Buy a used car that owner kept for only 5 months?
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IMO there's a fine line between not wanting to get burned and being obsessive. Tons of great advice already (I'm taking notes too) but I personally can not stand a buyer that goes overboard and gets into a hostile interrogation because they believe there must be something wrong.
Anecdotally, I know at least 1 person that bought a car and sold it months later, only reason is they bought too many cars (ie. they saw another shinny object they liked). I'm not saying that's the case but it does happen.
Personally like you I'm suspicious and assume stuff will be braking in the near future that was missed or not evident when inspected, though my used car pool is not of that high a caliber.
Anecdotally, I know at least 1 person that bought a car and sold it months later, only reason is they bought too many cars (ie. they saw another shinny object they liked). I'm not saying that's the case but it does happen.
Personally like you I'm suspicious and assume stuff will be braking in the near future that was missed or not evident when inspected, though my used car pool is not of that high a caliber.
Some people buy and sell cars more often than others willing change their socks.
I have an aunt and uncle who are that way. You never know what they'll be driving the next time that you see them, and it has been this way for 35 years. They are constantly trading cars.
I have an aunt and uncle who are that way. You never know what they'll be driving the next time that you see them, and it has been this way for 35 years. They are constantly trading cars.
Originally Posted By: tomcat27
I got burned by carfax... and carmax... at time of purchase no record. Months later wwhen a 3 yo truck started rusting a major accident showed up.
It just happened to me too. The owner had the car for only 6 months. Carfax checked out OK. I inspected the car very closely and didn't see a thing. I even brought a magnet with me; it was a cloudy day though. Week later, during a car wash in sunny weather, I finely realized the bottom of a door and door sill were repainted, in an obvious way. I kicked myself for not noticing it in the first place. The seller was clearly a DIY car painter and reseller. The good news is the car drives fine, is low miles, and is originally from Miami, so no rust whatsoever.
I got burned by carfax... and carmax... at time of purchase no record. Months later wwhen a 3 yo truck started rusting a major accident showed up.
It just happened to me too. The owner had the car for only 6 months. Carfax checked out OK. I inspected the car very closely and didn't see a thing. I even brought a magnet with me; it was a cloudy day though. Week later, during a car wash in sunny weather, I finely realized the bottom of a door and door sill were repainted, in an obvious way. I kicked myself for not noticing it in the first place. The seller was clearly a DIY car painter and reseller. The good news is the car drives fine, is low miles, and is originally from Miami, so no rust whatsoever.
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
insist he let you take the car to a mechanic of your choice for an inspection. end of story/speculation. you should use that as a tactic to gain negotiation leverage anyway.
Absolutely!
Also you have no reason NOT to be suspicious in this day in age, many people are scam artists and swindlers, you can trust very few people to do the honorable thing.
Back in the mid 90s my sister was looking at a private sale 1991 Miata. The "tale" was that because the wife was 8 months pregnant the couple needed to sell quickly so they could buy a more suitable vehicle when the baby arrived.
My sister is an impulsive person and she was sure that the scenario the seller gave was legit. My father urged her to slow down and have me (brother) go over to the seller's home and inspect the car closely. Well she called them and they claimed that they could only have us over after dark because they worked. Well we headed over, and I brought a drop light so I could get a better look. The car was inside their tiny garage in close quarters so it was difficult to get underneath the vehicle.
But I had a HUGE advantage, I worked in a body and detail shop so I KNEW EXACTLY what to look for and what to notice when driving the car. First thing was when driving that the brake pedal felt
"wooden" with an odd feel, not what I would expect out of a small sporty Mazda. Went back to the owners garage and noticed that the owner while he went inside the house, kept glancing into the garage (LOL) Then after spending about ten minutes visually inspecting I found what I suspected, the residue of compound on a body panel due to body work. It was a small spot but in a critical area under a wheel well and pinch weld on the floor.
I didn't have to wait long for the owner (who I suspect knew I was on to him) to come out and ask how it was going. I mentioned the residue of compound and the strange brake feel, and he didn't even try and make excuses, he was mildly annoyed when confronted but said that now he was not interested in selling the car to my sister. Bahahaha! And he curtly wished me and sis a good night.
My sister called the wife and said that if the damage was minor she was still interested in buying the car. Wife admitted that her brother had recently driven the car and smashed it into a huge tree!
Major damage was done but repaired. She said she couldn't let my sis buy the car with a clear conscience. Also wife hinted that she was NOT pregnant at all.
Don't trust ANYONE.
insist he let you take the car to a mechanic of your choice for an inspection. end of story/speculation. you should use that as a tactic to gain negotiation leverage anyway.
