably used it as some illegal taxi with no insurance or license.

[@joemagwood9130]

That car worth $1200 on a good day.

[@radolfkalis4041]

That is why you have a trusted mechanic inspect the whole vehicle before you buy it, or just after, whatever you can arrange, in writing, with the seller. If they refuse, walk away.

[@davcuts2897]

This is just how low income people are treated these days. They are desperate for a car, and dealerships will take advantage of them any way they can. Whether it's legal or not.

[@GrandmaBev64]

They know we don't have the financial means to afford representation.

[@hewhohasnoidentity4377]

These days? This has been going on for 50 years.

[@wvrjl]

​@GrandmaBev64 - As long as you have a good csse, you can get a lawyer on a contingency basis, where you only pay if you win. You pay about 45% of your winnings, but that's because if they lose, they don't get any money, and they have to absorb all the costs.

[@user-nt3ul6vk1i]

Lot of title washing with these lots ...

[@amskeels]

Never, ever deal with a "Buy Here, Pay Here" business. Never!

[@LesleyCanterbury22]

This would be the best Judge Judy episode

[@ingridphillip5367]

Definitely!!! I know she would call the dealer “Stupid “😜😜😜😜

[@gamefarmlossebastians1188]

First red flag getting a car for 7000 dollars with almost 200 k miles on it

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

Not a sedan, for sure 😂

[@samlung2724]

And the fact that it's a Ford Taurus too. That gen Taurus is not worth over 1k.

[@cjones1262]

Plenty of diesel trucks are priced like that. But this is a Taurus.

[@ILovePancakes24]

Taurus is worth $400 max

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

@@ILovePancakes24 $4 is more accurate 🤣

[@jamesadair8131]

The only crime is someone paid $6,000 for a Ford Taurus

[@cigarsgunsandgasoline8032]

Prolly financed it for 7 years too...

[@timsievers2067]

Don't forget $1000 in repairs in under 6 months!

[@Godisazilla]

How is it not a crime that they sold it tho

[@mason96575]

Well, that isn’t the *only* crime here…

[@TowGunner]

Bad Credit No Credit Come on in!

[@SandcastleDreams]

That's called theft!

[@bobroberts2371]

Buy her , Pay here is a RENTAL CONTRACT. . .

[@anajonda]

@@bobroberts2371 Except that a rental is in the name of the rental agency. She (along with the state government) have provided pretty solid evidence that the vehicle was in her name. Replying "BH-PH is a rental contract" doesn't necessarily make it so, no matter how many times you type it.

[@bobroberts2371]

@@anajonda BH PH isn't " financing " either making it more of a rent to own situation. Regardless, just why would a car lot take a car from a person that is current on payments ? A car that, at best , is worth $ 1,500 and the full term of payments is $ 7,000 + ? There is much more going on in this story.

[@djrosette]

​@@bobroberts2371because they are a scam/Shady lot

[@castlerock58]

@@bobroberts2371 That was not what the news story said.

[@robertcooper6853]

Years ago, we had a dealership like this in my town. Buy here, pay here and, if you were 72 hours late, they’d repo your car. Same car got sold to the same girl 3 times and it got repoed 3 times. There’s a reason car salespeople have the reputation they do.

[@journeydodge5812]

How can you sell her car without a Title.

[@ohger1]

The dealer was the bank here.. they own the car until it's paid off - which means they are first lien holder and they have the title. By cancelling the insurance she defaulted on the loan, the same as if she bought a new car and cancelled the insurance or cancelled the insurance on her house if it still had a mortgage, and the dealer repossessed the car. Scummy? Maybe, we don't have the whole timeframe just the buyer's version.

[@Paxmax]

Used car salesmen... They sure are a special breed.

[@djbhe]

Stealerships are worse.

[@junehanzawa5165]

​@@djbheYep. Because those are forced on you by your state's politicians which are all bought.

[@howlinwulf]

Nothing but legal scams

[@bobroberts2371]

Then how about you open a car lot then sell to people with bad credit? Just be prepared for lots of defaults. REMEMBER, Buy Here Pay Here is a weekly RENTAL CONTRACT until the term is up and a buy out at the end. Until the term is up, the car lot still has their name on the title.

[@Paxmax]

@@bobroberts2371 Haha, open a used car dealership? I do not know or care enough about cars. I have however been in a 2 year fight with one. I had to call my countries central import organisation and plead my case there as they are partly responsible for brand name partnerships service depts. They gave the the local service center a good telling off and they finally fixed the issue (after 2 years of the car slowly loosing horsies by the months). The car could barely get going under own power from a stop, engine started and ran seemingly fine but only made like 5 horsies at 5000 rpms. The problem was a 17 degree slack / free movement in the drive sprocket of camshafts. Just a damn miracle the valves didn't get smacked by pistons. 2 f--ng years. That stupid service center is owned and operated by two used car salesmen...

[@DJdoppIer]

When a person steals a car, it's theft. When a company steals your car, it's a civil matter?!? Screw that noise. Report it stolen, and tell them you know exactly who stole it, and sue that guy into the ground.

