A man is going viral after detailing a rough experience buying a car on Facebook Marketplace, saying he ended up with a vehicle that had problems anyone could spot.
Jaden O’Hara posted a recent video on Facebook explaining that he bought a Chevy Impala through the platform, though it’s not clear what drew him to a car that was clearly on its last legs.
“When the Marketplace find ends up sorta running and you think you can drive the [expletive] back home,” O’Hara writes in the text overlay of his clip.
He’s singing as he drives, and while the car seems passable at first—aside from some concerning noises—he eventually tilts the camera down to reveal the real issue. There’s a gaping hole in the floorboard right under the pedals.
It’s not obvious if the clip was meant as a joke, but it hit a nerve, with viewers joking that this is exactly the gamble you take buying cars on Facebook Marketplace.
“Send it,” O’Hara adds in his caption. As of this writing, his video has more than 1.1 million views.
Is It Safe To Drive?
In the comment section of his video, it’s suggested that O’Hara purchased the car as a project he could eventually fix. Some even encouraged him to drive the clearly unsafe vehicle if he bought a classic car for a low cost.
That said, a hole in the floorboard isn’t just a quirky Marketplace surprise and shouldn’t be treated as such. It’s a safety issue that needs to be fixed before you keep driving, since rust can spread and the car’s structure can weaken quickly.
Small holes are manageable with DIY fixes, but anything bigger, such as the one on O’Hara’s new vehicle, requires real metalwork and, ideally, a professional.
For more minor spots, some car enthusiasts have suggested using J-B Weld. You clean the area well, press the two-part epoxy into place, let it fully cure, then sand and paint it so the patch doesn’t trap moisture. A fiberglass kit works the same way. You prep the metal, layer on the resin-soaked cloth, let it harden overnight, then smooth and seal it so it’s protected from the elements.
Large holes are a different story. According to some experts on the r/Cartalk subreddit, large rusted sections often have to be cut out, which is not only an expensive repair but also requires using a grinder to remove the damaged metal.
If you find yourself in this predicament and are unsure about any of this, it’s smarter to hand it off to a body shop. With a hole that size, getting it repaired correctly is what makes the car safe to drive again.
Viewers Wonder If The Car Can Make It Home
People who stumbled onto O’Hara’s clip seemed equally horrified and amused, with plenty admitting they’ve driven cars with their own, well, quirks.
“So many times,” one man said.
“Been there,” another added. “Drove one 5 hours before.”
A third recalled an even rougher ride: “400 miles. Had to tow my car behind it. Couldn’t go above 50mph or so because of a real bad death wobble.”
“Been there! Miss those days!” a fourth chimed in.
Others leaned into Flintstones jokes, saying the car looked ready for foot-powered backup.
“In case you break down, you can keep pushing,” one joked, adding a gif from the cartoon.
“That there is in case your brakes fail you can apply the Flintstone brakes,” another said.
Plenty questioned why O’Hara wanted to drive it at all, given the hole in the floor and the engine noise.
“Bro you are one wrong pothole away from falling through the floor,” one man warned.
“I’d be addressing that exhaust for any leaks first,” another noted.
Motor1 has reached out to O’Hara via a direct message on Facebook. We’ll update this if he replies.
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