Buying a used car

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by pylon

I'm frikkin Jeeped out for the time being, but there is oodles of cool XJ stuff out there. And some of it is ridiculously cheap. You can find piles of stuff even on kijiji. I've learned rattle can bedliner can make any used part look awesome with a bit of grinding and sanding. Make your own project out of it, and build yourself a couple day a month off road rig. Or a bad ass winter beater.

Those things are as bullet proof as they come, especially if it's a 4.0L inline 6. Once you militarize it, it feels like a totally new car. lol

Yup, the straight 6. It has indeed been bullet proof and pretty much maintenance free. Soooo, how much to kit it out into a rad fun second car? Maybe I'll just store her in the driveway.

[CroFlames]

Is it acceptable to ask for the VIN when doing a private sale before you buy the used vehicle to run a Carfax or Carproof report? Or do you PURCHASE the vehicle first, then run a report?

Also, is Carproof good enough, or do you need it take the physical car to a mechanic to look over before you buy?

[zamler]

Of course, if the person won't give you the VIN then move on. Doing a check after the fact is a horse left the barn scenario. A Carproof report is no substitute for a mechanical inspection.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by zamler

Of course, if the person won't give you the VIN then move on. Doing a check after the fact is a horse left the barn scenario. A Carproof report is no substitute for a mechanical inspection.

OK so I'll ask the guy for the VIN right now. But then how do I coordinate taking the vehicle he owns to a mechanic for an inspection?

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

OK so I'll ask the guy for the VIN right now. But then how do I coordinate taking the vehicle he owns to a mechanic for an inspection?

Depends. He can bring it there and wait, you can take it (if he'll let you), you can meet him there etc.

I don't think there's any standard practice.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

But then how do I coordinate taking the vehicle he owns to a mechanic for an inspection?

Open question, you can ask them to drive the car to a mechanic you'll drive them back home. Or you drive the car yourself to the mechanic, but there can be trust issues. Either way the person should have no issues with the car being inspected if they hesitate that's a red flag.

But before you go down that road get the Carproof report.

edit - What Cecil said.

[CroFlames]

Gracias guys. Appreciate it.

The vehicle I'm looking at is a 2016 with 40,000 highway kms on it. It's still worth doing an inspection I imagine

[zamler]

Car will be under warranty. So unless it has been crashed and repaired, flooded out etc. then an inspection would seem to be fairly pointless.

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Gracias guys. Appreciate it.

The vehicle I'm looking at is a 2016 with 40,000 highway kms on it. It's still worth doing an inspection I imagine

Find a mechanic and book the inspection for a time that works for the owner. Have the owner drive the car there, once the inspection is complete, you pay for the inspection and get your report.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

OK so I'll ask the guy for the VIN right now. But then how do I coordinate taking the vehicle he owns to a mechanic for an inspection?

When I was selling my car, I asked the guy to choose a mechanic somewhere close to my work place/gave him a list of 2-3 by my area (to show no biased guy doing the inspection). I dropped off the car, told the mechanic the contact info of the guy that wanted the inspection done and that no work to be done until he paid because I wasn't paying. I got a ride to work. Keys and car with mechanic, never driven by anyone else but me. I went to the mechanic and picked up the car when everything was done. Guy never touched my car but got the info he needed. IIRC, per the mechanic you technically don't have the right to see the report because you don't pay it, even if it's your car. But if the guy is nice, or you split the costs, grabbing a copy of the report isn't too difficult.

The guy that needed the inspection (so he could register actually), called the mechanic stating his name and the vehicle involved (info I left the mechanic) and sorted out inspection payment, then went to the mechanic to pick up the report after it was available.

Things to consider:
1. Consider choosing a mechanic convenient to both of you.
2. Any guy willing to do the above is probably quite honest about the car and not really trying to hide anything. No need to fret huge about other issues.
3. If anything other than the issues discussed pops up, it's always grounds for additional negotiation.
4. Try to choose an unbiased mechanic ("Oh hey my buddy owns this shop..." v "Sorry, I'd like to use my own guy." or "Neither of us know this guy")
5. I don't believe most mechanics quote out how much the repairs will be. Just what needs to be done to meet spec.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by zamler

Car will be under warranty. So unless it has been crashed and repaired, flooded out etc. then an inspection would seem to be fairly pointless.

So in that case I should just buy a carproof report and not waste dough on the inpsection and trying to coordinate it?

[llwhiteoutll]

Also, since it is a 2016, there is probably a lien on the vehicle.

Make sure that is discharged as part of the sale procedure. Easiest way is to give the seller two draft, one for the value of the lien and is made out to the lien holder, the second to the owner for the difference. Make sure you get documentation from the seller that the lien has been cleared.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

So in that case I should just buy a carproof report and not waste dough on the inpsection and trying to coordinate it?

I assume this is a private sale. That's what I would do, although for a model that new I would probably buy one from a dealer instead of rolling the dice on a private sale. I am always suspicious of a nearly new car being put up for sale.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Gracias guys. Appreciate it.

The vehicle I'm looking at is a 2016 with 40,000 highway kms on it. It's still worth doing an inspection I imagine

I'd go with my gut feeling on that one. I just bought a 2016 SUV for my wife and it had 45000kms, but I could tell from looking at it and around it that it had been treated pretty well. Did the carproof, it checked out, so I pulled the trigger. Then when I took it in for it's first service I had the dealer do a quick inspection just for piece of mind (they're usually complimentary anyway)

Keep in mind that at those kms it's likely coming up on it's first 'big' service. Stuff like changing the brake fluid, fuel filter, transfer case fluid, diffs, coolant, etc are starting to come in to play. Just doing oil changes aren't enough anymore. Take a look at the service schedule before buying, it's usually not a deal breaker but when you're buying make sure you're ready to throw another $500-$1000 at it in the near future

[pgsieve]

I'd recommend just getting them to go through the financing for a new vehicle for you as well as the old one. When I bought my last car, I never thought I'd be able to get a new one. The interest rates for financing were far more favourable on brand new cars versus used ones. Just worth asking if you are going through a car dealership

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

Yup, the straight 6. It has indeed been bullet proof and pretty much maintenance free. Soooo, how much to kit it out into a rad fun second car? Maybe I'll just store her in the driveway.

Sent you a PM about your Cherokee...