Ed,

Thanks for the info. I'll make sure I pass on the info to the
dealership.  It is probably too much to assume that they will fix it
according to the TSB without me prompting them, but hopefully they
will.

-Jason

On Oct 16, 9:43 am, "C. E. White" <cewhi...@removemindspring.com>
wrote:

I think most "Certified Pre-Owned" used cars are just a "come on" employed
by dealers to convince you that their used cars are special and therefore
can be priced higher. I am suspicious of any used car on a dealers lot that
is only a year old. I can think of a few reasons why a dealer might have a
one year old car - 1) it was a lemon that the dealer took back to avoid
having it branded as a lemon, 2) it was a lemon that a Customer traded in
without telling the dealer it was a lemon, 3) the dealer picked it up at an
auction (and it was at the auction because of reasons 1 or 2), 4) it was a
rental unit, 5) it was a "demonstrator" that the dealer, another employee,
the dealer's wife, or someone connected to the dealership used for a year,
6) it was traded in my someone who gets a new vehicle every year, 7) it was
a program car - one that a Ford employee used for a year, 8) it was a repo.
Cars traded for reasons 6 and 7 are OK, for reason 6 is probably OK, for
reasons 4 and 8 may be OK, but I'd hate to get a car that was on the lot for
reasons 1, 2, or 3. And I personally know of at least one VW Passat that is
on a lot for reason 1.

If I don't know who owned the car before me, I am suspicious of the car. I
have bought "almost new" used cars from dealer twice in my life and they
have been OK, but the savings have not been all that great and I doubt the
wisdom of buying a car this way. I think it is much better to buy a used car
from the prior owner before it passes through a dealer. The only problem is
convincing the prior owner that the KBB Retail Price is a total fantasy,
that dealers lie about trade in value, and that their used car is not
"special." The silliest thing I see people do is buy a car from CARMAX (or
similar places). I've bought new cars for less than they are selling used
version of the same model. My ex bought my older Son a used Accord last year
for more than I paid for a new Mustang for my other Son (and they have
similar equipment - well actually the Mustang has better equipment). At
CARMAX, no hassle pricing means, we're screwing you and it really isn't a
hassle for us.

Ed