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Car Dealer Scams

It seems now like a very long time ago that many people seemed relatively casual about the expense of replacing their car. Now with the economy finally starting to come back, a replacement vehicle for many of us may be overdue.

So it’s worth recalling, although it’s been a long time, how car dealers used to try to rip us off.

A recent post on the scam.com forum was a nice reminder:

The author of a blog called dealersecrets.com suggested in the scam.com post that when examining a car you might want, you should remove the engine oil cap. If the oil the there is milky, it could indicate that there is water or coolant in the oil and that may mean that the head gasket is leaking. That repair may cost up to $500.

But be even more wary, the post suggests, if the oil is sticky. That could indicate that an additive is being used to quiet engine noise. And replacing an engine can cost you several thousand.