Advice Needed

I just drove home a "brand new" 4Runner from TN to OK. Vehicle has 150 miles on it when I picked it up and drove home with no issues. I noticed the tow hitch was bent the other day and decided to have the dealer look at it to inspect the frame and make sure there was no damage. Referred me to their body shop but I can't make it in until mid December. Anyways, I decided to clean it and noticed quite a few nicks on the top of the hatch as a well as some sketchy paint over some of the bolts. I'm starting to think that this vehicle was in a rear end collision and it was not reported (CARFAX and Dealer stated there were no issues). Does anyone have any thoughts on what my next steps would be in this situation in order for the dealership to make it right? Or that matter have any input on if my assessment is accurate? I'll go over all this with the collision center and see if they can find any more evidence. I'm willing to move on from this if everything is mechanically sound including the frame. However, I can't help but feel I got screwed over on this and I'm paying more than I should for a vehicle that was Frankenstein'd in the rear. Any thoughts on how to you would proceed would be appreciated.

thanks!

 

to me that doesn't look right for a brand new vehicle....

 

That should not be there in a brand new vehicle. It has been touched up.

 

Like I said in the other post that you created, a rental vehicle doesn’t leave the fleet with only 150 miles on it. Something is going to be wrong and these are all indications.

As far as recourse, you’re in it for the long haul now. Once you take delivery, it becomes your problem with the exception of warranty items.

** For other potential buyers that may come across this thread. Please do yourself a favor and get a mechanical pre purchase inspection and a collision shop pre purchase inspection done before buying any used vehicle. **

 

Thats DEFINITELY not OEM paint on the lower half of that hinge and from the looks of the tint of the paint on the hinge and inner door frame that makes me think the whole rear has been painted minus the door.
The paint marker on the corner of the window is most likely a salvage yard marking, they do that on all sorts of auctioned and salvaged stuff.

 

Take it to an independent body shop and have them look at it . NOT the dealerships body shop .

 

OP states this 4Runner was sold as new. Failure to disclose a known material defect is fraud. Return it to the dealership and demand a full refund.

 

With only 150 miles on a "new" vehicle, you wouldn't expect there to by any potential hidden damage like that. An honest dealer (oxymoron?!) should've disclosed any mechanical or body shop work that was done. It could've been damaged coming from the factory, while being delivered, while on the dealer's lot, who knows? As for pre-purchase inspections, I'd agree with that to a point. I bought a used 2017 Shelby GT350 a few years ago, and during my search, one of my main search factors was it had to be Ford certified, with the extended warranty. That gave me some piece of mind when I bought it. I also just recently purchased a 1999 Jaguar XJ8 Vanden Plas, but I spent the money and had a Lemon Squad pre-purchase inspection done on it. The car's in WA, I'm in VA, so there's no way I could've looked at the car myself. The money I spent on the inspection was well worth it, even if I decided not to get the car.

 

It wasn't sold as new. As per this post from his other thread (below) it was used / rental turn in with 150 miles - which is pretty damn suspect and should have red flagged this deal before the truck was bought sight unseen, but no flag was flown and so here we are:

https://www.4runners.com/threads/slightly-bent-tow-hitch.42299/page-2#post-668003

OP: this is going to be a minority opinion but Ima give it to you anyway. Do you like the truck? Other then this issue, are you happy with it? Does the hitch accept a draw bar and does it appear solid? If so, just forget the other shit and just enjoy driving it. Who really cares if it got scraped up a little or if the dealer failed to disclose something? Is it worth your time and stress to worry about this? For me personally, no.

If you know that you can't get past this and you are going to worry about this ad nauseum then just dump the truck now and buy a different one. Money is insignificant compared to being content and confident in a purchase.

 

There is certainly damage to the rear x-member to have caused the indirect damage to the rear gate and hinge alignment. You just don't see it with bumper cover still on.

 

Read all your paperwork carefully, if this damage was disclosed to you or was sold as-is there is nothing you can do. Otherwise try talking to the dealer, asking to unwind the deal. They will likely refuse and you will have to hire lawyer to get that happen.

Step #1 is to get this documented by independent third-party. So there is rock-solid proof that you didn't cause this, because this is exactly what they are going to claim.

 

Looks like:
https://www.4runners.com/threads/slightly-bent-tow-hitch.42299/

 

That's the original thread by the OP @MeefZah is referring to.

 

Agree here. One thing I might do if it were me: Make a brief write-up on what I see, attach photos, and email to the sales manager. Don't threaten action, just let them see it, and don't have any expectations. They just might respond in a good way.

 

Does not look new to me. damage is there and has been worked on previously.

 

Never buy new cars sight unseen... Even if it had 2 miles on it.. go around the vehicle and try to go underneath and see if it was hit anywhere......

 

A few years ago I went to look at a 1999 4runner. After walking around the truck I then put on my coveralls and climbed under and checked out the underside. When I came out the salesman said I've never seen anyone do that before. I did end up buying it and never had any problems with it.