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Wheel flies off used car: ‘I thought I was going to die’

Posted at 8:15 PM, Apr 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-25 16:29:31-04

RICHMOND, Va. -- Mia Conway said she thought she was going to die, on the interstate.

She was headed to work in a Honda Accord that she said she purchased four months earlier.

“I thought I was going to die, honestly, really,” Conway said.

Conway said that she was going around 60 to 65 miles when her wheel flew off.

“I saw the wheel just fly across the highway and I started swerving,” Conway said.

She said she was screaming and crying, certain there would be a collision with someone.

Conway said after she made it to safety, she called 911 and then the dealership where she purchased the car in December, and had it serviced a month before her accident.

She said she was surprised by the reply she received.

“They don't feel as though they should be fully liable for it, which to me, I think is crazy,” Conway said.

Conway contacted Problem Solvers, who reached out to Colonial Honda on her behalf.

The general manager Tim Cosgrove explained Conway purchased the Honda accord as is, with 163,000 miles on it and no extended warranty.

And although they rotated and balanced the tires in January, Cosgrove said Conway drove nearly 6,000 miles after that, before the incident.

He says he's glad she wasn't injured but can't ignore the “as is” buyers agreement she signed.

“At its core, what it means is that as soon as you sign this buyer's order and bill of sale, you become one hundred percent responsible for all maintenance and repairs to the vehicle,” said general manager Tim Cosgrove.

Information Cosgrove believes all customers should be aware of wherever they buy a used car. As for Conway, he said they made a good will offer and it still stands.

He said they offered to cover half of Conway’s repairs even though they are not obligated and have no responsibility to do so.

“We just wanted her to know that we do value her as a customer and I was willing to do that as a sign of good faith.”