[@ohger1]

It wasn't stolen, it was repossessed. She was supposed to keep insurance on it as long as she was paying on it. Once she paid it off, she would become legal owner with the title, and the dealer wouldn't care if the car was insured or not.

[@TDavis_333]

They weren't very clear on that, but my impression was that the state was after her for no insurance as she had discontinued it on the car she no longer had. The new owner didn't get insurance and they showed her name on it. Plus, why would they check the insurance on a car in for repairs and even if they got notified about it, why wouldn't they contact her and tell her to get it. I'm sure it was still illegal for them to sell it!

[@TDavis_333]

DJdoppler, I agree. She should have filled a police report ASAP! I can't believe they didn't address whether she had or not. The usual bad reporting you get these days!

[@ohger1]

@@TDavis_333 You don't know both sides, just hers (which I assume is sympathetic to her side). What probably happened is that when she found out the warranty was expired (it was), she cancelled the insurance on the car because she couldn't afford the repair and couldn't drive it. At that point, the car loan goes into default. We don't know if the dealer called her and asked her to restore the insurance and maybe remove the car from their lot if she wasn't going to get it fixed. What is clear is that if the dealer sold the car illegally the DMV would throw a locked chain across their door and charge them legally. That this didn't happen and the woman got the news involved sounds more like human interest is all that's left now that she's out of legal challenges.

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

Problem is, it's like loaning a car out. It's not exactly theft. But yeah it's really theft.

[@joeylee9809]

This needs to go to court and have that dealership give back her money she invested in that car

[@MrFiver1111]

I like how calm Don is telling the news

[@charleskadletc2431]

This women has a good case. Hope she gets her car back, or a new car. This dealership owes her one.

[@sagatuppercut2960]

That car was a piece of sh**. She should get all her money back + lawyer fees.

[@lohi5540]

@@sagatuppercut2960and more

[@ohger1]

Not necessarily - part of the "buy here pay here" places is that the dealer is the owner and title holder of the car until it's paid, but until the title gets transferred after it's paid, the buyer must keep liability insurance on the car as part of the purchase deal. It seems she didn't keep the car insured which is a repossessable offense supposedly. Now, if the dealer had any morals, they would have told the woman she wasn't getting the car back until she could prove the car was insured, but the dealer may have been within the law.

[@maximum4103]

They should give her the keys to any car she picks in the lot

[@redneckhippiefreak]

I am willing to bet she stopped payment on the car or the insurance after taking it in to be fixed.. That voids the contract. It was actually repossessed.

[@richvanorden7026]

$6,000 for a 20 year old car...they seen you coming

[@Light23K]

I sold my 2002 Acura RSX type s to carman in 2013 for $6000. This is ridiculous.

[@howlinwulf]

It's a 1000 dollar car. Actually sold one just like the white one for 300 bucks. I was the 2nd owner

[@iSlandeRon]

Can you imagine the interest rate!!

[@EliChristman]

My 18 year old car went up on value from like 1400 to 1900... thanks Biden.

[@notyourtypicalchad6778]

Bidenomics and Covidinflation. Prices are dropping now and new car dealers are having a hard time selling their overpriced made in Mexico for pennies vehicles. Many car dealers still have 2023 year model new vehicles on their lots with 2025 models already around the corner.

[@usagifang]

That manager sold it on purpose and should be put in prison.

[@AwakeDude911]

if your salesman is large in the chair on the other side of you .there's a reason hes 350lbs or more he know how to charm the person a cross from him.

[@billyhatcher643]

Yep he should be in jail I hope her case was resolved and put him in prison

[@karenandthomasbsr249]

This same thing happened to me in Georgia at Bob Wilson’s Used Cars in Jonesboro when I was in my 20s. I called everyone to try to get the help needed but to no avail. It’s hard to fathom that situations like these actually still happen but they do. My heart goes out to the woman. I hope justice is on her side

[@youtoobe169]

$7K for that car??? The down payment alone is all it's worth.

[@CheezburgerBrown]

She's poor. its how it goes for the poor, unfortunately.

[@johnwilburn]

No sir…. this is WHY she’s poor. She could have bought a car just like that outright for another $800 over her down payment.

[@joemagwood9130]

FACTS

[@CheezburgerBrown]

@@johnwilburn Na, that isn't why she's poor, but it isn't helping her situation.

[@jetscreamer1]

She’s a MAGA, ‘Nuff said.

[@trueauburnchampion1322]

People, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER buy the service contract they ALWAYS find a way not to honor it.

[@josephlalock8378]

that's just a lie.

[@doom4067]

In her case she drove more than the miles that it covered. That pay has nothing to do with the issue of them streaming the car.

[@lmcc0072]

Not only that, but some dealers never buy the 3rd party coverage and just keep the money.

[@PhilMoskowitz]

@@lmcc0072 Probably what happened here and owner thought the customer would just go away.

[@mikefagan6840]

Don't buy "fly by night " services, reputable auto warranties are legit.

[@RickyDogsMemory]

They haven't gotten back with you and are avoiding you is basically an admission of guilt

[@jcreeker5581]

Paid almost $6K (almost $8k with fees) for a Ford Taurus with almost 200 kMiles. That was the first crime. There are some people who know how to take advantage of people.