Absolutely!
Also you have no reason NOT to be suspicious in this day in age, many people are scam artists and swindlers, you can trust very few people to do the honorable thing.
Back in the mid 90s my sister was looking at a private sale 1991 Miata. The "tale" was that because the wife was 8 months pregnant the couple needed to sell quickly so they could buy a more suitable vehicle when the baby arrived.
My sister is an impulsive person and she was sure that the scenario the seller gave was legit. My father urged her to slow down and have me (brother) go over to the seller's home and inspect the car closely. Well she called them and they claimed that they could only have us over after dark because they worked. Well we headed over, and I brought a drop light so I could get a better look. The car was inside their tiny garage in close quarters so it was difficult to get underneath the vehicle.
But I had a HUGE advantage, I worked in a body and detail shop so I KNEW EXACTLY what to look for and what to notice when driving the car. First thing was when driving that the brake pedal felt
"wooden" with an odd feel, not what I would expect out of a small sporty Mazda. Went back to the owners garage and noticed that the owner while he went inside the house, kept glancing into the garage (LOL) Then after spending about ten minutes visually inspecting I found what I suspected, the residue of compound on a body panel due to body work. It was a small spot but in a critical area under a wheel well and pinch weld on the floor.
I didn't have to wait long for the owner (who I suspect knew I was on to him) to come out and ask how it was going. I mentioned the residue of compound and the strange brake feel, and he didn't even try and make excuses, he was mildly annoyed when confronted but said that now he was not interested in selling the car to my sister. Bahahaha! And he curtly wished me and sis a good night.
My sister called the wife and said that if the damage was minor she was still interested in buying the car. Wife admitted that her brother had recently driven the car and smashed it into a huge tree!
Major damage was done but repaired. She said she couldn't let my sis buy the car with a clear conscience. Also wife hinted that she was NOT pregnant at all.
Don't trust ANYONE.
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Let's see this is a toughy and there are many good replies here.
Here is the deal.
1. Carfax is really not a great resource. Why? It only shows what was reported. Many people get car damage and to avoid insurance premiums to go up they pay for repairs out of pocket. So.... You really don't know the "real" History of this car other than provided service records. Which are good to have.
2. Yes it is unusual to sell a car that quick and it is a red flag. Though I have returned a new car before in 3 months due to financing glitches and dealer schemes. Since this car is private party that shouldn't be the case.
3. I would ask to have the vehicle inspected by a Honda Dealer Mechanic at the buyers expense to have it looked over. If you get a green light mechanically I would then take it to a local body shop to see if they feel its been repainted or repaired.
Sounds like alot of work but it's not compared to buying someone else's problem.
Yes Even Honda has lemons. Just ask my Sister. So best be on the safe side.
Just my 10 cents.
Good luck.
Jeff
Here is the deal.
1. Carfax is really not a great resource. Why? It only shows what was reported. Many people get car damage and to avoid insurance premiums to go up they pay for repairs out of pocket. So.... You really don't know the "real" History of this car other than provided service records. Which are good to have.
2. Yes it is unusual to sell a car that quick and it is a red flag. Though I have returned a new car before in 3 months due to financing glitches and dealer schemes. Since this car is private party that shouldn't be the case.
3. I would ask to have the vehicle inspected by a Honda Dealer Mechanic at the buyers expense to have it looked over. If you get a green light mechanically I would then take it to a local body shop to see if they feel its been repainted or repaired.
Sounds like alot of work but it's not compared to buying someone else's problem.
Yes Even Honda has lemons. Just ask my Sister. So best be on the safe side.
Just my 10 cents.
Good luck.
Jeff
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Always get a pre-purchase inspection.
People run into financial trouble or have a life-changing event that necessitates a new car (child on the way, caring for a family member, etc). Or there's people like me who just get sick of the car or decide it maybe wasn't the right car for them.
People run into financial trouble or have a life-changing event that necessitates a new car (child on the way, caring for a family member, etc). Or there's people like me who just get sick of the car or decide it maybe wasn't the right car for them.
Something that just popped into my mind - could it be he is "flipping" the car? Bought it cheap because it had something wrong with it, repaired it and is now trying to sell it at a profit.
On the one hand, nothing wrong with that as long as he's honest about it. On the other hand, if it was a bad tranny and he topped it off with a bottle of "XXX Miracle in a bottle," that would be bad for you.
On the one hand, nothing wrong with that as long as he's honest about it. On the other hand, if it was a bad tranny and he topped it off with a bottle of "XXX Miracle in a bottle," that would be bad for you.
