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So, I am fully aware that if you are in the market for a used car, it's imperative that you get the car checked out by a trustworthy, certified, independent mechanic. But, riddle me this: Let's say you find the perfect used car you've been looking for online, but it's out of town, out of state, it's several hundred miles away from home. You know you need to have the car checked out before purchase, so how do you handle this? Do you do a search for independent mechanics within the area to take the car to? (Maybe I've answered my own question!) I can see how that works if you're buying from a dealership, but what if you're traveling to look at a private sale?
So, I am fully aware that if you are in the market for a used car, it's imperative that you get the car checked out by a trustworthy, certified, independent mechanic. But, riddle me this: Let's say you find the perfect used car you've been looking for online, but it's out of town, out of state, it's several hundred miles away from home. You know you need to have the car checked out before purchase, so how do you handle this? Do you do a search for independent mechanics within the area to take the car to? (Maybe I've answered my own question!) I can see how that works if you're buying from a dealership, but what if you're traveling to look at a private sale?
Do you have a local mechanic that you trust? See if they would make the drive with you.
DH and I recently drove to Asheville to check out a used car that he found online. He has been a mechanic for 25 years working on a certain type of car. He drove the hell out of this car. He found that A. the transmission was shifting weird and B. that it stunk of oil. It needed rear engine seals which is a 20 hour job (that's book time). The salesman when told had a blank look on his face.
I did this, but was stupid. I was buying a unique older car that is not made anymore. I wanted to fly to Florida and drive the car before buying it, but I was extremely busy and the seller had records from a complete restoration. I decided to hire a mechanic to check it out for me.
It is hard to find a mechanic who knows anything about this particular car. I asked the seller to take the car to his mechanic since that was really the only way I could find someone who knew the type of car. I knew this was a bad idea, but the seller seemed like a decent fellow and I was just too danged busy with work and moving a house to deal with it.
I talked with the mechanic. Told him what I wanted done, including a compression test. We discussed the right way to do a compression test. He sent me a report, including compression test results (118, 115, 118, 118). He also sent an invoice on a stationary form for his shop. I paid him and bought the car.
When the car arrived, it ran like chitty chitty bang bang. I complained to the seller who made excuses, he said it was running great when he drove it onto the truck that delivered it to me. I also discovered the gas tank was leaking. He first claimed it was just condensation ont eh tank, then said it was fine when he put it on the truck, the shipping company must have abused it, make a claim to them.
Since I was living in a rental place at the time, I had no place to work on cars and no access to my tools, so I took it to a local shop the knew about these cars. It took me almost a month to find a mechanic who knew enough to go over the car. He did a compression test. (118, 118, 117, 14). There was a burned up valve in the head and the head was slightly warped.
I also found an old forum post by this seller asking what to do about a leaky gas tank for this car.
I was furious. I decided to pursue both the seller and the mechanic. I contacted Florida's equivalent of the BAR. Turns out the mechanic was not a mechanic. The invoice was on a form from a shop that had closed 8 years earlier. I could find not record of the existence of the individual name the mechanic had given me and put on the form.
The seller had moved away and was not longer at the address he was at when I bought the car. His landlord said he left the place in shambles and stiffed him on the rent.
I tracked the seller down and considered suing him, but re-doing the head cost about $2500. A replacement gas tank was $300. Going to Florida to sue him and then trying to collect the resulting judgement was simply not worth $2800, even though there is a good chance i could include some of the costs in the judgement. If I got a judgement, I would have to find some assets of the seller that I could enforce the judgment against. He has no real estate and no cars in his name, so I could find his employer if he has one and collect a few hundred per check. If he was stupid enough to keep the bank account I sent the payment to, I could garnish that, but that possibility was not worth the cost and hassle of bringing a lawsuit in Florida. It just was not worth it. I learned not to be stupid (I hope) at a cost of $2800. I have seen other people learn that at a much higher cost (usually millions or even tens of millions).
Sad thng is, I still have not gotten round to putting the head back in after getting it re-done. The new gas tank is in but not secured. Bad deal all round.
Buying a used car is always a gamble, even more so when it is located far away.
Buying a used car, you know you will always have to put money into it some way or another. The biggest dud is a blown engine or transmission.
If the car is one of those low complaints, low maintanance models , i already know what to expect.
Rare models really need to be checked out, as parts and labor will cost you. Fiats, MG, mercedes,rotary engines, mini, those cars require a specific mechanic, and labor will cost more.
I remember a friend of mine would always check ebay , filtered by price, and he will get the coolest cars he can find. The TR7 was the biggest momey pit, next to a porsche 914!
You can contract with a service that uses local mechanics, like Carchex, that will dispatch a mechanic to review the car for you on site. Even if buying private party, if they refuse, don't buy the car, unless it's money you can afford to lose by taking a gamble on some repair expenses.
Dealerships can be good for some models, but really only if they're late model. You also run the risk of the used car sales manager trying to buy a choice example out from under you, if it's eligible for certification, and they know it's on the market, especially if buying it at a good price.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
So, I am fully aware that if you are in the market for a used car, it's imperative that you get the car checked out by a trustworthy, certified, independent mechanic. But, riddle me this: Let's say you find the perfect used car you've been looking for online, but it's out of town, out of state, it's several hundred miles away from home. You know you need to have the car checked out before purchase, so how do you handle this? Do you do a search for independent mechanics within the area to take the car to? (Maybe I've answered my own question!) I can see how that works if you're buying from a dealership, but what if you're traveling to look at a private sale?
The correct way is to drive or fly to where car is. Then have it checked out by a legitimate shop.
Yes, time consuming and costly. I have done this.
Having purchased multiple cars for relatives and friends - cars out of state - you actually have to view car.
I have driven over the decades to 4 states away - only to find junk cars that were advertised as wonderful. One even stated that car just had a 21 point inspection. When I got there I viewed a puddle of automatic transmission fluid on pavement - and car was dripping automatic transmission fluid.
Sadly, way too many treat the truth vastly differently then others.
But I have had many success stories.
I have purchased used cars in Florida, Ohio, Chicago, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Sadly, the slippery ones seem to gravitate in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York but of course can be anywhere.
I sold a car to someone 1200 miles away from where I am. I had an ad online for my car. He contacted me wanting to buy it but wanted to have a mechanic check it over. I had no problem with that because I had nothing to hide. I was open and completely honest with him. He called a local dealership (of his choice) to setup an appointment for them to do a complete check on the whole car. I just dropped off my car at the dealer and let them do their thing. The buyer paid the dealership. And they gave him a "bill of health" of my car. I sent him lots of pictures of every part of the car. And he then decided to make me an offer. He never saw the car in person. I never met him, only contacted through email and phone. We came to agreement. He sent me the money, and I shipped him the car. He got the car a few days later and He was a happy buyer. It worked out great for both parties.
I suggest finding a local car club of enthusiasts who like / drive / know that car or its make, and ask them who are the reputable mechanics who know that car. Cars tend to have their own quirks, and these guys should know what especially to inspect.
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