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Both!
In fact, I would like to know as to whether a deal with a dealer or an owner is advantageous in any way .....
Please treat me as a novice as my knowledge on this aspect is dated.
You will get a better price with a private party purchase. However, the problem with that is that once you buy it, you have little to no recourse if you find something wrong with it.
With a dealer, you pay more, but he has the reputation of his business, a brick and mortar place for you to go and complain, etc, even in an as-is sale...Sometimes that doesn't mean much, but usually it does.
What price range are you looking at? Below a certain price point, I wouldn't look at cars on dealers lots.
Research the car fully before meeting anyone. Take some car geeks with you, and show them the research before you go. Google XXXX year make model problems and see what pops up.
For a private sale- first question to ask- Is it your car to sell and do you have a title with your name on it. Demand to see it so you can see what if any liens are on the vehicle.
1. How does one tell whether it is a clean title or a salvage one? Which paper specifically shows that?
2. What is the difference between salvage and re-built?
You will get a better price with a private party purchase. However, the problem with that is that once you buy it, you have little to no recourse if you find something wrong with it.
With a dealer, you pay more, but he has the reputation of his business, a brick and mortar place for you to go and complain, etc, even in an as-is sale...Sometimes that doesn't mean much, but usually it does.
What price range are you looking at? Below a certain price point, I wouldn't look at cars on dealers lots.
that means next to nothing.you'll pay much more with a dealer, and if you're smart about buying from a private seller you have a much lower chance of something going wrong.
if something goes wrong with the dealer you're gonna waste tons of times, they'll give you the run around and bull**** you to death and to get anywhere you'll have to get lawyers involved.so technically you'll have a little recourse but it's a huge pain in the ass to get anywhere. you'd be much better off spending a small fraction of that time finding a good one owner privately sold car that was well maintained and feeling the person out. nothing is 100 % but you'll be way better off this way.
it makes a lot more sense than paying 30-40 pct more for a car from some scumbag that has a much higher chance of something going wrong (now if you just buy a private car without doing research, having a mechanic lookinga t it, making sure it was well maintained there is a much higher chance something goes wrong.)
1. How does one tell whether it is a clean title or a salvage one? Which paper specifically shows that?
2. What is the difference between salvage and re-built?
the title should show it- but also search the vin number online and it will tell you.
i'm pretty sure salavaged and rebuilt are the same thing and it's just called different things in different states ( i could be wrong)
unless you're getting a huge discount off the normal price of the car (at least 50 percent) don''t ever buy a salvaged titled car. it's one thing for an honest person to sell a salvaged car be up front about it and sell it for a cheap price-it's another for someone to hide the fact it's salvaged or to say some bull**** like "salvaged title do to "minor hail damaged" or "fender bender" car runs great etc who asked normal price for the car. run from those people.
- Has the car ever been in an accident? (Looks for pinstriping on body panels that looks newer than the rest, or paint that is slightly darker or lighter from one panel to the next. Run your finger down the edge of body panels. If you can feel a buildup, it has been repainted. Look for body gaps. They should be uniform in width and the body panel shouldn't protrude past the adjacent panel. Carfax doesn't always show accidents if they were not reported. Don't rely on it.
- Has there ever been any mechanical work performed? If so, what kind, how long ago, and why? Do you have receipts from the work?
- Do you know of any recalls that need to be performed? (It's likely an individual won't know this so do your homework.)
- Has all maintenance been performed on time? Do you have receipts? (Check the oil and transmission fluid. Oil should be free from debris and metal particles and transmission fluid should be slightly red in color and not smell burnt)
A couple of other things to mention.
- You need to be willing to do your homework in advance. If you find a vehicle you like, research common issues with them and see if there are any items that are prone to problems. (For instance on my Titan the rear axle seals were prone to leaking.)
- Stand behind the vehicle and have the owner start it. If you see any white smoke (not water vapor but smoke) or smell burnt oil, walk away.
- Inspect the under hood area for any leaks. If you notice a strong sweet odor, there "could" be a coolant leak.
- Check the tire tread for even wear. If the insides of the front tires are worn down it could either be an alignment issue or a ball joint issue.
- When you drive the car, turn the stereo off. Listen for any odd noises. Ticking, clunking, rattling, etc... Check the stereo when sitting still after the test drive. If it's an auto transmission feel for slippage or hard shifts. Shifting should be smooth and positive. If a manual, check for clutch slippage and make sure it slides easily into gear with little force.
- Look for damaged items. Cracked lenses, scratches or dings in the paint, missing trim, etc... Use that to help drive down the price.
Check under the trunk mat and under the seat frames for heavy rust. Light surface rust can occur over time so don't panic if you see that. Look under the dash as well. You may see some very light surface rust from condensation off the AC system but it should not appear heavy.
Also educate yourself on the trim package you are looking at. Make sure that what you are buying is the real deal. For instance when looking for my Titan, I wanted an SE package. Captain's chairs, center console with shifter, chrome bumpers, etc... I looked at an "SE" being advertised but noticed it was a bench seat with column shifter and grayed out bumpers. Badging said "SE". I already knew which letter of the VIN indicated the trim package from my research and checked it. It indicated an "XE" model, which was the base model and the NADA value was about $6k less. I politely walked away.
the title should show it- but also search the vin number online and it will tell you.
i'm pretty sure salavaged and rebuilt are the same thing and it's just called different things in different states ( i could be wrong)
A salvage title is what is issued to a vehicle that has been wrecked, flood damaged, or stolen but can be rebuilt and has been deemed cheaper to be totaled than fixed by the insurance company. Technically speaking the insurance company deems it not roadworthy. However many folks will have a vehicle repaired without getting it inspected, so it still holds a salvage title. It can still be tagged and insured.
A rebuilt title is issued once the salvaged vehicle has been rebuilt, inspected, and passed by the local DMV. A vehicle can only get a rebuilt title if it were rebuilt by a licensed professional.
Last edited by Nlambert; 06-27-2014 at 07:38 AM..
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