Just a sidenote, nothing major: ditch that KBB reference. KBB was a source of reliable info when it was by subscription dealer only publication. Their quotes are wildly overinflated nowadays, so the dealers can play this "under KBB estimate" game on you. Even Edmunds is far more trustworthy. Manheim is the best..
I've mostly been using KBB as a baseline to assist in determining how good a deal the vehicle might be, not in determining strictly how much I should pay for a car. Then I bounce that and the listed price off of other comparable cars listed for sale. I understand the true base value of the vehicle is essentially what it would pull at an auction, but I don't have access to that information.
By measure of comparables, this car appears to be priced well.
99Saturn, this absolutely will not turn into a hostile interrogation.
By measure of comparables, this car appears to be priced well.
99Saturn, this absolutely will not turn into a hostile interrogation.
Originally Posted By: Mykl
Now I recall he did mention that the car had a wheel alignment done somewhat recently and installed four new tires. Could be meaningless, or maybe he smashed into a curb or something.
More likely...the car had 60,000 miles and simply needed new tires!
Now I recall he did mention that the car had a wheel alignment done somewhat recently and installed four new tires. Could be meaningless, or maybe he smashed into a curb or something.
More likely...the car had 60,000 miles and simply needed new tires!
Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
insist he let you take the car to a mechanic of your choice for an inspection. end of story/speculation. you should use that as a tactic to gain negotiation leverage anyway.
Absolutely!
Also you have no reason NOT to be suspicious in this day in age, many people are scam artists and swindlers, you can trust very few people to do the honorable thing.
Back in the mid 90s my sister was looking at a private sale 1991 Miata. The "tale" was that because the wife was 8 months pregnant the couple needed to sell quickly so they could buy a more suitable vehicle when the baby arrived.
My sister is an impulsive person and she was sure that the scenario the seller gave was legit. My father urged her to slow down and have me (brother) go over to the seller's home and inspect the car closely. Well she called them and they claimed that they could only have us over after dark because they worked. Well we headed over, and I brought a drop light so I could get a better look. The car was inside their tiny garage in close quarters so it was difficult to get underneath the vehicle.
But I had a HUGE advantage, I worked in a body and detail shop so I KNEW EXACTLY what to look for and what to notice when driving the car. First thing was when driving that the brake pedal felt
"wooden" with an odd feel, not what I would expect out of a small sporty Mazda. Went back to the owners garage and noticed that the owner while he went inside the house, kept glancing into the garage (LOL) Then after spending about ten minutes visually inspecting I found what I suspected, the residue of compound on a body panel due to body work. It was a small spot but in a critical area under a wheel well and pinch weld on the floor.
I didn't have to wait long for the owner (who I suspect knew I was on to him) to come out and ask how it was going. I mentioned the residue of compound and the strange brake feel, and he didn't even try and make excuses, he was mildly annoyed when confronted but said that now he was not interested in selling the car to my sister. Bahahaha! And he curtly wished me and sis a good night.
My sister called the wife and said that if the damage was minor she was still interested in buying the car. Wife admitted that her brother had recently driven the car and smashed it into a huge tree!
Major damage was done but repaired. She said she couldn't let my sis buy the car with a clear conscience. Also wife hinted that she was NOT pregnant at all.
Don't trust ANYONE.
I probably would have bought it anyway.
Also: maybe it's me, but I have driven several early Miatas, and the brakes on all of them felt kind of weird.
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
insist he let you take the car to a mechanic of your choice for an inspection. end of story/speculation. you should use that as a tactic to gain negotiation leverage anyway.
Absolutely!
Also you have no reason NOT to be suspicious in this day in age, many people are scam artists and swindlers, you can trust very few people to do the honorable thing.
Back in the mid 90s my sister was looking at a private sale 1991 Miata. The "tale" was that because the wife was 8 months pregnant the couple needed to sell quickly so they could buy a more suitable vehicle when the baby arrived.
My sister is an impulsive person and she was sure that the scenario the seller gave was legit. My father urged her to slow down and have me (brother) go over to the seller's home and inspect the car closely. Well she called them and they claimed that they could only have us over after dark because they worked. Well we headed over, and I brought a drop light so I could get a better look. The car was inside their tiny garage in close quarters so it was difficult to get underneath the vehicle.
But I had a HUGE advantage, I worked in a body and detail shop so I KNEW EXACTLY what to look for and what to notice when driving the car. First thing was when driving that the brake pedal felt
"wooden" with an odd feel, not what I would expect out of a small sporty Mazda. Went back to the owners garage and noticed that the owner while he went inside the house, kept glancing into the garage (LOL) Then after spending about ten minutes visually inspecting I found what I suspected, the residue of compound on a body panel due to body work. It was a small spot but in a critical area under a wheel well and pinch weld on the floor.
