Pretty sweet deal on car that was a planned auction. Am I walking into a scam?

lostsluglostslug Member Posts: 3
edited August 2015 in Nissan
Found a nice looking 2015 Altima with 14k miles priced at $15500 on Craigslist. Got in touch with the owner and told him it was out of my price range but if he's willing to come down to $13,500, we could talk. He got back to me and said he'd be willing. He provided me with the VIN and an autocheck. Everything looked clean. He said it was a Dealer Fleet Vehicle with no records of accident/damage. (he was not the owner)
He agreed to let me schedule an inspection from a 3rd party company. I scheduled it. It will be done today or tomorrow. However, I decided to double check on the VIN with another source. Carfax showed similiar records, but they reported the following 6 months ago: "Accident reported Involving front impact It hit an animal Estimated damage exceeds $1,000 Front airbag deployed"
Hmmmmm. Gave him a call back. Asked him again if there was history of damage. He said no. I told him about the carfax and he said "wow, I had no idea. I'll look into this and call you back." He then got back to me and said that a collision with a newer vehicle of $1000 of damage is "as minor as a small scratch", so AutoCheck may not have reported it because of how minor it was.
The Carfax did clarify that the car was not titled a rebuild, salvage, or junk of any kind, despite the accident.
The car will still be inspected, of course. If the inspector gives me the thumbs up can this still be a go? Or should I walk away?

Comments

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 251,029
    Is the car local? Have you gone to see it?
    Is the seller an actual car dealer?

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  • lostsluglostslug Member Posts: 3
    It is not local.  It is across the country.  Was planning to buy there, visit family, and drive it back. 
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,908
    Forget it. High scam potential. 
  • lostsluglostslug Member Posts: 3
    texases said:

    Forget it. High scam potential. 

    Can you give me a little more? Why?
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 251,029
    lostslug said:

    texases said:

    Forget it. High scam potential. 

    Can you give me a little more? Why?
    It's a 2015 Altima... you can probably find a dozen of them in your own town. You have to ask yourself, why would they be any cheaper across the country? Why is a guy selling a 2015 Altima on Craigslist? Especially, when he doesn't own it?

    If it was that one of a kind vehicle that they quit making 8 years ago, in that rare color that you are looking for... then, sure... look around the country. For a car that you can buy brand-new from the lot down the street? Not worth the chance.

    Plus, you already found out that it shows front-end damage on CarFax. Might be a reason that it's cheap.

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  • carboy21carboy21 Member Posts: 760
    Never buy car on craiglist or ebay. Specially not from other side of the continent.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 10,908
    Guy lied or was ignorant about the damage. Plus what everyone else said. Craigslist is rife with scams in these conditions (price too good to pass up, out of town, odd seller/car relationship). RUN AWAY.
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