sold a car on craigslist and buyer wants refund

[nino11]

I had a car for sale on craigslist. The car needed work and I put it in the ad as is. A guy came took a look at it and drove it. He made me an offer and paid me cash for it. I gave him the signed title but the problem was that the guy needed to do a repair on the car in order to drive it off my driveway. So what happened the guy came a week later with dealer plates and took the car to a shop and did the repair. Now the problem is the car didn't have airbags and he's complaining to me that I didn't put that on the ad. He wants me to refund him 200 dollars for the air bags because I didn't mention it on the ad. So he is saying that I if I don't refund him the 200 he's going to sue for a full refund which would be 800 dollars because he said he hasn't taken the car from my driveway and has a case. So I need advice on what to do. I put on the ad as is and he came and saw it and drove it need to know what direction to take this.

 

[army judge]

I had a car for sale on craigslist. The car needed work and I put it in the ad as is. A guy came took a look at it and drove it. He made me an offer and paid me cash for it. I gave him the signed title but the problem was that the guy needed to do a repair on the car in order to drive it off my driveway. So what happened the guy came a week later with dealer plates and took the car to a shop and did the repair. Now the problem is the car didn't have airbags and he's complaining to me that I didn't put that on the ad. He wants me to refund him 200 dollars for the air bags because I didn't mention it on the ad. So he is saying that I if I don't refund him the 200 he's going to sue for a full refund which would be 800 dollars because he said he hasn't taken the car from my driveway and has a case. So I need advice on what to do. I put on the ad as is and he came and saw it and drove it need to know what direction to take this.

The buyer MIGHT have a very good argument.
In some states, I'm not sure IF New York is one, you can't sell a car without WORKING airbags.
That COULD be considered selling an UNSAFE vehicle, as-is or NOT.
Do yourself a favor, STOP selling VEHICLES of DEATH.
If I were you, I'd give him back ALL of his money.
You are FREE to do, of course, whatever you want to do, even keep selling dummies vehicles of DEATH.
Funny thing about life, what we do often catches up to us, and we get repaid a HUNDRED fold!!!

 

[mightymoose]

I just looked quickly and didn't find a requirement that the vehicle just be equipped with airbags, however there are state laws forbidding reusable or counterfeit airbags.
As a private seller you are likely exempt from the safety requirements a dealer must meet.
Your DMV can give you a clear answer as to whether you must install air bags when making a private sale. I suspect this is the buyers problem. Since the car has been taken to a shop and worked on I would hesitate to take it back.