I didn't have to wait long for the owner (who I suspect knew I was on to him) to come out and ask how it was going. I mentioned the residue of compound and the strange brake feel, and he didn't even try and make excuses, he was mildly annoyed when confronted but said that now he was not interested in selling the car to my sister. Bahahaha! And he curtly wished me and sis a good night.
My sister called the wife and said that if the damage was minor she was still interested in buying the car. Wife admitted that her brother had recently driven the car and smashed it into a huge tree!
Major damage was done but repaired. She said she couldn't let my sis buy the car with a clear conscience. Also wife hinted that she was NOT pregnant at all.
Don't trust ANYONE.
I probably would have bought it anyway.
Originally Posted By: Vikas
I don't quite get why you want to spend $12K for 6 year old car when you could get 2014 model for around $20K?
We have a budget and we're paying cash. That extra $8k puts us that much closer to having our house paid off. That and with the general reliability of most cars in this particular segment I'm not terribly worried about this car lasting as long as we need it to.
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Mykl
Now I recall he did mention that the car had a wheel alignment done somewhat recently and installed four new tires. Could be meaningless, or maybe he smashed into a curb or something.
More likely...the car had 60,000 miles and simply needed new tires!
Certainly! Tires should be done at about that time. I suppose it is highly likely that this is a very picky owner and simply chose to have the wheels aligned with the new tires.
If everything looks good, as in where the control arms mount to the chassis, even if he did tag a curb it's not likely to be much of an issue anyway.
I don't quite get why you want to spend $12K for 6 year old car when you could get 2014 model for around $20K?
We have a budget and we're paying cash. That extra $8k puts us that much closer to having our house paid off. That and with the general reliability of most cars in this particular segment I'm not terribly worried about this car lasting as long as we need it to.
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Mykl
Now I recall he did mention that the car had a wheel alignment done somewhat recently and installed four new tires. Could be meaningless, or maybe he smashed into a curb or something.
More likely...the car had 60,000 miles and simply needed new tires!
Certainly! Tires should be done at about that time. I suppose it is highly likely that this is a very picky owner and simply chose to have the wheels aligned with the new tires.
If everything looks good, as in where the control arms mount to the chassis, even if he did tag a curb it's not likely to be much of an issue anyway.
I was mistaken about the alignment, it didn't happen. The test drive went well and absolutely nothing stood out as being wrong with the car. The rear bumper was mounted slightly off, but otherwise all body panels fit correctly, no overspray in odd places, no bolts looked messed with. All fluids appeared and smelled as they should, even if the oil was overfilled by a bit. The test drive was exactly what you'd expect of a healthy car.
As far as the guy's character goes... he seemed like a genuinely nice guy and appeared to be completely transparent. Oddly enough, I may have even just made a new friend.
So we put in an offer for the car, but he said he had already received an offer and having given his word to someone else already he said that he was going to give the other person their chance to close on it. If they don't, I'll have my chance to purchase it... and he even threw out a price about $500 below my offer.
As far as the guy's character goes... he seemed like a genuinely nice guy and appeared to be completely transparent. Oddly enough, I may have even just made a new friend.
So we put in an offer for the car, but he said he had already received an offer and having given his word to someone else already he said that he was going to give the other person their chance to close on it. If they don't, I'll have my chance to purchase it... and he even threw out a price about $500 below my offer.
So on a different tangent, so far we've driven the following vehicles...
2008 Scion xB (auto)
2010 Camry LE (4cyl auto)
2009 Camry SE (6cyl auto)
2012 Fusion (4cyl auto, base trim level)
2008 Accord LX-P (4cyl auto)
We ruled out the Scion straight away because the wife didn't find it comfortable. Otherwise I personally was more impressed with it than I imagined I would be. It didn't offer the near Miata-like handling of our current xB, but at the same time felt happy to be chucked around.
The Camry LE we drove was nice, quiet, and comfy. But the one we drove didn't look like it had lead the easiest life, and later discovered that it had been a rental. So far my wife liked this one the best for comfort.
The Camry SE V-6 was a lot more fun than I thought it would be and we were smitten by the V-6 (I was totally entertained with the horsepower). But something felt "off". The steering wheel was off center by about 10-20 degrees and there was a sensation through the seat much like the sensation you feel at the steering wheel if the front tires are out of balance, but otherwise we loved it.... we had to walk away though, we just couldn't imagine that even an SE Camry should ride like that.
Didn't like the Fusion at all. We didn't like the way it drove or the interior. It was a great looking car from the outside though.