[@jsivco3sivco785]

No... There was an offer and an acceptance. SHE allowed herself to be taken1

[@jcreeker5581]

@@jsivco3sivco785 Some folks take advantage of people because they can. A reputable and fair dealership would not have done this deal.

[@87clits]

He stole thy car from these people however she's the one who agreed to the crazy terms. She should hedge checked the price online before agreeing to the terms. That's very simple to do.

[@ohger1]

The woman is what car salesmen call a "credit criminal". They have no credit so they buy cars at a "buy here, pay here" place. The cars are overpriced because they can only charge so much for finance. She should have saved her money and she could have bought the same car anywhere for $2500. It's the same as people who rent TVs and furniture - they pay 3X as much as the stuff is worth but they only pay $30 a week..

[@sal5440]

So the dealership committed grand theft auto is what it sounds like.

[@motherofthreeb6337]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@raymondmesa8258]

They got away with it because they paid someone off

[@britneynicole8903]

And it is being considered a "civil case". Okay ....

[@Kevin19700]

Absolutely everything is wrong with this entire transaction ! The very first “red flag” is the outrageous valuation of that virtually worthless car! By any standard in the industry that vehicle is a $500 junker!

[@JeffDeWitt]

I just did a little googling, it looks as though a 2005 Taurus in good condition is worth something like $5,000. So while she didn't get a good deal it wasn't THAT bad.

[@redneckhippiefreak]

@@JeffDeWitt lol You need to do more research. the highest price I could find was $3250.. Fully loaded, low miles. no crashes or major mechanical work, with service records intact=-Kelly Blue Book. That was a classic "Seen them coming" sale. Fools and money soon do part.

[@PatrickWagz]

@@JeffDeWitt No way! She got grossly ripped off big time. I just looked it up on Kelly Blue Book. Her car had 196,000 miles. Private party value there in Good condition maxed out at $2,700, and was more realistically worth $1,800 Maximum.

[@JeffDeWitt]

@@PatrickWagz Ahh... I didn't know it had that many miles on it. I think the "good condition" figure I quoted was for about half that many miles.

[@PatrickWagz]

@@JeffDeWitt It's all good. Thanks.

[@fokana1]

Policeman should have known this is criminal offense

[@Dadzilla2]

Yea, that would be theft, so simply report the car stolen, and then on top of it all let the police know that you know who stole it.

[@KelleahGio-rr3fe]

The last thing she needs is a false police report 😆

[@bobmazzi7435]

@@KelleahGio-rr3fe How is it false? She left the car for repairs. Within two weeks they sold ( or otherwise disposed of ) it. They did not ( presumably ) present her with an estimate for the trans repair and allow her to bring it elsewhere for repairs. A mechanics lien for the tow and storage would require a LOT more time than that, so they stole her car. And, by returning the plate, they acknowledge that they did it, not that it was stolen of their lot.

[@KelleahGio-rr3fe]

@@bobmazzi7435 silly lil man I know more than you see on social media 😆😆

[@KelleahGio-rr3fe]

@@Melody-pv4sg the car wasn't hers😆😆 she was BUYING it silly. She broke contract,she LIED on tv about the way the transmission got damaged and I know more about HER and the car than YOU do unless u ARE her😆😆😆. It's ok I'ma bring my messages and pictures from her at that time so they can take it to court with them. Proving anything to a simple minded person on social media is a waste of time 😆😆😆

[@KelleahGio-rr3fe]

@@Melody-pv4sg I'm sure she's not going to convince a judge she's a victim once she shows her uncontrollable insanity in front of him like she has done in SEVERAL businesses in Knoxville. She's banned from EVERY waffle house, EVERY Casey's plus many more places. U Gon go and protest them until they let her back in too😆😆 u too goofy

[@daleestep9518]

That's a 1500 car 7k is insane

[@DanKirchner5150]

200k o5 taurus = $400 scrap value

[@user-ll4lf5go1m]

Kelly Blue Book says 2250 for a good one. This with a bad trans is probably 1500 or less. Massive rip off.

[@jstar1000]

They agreed on the price and signed on the dotted line. Crooks prey on the poor and uneducated.

[@DanKirchner5150]

@@jstar1000 THE large PRINT GIVETH and the SMALL print TAKETH away .....

[@keimorgan5654]

That car wasn’t worth $1500.

[@bikkiikun]

You mean the dealer committed Grand Larceny and Traded Stolen goods... that's two felonies. Why then, does the media uses non-criminal terms, just because it was a crime for commercial profit?? And why does that cop conclude, that stealing a vehicle and trading in stolen goods is a "civil" matter?? Why does he not arrest the criminal? I mean, he has ample evidence and probable cause to do so.

[@chadwilliams8741]

Customer sitting at the desk....."slaps knees" alright ima head out

[@drdoc7508]

Theft and car dealer has a nasty Lawsuit to deal with. Never buy a car from a shady "Buy Here , PAy Here" Lot

[@kennethsouthard6042]

Most people that buy from these places do so as they don't have any other options.

