Son of Norway wrote:
Being a lawyer myself I am always a little skeptical when I read posts on these forums advising people to "get a lawyer" or "take them to court." Often those options are not very realistic. Lawyers are expensive and may not be the best use of your money. Going to court is expensive, the dealer will have a lawyer and you may just wind up getting a nasty and expensive lesson in contract law.
I think the best way to handle this kind of situation is with tact and negotiation. You're bargaining position is somewhat weak. The dealer already has your money. Some options: Ask to see the report from Lance. See if a rep from Lance is willing to look at the problem with you. See if the dealer will agree to an independent inspection to determine if there is a real structural problem and how it can be remedied. See if there is another trailer on the lot that you might want to buy from the dealer. See if the dealer will accept a small monetary settlement to keep their reputation and make the problem go away.
Try one of these approaches and see if you have any luck. Post again to this thread with what happens and we can see where to take it from there. Good luck and I hope that the situation is resolved happily for you.
Miles
Here in Alberta, we have small claims court. It is relative easy to do and you really do not need a lawyer. You can claim up to $25K. The secret is to have good documentation and write up a clear and concise claim. I suspect that the original poster will get his deposit back as soon as the dealer receives a notice to appear. The dealer will know that he has very little chance of winning as it is clear from the pictures that there is structural/water damage.
Read about it here
