OT Gettting a used car checked by a mechanic before buying it

OT Gettting a used car checked by a mechanic before buying it.

On "The People's Court", the judge is always telling people they should have had their car checked by a mechanic before they bought it.

How many of you think it is worth getting a used car, sold AS IS, checked out by a mechanic before buying it? Please say if you have ever bought a used car ASIS, from a private party (yes or no) and if you did so, did you get a mechanic to check it out. (yes or no) and if you did not, did you regret not taking it to a mechanic? and if you did, was it worth the effort and money? (How much did you pay?)

How many think it's a good idea, but too much trouble since many cars for private sale have no plates and you have to drive without plates or illegally take the plates from your own car, and ALSO you have to get someone to take you to the car, then follow you to the mechanic and then take you home, and then do it all in reverse when he's done with the car?

Reply to
micky
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On Wed, 17 Sep 2014 00:35:16 -0400, micky wrote in

Yes

No

No

Reply to
CRNG

I've never bought a used car. If I did, I probably would take it to a mechanic. It would depend on the circumstances, how old it was, the cost, etc. If it was a $10,000 car, I'd definitely take it. I've done a lot of work on cars, so I can spot the obvious stuff myself. But if I was buying say a used BMW, I'd take it to a mechanic that has experience with those. They know what typically fails based on years and mileage for those cars. They have a lift so they can easily see what I can't. And I think it's worth it for the same reason it's worth getting a home inspection. It's likely to be free. The mechanic, just like the home inspector, is likely to find some things that will at least pay for the cost. And with a used car, I would think they could more than make up for the cost. The mechanic will give you a list of stuff that is either bad or likely to go bad soon, that you can then show the seller and use to negotiate. Even if it's something simple, like it's ready for new brakes, you're way ahead. It's easier to get a seller to accept that, than it is your own claims of what you think is wrong with the car, and that's if you know what to look for and find it.

And if you watch the Peoples Court, there are folks on there all the time that screwed themselves by not taking the car to a mechanic. The typical disaster is one that a mechanic would have prevented. Like the car had the check engine light on, they knew it, but didn't investigate further. A mechanic with a code reader would be all over that in a minute. But Micky has a point. It's not always possible to just take the car to a mechanic. If it has no plates, insurance, etc. But then maybe you just want to stay away from those anyway......

Reply to
trader_4

CY: A lot is based on who is the customer. If said customer is my Mom, I'd want her to take it for a looking at.

CY: Yes.

and if you did so, did you get a mechanic to check it

CY: Don't remember ever having a car checked by a mechanic.

CY: I've been doing some car repairs for a couple decades, so I give vehicles a looking over, myself. I'm not perfect, but I can catch some of the big problems.

CY: N/A

CY: In case of no plates, you hvae to do your own checking. When Dad died, the customer who ended up buying did look it all over. No plates, so he had to go forward and back, and turn the steering, etc.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

In at least one other country the motorists' association (generic term for the equivalent of AAA) has mechanics who will, for a fee, go and check out a vehicle that a member is thinking of buying and present a written report (including, I think, an estimate of the cost of any needed repairs). It's always surprised me that AAA doesn't offer this service.

Perce

Reply to
Percival P. Cassidy

Unfortunately in US liability would be an issue and AAA might get sued.

Reply to
Frank

I've never bought a used car from a private party but Ive sold a few. One in particular...

I was selling a '67 Datsun - now Nissan - station wagon (and glad of it, hated the thing every day of the years we had it). A guy liked it, said he wanted his mechanic uncle to check it out. Uncle was nearby so I said sure. The guy comes back with the car and informs me that uncle said it needed a new clutch. I went to my desk and got the invoice for the new clutch I had put in two weeks prevously. Guy bought the car.

So much for mechanics. Then. Now, with computer diagnostics rather than opinion, I would hope they would be better.

Reply to
dadiOH

What makes you think his uncle was a mechanic, or that there even was an uncle? I was selling my 3 year old car that had 60K miles on it. Some bimbo showed up and did the same thing. Said she wanted to take it to some friend that had a car service place nearby. She came back 30 mins later, telling me he said it needed a new exhaust. Which was BS. At 60K miles on a 3 year old modern car? But she wanted like $300 off and since I had that factored in, expected to have to negotiate, etc, I just said OK.

Reply to
trader_4

What kind of fool gets their legal advice from an entertainment program?

Reply to
Scott Lurndal

It's not legal advice, it's just practical, consumer advice about buying a car. Good grief.