[@davidmorley7778]

I believe that’s called jumping the title in the industry. There actually is a criminal act here. Who was the notary that witnesses the title work?

[@kennethsouthard6042]

@@davidmorley7778 This was a buy here pay here lot. The title was Neve in her name. This is not the same as a traditional sales contract.

[@lilyrrichard236]

​@davidmorley7778 she never had the title, lol. She never finished paying of the car. All she had was a bill of sale. It's her responsibility to inform the Dept of Safety that she no longer has the car which she bought the tags for. This is a nonstory.

[@charlesrobert6211]

She may not be the only victim. She should file a complaint with the state attorney general office to investigate theft, fraud, receiving money under false pretenses to provide repair coverage.

[@TTnoyb]

yes attorney general

[@garykeith1048]

@@TTnoyb AG will side with the crooks in Tennessee. Corrupt, good ol'boy's state.

[@SolidSonicTH]

Wouldn't you know if your car was sold while it was being repaired, though...? This isn't exactly a subtle thing to get away with, more complaints should have existed in the past if this has been going on.

[@Patrick-yh5yd]

Car lots going out of business like crazy.

[@davidreed3357]

Lol. The warranty expired at 12k, but that doesnt give them the right to steal her car.

[@ohger1]

It doesn't give them the right, but is that what happened? She said they sold her care because it was over 12K miles. Does that sound right to you? Most likely, they told her the car was out of the 12K mile warranty (it was) and she couldn't afford the trans repair, so she pulled the insurance off the car because she couldn't drive it. The insurance company notified DMV the insurance was cancelled and DMV notified the lienholder and legal owner (the dealer in this case), and they repossessed legally. What I don't get is why the dealer didn't call the woman and tell her the car had to be remain insured. Maybe they did and she left that part out of her story?

[@davidreed3357]

@ohger1 I think she left alot out of that story.

[@ohger1]

@@davidreed3357 The dealer is also a dick by not giving their side..

[@davidreed3357]

@ohger1 yea, I've been trying to figure out that lil detail. Nothing I come up with makes sense though. Hate to to judge, but, it sure seems like they have something to hide.

[@redneckhippiefreak]

@@ohger1 They have to protect themselves. The fact she has no insurance helps the dealers case though.

[@carminaburana9765]

Imagine being in with a salesman and a news crew walks in with questions about something like this! I would have walked out with the news crew.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

Sadly, if you're doing business with a place like this, it's not like you have too many other options. This is a buy here. pay here lot. So there's a pretty good chance that as much as you might want to leave, that is just not an option for customers of a place like this. People that end up here in a town like this probably rent a mobile home, do business with check cashing places, make minimum wage, have limited education and have the worst credit imaginable. While these type businesses do gouge people, they also take on a lot of risk in many of their high fees are to compensate them for other customers that run out on them. They have probably already tried and been rejected for traditional credit as they have defaults, charge offs and bankruptcies. If you buy a car here the lot will hold the title to the car until you pay it off and you will make weekly payments. Miss one payment and that car will be repossessed the very next day. At the end of the day it's expensive to be poor.

[@kyleglenn4132]

@@kennethsouthard6042 Marketplace? Craigslist? What do you mean "No other options?"

[@garykeith1048]

@@kennethsouthard6042 I agree with most of what you post. The only question I have is (Was the woman and her husband/boyfriend behind on the car payments or the car insurance? The news cast was not very clear if the payment or insurance was up to date. If she had any common sense, she would have the transmission evaluated at an independent repair shop. Anyone with half a brain, would not trust a used car dealership for repair of a transmission.

[@sagatuppercut2960]

Hell yes!

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

​@kennethsouthard6042 There are options. Go to another place. This is the internet age, simply get online and look at all local places. Option 2, stay and work with a business you know are crooks; option 2, hope to find a better place.

[@dizzysdoings]

My first step when they told me they sold the car would have been to call the cops.

[@anthonyross9471]

Yep.

[@MrShanester117]

The cops wouldn’t do anything. A business license is a license to commit crimes

[@raymondmesa8258]

Of course we wouldn’t speak to them how dumb can they be he got away with it! The cops shouldn’t help criminals commit a crime they did nothing wrong and should have called the cops on them!

[@smashingveto7778]

The place that sold my car would owe me a car

[@gametime2473]

So stealing a car and selling it is a civil matter? This is nuts.

[@tomeauburn]

If someone has a tax id they always seam it civil. Ashley Furniture in my town took orders from over a thousand people and didn't deliver product. Police and DA didn't want to get involved . They knew at the sale they were closing. Corporate was worse than the local company. Product is absolutely junk now and might last 6 months. Bed frames built out of pressed cardboard, wood with Beatles. Furniture at the store a much higher quality than what they would give you.

[@Noneyabuiness]

Sounds like they stole the car. Have them arrested

[@ohger1]

And that would be filing a false report.

[@socommaster]

Why? They took the car without permission ​@@ohger1

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

​@ohger1 Sadly yes, but it is theft.

