Car dealers often use a wide range of underhand tactics to catch out unassuming buyers in an effort to turn a profit. Buyers may not realize there is a problem until it is too late and an accident has occurred.
Clipping is a trade term that describes turning two damaged cars into one seemingly good one. Here is how this process works.
Car A is marked for salvage after a rear-end crash. Car B, which is the same model and ideally the same year, is marked for salvage for other reasons and still has its rear end intact. The dealer cuts each car in two and welds the front end of A onto the rear end of B. They sell it as a clean-title vehicle without ever mentioning the true history of its parts to the buyer.
People weld things all the time, so why is this an issue?
First, it is dishonest, and second, it is dangerous. Car manufacturers recommend against clipping cars because the weld is a weak point in an affected vehicle. There have been instances of vehicles coming apart while driving, and they often split in half with terrifying consequences in the event of a crash.
Buying a used car can be challenging even when dealers are honest about a car’s history, yet it is even more so when they lie. When you buy a used vehicle, you want to be sure that you are not endangering yourself and the others you transport due to undisclosed faults or weaknesses. If a dealer has sold you a lemon, consider taking legal action to recover your money. Acting will also reduce the chance they clip more cars and put even more future buyers at risk as well.