Reply to
trader_4

Maybe, especially if it is an expensive car

Yes.

and if you did so, did you get a mechanic to check it

No

Back when I was buying used cars, most ranged from $15 to $150. I knew they had problems and they were all fixable

Best deal I had was a Pontiac Tempest for $125. Had an easily fixed distributor problem that the original owner was never able to have fixed. If drove the car for a year and the guy's wife really missed the car so I sold it back to him for the price I paid.

The $15 car was a '64 Karmen Ghia convertible. Rebuilt the engine for $110 and drove it for a couple more years. Body was rusting away, no heat, leaks, etc, but still a fun car to drive.

If the car was perfect, it would probably not be for sale. Crap shoot but figure on some repairs

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Because I knew where he worked, knew who he was. Didn't know if he was an uncle. Didn't care either :)

Reply to
dadiOH

I used to get broken tvs off the street in NYC and Brooklyn, fix them and sell them. Mostly between 40 and 60 dollars. Usually spent 20 or less for parts, and I enjoyed the fixing. Only sold them because I didn't have space or reason to keep them all.

There were two kinds of customers, those who wanted to dicker and those who didn't. I used to price the tv's at what was fair, but I learned that the first kind would not pay that much. If I did not come down, they would leave. So I raised the price on every TV from then on by 10 or 15 dollars, and then came down that much. One guy agreed to the higher price and after I walked with him the block and a half to the subway, I gave him the 10 dolllars anyhow.

One woman bought three of them and said she was going to sell them to people in her n'hood for more. I don't think they were worth more, She paid with two 100-dollar biils. For some reason I though they were counterfeit. I guess I just didn't trust her. The teller at the bank said, Well, if they are phoney, just deduct the amount from your income tax. I pointed out that I paid 30% so I'd save 30 and lose the other 70. Oh, yeah, she said, never thought of that.

I also learned not to show more than two tv's to anyone, one more espensive than the other. If you show them 3, they get confused and leave witthout buying anything. (If they asked, I lied and said the others weren't fixed yet.)

But everything I sold was at a fair market price.

Reply to
micky

Oops. You only need a ride for a third of this, home or to your car from the mechanic. You can drive yourself to the place with the car.

Still it's a pain and even moreso when you have no wife.

Reply to
micky

Well I don't go to a mechanic, but one can get advice anywhere and then use his own head to decide if it's good advice.

Reply to
micky

Here's some good used car buying advise from a guest on an "entertainment program." One trick to sell a car with a rod knock if to fill the crankcase with Crisco. Crisco is vegetable oil that's solid until warmed, in case you not familiar it. My mom and grandma used it, or lard, for deep frying. So you want to start and warm up any car you're thinking of buying. Get it hot. Then its simply a case of pulling the dipstick. If the dipstick smells of fried, chicken, shrimp, potatoes, onion rings, etc, walk away from it.

Reply to
Vic Smith

Very important if YOU are not a mechanic, or VERY mechanically inclined.

I've bought many used vehicles privately as is - and I ALWAYS had a me it out - but I AM a mechanic -----

I did buy ONE at night, in the dark, without checking it out - knowing I was buying junk- but getting more junk than I expbought it from a "so-called mechanic" and he either lied through his teeth or he was a very inept mechanic. Yes. I regretted buying that one, but DID own it for 6 years after I fixed it.

What is it worth to you not to buy a $250 pile of junk for $4000? Check the car over yourself. Then if you think it is good, get a mechanic friend to look at it. If he says don't buy , walk. If he thinks it could be good, pay to nave it towed to the mechanic who you will have safety it if you buy it. For about $100 you can be sure what you are buying is certifiable. you also may need to be sure it can pass emissions.

I've done the "mechanic friend check" for MANY friends over the years, and as a mechanic did a LOT of pre-purchace inspections. Basically a complete safety check with no parts, and an engine condition check. Paying for an emission test is also good insurance. The cost of the safety checku loose if you don't buy it - and if you do, you needed the check anyway.

There are too many things that can be wrong with a car that the "uninformed" will totally miss - and it can cost you BIG!!

Reply to
clare

Every vehicle I've bought has needed repairs within the first few weeks. Without exception.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I've yet to see a computer diagnosis that can tell you what condition a clutch is in - - - -

Reply to
clare

Even MORE of pain if you DO have a wife, and don't get it checked, and it turns out to be junk. The "I told you so" s never end!!

Reply to
clare

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