[@ohger1]

@@CurlyFromTheSwirly No, it's called a repossession. You can't steal what you already own - the dealer is the bank in this case, which means the dealer holds the title just as the bank would and is in fact the legal owner of the car until the loan is paid off in full, not before. If the buyer defaults on the loan either by not paying the note or keeping it insured, the car can be repossessed. If she bought that car from a legitimate dealer and had a traditional bank loan or loan from a finance company, she would have been required to keep it insured or the bank or finance company could repossess. A bank/finance company however might "force insure" the car and add that insurance premium to the note, and if the buyer didn't pay, then they'd repossess. It seems the car dealer here just took the shortcut and repossessed. Since this appears to be what happened, it would explain why the woman contacted a news organization and not the police. Buy Here Pay Here dealers are certainly sleazy, but it seems that this dealer was in their legal rights to repossess. No matter how scummy they are or how they treated this woman, it's not theft.

[@thomasharris5151]

THEY STOLE HER CAR! Call the police and the DA!😡

[@thehuguenot5615]

Huguenot Esquire here. To commit a crime, it requires intent. Its possible that an employee got papers mixed up and accidentally sold the car. Although, once they found out that they did sell it and have been attempting to cover it up, that would be intent to misrepresent material facts and would be charged with fraud. Once proven in civil court, the DA could open his own investigation and therefore make a criminal trial out of it.

[@hero8880]

Sounds like a felony

[@scarr652]

This should be a criminal case !!

[@sbkpilot1]

this is reprehensible.. this dealership should give this woman her money back immediately and some amount for her inconvenience. I hope the legal system holds them accountable for doing such a sleazy thing.

[@kennethsouthard6042]

There is more to this than we are being told

[@mattalbrecht7471]

​@@kennethsouthard6042I think the same. Where is the follow up? Meet those prices right outing their business first thing in the morning. Protest on that public street right outside business. Careful with wording to avoid libel. "This business sold my car and refuses to refund my $2700. Do you feel comfortable they won't do the same to you?"

[@kennethsouthard6042]

@@mattalbrecht7471 This is a buy here pay here a lot and people don't end up here by accident. People end up here because they have become too high a risk for the normal grantors of traditional credit. I would never want to be in a situation where I had to deal with this type of credit situation but I would stay out of that situation in the first place. I believe there is something along the lines of where the car was repaired and she ordered that repair and did not have the money to pay for it. That is why the car was probably sold. A buy here pay here contract. It's different than a regular purchase contract and more than likely allowed the lot to sell the car when she did not pay for the repair. I could be wrong but notice the police did not back her claim for car theft either.

[@redneckhippiefreak]

@@mattalbrecht7471 lol What part of ''Sold As Is'' do you not understand? What part of ''Out of Warranty'' do you not comprehend? What part of ''Contract violation'' are you choosing to ignore? I guess you by from lots too.

[@TheCSRTech]

Life Lesson: NEVER purchase a used car from a BUY HERE PAY HERE lot. Now you know why.

[@pastorsdsmith]

Some people just don’t have the option of going to a conventional dealership to purchase a car.

[@abutts02]

I avoid them at all costs

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

​@@pastorsdsmith Not true. There are many dealerships that have older cars, and even these very old "as is" types. The only difference is the "as is" means they ask you to sign a form that nullifies lemon law rights. But that's only 15 days of making the car run anyway. The real problem is that old cars sell really fast. Another problem is scams, they list cars online but don't really have them.

[@pastorsdsmith]

@@CurlyFromTheSwirlydid you even read my comment? My point was, some people don’t have the credit score or money to buy a car from a conventional dealership.

[@redneckhippiefreak]

@@pastorsdsmith Me either.. In fact, I have never stepped foot on a lot as a customer. Used or otherwise. Something about common sense and living within my means. If I cant pay for it twice, I know I can not afford it. I have never made a single "Car Payment" in my life, No credit what so ever.. I save and pay in full. Like any rationally logical person does.

[@Mocha8104]

This shiht is unbelievable we need an update 😮

[@CarswithNash]

That car was literally worth about what she paid for the down payment! Those were such a bad car that they are a rare sight on the roads where I live.

[@acz6017]

It’s ridiculous the salesman scams them and he knows it. This is why you should avoid these clown shops.

[@ohger1]

Buy Here Pay Here places are generally scummy, but people with bad or no credit have limited options. They sell crappy cars for 4X the value but offer weekly payments. The best option is to quit smoking ciggies and buying scratchies and save the money for a proper car and pay it cash. Is that harsh? Yes, but that Taurus was worth $1500 to $2500 tops and they paid 4X the value just to get a weekly payment of $40

[@lazyj616]

They committed theft, you can win, but don't buy anything from the crooks again.

[@bobroberts2371]

Buy here Pay here is a WEEKLY RENTAL. Besides, they drove the car more than 12,000 so it is out of warranty.

