A DRIVER is furious after buying a vehicle he thought was in perfect condition, only for it to break down the next day.
Kyrstyan Mazzuca of New Jersey was tired of his transit-based commute and decided to save money to buy a car, but he had expectations that his newly purchased vehicle would last more than a day.
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“I spent six hours at the dealership testing different cars, looking at different options,” Mazzuca told local ABC affiliate WABC-TV.
“I finally found one that didn’t seem to have any problems. Nothing really major seemed to be wrong with it.”
He purchased what he considered an efficient 2011 Hyundai Sonata in excellent condition, ready to hit the road as his primary mode of transportation.
Something tragically unexpected happened to the car buyer’s vehicle the day after he drove it off the lot, which ended up costing him almost $800.
“All the car windows are open,” Mazzuca explained.
“Everything is locked. You can’t open the doors. You can’t open anything.”
He even called AAA, who were also unable to start the car.
The driver towed the vehicle to his relative’s home in Hazlet, New Jersey, for $780.
He said he did
He said he made more than 53 calls to try to contact the dealership.
Additionally, he sent more than a dozen texts and emails.
When the dealership finally responded, he said it would cost $500 to fix his car.
If that wasn’t enough, Mazzuca still owed the second half of the down payment on the vehicle he had just purchased.
That’s another $1,200 in his account.
What to do if your car is towed
Unfairly or not, recovering a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are some steps you can take to get it back.
Steps to follow when your car is towed:
- Try to find out why your car was towed. Haven’t you seen a “No Parking” sign? Did you miss your car payment? Have you returned to a lot where there were unpaid citations? Finding the reason may narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some type of contact information via a posted or mailed sign.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but these times will be posted on the website or may be provided by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as quick as possible, as some towing yards may charge per-day storage fees.
If you believe your vehicle was improperly towed, you can dispute the action by following these steps:
- Be quick – many states have a small window of time in which it is acceptable to file a claim against a company that improperly towed your vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements, if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Familiarize yourself with local laws, as laws for towing companies vary by state.
- Try talking to the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact your local Justice of the Peace as they may have more information or resources to help. They are often used for towing cases.
- Speak to a lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and, depending on the case, it may be worth calling on a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak law firm
“I just want my money back”, emphasized the driver.
“We can go our separate ways. We don’t need to continue business. We don’t need to go out and slander each other. That’s not how I like to do things.”
When Mazzuca contacted the WABC-TV news team and they helped investigate his situation, the dealership admitted that the main fuse in the entire car had blown.
It only took the driver a week to get the car back and the dealership tried to compensate the customer.
“Basically, he replaced the fuse, a sensor and an alternator,” Mazzuca said.
“The battery didn’t cost me anything. Plus, he took another $1,000 off the car’s total just to make sure there was no feud and everyone left a little happy.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
