'I Take My Work Trucks There:' Florida Couple Test-Drives Ford. Then the Dealership Refuses to Let Them Leave the Parking Lot

A South Florida man is warning others about his girlfriend’s recent car purchase at Sawgrass Ford, saying the dealership sold her a defective vehicle and pressured her into signing paperwork without a proper test drive.

​​Buying a car is supposed to be exciting, but nothing sours the experience faster than realizing you’ve ended up with a lemon.

It especially stings for first-time buyers when what’s supposed to be a milestone moment turns into a costly headache.

Florida Man Calls Out Dealership for Selling Lemon

In a trending video with more than 180,000 views, the customer, who goes by @that__.f150, said his girlfriend was excited to buy her first car at the dealership but quickly discovered problems after taking it home.

“They basically sold her a lemon,” he said. “I get it. You sign an ‘as is’ when you’re buying a used car, but the salesman, Juan, did not let us test drive it out of the parking lot.”

According to @that__.f150, the couple was only allowed to drive the vehicle through the dealership’s parking lot, where it appeared to run smoothly. “Through the parking lot it drove amazing,” he said. But once they were on the road, he said the front end began to shake violently between 35 and 65 mph.

The couple had the wheels and tires balanced and rotated before going back to the dealer, but the problem persisted.

“We figured out what it is. It’s the CV axle,” he said. “It’s not super crazy, but she’s 20 years old, got her first car, was so excited to buy her first car, and the salesman, Juan, was pushy as all hell.”

In both his video and caption, @that__.f150 described the salesperson’s behavior as overly aggressive, saying Juan pressured his girlfriend to sign papers before they could discuss the purchase. 

“[He] proceeded to be extremely pushy and trying to get her to sign stuff before we even talked about it,” he wrote in the caption.

The boyfriend added that after they initially left the dealership, the salesman continued to text his girlfriend, urging her to come back. 

“He kept texting her saying you’re late for your appointment. Are you still coming, this that and the third. Just being overall too pushy for a new customer,” he said.

The TikToker said that when they eventually returned to complete the purchase, they requested a different employee. But after the car was bought, the dealership offered no support once issues surfaced. 

“Now, ‘Oh, sorry. There’s nothing we can do’,” he said.

The customer noted that his family has a 22-year history with the dealership. 

“My dad bought his F-250 or F-350 in 2002 from this place. It was amazing back then. Now … just so you know, Sawgrass Ford likes taking advantage of young people getting their first cars, not letting them drive it off the lot, and then denying anything you say. So, Sawgrass Ford, I do not recommend coming here,” he said.

What Is Florida’s Lemon Law, and How Does It Work?

Florida’s Lemon Law protects buyers of new or demonstrator vehicles that have serious defects (called “nonconformities”) which affect the car’s use, value, or safety, the Florida Office of the Attorney General stated. 

These problems must be reported to the manufacturer or dealer within the first 24 months after purchase. If the issue isn’t fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts, the manufacturer is required to either replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price.

A “reasonable number of attempts” is generally defined as:

• At least three failed repair attempts for the same problem (after which the consumer must give the manufacturer written notice and one final chance to repair), or
• The car has been out of service for 15 or more cumulative days due to repairs.

If the problem still isn’t resolved, consumers can seek arbitration (like a mediator). Depending on the manufacturer, this may first go through a state-certified arbitration program or directly to the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, overseen by the Attorney General’s office.

The law does not apply to issues caused by accidents, neglect, or modifications. Consumers are advised to keep detailed records of all repairs, including repair orders, dates, mileage, and related receipts, as documentation is essential for Lemon Law claims.

Commenters React

“Sawgrass ford sucks,” a top comment read.

“A place not allowing you to leave the parking lot should have been a pretty clear indication,” a second person pointed out.

“There’s actually a lemon law that protects you from stuff like this,” another wrote. 

Motor1 reached out to @that__.f150 for comment via TikTok direct message and comment and to the dealership’s head of used cars via email.