[@JunohProductions]

@@bobroberts2371 Why do you keep spreading that lie? A Buy Here Pay Here lot just means that the financing is done by the dealership. You can even see in the news report at around 1:06 that this is a purchasing contract and not a rental contract. There would be zero reasoning to mention financing when you're talking about a rental. They might be more aggressive about repossession but that's because they operate their business differently than reputable dealerships. It was definitely out of warranty repairs and I don't think that she ever would have paid the price to repair it out of pocket but there are legal steps that the company has to take before they can take ownership of the vehicle again. Clearly they did not take those steps since they'd have a paper trail to show the news instead of having to call the police on them. Someone messed up and now they're probably going to pay the price. If she doesn't end up being able to afford a brand new car after all of this then I'd be surprised.

[@bobroberts2371]

@@JunohProductions BH PH isn't " financing " like a bank loan as there are regulations to follow. It is effectively a rental by a different name. The car lot owns the car until there is a buy out at the end. Why would a lot " steal " a car from a good payer and risk the new " buyer " defaulting on the payments?

[@richards8872]

@@JunohProductionsthey repossessed it because she didn’t keep insurance on it which is in the contract as a default on the contract so they had every right to take it back

[@diegopalomino1200]

Never buy from a car dealer that advertises buy here pay here, they are nothing but a bunch of crooks.

[@cameraman1234567890]

Dealership stealing a car? Sue them for all they have and put them out of business.

[@SuigaRou]

Used car salesmen: We hate the negative reputation that we get! Also used car salesmen:

[@risingradiance9142]

Why are people beating them up over their decision in the comment section? She probably doesn't know about cars and her financial situation doesn't help much either. That was probably all she could afford. If she had an improve situation than yeah she would have gone somewhere else with a better car brand . But to get all over her case. Like yall are trash. You're right there with the car salesman that sold the Taurus.

[@fahrikkigearl6417]

Thank you. I was hoping someone could see the real story here

[@garykeith1048]

The woman is an idiot. She could have bought a used Toyota Corolla for 2K or less than she would not have to deal with this BS. People are responsible for their own poor decisions. She probably has a smart phone and could look up the value of the Ford Taurus in 30 seconds. No BS, no excuses for stupidity in 21first century America She was trying to get over the dealership, and they got over her. I know basic liability insurance in Knoxville is dirt cheap with no annual safety inspections required. If you can't afford basic liability insurance, then don't finance the car.

[@pete84101]

First mistake is buying a car with 196,000 miles on the odometer

[@djbhe]

Unless it's a Lexus. They don't break in until 300k miles.

[@snesguy9176]

Maybe if it was a well maintained Toyota or something but sure as hell not for 7k.

[@kreepingdeth198]

The more miles the better, 300k plus is were it's at

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

Correction, the mistake is buying an non Japanese brand with high mileage.

[@CurlyFromTheSwirly]

​@@snesguy9176 Depends on what Toyota. A,sedan will be cheap, but trucks and SUVs will cost a lot.

[@mattfarahsmillionmilelexus]

Any updates? I don't see how they can get away with stealing her car.

[@sandyallen1523]

When I first moved to Wichita I traded in my car for a used Mitsubishi galant. I financed a $1,500 service agreement into the contract. About a month later I realized I didn't have any proof of the service agreement so I called the dealership. I was told the pamphlet they handed me was my proof. ? So I called the company the service agreement was thru and was told they cancelled the contract because 1. they knew it was a used car but the dealership had put down the mileage as 5 miles 2. something I can't remember and I was told they would be sending the money back to the dealership. I asked why to the dealership and not to the finance company. They said the dealership had put down I had paid cash for the car. After complaining about how wrong that was they agreed to send the cash to me. Never heard from the dealership again

[@justanothertroll9476]

Dealerships that have their license revoked immediately, what they did was fraud they put down that the car was repoed and then we sold it to somebody else fraud at the very least definitely multiple felonies committed here

[@OmniscientWarrior]

I didn't think they did the repo process because the vehicle is still showing as under the lady's name. If repo was done the vehicle should have had the registration changed back to the company then changed again to the new owner.

[@Highly-censored]

Auto theft is s civil matter?

[@mitchfitz4259]

The cops are corrupt down there.

[@bigboytexasdownsouth]

The dealer still has the title to the car. She was making payments on it

[@8000RPM.]

@@bigboytexasdownsouth Thanks, that explains a lot.

[@akrs6398]

illiterate cops lol

[@dzrewn1]

@@bigboytexasdownsouththat’s how it works, they still can’t sell it right out from under you🙄

[@SW-mc2zx]

Keep us posted.

[@hughjackson5225]

The importance of good credit. Buy here and pay here lots can get you

[@joegug4751]

500.00 car sold for 6000.00 is the real crime. You’re better off without that busted down old car anyhow. To bad it was such an expensive lesson.

[@vitaly6312]

You’re not in a 2024 car market. There are 5 year old cars that are more expensive than they were new with 70k on them.

[@joegug4751]

True but not a 300,000 mile 25 year old car. Lol

[@redneckhippiefreak]

@@vitaly6312 lol You have been shopping at used car lots haven't you.. They always jack up the price because fools and money soon do part.

[@richards8872]

@@vitaly6312not anymore clown. The prices have went back down

[@southerngent716]

HAHAHAHA Called them out on their Facebook page and they blocked me!!

[@KelleahGio-rr3fe]

I would too big ol silly 😆😆

[@adrenalineadrian4166]

Drop the link and let’s all go

[@KelleahGio-rr3fe]

@@adrenalineadrian4166 😆😆 u identify as silly don't u

[@SpawnofChaos]

They haven't replied because they know they straight up committed a crime. They're trying to figure out how to evade punishment.

[@bradhayes8294]

Omg! This is either unbelievable incompetence or outright criminal auto theft, or both, on the part of Cherokee Auto Sales.

[@grumpyoldlady_rants]

She exceeded the terms of the warranty. But that doesn’t explain why the dealer sold the car.

[@bobroberts2371]

Buy Here Pay here is a weekly rental not a finance arrangement.

[@grumpyoldlady_rants]

@@bobroberts2371 - What?

[@bobroberts2371]

@@grumpyoldlady_rants Exactly what I said, they don't own the car until they make the last " rental " payment and a small buy out. The car lot holds the title so it is still theirs , this is how BH PH gets around financing regulations. Beyond this, these unfortunate people don't understand how these things work.

[@grumpyoldlady_rants]

@@bobroberts2371 - Well, she still exceeded the warranty milage so the dealer wasn’t going to repair the car for free and, if she stopped making payments while the car was at the dealers, then yes, the car went back to the dealer.

[@bobroberts2371]

@@grumpyoldlady_rants Yep, I get the sense that these people really don't understand how the world works rather than trying to get over on the dealer. The first clue is going to a Buy Her Pay Here lot and paying about 5 X of what the car is worth.

[@ronaldohagenow1467]

Omg. 1) Who in their right mind pays $6000 for a 19 yo car? 2) You bought an extended repair contract, Not a maintenance contract, Huge difference. 3) Why wait 10 days to check on the car? If it were me, I’d be there the next day! 4) Something hinky is going on and there’s a lot of missing facts in this case.

[@moneymoney12]

Always someone on the other side of a keyboard saying what they would have done and what others should have done. But what you could do is STFU. You don't know these people's life experiences and if they are at that dealership they as all of the other people were there for a reason. They could not get a car anywhere else.

[@lilyrrichard236]

​@@moneymoney12 they should have made their car payments if they wanted to keep the car. Don Dare needs to retire. He doesn't know what he's talking about half the time.

[@funguy1086]

Did she not pay her car insurance? Sounds like she thought she didn't have to if it was in the shop. Still gotta pay your insurance.

[@pastorsdsmith]

@@funguy1086she discontinued the car insurance after it was sold by the dealership

[@pastorsdsmith]

@@lilyrrichard236she made all of her payments.

[@RoadWarden]

Well as the officer stated, she has a solid case to file suit and she should.

[@animalactivist7820]

This is a travesty what has happened to these hard-working people that apparently purchased a 2005 Ford Taurus, a 15-year old car… for more than twice-the-average price…. in good faith. They even went an extra step in purchasing an Extended Warranty for unexpected repairs for an additional $999. Not only truly an unfair situation that should involve some sort of SANCTIONS from the State Government and/or the Better Business Bureau. This is not right to take advantage of people like this, that work hard for every dollar they make, overcharge them, and then sell the vehicle out from under them! Terrible!

[@bdmaus4975]

Greed is what is wrong with this country

[@MLPIceberg]

Among other things, but yes. That is certainly a (main) reason why Capitalism is so rampant.

[@michaelsublet3283]

Greed is what is wrong with PEOPLE, the country is irrelevant.

[@johnv4483]

I'm not sure what the warranty has anything to do with it since it had past the 12k miles. She was likely told it would be 4K to replace the trans and she didn't have the money to fix. And if she put over 12k miles in 5 months, she is probably using the car to make money. In any case the dealer should not have resold it.

[@TravisDoesKayakFishing]

This. Bet she told them she would get it, didn't and they sold it to pay for the repairs. There is more to it and they are not upright folk driving around uninsured.

[@KelleahGio-rr3fe]

​@@TravisDoesKayakFishingthey already had to fix it due to it being shot up in Lonsdale lmao. She said her " neighbors" shot it up because she kept calling the cops on them for having parties in the parking lot. Imo there was more to it than she disclosed

[@bobmazzi7435]

@@KelleahGio-rr3fe Warranties and service contracts would NOT cover comprehensive claims. And, if there was damage that was not fixed correctly or promptly, such as a leaking trans cooler, it may have caused the later trans issues.

[@KelleahGio-rr3fe]

@@bobmazzi7435 I can tell you never seen an engine with bullets in it😆

[@jjbud3124]

Whatever happened, the state should not still have the car in her name. The person who bought the car may have problems too.

[@jarhead6153]

Sounds like some serious scamming going on by the dealership…

[@ouroboris]

I wouldn't buy a used AM car radio from these thieves. They owe her a new car.

[@khalilt6508]

I bought a 2005 taurus that had NO issues for only $700 last july😂

[@truelife974]

$6000 for a 2005?!

[@BonnieTheBunny-6170]

I got a free 2000 Ford taurus. And no problems with it.

