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Long gone are the days when a father taught their kids how to look for a used car, I guess.
In the past, when I bought used, I'd take a friend, and we'd spend a good hour or so, crawling around and under the vehicle, taking a test ride, etc.
Taking a friend along is key, because they have a completely unbiased opinion, because sometimes a buyer is so excited about a vehicle, they tend to overlook things.
Also, having a trusted mechanic can help, especially with how reliable whatever vehicle is, what generally goes wrong, and the mechanical condition it is in.
Yes, modern vehicles store mileage in more than one location.
Yup. An OBD2 reader will reveal a LOT of information about the car, as will other things. Heck, my 2013 MINI Cooper records all that in the key. When I take it for it's annual checkup at the dealer, they get all that information by putting he key into the reader at the service desk computer...
Carfax is like credit reports for cars. Car's service history is there too, if the car is only serviced at the dealer then they have all of the records.
I would personally look under the car, oil leaks are the #1 problem with old cars regardless of brands. Lexus while being reliable isn't leak proof.
But then again people should never expect any used car to be 100% free of problems otherwise why would people sell a 100% problem free working car.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,665 posts, read 81,421,151 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MKTwet
Carfax is like credit reports for cars. Car's service history is there too, if the car is only serviced at the dealer then they have all of the records.
I would personally look under the car, oil leaks are the #1 problem with old cars regardless of brands. Lexus while being reliable isn't leak proof.
But then again people should never expect any used car to be 100% free of problems otherwise why would people sell a 100% problem free working car.
All it takes is one incident, accident, service, or sale with the mileage recorded to reveal a turned-back odometer. I would not buy a used vehicle from a private party without the inspection by a good trusted mechanic. From a dealer you can still run into problems and scams, but they may not let you take it to a mechanic first since they will claim to have done that already, as it has to be safe to sell by law.
I would also never buy a used car that was 17 years old, regardless of mileage. There are many important parts that will be worn out just from age, such as rubber gaskets, seals, and bushings, leaf and coil springs, and fuel/brake lines.
Look for a newer one, in a less expensive brand to get a better car for your money. Toyota, Honda and Subaru cars as recent as 2013 are available in your price range.
But then again people should never expect any used car to be 100% free of problems otherwise why would people sell a 100% problem free working car.
Because they had a situation change and can't afford the payments (or insurance or fuel costs) anymore,. or that life change requires them to have a larger car/SUV, or conversely downsize to a smaller vehicle? Because they get bored and want something different? (I've had over 100 cars in the last 45 years of driving, and none of them were sold because they were problematic, and most were in better condition when I sold them than when I got them. I simply wanted the next car on the long list of cars I like). Because the warranty has run out and they are scared that they MIGHT become a problem (usually due to simple ignorance of how cars work, which goes for those folks who claim buying a used car is simply buying someone else's problem. It's silly). Lots of reasons.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,665 posts, read 81,421,151 times
Reputation: 57932
Quote:
Originally Posted by MKTwet
Carfax is like credit reports for cars. Car's service history is there too, if the car is only serviced at the dealer then they have all of the records.
I would personally look under the car, oil leaks are the #1 problem with old cars regardless of brands. Lexus while being reliable isn't leak proof.
But then again people should never expect any used car to be 100% free of problems otherwise why would people sell a 100% problem free working car.
Sometimes that's true, but not always. I did trade in a 1996 Explorer at 120,000 miles because I suspected that the transmission was going out and my mechanic claimed they usually only lasted 125,000 miles. On the other hand, I traded in my great trouble-free 2007 Ranger at 74,000 miles only because we needed something bigger to haul a 25' travel trailer. Then we traded in my wife's 2014 Escape at 46,000 though it was running great because she just wanted an Outback after riding in one that a friend had bought.
Yes, modern vehicles store mileage in more than one location.
Which makes it difficult to completely hide an odometer rollback. Additionally, service records are almost always kept in computer databases these days, whether it gets reported to CARFAX or not.
In my state, odometer readings are recorded at the time of each ownership transfer, and the seller must disclose whether or not the reading is true or not, or if it is unknown. I would walk away from a vehicle in a situation where an odometer has been tampered with, and not disclosed. And I would not just walk, but run from this one, where it was "conveniently" rolled back to show just under 100K miles.
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