**BUYERS SHOULD READ THIS BEFORE PURCHASING A VEHICLE FROM THE CAR EXCHANGE**
My daughter purchased a 2015 Hyundai Tucson from The Car Exchange on September 30, 2025. She was a first-time car buyer, a college student, and relied on this vehicle for transportation to school and work.
What we discovered after the purchase is extremely concerning.
Hyundai Motor America records tied to this vehicle's VIN show that on May 1, 2025--approximately four months BEFORE The Car Exchange sold the vehicle to my daughter--a Hyundai dealer documented:
"Tech Found Engine Seized Needing To Be Replaced."
The same Hyundai records state that the engine "Seized Up While Driving" and that the vehicle "stalled out and would not start back."
Despite repeatedly asking The Car Exchange and its representative, Joel Dial, for documentation showing what happened to the vehicle after this diagnosis, we have never been provided documentation showing that the engine was replaced or explaining what repairs were performed to return the vehicle to operating condition.
The vehicle was represented to us as a "good running unit."
Within approximately two weeks of purchase, major engine problems began. The vehicle ultimately became inoperable and has remained that way.
My daughter continues to make a vehicle loan payment of approximately $382 per month, in addition to the ongoing cost of insurance, on a vehicle she cannot drive. She is a college student living away from home and working full-time, and she has had to rely on our family's other vehicle to get to work and school.
The situation is made even worse by the fact that we cannot simply sell the Tucson for whatever salvage value it might have. There is still an outstanding loan on the vehicle, and my daughter does not have clear title until the loan is paid off. So we are left with an inoperable vehicle sitting in front of our house while the loan continues--potentially for years.
We trusted a professional used-car dealership to properly evaluate the vehicle and provide reliable transportation to a first-time buyer. Instead, my daughter has been left with ongoing loan and insurance expenses and an inoperable vehicle that we cannot reasonably dispose of while the loan remains outstanding.
We have documentation supporting the timeline, including Hyundai service records, repair findings, purchase documents, communications, and BBB arbitration materials.
At this point, our goal is not simply to complain about our individual experience. We want prospective buyers to understand the importance of researching a vehicle's history and asking questions about previous major mechanical problems and repairs.
We also believe The Car Exchange should take responsibility for the circumstances surrounding this sale and address the costs necessary to return the vehicle to a safe and operable condition.
Most importantly, we hope other consumers will investigate a vehicle's history carefully before purchasing from any used-car dealership. No first-time buyer--especially a college student--should have to learn this lesson the way our daughter did. read more