The Rebuilt Car and the Accident
He was a young car-hop at the time. The 17-year-old witnessed a salesman at the car dealership sell a woman a “new car.” But the young employee knew that the car was not new; it had an engine that had been rebuilt and had also had some fairly extensive body work. He was worried. Should he tell someone? He needed his job but he knew it “just wasn’t right.” He watched as the saleman handed the keys to the car over to the proud owner. He took a few steps toward her. He was going to tell her and let the cards fall where they may. She moved too quickly for him to catch her. But as she was driving away another young car hop, distracted by his iPod, struck the woman’s “new” car as she tried to turn left out of the dealer’s lot. No one injured, but big crunches to both cars. The car and all its damage were now hers because title had passed. So the now crestfallene new owner filed a claim for repair with her insurer. The insurance agent discovered the history of the rebuilt car. Oh, truth does have a way. The end result? The dealership had to provide the woman with a “real” new car, the very thing it had promised in the first place. Thank goodness for teenage employees who are not watching when they are car-hopping at dealerships.
