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Yes, the control arm should be replaced in order to safely operate your vehicle. If you have no experience at all working on cars I think you would find replacing the lower control arm to be difficult. Also, do you own or have access to all of the tools you need? If not you will need to purchase them which you will need to add to the cost of the parts. If you plan on using them in the future it could be a good investment.
I think there is an international treaty about not trusting a used car salesman. Live and learn.
Yeah. If you don't know anything about cars or buying cars, you take someone with you who knows.
And you take the car to check at YOUR garage before you sign the contract. That's pretty much international 101 buying cars.
Now it's too late...
Check with the state regarding used car purchases, as I believe there should be a grievance process as you bought from a licensed dealer. If a dealer puts the car through a check and it was missing equipment, that's fraud, and the government would be interested in such activities. The control arm could be a wear item that wore out during the period you owned the car, depending upon road conditions, etc. However, missing light sockets for indicators and brakes is not a vehicle that would be considered to be in road worthy condition, and that may be something that you can appeal, depending upon the state. I would check with the Department of Consumer Affairs or equivalent for the state and see if they can advise you as to how to proceed.
In the meantime, you should have the car repaired, since it's dangerous to drive in the current condition. Look for recommendations for a good local mechanic or ask some mechanically inclined friends if they can help you work on the car. That way, you would know that the car is repaired properly.
Dealers are not always able to get away with their behavior, and there may be something in consumer protection regulations that can help you lodge a complaint and help to recover some money for the faults. Good luck.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
I presume used car dealers are the same the world over. Most likely he upsold him a worthless warranty and the 'bad' items will be covered under the fact that the car was bought from him "As Is"
At least, that's what i'd expect in the US.
I will say to the OP, though.. Find a friend or someone who knows more about cars than you to bring along next time. You seem to admit you don't really know anything about cars(Not being offensive, just factual) and, it's a large purchase. Buy your buddy lunch if he'll come with you to look at a car. Or.. The mechanic that you took it to. I'm sure he'd like a free lunch.
As for your issues.. The lower control arm I'd probably be ticked about. well.. I'd be somewhat ticked about all of them other than the air filter... But the bulbs/lights out.. None of those should be a massive deal. worst case is how much the replacement parts for the 'fixtures' are. and if you have wiring gremlins. But, I suspect repairing those items won't break the bank.
Control arm.. Yeah.. Again, grand scheme, that shouldn't be horrible.. But I would be annoyed that it was broken.
OP, you need to start learning at least something about cars, maybe you can find a mentor, help them with some simple maintenance chores first. Or at least find some "owner-driver" books.
None of us was born knowing about cars.
Yeah, next time you go to buy a car, first, know more yourself, second, bring along a buddy who knows cars really well. I prefer to have a buddy come look at a car with me, even though I am a pretty seasoned DIY mechanic - partly just to have a second set of eyes on the car, and partly because the buddy is not vested in me buying the car or not - just along to try to find things wrong with the car, and to give best advice.
I have some issues with my car and I need some advice...
* Front right indicator does not work. Holder for it completely missing.
How could you not notice this when you looked at the car before you bought it? I mean, the entire signal housing gone? This is something that would be glaringly obvious.
Quote:
* Missing/defunct brake lights.
Are they missing? If they are, it's another glaringly obvious defect. How could you not see this? Did you actually look at the car before you bought it?
If they are simply not working, how could you not notice? Do you not check things like this?
Every time I go to a store or other business that has plate glass windows, I back in and check my lights. Is it not common sense to check your brake lights every now and then?
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