"Protest" sign illegal?

[Tik-Tok]

I'm hoping someone here will know (for fact) if this is legal...

I'm having a little bit of trouble with a stealership right now, when I traded my last car in, part of the agreement was that I would get my Extended Warranty money back from the car, (as I was only 2 years in to a 7 year warranty and the extended didn't start until 5 years). They said no problem. Now the Warranty head office is saying no, they don't give refunds unless the car is written off.

Unfortunately I don't have anything in writing that said I would get my warranty money back, (this was obviously my bad). Everything was written on a paper, but I never got a copy of it, just the bill of sale.

I'm still waiting to hear back from the manager of the dealership about it all, but am considering my options in case it goes bad.

Is there anything illegal about making a sign, something to the effect of "(insert dealership name) Ripped Me Off, Ask Me How!) to put on the side of my truck, and park beside the dealership on a public street?

I have lots of time on my hands during the week, so I don't have a problem sitting in the truck and reading a good book while I "protest" for a few hours a day. I just want to make sure I won't be doing anything illegal.

Any thoughts?

[lilmira]

You can't write anything to accuse them without anything to back it up. They can sue you for defamation.

However, you can express how you FEEL about them. e.g. they suck, you don't want any business with them ever again...................

I've actually seen a sign on a Hyundai saying something like the car sucks, pretty funny.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by lilmira
You can't write anything to accuse them without anything to back it up. They can sue you for defamation.

However, you can express how you FEEL about them. e.g. they suck, you don't want any business with them ever again...................



Makes sense... so I could write " I Feel Like (name) Ripped Me Off ..."

[JRSC00LUDE]

There's been a guy parked in the empty lot by the nissan dealer here in his X-terra with big signs that say things like "My Nissan needs a new paint job after 2 years, inquire within!" and "X-Terra Design Flaws? Ask me about it!", etc.

:rofl:

If I wasn't in such a hurry when I saw him I would have stopped to see what he had to say!

[Gravy_83]

a guy back home bought an audi s4 from a volkswagen dealership and got a lemon and he owned a really REALLY popular club and put a sign on the car that said I got this really expensive lemon guess where I bought it. cuz they wouldn't help him out with anything after he got it. it was funny sign was on the car at his club for a while

[gofastmerc]

You can do unltil you get a court order to stop. Or letter from a lawer.

My Brother in law had one on his back window for some time before he got a letter from a lawer to stop.

[lilmira]

You just have to choose your word carefully. You have the right to freedom of speech. No one can stop you from expressing your anger to anything for whatever reason.
Of course you can't physically disrupt their business like parking your car with the sign right in their parking lot or start yelling inside the dealership.

[shakalaka]

They can only sue you for libel (defamation) is whatever you claim is false. If you say, 'this dealership ripped me off' and if you can prove that it actually did, they won't be able to sue your for any defamation.

Defamation claims such as libel or slander, can only be brought in the court of law, if the statements made or claimed are totally false, are implied to be factual and can harm the reputation of the person they are made against.

However, you are allowed to express your opinion in a way which doesn't directly defame's the dealership. Pretty much other people have already mentioned.

[01RedDX]

.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by lilmira
You just have to choose your word carefully. You have the right to freedom of speech. No one can stop you from expressing your anger to anything for whatever reason.
Of course you can't physically disrupt their business like parking your car with the sign right in their parking lot or start yelling inside the dealership.

I think

"I believe (name) ripped me off, ask me why!"

will work, and no definately not going to disrupt business, just going to park out front with my truck, put the sign along side of it, and sit in a lawn chair in the back reading a book, soaking up some rays (assuming it's sunny out). Not even going to tell them I'm doing it, just gonna park and sit. If I deter even 1 person from doing business there, I'll consider us even.

Hopefully this turns out ok, and I don't have to do it in the first place. Gonna go down there in a bit and see what they say. (tired of phone calls)

[Nissanaddict]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE
There's been a guy parked in the empty lot by the nissan dealer here in his X-terra with big signs that say things like "My Nissan needs a new paint job after 2 years, inquire within!" and "X-Terra Design Flaws? Ask me about it!", etc.

:rofl:

If I wasn't in such a hurry when I saw him I would have stopped to see what he had to say!

I've seen that! Hilarious stuff, I wonder what's with those things.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Tell us how it goes... I'm kinda curious if they'll give you the refund, or if they'll get mad at you for sitting out front... take pics! :rofl:

[FiveFreshFish]

If it doesn't work out, set up a protest website.

Something like this:
http://www.geocities.com/anticalgarybmw/MSIE/

[Mixalot27]

www.ripoffreport.com

check out this site for some ideas of what ppl have done to car dealerships to get their money back.