House conflict of interest on used car 'as is' bill

The Charleston Gazette | For buyers of used cars, ‘as is’ could soon mean out of luck

Right now, every car (and most consumer goods) sold by a licensed dealer in West Virginia comes with, at a minimum, an implied warranty. That means that even if there is no specific, advertised warranty consumers have some protection.

The car must be “in good working order” and must “operate properly in normal usage for a reasonable period of time.”

A bill introduced in the state Senate would exempt certain used cars from that protection. Senate bill 107 would allow any car with more than 80,000 miles, older than seven years or that costs less than $2,500 to be sold “as is,” with no implied warranty or consumer protection.

Dealers would have to print an “as is” disclaimer (in 12-point font, with a larger heading) saying that any repairs are the buyer’s responsibility. Once the buyer signs the “as is” statement, they would be on the hook for any problems once the car is off the lot; caveat emptor.

“I know the undertone of this is President Cole is a car dealer, but this has been a longterm issue here,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch Carmichael, the bill’s lead sponsor. (Senate President Bill Cole, R-Mercer, owns new and used car dealerships in Bluefield, Princeton and Ashland, Kentucky.)
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More:
http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20150222/GZ01/150229830

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