Where is good pre-purchase inspection for a used car to start my new life in AZ? (Chandler: sales)

[amber48]

Hi everyone~

I am so excited and I can't wait to start my new life in AZ. I am going to live in Gilbert or Chandler. Before finding a nice rental place, I need to buy a car. I prefer a Toyota car which is perfect for my budget. There are some preowned cars in Craigslist, and it looks like I had better to find a good pre-purchase inspection before buying one. Would you please give me some advice to initiate the new life? Thanks in advance!

[madison999]

#1 thing is it needs to be able to pass emissions

[Zippyman]

In your shoes, I'd buy the "unlimited searches" package from car fax & run *every* prospect through that first. If the car has flipped through 6 owners in three states, run. Personally, I'd look for cars only from Arizona & with either no crash history or "minor" crash history. Then I'd take the car to the nearest Toyota dealer & ask them to check it over for hidden damage & deferred maintenance. That should cost about $100. Then, I'd make an offer.

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by Zippyman

In your shoes, I'd buy the "unlimited searches" package from car fax & run *every* prospect through that first. If the car has flipped through 6 owners in three states, run. Personally, I'd look for cars only from Arizona & with either no crash history or "minor" crash history. Then I'd take the car to the nearest Toyota dealer & ask them to check it over for hidden damage & deferred maintenance. That should cost about $100. Then, I'd make an offer.

Excellent advice, though I'd be concerned that the Toyota dealer will try to steer her towards their used car lot. (And depending on her budget, buying a used car from the dealer with a warranty might be a good idea.)

OP - also check that the owner has documentation (receipts) for oil changespill and other required maitenance. Don't believe anything verbal.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

Excellent advice, though I'd be concerned that the Toyota dealer will try to steer her towards their used car lot. (And depending on her budget, buying a used car from the dealer with a warranty might be a good idea.)

OP - also check that the owner has documentation (receipts) for oil changespill and other required maitenance. Don't believe anything verbal.

Well, I might be afraid of being "steered" that way myself if I hadn't spent a few years in the automotive service business. The service department and the sales departments of nearly all dealerships are perpetually at "war" - sales guys promise free stuff to customers, then don't want to pay for it out of their budgets (or they want to do service work on used cars at zero profit to the service department).. Suffice it to say, a service guy and a sales guy are never "friends".. Cats & dogs, oil & water.

The reason I recommend that brand's dealer for checking out a vehicle, is that the techs *know* the issues with that particular model, based on warranty repairs. Any mechanic can tell if another brand's car is knocking, smoking, or leaking, but the techs who do warranty repairs know that (for example) head gaskets on a 2008 were redesigned for 2009 & anyone that wasn't replaced under warranty is likely to fail any second now.. Or that they should check this tiny seal around the shifter for a dribble-leak, because it's likely to fail and ruin the transmission. $80 now, or $4300 later..lol.

That doesn't mean that the dealer won't recommend $3000 in "maintenance" that isn't really necessary, they all kinda do that, but if you'll fall for that, you shouldn't be buying used & you're gonna get "rolled" anyway.. If the dealer does that, you've at least got a negotiating point with the seller, 'cause you don't own the car yet..

Just a case in point - my wife's car model has about half-a-dozen "known issues" - things that someone who works on that model of car every day would know about, but a "general mechanic" wouldn't even know to look for. Her car is old, so googling "her car model" and "known issues" will tell you that the a/c condenser is known to split on the passenger side, where the lines attach. If you know about that issue, you can spot the dribble of oil before the a/c blows (or know to ask if the condenser has been replaced).

The clips that hold the windows to the regulators are known for breaking & if you've ever seen that model car before, you can hear the window rattle when the door closes when only one of the two clips has broken - even though the window still works fine. If you don't know that car's weak points, the window falling down & staying down would be your first sign of a problem.

[amber48]

Thank you so much! The information you provided is very useful. I believe I can buy a nice car with great price.