I just bought a brand new 06 Civic. When I took
the car home I noticed a slight warping on the right
side panel where bumper meets the body.

I contacted the dealer and sent him photos the
next morning. He called and said he checked his
computer records and didn't find any indication of a possible lot
damage/repairs.

I replied, in writing, acknowledging his not finding
any repair records prior to sale and that we were worried
about safety features working properly and would
always like to be informed of possible prior damage/repairs.

The next morning, I got a call, that he had checked
again -- this time with the "service" department and
had INDEED found that there was lot repair/damage
that involved replacing the bumper and a paint job
and he was going to find out more about when at work.

So at the end, we were sold a NEW car, that was damaged
and repaired (with visible signs remaining) prior to sale and
we were not disclosed this info until later. I would NEVER
have bought this car had I known about this possibility.

What are my rights as a consumer here? Repair is not an
option for us since we bought a new car just so we can
have a car we were sure had no prior damage! Can this be
sufficient grounds for demanding an exchange (I only
had the car for 2 days). The evidence is there, and acknowledged
by the dealer. I know Honda is very meticulous about
dealers delivering cars in good shape. Would I be better
off going through Honda and not the dealer? We are at a
loss as to what to do now. Any advice would be greatly
appreciated!

Ben