Looking for a used car - need help

[dgoode01]

All - I'm looking for your help. I have been looking for a used car recently, primarly individual owners that are selling the car. If I'm interested in the car I will ask the owner if they are ok with taking the car to a local dealership or an independant mechanic (at my expense) to have the car examined prior to purchase. With the exception of a couple of them, the majority of people are not comfortable with taking the car there. They say I can bring a mechanic to look at it, but not taking it anywhere. Am I missing something here, Am I doing something wrong? Why are the vast majority of people against taking it to a dealership or an independant mechanic for review? Those that have declined never really gave a reason, so that's why I'm confused.

[Manny1337]

they prob know something is wrong with it =P

[tankf2008]

run not walk away those cars are most probably ridden hard and put away wet
when people say bring the mechanic then it means that they do not want the car to be throughly inspected, but some sucker is going to buy that car anyway, don't let it be you

[bigbird]

chances are they know there are problems...but they dont know what they are. if they wont get it pre inspected at your expense then dont buy, simple as that. these are old cars and will have problems somewhere, more often then not minor ones.

[hill8570]

Are they not wanting to drive their car to your mechanic, or are they not wanting you to drive their car to your mechanic? The former means they probably don't want you having a laundry list of problems to talk them down on. The latter means they don't trust you to bring the car back. I run into this any time I buy a used rig...c'est la vie.

[TheKevin]

Originally Posted by hill8570

Are they not wanting to drive their car to your mechanic, or are they not wanting you to drive their car to your mechanic? The former means they probably don't want you having a laundry list of problems to talk them down on. The latter means they don't trust you to bring the car back. I run into this any time I buy a used rig...c'est la vie.

That's how I am when I sell used cars. I just don't trust strangers taking my car to a dealership or shop. If they insist on doing this, I have them leave a deposit or I follow them to have it inspected.

[dgoode01]

To follow up on hill8570 and TheKevin..I am not asking for me to drive the car to the dealer or mechanic. I am asking for them to meet or drop the car off for the inspection. I can understand people's reservation about allowing someone they don't know to drive the car to a mechanic. But wanting me to just bring someone to look at car in the driveway and treat that as an "inspection" to me is ridiculous.

[Albuynp Ryeno]

Originally Posted by dgoode01

To follow up on hill8570 and TheKevin..I am not asking for me to drive the car to the dealer or mechanic. I am asking for them to meet or drop the car off for the inspection. I can understand people's reservation about allowing someone they don't know to drive the car to a mechanic. But wanting me to just bring someone to look at car in the driveway and treat that as an "inspection" to me is ridiculous.

Cuz its weird, awkward and takes a lot of effort to drive a car to a car shop. Plus maybe its a chop shop.

Plus their arent that meny things to check. See if the CEL is on/check if the CEL turns on then off. Look if O/D works and the light isnt blinking. While driving the car feel if the brakes work properly/are kind stiff. Make sure the car shifts car smoothly when cold and hot. Then get the car to operation temp and make sure no cel come on. Then just bend over and see if their is any rust underneath the car. Make sure the body panels line up and the paint isnt faded somewhere indicationg repainting.

Their isnt anything you cant do on site that you can do in a shop besides get a wheel alignment.