Tips for buying a used car from a dealership?

[Viper007Bond]

Having never bought a car before, let alone one from a dealership, can I get some tips/advice?

Some questions I can currently think of:

• Is me offering to pay in full up front a pro or a con for them (cashier's check from personal account plus loan from my bank in form of a cashiers check)? They don't get any profit from a loan, but they do get their money right there and then.
• Will they actually take a lower offer sometimes? I know I'm in a bit of a unique situation since I'm buying a rare car so there's less incentive for them to deal, but still...
• Is it normal for me to ask for the car to be inspected by an independent party, such as a dealership? The places I'm looking at are just used car places. This is particularly applicable since it's over 2000 miles away and I don't want to fly out there only to find it's not what I expect or is a lemon.

 

[D-Fence]

Well over here in Germany I can only tell you: Get the car checked out. Car clubs here offer a "used car check" where they put it on a lift and check everything out. Money well invested......remember: All car dealers are scumbags, one way or the other (sorry woofle), better get an independent party to check it out.

 

[Viper007Bond]

Well over here in Germany I can only tell you: Get the car checked out. Car clubs here offer a "used car check" where they put it on a lift and check everything out. Money well invested......remember: All car dealers are scumbags, one way or the other (sorry woofle), better get an independent party to check it out.

Okay, so totally reasonable for me to ask them to take it to an independent (of them) manufacturer dealership and for me to pay said dealership to give the car a full inspection before I fly out there to see it. Cool.

 

[Spectre]

Having never bought a car before, let alone one from a dealership, can I get some tips/advice?

Some questions I can currently think of:

• Is me offering to pay in full up front a pro or a con for them (cashier's check from personal account plus loan from my bank in form of a cashiers check)? They don't get any profit from a loan, but they do get their money right there and then.
• Will they actually take a lower offer sometimes? I know I'm in a bit of a unique situation since I'm buying a rare car so there's less incentive for them to deal, but still...
• Is it normal for me to ask for the car to be inspected by an independent party, such as a dealership? The places I'm looking at are just used car places. This is particularly applicable since it's over 2000 miles away and I don't want to fly out there only to find it's not what I expect or is a lemon.

In order:

Depends on the dealership. Also, some dealerships *do* get a cut or an incentive payment if you finance, so it is in their interest to get you to sign on the line for a loan. There's ways to short-circuit that, of course, but it's easier just to go elsewhere. Other dealers take a different view and will offer you a cash discount.

Yes, especially if it's been sitting on their lot for a while. