Purchasing Used Vehicles

qbrozen

are you saying that 100k left no discernible mark on the vehicle?

I personally never saw said vehicle. But, in this particular story, you'd probably be hard pressed to even believe someone put 130K on the car in a 4-year lease. So I'm sure that had something to do with it. (no leather, by the way)

And on a 14-year-old car, it isn't always easy to discern between what is worn due to age vs. miles (and, really, this could apply to that 4-year-old car, too). I mean, if you put a very well taken care of 130K mile 14-year-old car next to a poorly taken care of 30k mile 14-year-old car, they could potentially look and feel very similar.

ohdaddy926

14,200 at toyota dealership 30 day warranty 61,000 miles LOADED carfax states it has been in two minor accidents hit from rear, very minor damages mechanic checked it out and said car was in good condition will need new tires around december should i try to get it for less than $14,200 very clean non-smoker thanks! have a great day

aprajitha

I have a similar situation. My seller still has to pay off the loan and the title is with the bank.

Suppose, I mail the check in favor of the bank and get a bill of sale notarized at the time of purchase, when will I get the title in my name.

My seller is promising the title will be returned to him in 2 weeks and then he could transfer it to me. Also, he says that I can use his car insurance for the 2 weeks? Is it possible to do this

tt_smurf

I am looking to buy an Audi TT Certified Pre Owned, after looking at Edmunds.com and Audi found the car. I went to the dealer to look at the car after hours, and no price on the windows sticker, I checked Edmunds TMV price it report 26K (Certified Dealer Sell). I called the dealer the next day and they evaded the price question and asked that I come in for the test drive, I set the apt a few days down the road. I then found the same car (VIN) on edmunds/Auto trader for 24K, and then again on the dealers own website for 23K. When I arrived at the dealer and took the test drive we were then quoted 26K. On all places I did check the VIN number to be sure I was looking at the same car.

Where should negotiation begin?
Is the internet price the rock bottom the dealer is willing to go?
As I keep doing my home work I see that multiple listings is common practice so I am confused as to how much room for negotiation exists.

In this example TMV Trade-in was 19K
TMV private sale was about 22K
Dealer Sale should be 25K
Dealer Certified Pre-owned 26K
I have indication that this was a lease return from Audi - Certified.

Am I out of my mind in anticipating the sales cost of the car to be between 19 (Very Low) and 23K (advertised on the web)?

I have my own financing already set up, at the time the dealer did not acknowledge 3.9 rates that their own sales person told us about AND were advertised on the Audi website.

Of all dealer sites I have looked at, this dealer seems to refuse to provide the Carfax report on the car, all other sites I can pull this without even having to ask for.

I have been told that the Certified pre-owned warranty of the audi is 6 yr from service date, 100K Miles, balance in scheduled maintenance up to 50K and that Audi extended warranty will not cover scheduled maintenance but is available for 3 thousand dollars. If this is the case other then handing the dealer more money what would I be getting as the car is already covered to 100K miles by Audi?

- Shouldn't I expect the final price of the car to fall between 19-23K + Tax and govt costs?

- Other then asking for price what approaches might I try for negotiating the car, I have financing but am not tied to it if it makes sense to use other alternatives?

- Am I missing something or does this dealer just seem to be taking the approach of a pressuring used car lot?

- I am ready to buy, but in no rush if the car and info is right - this seems to be a put off to the dealer? Should I not reveal this?

danf1

Try being honest with the dealer. Tell them about the prices that you have seen and make an offer based upon what you are willing to pay. Tell them about your financing, and give them an opportunity to beat it. If you don't like the salesperson that you are working with, ask to speak directly to the manager. If you still don't like the way that you are treated, go somewhere else.

aero_smith

I am in the market for a used car and am looking at a 98 BMW 5series with 40K miles. The seller is asking 13K for it. My question is how do we go about completing the formalities. i.e. sales agreement, registration etc Newbie here

cadillacmike

"There is an old saying that you can ASK for ANYTHING.

One of my buddies at worl had a '93 Crown Vic in very good condition, all leather with 105k miles. He wanted a small SUV so he offered me the car. I asked him what he wanted figuring that if I did not buy it, I had a couple of people in mind that might be interested. He wanted $5k. And I told him that he could have $5 is the car came with JLo in the front seat. $2k tops although he could weasel another 500 as the car was in great shape whereas my beater looks like it collided with a Starbucks truck.

We agrees to disagree and he kept the car. And the engine died at 120k and he dumped the car. I asked him why he didn't dump another reman in the car for under $2k but he insisted on buying another used Crown Vic. I told him his mechanic got a good deal.

I ***HATE*** dealing with private owners, period. To most car dealers, a vehicle is a hunk of metal to move at the right price. Some private buyers want a king's ransom for a car that is just worn out.

Fortunately, there are a million cars for sale in Alamo country ... "

That's because it was a FORD. Our club has several members who own the 1993-96 Fleetwoods, and we are piling the miles on with these cars and they are running flawlessly. The drivetrains in these cars will run forever. We just keep up with the accessories. Not hard since the design was established. Mine is up to 170,000, liiks and runs as new. many folks not aware that they stopped making these things 9 years ago ask it it. a 2002 or so model year.

But none of us are selling some are actually looking for more of these.

cadillacmike

He meant "all leather" because both the front and back seats have a strip of leather. The mustangs for the past 8 or more years have leather front seats only, pleather in the back!.

cadillacmike

It still won't be half as nice as a Fleetwood with twice the miles! :P

The rear suspension won't have worn out, but the front end might start to give, mine lasted up to 165,000 though...

aero_smith

I was planning to look at a 528 BMW but after reading the posts in this board, I have decided to go for a budget, newer Japanese car instead(i know .. big shift). I am looking into the Mitsubishi Lancer with a budget of upto 10K . I looked it up in Autotrader and cars.com and most of the listing are for lancers with 30K - 50K miles on them and very few with high miles.

I am wondering if anyone knows of any stories with this car. Appreciate the advice!!

stickguy

sell real chaep new with all the rebates, but Mitsus tend to have the resale value of day old bread.

You can post details of a particular car on the real world trade n values thread and get an idea of what they are going for.

With the empolyee price deals now, you can get a basic Focus (AC, AT) for less than 13K, and thats brand new! So, a used Lancer just can't be bringing much money.

gregjohnson

So, I'm still looking for a vehicle, get tired of bottom fishing and decide to look at 1999-2001 trucks for $8-12k

Do some evening research, pick out a few units unharassed & do the background on them (Carfax, KBB, NADA and.. Uhh, oh yeah, Edmunds)

Make some offers, no bites. Oh well... I've got a little time so I head around the corner & try driving a unit I hadn't thought I'd have time to get to. A half mile down the road, the hood flies up and smashes the windshield. This was a first for me. Fortunately, the salesguy, Nubian[1], was riding with me and he gets out and beats the hood back into position. I take this opportunity to ask if he'd drive back to the lot, which he does.

We get back to the dealership and I start asking if we should get any of this in writing, but no-one seems interested. I let it slide since any attorney that can convince a jury it was my fault won't be deterred by a piece of paper[2]. Anyway, I tell them I'm still interested in bidding on the truck after they replace the hood, hinges & windshield. This apparently amazes them. (Their "tower" is on the way to the men's room). I decline their generous offer to sell me the damaged truck "with a voucher", but ask them to call me the next day.

So, the following afternoon I call Nubian and ask what the timeline on the repair is, since I knew "tomorrow" was a fantasy yesterday. Nubian is much more interested in putting me on a number. I'd done the homework two days ago, but all I can recall is that their ask of $9988 was just above Edmunds retail in average[3] condition, but this thing has major deducts and I hem & haw until he finally gets me to admit I'd probably start off in the 7,5/8,5 area and work up from there. I don't say I'm firm, but I do indicate that if he can get $10k for this thing he should do so quickly, before they sober up.

He informs me that Honest Eddie's Dodge prices their cars to sell, not to negotiate.

My question to you: Was it a mistake to have thanked him for his time?

-Greg

[1] Honest, his mom named him "Nubian". Actually, I think it's kind of cool.
[2] Yes, I probably have a suit here but I'm not a sleazoid.
[3] Before the hood "average" was being waaaay generous with this bad boy - Someone took a crowbar to the paint while their girl played twister on the dash. I'd be surprised if the glass didn't have dents that matched Betty-Lou's best pair of boots.

mseningen

I'm looking for someplace online that I can query historical used car prices.

As an example, I would like to chart the used car prices for a Chrysler Sebring
Convertible as a function of time of year.

With the caveat that past sales can't predict future sales -- etc, etc.

I'd like to try to predict how much pricing might change as the rest
of the year pans out...... Then I can make a decision to see if I care
to wait or not.

thanks,

Mike

isellhondas

Why would you have a lawsuit? Did you get hurt?

Based on your description and the story in general, I think I would move on.

gregjohnson

In reverse order, I'll not be buying at that particular lot - They don't seem to be trying to earn my business...

Did you get hurt?

No. Fortunately, since marsha7 pointed out how stupid it is not to carry medpay... I now have medpay, so if I had been hurt would have been Geico suing to recover.

My point there was that, unlike many today, I generally go by "no blood, no foul". I contrast this with the apparently more common "You're gonna have to pay your attorney $200 an hour to fight the sleazoid who just took my case for 30% of nothing. So, you're looking at burning a few grand just to get it to a jury. Be smart, we'll go away happy for $2,500"

Why would you have a lawsuit?

Having enticed a buyer onto their lot hoping to sell a car the dealer's agent retrieves the vehicle from the lot, delivering it idling to the curb specifically to be test-driven on a public road. During this drive, at 35mph the hood opens, smashing the base of the windshield and blocking the buyers entire field of vision. Upon inspection, the hood latch was functional, clearly indicating negligence on the dealer's part, negligence that clearly endangered the lives of both the dealer's agent and the customer.

To my untrained-but-not-entirely-uneducated eye, this an ambulance chaser's wet dream.[1] I'm not sure I disagree with that either - I fantasize that I'm a good driver and stay pretty composed in unusual situations. I know a number of folks who don't even pretend either is true[2], and who would have been scared literally for months following this particular incident[3].

For them, this would not be "Oh, S*** happens" and I think if the law is going to err, it should err to their benefit.

-Greg

[1] Remember, the law is a lot more intrusive than we usually think, it's just not usually enforced. Example: If I make you think I'm going to smack you upside the head, that's assault. If I do it, that's battery. Those are speeding-ticket level crimes. If I do either with a butter knife --- Helllllllllloooooooooo FELONY!! (O.C.G.A. 16-5-21) (O.K., O.K, Poking you in the chest with a baseball bat is probably a better example. Point is it doesn't take a Ginsu or a Colt to put you away on a mandatory minimum.)

Of course, this is Georgia, so a little bit later 16-5-25 says you can kick Billy-Joe-s a** for trash talking 'bout Betty Lou again, so long as the family jury says it's all right.

[2] Case in point: As I drove my friend & I to dinner this evening, a squirrel froze in the middle of the road. By the time I'd glanced in the rear-view to clear an emergency stop, it was too late, and I had to hope he stayed put while I straddled him. Unfortunately, he ran, and met his maker under my driver's side rear. My MBA "no time for babies, I've got a career" friend's contribution: 45 seconds of screaming, mostly after the squirrel's demise.

[3] The friend who crunched my Solara, for instance, still can't drive without talking about "the wall"

gregjohnson

Mike,

As an example, I would like to chart the used car prices

I don't know you and I may be waaay out in left field here but this looks a lot like analysis paralysis... (Having gone over that same board a few times myself.)

The executive summary: Unless you just got promoted to Shift Lead at McNasty's, you're most likely on track to putting $1000 worth of time into this decision. [non-permissible content removed]-U-MEing you can afford the car to begin with, that should be plenty of wiggle room to get a new car in the driveway tomorrow.

-Greg

For those who prefer Spock-in-underwear:

Speculation: You're looking to time a seasonal cold-onset-induced dip in Sebrings. IFF[1] you consider all the transactions' component costs this strategy is unlikely to provide an adequate return.

Though convertibles display the most pronounced seasonal swings, these swings are not disproportional to the substantial utility impairment the rag tops suffer from winter shutting them down in the North. Notice the qualifications - the impairment is regional in that Floridians don't care what temperature it is in Alberta and easily arbitraged in that Joe Bob's Haulin' Harlot Hellions will put that Sheboygan Z3 in Miami this time next week for $500.

Utility aside, while you are not an emotional buyer, you'll need to account for those idiot's effect on the market - this is to say you will pay a premium for convertibles in the spring time because the emotional buyers will bid them up[2]. You may receive some of that premium on a private (re)sale to an emotional purchaser. Generally, dealers get emotional about cash, not cars.

This strategy's primary cost is time, both calendar and labor. and I have certainly found it more annoying than I expected to be constantly shopping for cars. These costs are almost sure to exceed any savings from seasonal or other macro factors, which will be dwarfed by the micro considerations of condition and greed - the car's condition and seller's greed. Evaluating condition is a matter of research, which I'm confident you've done. The greed factor I haven't solved yet.

Basically, I'm really, really cheap, but I've come to believe cars are like computers - If you do your homework and can recognize a seller who's not trying to gouge you, just buy the silly thing already.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iff

[2] IMHO, it is more likely sellers will simply raise their acceptance points in the expectation of this well known phenomenon and shrug their shoulders when the car doesn't sell, since the buyers are using the exact same logic to postpone purchases. Of course, this will be skewed by the few free-spending buyers who really don't care how much the new ride costs, especially if it matches their blouse.

mbale

Hello all - I'm in the market for an '05 Mustang GT premium. I'm in Chicago and there are very few left on the lots, and still going at sticker or above. I've got a line on a guy who ordered one from the factory and took delivery, but can't afford the payments and is looking to sell the car for a couple thousand below msrp. Supposedly he bought the property after placing the order and decided to sell the car himself rather than take the penalties from the dealer.

The car has about 50miles, and a carfax seems to verify his story. I haven't actually seen the car yet, I'll be driving out to check it out on Friday. Anyone have any ideas about what this guy could be up to? If it turns out he's being honest then this could be a really great deal, obviously still under warranty. Is it possible he's done some major mechanical damage to the car in the first few months of ownership and paid cash to have it repaired? I'm obviously excited at the prospect of getting a great deal on the car, but really don't want to get screwed in the deal. Any suggestions on what to look for when I inspect and drive the car?
Thanks all.

Kirstie_H

Have you ever bought a car on eBay and had to go a distance to pick it up? If so, a reporter wants to hear about your experience.
Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Friday, August 12, 2005 with your daytime contact info, the cities and states involved and the make/model you bought. And, please put "eBay" in your subject line.

eilros

Below is a recent post I made on a Honda CR-V board. I have a couple of questions regarding depreciation while sitting on a car lot. They are asking $13,500 with a trade, $13,000 without. I don't have a trade.

I ran a CARFAX report and the last transaction was from 12/1/4 when the vehicle has 61,409 miles. When I first saw the ad on the internet, it had 61,410 miles on it. I think it has around 61,800 on it now. I'm guessing that I should be able to negotiate a pretty good price on a vehicle that has been on the lot for 8+ months. That also scares me a little and makes me wonder what's wrong with it. I'm going to ask if I can take it to the Honda dealer in my town (1.5 hours away and the closest Honda dealer) so they can do a pre-purchase inspection. Anyone have a suggestion regarding a fair price for the vehicle? New tires will run $400 or so and the 60K maintenance is going to run around $450.

Thanks,
Dave

----------------
I'm currently talking with salesman about a 2000 SE. It's white, the exterior is a 9.5/10, interior is 9/10 and there are 61,000 miles on the odometer. They are asking $13,000. It needs new tires so I'll use that as negotiating leverage.

It's at a Toyota dealer and there is no Honda dealer in town to take it to for a pre-purchase inspection. The CARFAX report comes up clean with only one owner. Based on the mileage on the CARFAX report it appears that the vehicle has been on the lot since December 2004. The fact that it's been sitting there for 8 months kind of scares me. When I test drove it everything seemed fine except for the clunking/whining noise in the rear end when making sharp turns. I assume a fluid replacement would take care of that. Unfortunately there are no maintenance records with the vehicle, so I don't know the history. If I buy it, I'm taking it to a Honda dealer and having them do the 60K inspection (I figure I can knock some more off of the asking price for that).

I plan on taking it to a local mechanic (non-Honda shop) for the pre-purchase inspection. What areas should I have him/her focus on? Any words of wisdom are appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

http://www.carbase.com/pic/lloyd/449311_670475_640.jpg

http://www.carbase.com/pic/lloyd/449311_670477_640.jpg
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steine13

"[..] 2000 SE. It's white, the exterior is a 9.5/10, interior is 9/10 and there are 61,000 miles on the odometer. They are asking $13,000."

Forget this car. $13 for a six-year-old car??? That can be had brand new, one generation up, for $23 at the most, and probably for $20-21????

CRVs are great vehicles, no question about it, but they hold their value so well that they're better bought new than used. And this one is an extreme example. Forget the book value, forget the comparison to other used CRVs you've seen... step back a little and think it over.... If you get a 3-year loan, you'll be making payments on a 9-year-old car.

If you can't afford a new one, you can't afford this one.
I'm surprised nobody else has piped up on this.

-Mathias

butchbr73

"I'm surprised nobody else has piped up on this. "

....it was the weekend.... :P

isellhondas

That's not a bad price for a 2000 SE. Not a bad price at all. I do wonder, if that car has REALLY been sitting on the lot for EIGHT months...WHY??

qbrozen

Not to mention, in my opinion after having driven both, the new generation CRV is LIGHT YEARS ahead of the previous gen.

eilros

[quote] (quote from steine13)Forget this car. $13 for a six-year-old car??? That can be had brand new, one generation up, for $23 at the most, and probably for $20-21????

If you can't afford a new one, you can't afford this one. [/quote]

-------------

It's not an issue of what I can afford, it's an issue of what I want to spend. I could easily buy a new one if I wanted to. But I don't. I like the 2000-2001 SE's much more than the 2002 and newer CR-Vs.

eilros

The salesman I talked to didn't know why or at least didn't admit that he did. I'll dig much deeper, obviously, before buying it.

kyfdx

Just because the price is fair, doesn't make it a good value... I think that was Mathias' point..

I agree with isellhondas.. That is a good price for that vehicle, assuming everything checks out... But, I also agree with Mathias... A new one is a much better value..

Good luck with it, either way!!

regards,
kyfdx

isellhondas

I had a 2000 SE and now we have a 2003 EX. I don't know about "light years" but the 2nd gens are GREATLY improved!

isellhondas

You like the 2000-2001's much more than the newer CR-V's

Ah....really? That's a first for me but that's O.K.

Seriously, my theory is this. If you are THAT nervous about buying a certain car, PASS and find a different one that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling!

eilros

I read Mathias's posts regarding the Vibe AWD and might start looking at those also. The Vibe might do the trick if I can talk the wife into it. She really loves the Hondas.

steine13

My posts regarding the Vibe AWD? The one thing I remember saying was, I'd probably get a Forester instead :-)
New anyways; 05 Foresters can be bought with a stick for $19 or a little over. $1,500 or so incentive, you see.

Used Vibes are finally becoming available in larger numbers as a lot of 3-year leases are coming to an end. Apparently, your normal 36k (+ or -) '03 brings somewhere between $11-$11,5 at the low end and $12,2 at most... so they could be bought (before the snow hits) for $13-14 methinks... this would not be a bad deal at all.

Good luck.
-Mathias

ncmom

Is there a way to finance a car I buy from an individual? We have good credit, that's not a problem. We have a chance to buy a 2005 Odyssey from a neighbor of my parents who decided it was too big for her. It has everything we need, and she is willing to sell it to us for less than we'd pay from a dealer (or at least less than we'd pay without a lot of dealing ).

Helpful suggestions welcomed and appreciated.

Note - this is in a different state if that makes a difference.

zodiac2004

Short answer - yes. Banks in general don't care where you buy a car from.

But if you think you can get the same car new from a dealer for a price nearly the same as the used one from your parents' neighbour, you are paying too much for the used car.
A private slightly used 05 Ody's price shouldn't even be in the same ballpark as a new 05 with 0 miles from a dealer.

The fact you are in a difference state makes no difference here since there aren't any trades involved. If there are any, go over to RWTIV and post the complete details and the experts can chime in.

ncmom

Thanks! The price is a better price than many 2004's are going for around here. So, that's why I don't think we could easily beat the price without a whole lot of negotiating, which I hate to do, and am really bad at. And, there are no trades, but thanks for thinking of that and passing along the information.

zodiac2004

You're welcome.
I still think you should go over to RWTIV and post the specifics. They'll be able to tell you what's fair for both parties.
This discussion group doesn't get a lot of traffic.

likeitornot

Would the best time to buy a used Honda Civic 2003-2005 be AFTER the 2006's come out? Once September comes and all the new 06 models come out, I would think that's when everyone will be doing trade ins..

But will the prices/specials on them suck because they'll mostly care about selling the 2006s?

I hate how everytime I go to a Honda Dealer and look at used cars, someone always comes out and tries to sell me a brand new one because they're about the same price.

rroyce10

........ Honda's get stupid money on the used side, even with the new model year .. now that doesn't make them bad, just kinda expensive ....

Clean 03 Civic 4dr LX's, auto and miles in the 20/30k range will be doing the $13/$14's on the retail side -- you might consider a new one you can buy for a few hundred over invoice ......... your call.

Terry.

bobst

I don't know much about used cars, but here is what I think.

A clean used car with 50K miles can look and feel almost brand new. Therefore, they sell for a high price.

However, the cars are not new. In another 50K miles, they can need CV joints, timing belt replacement, AC repairs, and a lot of other expensive stuff.

It seems to me that new Hondas are incredibly cheap these days. We bought a 99 EX Accord for $20300 OTD in October 1998. We bought a 2005 EX with the same options in March for $20800 OTD. That is a $500 increase in 6 years, which is not very much.

tremere

I want to a buy a used vehicle from a private seller that has an outstanding balance with the bank that provided financing to him. His asking price for the car is simply the outstanding amount. He has had the car for about 2.5 years. So, the outstanding balance probably still has significant interest. I manage to get the price lower, will I get the title to the car? For example, if he wants $26,000 for the car (meaning the OB is 26K) and we agree on a transaction of $23,000, how is that $3,000 gap covered? I don't want to waiting for months on end for him finish paying his balance before I get the title.

steine13

"For example, if he wants $26,000 for the car (meaning the OB is 26K) and we agree on a transaction of $23,000, how is that $3,000 gap covered? I don't want to waiting for months on end for him finish paying his balance"

This is an easy one. That $3k gap is covered by cash. HIS cash.
You will certainly not be waiting for months... if it were me, I would not be doing this... I'd tell him to find some short-term money, pay off the loan, get the title in hand, and then we talk. But that's me.

There are ways to do this; if his title is held at a local bank, you can go there with him, and with your $23 and his $3, the loan gets paid and the title gets signed over to you. If it's an out-of-town bank, then it gets a little tricky.... and like I said, I wouldn't play...

And without the title, it's not your car... meaning you can't title it, put plates on it, or drive it... so forget this "months" business, even if it's a "days" business, it's no good!

Sheesh, for $23, you can buy a lot of really nice new cars... do you want a list? :-)

-Mathias

tremere

Thanks Mathias.

Sorry to get you salivating over thge $23K I'm looking at a 2003 WRX with 63k miles being sold for $14K. I don't think it's worth 14K, but rather closer to 12-12.5K. But seems like there's no quick and easy way to clear up that gap without immediate action from the seller. I think I'll discuss this issue the seller and if he's not willing to lower the price and fork up the money, than all this becomes a moot point. Thanks again.

steine13

If you see my post over on RWTIV, you'll see that $14 is actually a reasonable asking price... if it's a nice one, you could pay $13 and have a good deal on your hands.

Let the High Priest of Subaru, whoever that is in your area, take a reeeeeally close look at this thing... Anything with more than two letters in the description (RT8, WRX, GTI,...) is suspect on principle.

Good luck,
-Mathias

rudyo1

I'm looking an a 2003 or 2004 Corolla and when checking the histories I see that many of the cars offered for sale in my area are from California (I am in Utah).

Does California still require a more strict emissions standard?
Is this something that could possibly cause me problems in the future?

I plan on keeping the car for a long time and wonder if the performance would be decreased at all or if repairs to any part of the emissions would be more expensive.

tremere

If I purchase a car in Florida from an individual seller and then ship it to my residence in Ohio, will I have to pay tax on the car when I get it registered in Ohio? A friend mentioned that because a new title is being created in Ohio, with another owner shown on the title, taxes will be charged. Is this true?

kyfdx

Yes.... you'll have to pay tax when you register the car in Ohio.. You aren't going to register it in FL, are you?

jlawrence01

You will pay taxes in Ohio when you go back to Ohio based on your county of residence. You may need to pay the state of Florida for the 30 day tag or whatever they use.

tremere

Thanks for the responses. I want to make sure I have all the funds available before I sign on the dotted line.

Another car that I found area my area is extremely cheap with really low miles. I am awaiting a response from the seller. I did a carfax check and it's a clean car. However, does carfax show if a vehicle is/was stolen? It's that cheap.

tremere

I don't know if this belongs here. Stemming from my previous post (#464), more questions about buying a used car that is too good of a deal to be true. The seller said that we can complete the transaction through Square Trade, a 3rd party vendor. Here is how he said it works:

1) I send him my name and address
2) He sends that information to Square Trade in order for them to send me some forms
3) I fill out the form which also contains method of payment (don't know if it contains bank acc #, etc)
4) I send the forms back to him to forward to Square Trade to get the case started
5) I go see the car and if we agree, Square Trade releases the money to him and I take the car home

This is sounds really fishy.

ghulet

....sounds like an easy way for a 'seller' to gain a whole bunch of information about you, while it sounds like you have to send money to 'Square Trade' before you have possession of the car. Is 'Square Trade' supposed to be some kind of middle man for sellers? If so, why is one necessary? Find a car you like, have the money or financing ready to go and buy it, simple. Anything that sounds overly complex or fishy, probably is.

kyfdx

Let me guess... the seller is out of the country?

tremere

You nailed it, kyfdx. The seller is saying he is in England and after we have completed the paperwork, he will make arrangements to come back to the US to finalize the deal.

Thanks for the responses. I now know that this is a scam. I'm just wondering how they can get away with something like this? Do they take pictures of a random car in a parking lot and say it's for sale? I did a carfax check and it came up clean, but the car may not even be theirs to start with!