[@neilusdin2389]

That's the definition of grand theft auto. EASILY a case for a higher than civil court. The owner can be arrested and spend time in jail for this even if he wasn't aware that his employees were doing this behind his back.

[@BRSfanatic]

That place looks like a straight dump. Why on earth would you purchase ANYTHING there?

[@Heb101922]

If I were a lawyer just starting out, I would be chomping at the bit to take this case.

[@jarheadleatherneck9965]

Sue them out of business.

[@m.j.c.6969]

As if it's that simple Dumbbell. Do you know how expensive it is to launch a civil suit? If they lose, they are not only out of the money they spent, they may have to then pay attorneys fees for the company they sued. Suing isn't a magic thing that everyone wins at dimwit!

[@BonnieTheBunny-6170]

Yeah. Piece of sh- scammers shop

[@qpwodkgh2010]

Why are her eyes closed 100% of the time?

[@rose.g.]

This was straight up theft! I hope they file a lawsuit! These shady used car dealers buy these cars cheap at auction often with a host of problems, do inefficient repairs (if any), then sell them at exorbitant prices. All states need stronger lemon laws.

Don't you need a title to sell a car? Does this woman have the title to the car?

[@stevenmanchester2104]

No. The finance company or buy here place holds the title until the car is paid off.

[@radolfkalis4041]

To my understanding, you do not actually GET the title until the vehicle is paid off.

[@bobmazzi7435]

Yet, the state says the title is in her name when they wanted to see proof of insurance.

[@doom4067]

If she was making payments, the financer held the title. But if it's registered in her name, no one else can have it registered. It doesn't look like they actually sold it.

[@SlimShady771]

It's in her name but Cherokee would have a lien on it until paid off

[@tonyl7405]

Thieves and crooks comes in all sizes and color…don’t forget that.

[@KelleahGio-rr3fe]

And in this case it's a mentally unstable redhead 😆

[@YotuelGonzalez]

Thanks

[@cynthiaweir5697]

My daughters car was stolen, and when the police found the car, they never notified her. They had it towed to a city impound, kept it there for one year, never telling her they found the car and then she received a letter saying that the impound lot was selling her car. She was shocked. They told her if she got a police report that she made when the car was stolen they may possibly give her the car back. Mysteriously the report she made did not exist any longer. Sounds like a scam doesn’t it? They did let her come and take her personal items out of the car that they stole again from her. The car was a nice Jeep and the city is Detroit.

[@XAbbeldydooX]

I’m surprised when I googled this business (Cherokee auto sales in Knoxville) how good their ratings are. Barely any negative reviews. I went ahead and left a one star review for this customer.

[@bobroberts2371]

Leaving a review on a business that YOU HAVE NEVER BOUGHT ANYTHING FROM is a really bad thing to do. Remember, you can be on the other end of this at some point.

[@patmcbride9853]

They are crooks, but she should have realized that she exceeded the 12K mileage limit and known that they would at least not fix the car for free.

[@cybersal7]

When was said that she wanted it fixed for free she probably just needed a mechanic.

[@Strahan740i]

Even so, the right response to a customer's car being over the mileage limit is NOT to resell it with nary a word.

[@patmcbride9853]

@@Fyoutube12 The part about them being crooks just flew right over your head. Great reading comprehension there.

[@TheTaintedTragedy]

I'm honestly not surprised I live in Kentucky and I had a good friend of mine have her car sold from underneath her from a car repair place they were supposed to fix her axle instead what they did is they sold her car 2 weeks later under the guise that they were doing other repairs they found on the car. She ended up having to take them to court and it was not civil that place is closed down now and they definitely owed her quite a bit of money for it. I hope she follows suit and she sues the heck out of these people.

[@aybabtu]

Never buy from sheisty "buy here, pay here" joints!

[@dougjenks6954]

Get a lawyer

[@johnwilburn]

She’s paying weekly on a 2005 Taurus. How’s she going to pay a lawyer?

[@monterreymxisfun3627]

You're better off buy a car from a random person online than a dealer. With a dealer you can count on problems being covered up but not fixed.

[@Sashazur]

Random person won’t finance. If you’re poor it can be impossible to save up, so you’re stuck with shady used car places that charge ridiculous rates and prices, but at least they’ll sell you a car when nobody else will.

[@lilyrrichard236]

She only had $700 so she had to go to a buy here/pay here car lot.

[@adink6486]

What's worse then buying a vehicle from a stealership? A used car stealership.

[@kristi4113]

They stole her car, her money and think it was ok. If the State has her as the owner, that’s that.

[@scottmcshannon6821]

how is the dealer not in prison? thats called theft by any measurement.

[@rickuyeda4818]

Knoxville Police doesn't take Embezzled Vehicle reports??? It gives Police 72 hours to get the vehicle back. If not, it's entered as stolen.

[@hadley407]

Since she drove more than 12k miles in the 5 months, she had no warranty. The company was never going to fix the car. She needs to sue them in small claims for the balance she owes on the car plus her money back!

[@Acto22]

$6.000 for that shack?I would rather place 4 wheels on a pallet ,a post in the middle of it and a bed sheet for wind drive 😒

[@coyoluo]

She can sue them for far more than she has paid.