buying a used car

i'm looking at buying a privately sold used car. something boring like a jetta (i can pretend its a golf with more storage space) or a volvo. going via craiglist. then running a carfax on the VIN. all easy so far. the problem i'm having is getting a car checked out by a mechanic before i buy it. how does everyone else do this? in the UK i would get the AA guy (http://www.theaa.com/motoring-advice/vehicle-inspections.html) to come look at it before i buy it. but i don't think they do that here. maybe i didnt look hard enough. so do you just drive it to a garage on the test drive? or do you just buy it and hope for the best?

might just get financing on a new car, it seems easier.

http://www.carsforagrand.com/

some of these cars are like $200. buy five, one of them is bound to work.

do you have any mechanic buddies? my dad is a former jaguar mechanic, i take him along on my car searches

some of these look pretty good thanks but i'm actually looking at spending a few

it's good to buy used cars that are cars that have had only one owner. dont jettas break down all the time? i always get hondas. you can also lease something and then when the lease is up buy it for its remaining value so it's sort of like a non-commital finance deal, that's what i've done with my honda civic. i only have a few thousand dollars to pay off on it and i'm gonna drive that fucker for at least 10 more years.

  IRARI said:

do you have any mechanic buddies? my dad is a former jaguar mechanic, i take him along on my car searches

my exs uncle mechanic helped me buy my last car. don't know anyone now. definitely the best way though

the car before this one was purchased from a guy that bought it brand new and just decided it was time to upgrade. he had kept records of all the maintenance he did on it. it was a piece of piss to buy and not worry about it. drove that fucker till it was stolen.

if you buy a honda you dont have to worry about anything.

juss sayin.

buy your faggotty jetta though. seirously... fucking buy it.

edit: you have to worry about the honda getting stolen

a delorian, anything less is a piece of shit

  Benedict Cumberbatch said:

  IRARI said:

do you have any mechanic buddies? my dad is a former jaguar mechanic, i take him along on my car searches

 

my exs uncle mechanic helped me buy my last car. don't know anyone now. definitely the best way though

i will tell you one tip from my dad: if the paint looks like an orange peel there's been work done to the body

  Fred McGriff said:

it's good to buy used cars that are cars that have had only one owner. dont jettas break down all the time? i always get hondas. you can also lease something and then when the lease is up buy it for its remaining value so it's sort of like a non-commital finance deal, that's what i've done with my honda civic. i only have a few thousand dollars to pay off on it and i'm gonna drive that fucker for at least 10 more years.

think jetta is meant to be reliable. boring as fuck though.

how does adding a boot/truck ruin a car so badly?

one owner for sure. old lady who never drove it please.

leasing yeah. maybe. my income is pretty sporadic, not sure not sure

honda civic lol

yeah you might need something that can get up and down all those faggotty hills.

will you wear a scarf in your jetta?

in all seriousness vw's can cost a lot to maintain because their parts are from oversees, my mom used to own a passat

I like buying certified preowned. You buy something nice straight from the dealer, quality and it a warranty.

vw reliability can be spotty dude. and any volvo built after ford bought them is gay. get a honda.

I forgot to add my last car was a Jetta and it ran really well, only had to bring it in for routine maintenance. It was a 2000, 5 speed.

  assegai said:

I like buying certified preowned. You buy something nice straight from the dealer, quality and it a warranty.

so how does that work? if it breaks in the first year of ownerrship they fix it? because thats exactly what we need.

i was thinking of going through a dealer for this exact reason but my wife says you can buy a lemon from a dealer just as easily. i don't mind paying dealer prices if i'm guaranteed its going to run or at least get fixed. i'd much rather tht than have to take it to a garage before i buy. what a fucking rigmarole

  yek said:

in all seriousness vw's can cost a lot to maintain because their parts are from oversees, my mom used to own a passat

myth etc?

no, it def cost her more than it seemed to be worth at times

  Benedict Cumberbatch said:

  assegai said:

I like buying certified preowned. You buy something nice straight from the dealer, quality and it a warranty.

 

so how does that work? if it breaks in the first year of ownerrship they fix it? because thats exactly what we need.

 

i was thinking of going through a dealer for this exact reason but my wife says you can buy a lemon from a dealer just as easily. i don't mind paying dealer prices if i'm guaranteed its going to run or at least get fixed. i'd much rather tht than have to take it to a garage before i buy. what a fucking rigmarole

 

Say you buy a jetta certified pre-owned. You buy it directly from a Volkswagen dealer after having them test and inspect the car. Who would know the car better than the dealer themselves? They're (usually) only owned by one person and they're (usually) backed with a 4 year warranty which covers everything except brakes/oil-change/body-damage.

With Dealer's certified preowned programs they run you can get something really nice and relatively new (anything from 1-4 years older of whatever the newest model is) for a decent price. You do pay a little more than you would from a private seller but what you get for the extra money is worth it in my opinion

i was looking last night at certified preowned and they all have very low milage and very high prices. i guess they don't certify anything older/higher mileage. still its a great idea, we're considering but would def need a loan or finance.

yeah definitely get it checked out somewhere, just go to a local garage and chat them up, yaknow give them a little "hows your father" and you'll have a good relationship going reallllll quick.

but seriously definitely go somewhere local and ask them if they'd mind taking a look, if they're decent and not assholes they'll recognize the fact that if you're coming to them for recommendations you'll probably come to them for maintenance. buy used, fuck certified pre-owned shit (just gives them an excuse for markup), getting an opinion independent of whoever is selling you the vehicle is the only sensible way.

Go to an Auction and buy an ex police car!

In all honesty I'll try to give you a more coherent answer in a day or two.