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I think if the mechanic was willing to take time from his day to talk to the used car dealer about the 2021 you should think about keeping him. Someone above mentioned the miles on this car which could be over a year and half old at this point. Yes, this is a LOT of miles.
Next time you look, ask them to raise the hood and with a flashlight and mirror look around under there and then underneath the car. It it passes your inspection than take it to this mechanic who seems legit based on what you've said, and pay him to look it over BEFORE you buy it. Also, even though a CarFax can be massaged it is worth it to get one or even have the dealer print one off (he may have a subscription) if you're serious about the car before you take it to a mechanic so he will have some clue as to the cars history.
Good Luck in your search!
I would believe the mechanic who SHOWED me the condition of which he spoke.
You can SEE the oil on the timing cover if it's leaking. It will be clean if it isn't.
You can SEE the oil on the valve cover if it's leaking. It will be clean if it isn't.
You can go online and find out if the turbo has problems at 100,000.
It's nice to be able to trust a mechanic but there is no reason that you can't have the mechanic SHOW you what's happening.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I bought my first car at age 14 in 1966. Since then there have been many new and used, and I have yet to find a used car dealer or sales person that is 100% honest, or knows everything about a car they are selling. Unless you go to the trouble and expense of taking it to an independent, trusted mechanic who inspects, tests the oil and transmission fluids, removes spark plugs to test the compression and borescope the cylinders, you can't be sure it's in good shape. Even then there could be an undetectable internal problem brewing that will pop up after you buy it. Used cars are always a gamble, and like poker some times you win, sometimes you lose. Even a new car can be a lemon, or have a defect show up after the warranty is done, but your chances are much better and for at least 30,000 miles you can get it fixed free.
He said, she said. Normally I'd go with the mechanic over the used car dealer 100 times out of 100. If there's oil all over the engine bay on a 2021 something is definitely not right. You might not notice just popping the hood as the entire engine is nowadays covered in plastic more times than not. I don't see any reason the mechanic would lie about it whereas dealership obviously has a reason to. I'd probably have asked the mechanic to show me what he saw.
If you're buying a 2021 I'd just take the time to buy something new. With used prices what they are you probably weren't saving much, or maybe you were which is another red flag. Not a great time to be buying but rust issue you probably still have some time before the bottom falls out of your car.
I would believe the mechanic who SHOWED me the condition of which he spoke.
You can SEE the oil on the timing cover if it's leaking. It will be clean if it isn't.
You can SEE the oil on the valve cover if it's leaking. It will be clean if it isn't.
You can go online and find out if the turbo has problems at 100,000.
It's nice to be able to trust a mechanic but there is no reason that you can't have the mechanic SHOW you what's happening.
Where can you go to get this information about the turbo problems?
If I take a vehicle to an independent mechanic I would trust their opinion. It would be a wasted effort otherwise. And frankly, I don't trust that most dealers actually complete multi-point inspections.
It sounds like your issue is resolved. I would just move on, but perhaps ask questions BEFORE you sign the papers.
I think any car built between 2020 up to now and possibly beyond is going to have quality control problems. My 2020 Honda CRV with 40,000 miles is leaking oil from valve cover, and timing cover, and trans oil from a seam. Cars aren’t built like they used to be, I think they got too good mid 90’s to early 2000’s and have been downward trend since. They are built just good enough to last through warranty. Current production cars are being built, then sit outside in grass lots waiting for the parts they are missing. The amount of rust on new vehicles I see is astonishing.
OP, my guess is your vehicle is a Honda CRV, and trust your mechanic.
If I take a vehicle to an independent mechanic I would trust their opinion. It would be a wasted effort otherwise. And frankly, I don't trust that most dealers actually complete multi-point inspections.
It sounds like your issue is resolved. I would just move on, but perhaps ask questions BEFORE you sign the papers.
A used car salesman who was fed up with her job told me those 100+ point inspections are typically done form a desk while look out the window at the car. they sell so many cars there is no time to actually go through them.
I think any car built between 2020 up to now and possibly beyond is going to have quality control problems. My 2020 Honda CRV with 40,000 miles is leaking oil from valve cover, and timing cover, and trans oil from a seam. Cars aren’t built like they used to be, I think they got too good mid 90’s to early 2000’s and have been downward trend since. They are built just good enough to last through warranty. Current production cars are being built, then sit outside in grass lots waiting for the parts they are missing. The amount of rust on new vehicles I see is astonishing.
OP, my guess is your vehicle is a Honda CRV, and trust your mechanic.
Actually it was a 2021 Chevy Malibu
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