We both liked the Accord. It was more fun to drive than the Camry, if slightly less comfortable. The wife felt like she would be happy with it, so we'll keep these on the list of cars to look at.
Any recommendations on other cars to look at for less than $14000? (lower is better) I'm not terribly intimidated by higher mileage cars as long as they appear to have been maintained properly and are priced accordingly. If anything my ideal situation is to find a clean, well kept Accord or Camry with around 100k miles for $7k to $8k and pocket the extra money.
2008 Scion xB (auto)
2010 Camry LE (4cyl auto)
2009 Camry SE (6cyl auto)
2012 Fusion (4cyl auto, base trim level)
2008 Accord LX-P (4cyl auto)
We ruled out the Scion straight away because the wife didn't find it comfortable. Otherwise I personally was more impressed with it than I imagined I would be. It didn't offer the near Miata-like handling of our current xB, but at the same time felt happy to be chucked around.
The Camry LE we drove was nice, quiet, and comfy. But the one we drove didn't look like it had lead the easiest life, and later discovered that it had been a rental. So far my wife liked this one the best for comfort.
The Camry SE V-6 was a lot more fun than I thought it would be and we were smitten by the V-6 (I was totally entertained with the horsepower). But something felt "off". The steering wheel was off center by about 10-20 degrees and there was a sensation through the seat much like the sensation you feel at the steering wheel if the front tires are out of balance, but otherwise we loved it.... we had to walk away though, we just couldn't imagine that even an SE Camry should ride like that.
Didn't like the Fusion at all. We didn't like the way it drove or the interior. It was a great looking car from the outside though.
We both liked the Accord. It was more fun to drive than the Camry, if slightly less comfortable. The wife felt like she would be happy with it, so we'll keep these on the list of cars to look at.
Any recommendations on other cars to look at for less than $14000? (lower is better) I'm not terribly intimidated by higher mileage cars as long as they appear to have been maintained properly and are priced accordingly. If anything my ideal situation is to find a clean, well kept Accord or Camry with around 100k miles for $7k to $8k and pocket the extra money.
Originally Posted By: dishdude
Originally Posted By: Vikas
I don't quite get why you want to spend $12K for 6 year old car when you could get 2014 model for around $20K?
Especially when the 2013+ is a huge improvement over the 2008.
Before negotiating a brand new Accord, as they're listed around here, is about $22k. After taxes that's nearly twice the price. Then when you consider that this $22k vehicle is worth about $18k the second we sign the dotted line the value proposition just isn't there.
Yes, the new Accord is a *fantastic* vehicle and better than the outgoing model in every way (IMO). I would love to have one, but right now that roughly $11k (after taxes) difference in price can be put to much better use elsewhere.
One car that does seem to make a compelling case for itself is maybe a brand new Camry, although I personally am not in love with them. There's a dealership nearby that's listing them for $5k off right up front, making an LE model under $20k.
I'll run some searches for brand new Altimas, Fusions, 6s, and Malibus and see if there are any better deals to be had.
Originally Posted By: Vikas
I don't quite get why you want to spend $12K for 6 year old car when you could get 2014 model for around $20K?
Especially when the 2013+ is a huge improvement over the 2008.
Before negotiating a brand new Accord, as they're listed around here, is about $22k. After taxes that's nearly twice the price. Then when you consider that this $22k vehicle is worth about $18k the second we sign the dotted line the value proposition just isn't there.
Yes, the new Accord is a *fantastic* vehicle and better than the outgoing model in every way (IMO). I would love to have one, but right now that roughly $11k (after taxes) difference in price can be put to much better use elsewhere.
One car that does seem to make a compelling case for itself is maybe a brand new Camry, although I personally am not in love with them. There's a dealership nearby that's listing them for $5k off right up front, making an LE model under $20k.
I'll run some searches for brand new Altimas, Fusions, 6s, and Malibus and see if there are any better deals to be had.
There are a couple of dealerships nearby selling the S model Fusion for less than $18k.
One dealership with a Malibu LS for less than $18k, a few others for less than $19k.
A few Mazda 6's for just under $20k.
A bunch of S model Altimas for under $18k.
No deals on Sonatas or Accords.
For under $18k, it certainly makes sense to have a look at a few brand new cars. But for much more than $19k..... that's basically the line.
One dealership with a Malibu LS for less than $18k, a few others for less than $19k.
A few Mazda 6's for just under $20k.
A bunch of S model Altimas for under $18k.
No deals on Sonatas or Accords.
For under $18k, it certainly makes sense to have a look at a few brand new cars. But for much more than $19k..... that's basically the line.
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