Bought certified, body defects... Am I screwed?
 

So I bought a 2013 Certified Whiteout FR-S. Unfortunately it was delivered to me some 3 hours away as buying from Massachusetts is a bit difficult without temp tags. A driver delivered my car and took care of the registration right here at my local DMV.

At the time I noticed a couple dings. Shortly afterwards I noticed 2 dings in particular (I missed them, I guess the anticipation and new car complex made me miss them)

These are bothersome because paint is beginning to chip. I did not realize this till I decided to look into it after I was told by the dealer the day I bought the car that nothing could be done because the paperwork was signed. I now know part of the certified meaning means free of any major paint defects, dents and gouges.

Clearly this is not the case here. I've had the car a week now and have talked to local dealerships that have all told me this should be taken care of by the dealer who sold me the car and to contact corporate if they do not cooperate.

I contacted their GM and am awaiting a call back, however I'm concerned they will tell me that nothing can be done, that they can't prove its not my fault to begin with etc.

Needless to say they had cover up paint put on them which is why im guessing I missed them in the first place. I understand its also my own fault for not really noticing them when I took delivery of the car, but the stress of everything I went through to get the car here, the fact that it was driven 3 hours away and we were at the DMV i felt slightly rushed and obligated and I guess I just overlooked some things.

Now I got the car for a good price, however not the kind of price that is warranted for a certified car with these issues, everything else is sound.

Do you guys think this will get taken care of? Has anyone had anything similar like this happen to them? A dent I can live with and would gladly pay PDR out of pocket, however a dent thats going to corrode and lead to rust I am now very concerned about.

pics

Here are some pics.

List requirements for exterior on a certified used Scion:

• Exterior is clean and free of road residue
• No cracked or broken lenses of exterior lights
• Outside rearview mirror operates/lens is good
• Glass free of cracks, stars and large chips
• Glass is free of improper repairs
• Bumpers are free of cuts, gouges and scratches
• Body is free of all dents
• Body is reasonably free of dings
• Paint is reasonably free of scratches and chips
• Vehicle is free of improper paint repairs or mismatched color
• Hood and trunk latches working
• Free of water spots
• Paint is free of swirl marks
• Paint has even, high luster
• Paint is free of buffable scratches
• Free of wax residue
• Wheelwells are clean
• Acceptable aftermarket items checked
• Removal of unacceptable aftermarket items

as a car salesman the only thind the will do is touch up the paint. If you signed the paperwork and took delivery of the car you agreed to vehicle's condition. sounds real ****y but its the truth

Contact Scion Corporate, start a case file if the gm at the dealership won't help you out.

If that doesn't work you can escalate this matter since it appears to involve fraud/misrepresentation of the vehicle's condition in accordance with the requirements of the certified program.

GOt a call back. They agreed to fix it after basically admitting they were "screwing me" saying that toyota won't allow a car get certified if more than 2 panels require a repaint so they use touch up paint.

They are willing to let me get a couple of quotes locally and if its not unreasonable they will just cut me a check, otherwise they agreed if I drove the car to them, and they gave me a loaner to drive home in the process.

Where on the body is the seam in the picture? Looks awful. Like the cars' been wrecked and then repaired. Poorly.

It's the door seem, seems to be a parking lot scar.

If it was not certified I was completely agree with you. However as Lonewolf said it's kinda like fraud given the conditions a car must meet to be certified. They basically admitted this to me on the phone.

reasonably free is not the same as like new. They wouldnt lose that case.

I understand that, which is why at first I did not even really make a big deal I just asked about it when I picked it up. I dont expect a used car thats 2 years old to not have a small chip or a dent somewhere.

However it IS supposed to be free of all dents

Again, you arent reading the fine print Dents and dings are not the same...they dont write these things with you in mind... those are "dings" in their book Im willing to bet.

Welp apparently not because they are willing to fix it after I called them out.