[Bhaalspawn]

While searching for used cars, this dealership, Road Runner Auto Sales in Taylor, stuck out and attracted my attention:

Road Runner Auto Sales, Inc

They have a number of vehicles with low miles at seemingly reasonable prices, which sends up red flags. Does anyone know anything about this dealership? Do these vehiles have salvage and/or rebuilt titles?

I don't have an all-you-can-Carfax account right now, so I can't check the VINs at this time.

[stanman13]

I don't know this dealer in particular, but I think it's safe to assume that most of these cars are bought at auction. I do know that used car values are waay down right now, for obvious reasons. Cars at auction are bringing a fraction of what they brought just a year ago.

It is possible that some of these cars could have a salvage title. But it is also still possible in MI to buy a totaled car with a clean title. Caveat emptor. Sometimes, though, esp. if the car was a rental or self-insured, they will total the car with surprisingly little damage.

So, a clean title doesn't guarantee that a car was not totaled, and a car having been totaled doesn't mean that it was damaged horrifically. Also, a cheap price doesn't necessarily mean a car was wrecked. Your best bet is just to do a thorough inspection of the car before purchase, and a carfax search (which isn't guaranteed, either.)

Reading back through my post, I guess I have told you basically nothing, eh?

[michiganbob]

It probably is.

I agree with everything that was said earlier: while it is possible that used car prices are going down (but then, wouldn't you see private sellers undercutting dealers?), but the combination with "low miles" raises a flag with me as well. The last time I saw that combination it was on vehicles that a CarFax search showed had been totaled and rebuilt.

You can get an unlimited CarFax account for $39.95. I think that would be cheap insurance if you are planning on spending even a couple of thousand dollars on a vehicle.

[Bhaalspawn]

Yeah, that is more or less what I had figured. I definitely would not purchase a vehicle from them without a CarFax report. That they are not offering a link to Carfax reports for people to look at online, which many dealers are, raises a yellow flag.

[OddGuy]

Its funny I ran across this post. My mom has been searching for an Escape Ltd. and found one at this place that just seems ridiculously cheap. To keep it short, she bought the unlimited Carfax and this thing has been salvaged, side impact, damage scale 4 of 7 according to the police report, she said it had a link to it. She then checked many of their cars and found them to be salvaged and/or bought at auction. This doesnt mean they are bad cars, just not pristine one owner, waxed every week, used cars. Im actually going to look at this car tomorrow and make my mom take it to a Ford dealership for an inspection. Ill keep you posted.

[bonita51]

Hey! Make sure you let us know what you found out about this place.
Ironically, I just ran across this place by chance, a few days ago. I was
amazed at their inventory, and their prices! Very reasonable prices, but
I would have to differ on he 'low mileage' claim someone made since I didn't noice a great deal of their cars having that low of mileage.

They do currently have a few cars on their website that have "salvaged title" in the remarks on the car. I would think if they were purposely hiding
the fact, they wouldn't be putting those remarks on their website. I made
a wasted trip to "Auto Auction" last week. I was not impressed. Even though all of their ads state, "MAKE AN OFFER!" They refused to even
consider a few hundred dollars off the price when I was there. They also
have some 'hidden' costs they don't mention, that add another $500 bucks, or so, onto the price.They do have a large selection, but 98% of
their vehicles have no prices on them, and getting a salesperson to help
you is nearly impossible. So, unless you know exactly what you want, you end up spending a lot of time walking around finding a car; hoofing it back to find a salesperson to give you the price; then, if it happens to be out of your ballpark, the process starts all over again! (The salespeople disappear as soon as they tell you a price)
I am looking to buy a car in the next few weeks, so if this place turns out to be good I may make the trip. BTW...Craigs List has thousand of desperate people needing to sell their cars. Many just trying to find a way to make their house payments!

[Bhaalspawn]

I haven't learned anything further about it since we purchased a vehicle elsewhere.