BOISE — The used car market is on fire. Industry watchers at ISeeCars.com report prices have been on the rise for five straight months— all thanks to tight supply and concerns over the rising price of new cars.
Before you buy, Idaho News 6 is offering a reminder that there's no 'Lemon Law' in Idaho for used cars, and you could lose a huge chunk out of your pocketbook if you're not careful.
Maria Juarez is an example of that. She is finally able to drive her beloved 2017 Range Rover.
"I'm really, really happy to finally get this car after a year," said Juarez.
Unfortunately, it took more than a year to get her Range Rover in working order.
Maria explained, "It's been rough because I have to make the car payment, and I don't have a car and had to borrow a car from family members."
Maria bought the Rover for $28,000 from Alic Motors on Fairview in July of last year. It broke down nine days later. "It started jerking and then completely turned off," Maria added.
Her story is outlined in a new lawsuit against Alic Motors, where company managers Mustafa Alic and Rob Alic are listed as defendants.
The lawsuit states that the car was "defective" and Alic Motors made "temporary repairs which allowed for the short-term functioning of the vehicle."
"The failure was so catastrophic that it needed the bottom end of the engine as well as the top half of the engine," said Levon Arnold, owner of Long Arm Mechanics.
Arnold works with the Better Business Bureau's Restoring Trust Program. The program is designed to help customers who are victims of fraud.
Arnold took over the repairs on Maria's rover and began negotiating with Alic Motors to pay the bill. He's the one suing Alic Motors for breach of contract, claiming nearly $14,000 for the cost of replacing Maria's engine.
The lawsuit claims that on April 9 of this year, Rob Alic promised to pay nearly 14 thousand dollars for the repairs, and Arnold showed Idaho News 6 several e-mails to back it up.
Senior Reporter Roland Beres asked, "How much communication did you have with the dealer?
"Constant, we have full records of every time we contacted them and gained approval," explained Arnold.
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The Better Business Bureau says they grade both accredited and non-accredited businesses on how responsive they are to customer complaints.
"Alic Motors has an F rating with the Better Business Bureau," says Dale Dixon, Chief Innovation Officer for the BBB.
Idaho News 6 called Alic Motors multiple times, including every day last week, to get a comment.
And finally — a day before this story was to air — an associate told us Mustafa would not comment on camera. But he did give me the facsimile of a check for nearly 14 thousand dollars, which he used to pay Long Arm for the cost of the repairs on August 28th.
Arnold confirms he received that payment, but since the legal case had already been filed, he says Alic Motors is still on the hook for interest, legal fees, and storage of the Range Rover.
As this lawsuit makes its way through the courts, experts say it's important to remember that Idaho does not have a Lemon Law for used cars, meaning potential car buyers should do their homework before signing on the dotted line.
Again, the key to avoiding all this is to have any car checked out by an independent mechanic. Any reputable used car dealer should allow you to drive a car to your mechanic to have it checked out. If they don't, the BBB says walk away.
Plus, it's always a good idea to get a Carfax to make sure a car hasn't been in a wreck.
