I purchased a 2000 Mazda 626 with 19,000 miles, that had over 75% of the body repainted. I didn't find this out until I took the vehicle to get it appraised at Carmax. The appraiser was kind enough to teach me some things to look for. I questioned the appraiser and asked him if this is something that El Dorado Motors of Mckinney could have overlooked and he assured me that this sort of thing is not missed by dealers. He then proceeded to show me where manufacturer stickers had been painted over and where the tape lines were inside the doors. He also informed me that the paint job was done poorly and that I would be lucky if it lasted me another 2 years. Obviously I would not have purchased this vehicle if I had known this in advance. The appraiser couldn't understand and wasn't about to speculate on why a car with 19,000 miles had almost been completely repainted.
I called and questioned the dealer and they plead ignorance. Dealers are not obligated to disclose this information. It is up to the consumer to find these things. Texas doesn't have a "Used Car Lemon Law", therefore the dealers can sell you cars that have been in floods, multiple accidents, stolen etc. Always demand a 30 day guarantee on any "as-is" vehicle. If the dealer won't provide one then walk away from the deal. Always have the car checked by an outside enterprise. Clean Carfax reports don't always tell the whole story, the vehicle I purchased had a clean history (do a search on the web about "Title Washing"). I am in no way stating that El Dorado Motors of Mckinney has been "caught" doing this, I just wanted to share my experience and say "BUYER BEWARE"
Michael
Plano, Texas
U.S.A.
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