My Skyline Auto USA Experience: Hidden Damage Discovered After Purchase

Buying a used car should be exciting, but my experience purchasing a Toyota Corolla Hatchback from Carlos at Skyline Auto USA in Katy, TX quickly became a nightmare.

Red Flags From the Start

I contacted Carlos through Facebook Marketplace and asked for a CARFAX. Instead, he sent screenshots from GoodCar showing no accidents and told me the vehicle had a clean title with no damage.

When I arrived to inspect the car, I immediately noticed the front bumper wasn’t aligned properly and the wheel-well liner was damaged. Carlos told me it was caused by a previous tire blowout and assured me the car had never been in an accident.

The test drive seemed mostly fine, although the car pulled slightly to the right. I purchased it and paid in full.

On the highway home, the steering wheel began vibrating and the pulling became significantly worse.

What I Discovered the Next Day

The following morning, I took the car to a local shop for an oil change and alignment. The shop found serious damage to the right-front suspension, including a used strut, control arm, and CV axle. The front tire also had a dangerous bubble.

I immediately purchased my own CARFAX report, which showed an accident that appeared consistent with the damaged area of the vehicle.

A subsequent inspection by a collision shop found even more serious problems, including salvaged/rusted components, a bent right-front frame rail, and a warped engine cradle.

Trying to Get a Resolution

I contacted Carlos and explained what the inspections had found. He offered to replace the tire and later offered to purchase a lower control arm and front strut.

Those repairs did not address the larger structural concerns identified by the collision shop.

I requested that the sale be rescinded and that I receive a full refund, but my request was refused. Shortly afterward, the original Facebook Marketplace listing was deleted.

The problems continued afterward, including additional flat tires and air leaks around the rims.

Alignment report

Salvaged / rusted components