Can a used car sales lot deny a 3rd party inspection?
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Can a used car sales lot deny a 3rd party inspection?
I recently called a used car lot to set up an appointment to look at a specific vehicle. I was told by the person on the phone that I would only be ‘allowed’ to take the vehicle on a 15 minute test drive, but that it was ‘forbidden’ to take the vehicle to an independent mechanic and have the vehicle inspected for defects. Is this legal in Michigan?
Asked on February 28, 2019 under Business Law, Michigan
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
Yes, it is legal: it is their car (until you buy it, if you do) and they can decide what you can or cannot do with it. This is no different than if you were selling your car privately and didn't trust the buyer with it on his/her own and said they could only test drive it with you in it and could not take it anywhere.
So they can prevent you from having it inspected. And that should prevent you from buying it: do you really want to buy a used car that you can't have inspected or checked out? Go find a different car or seller.
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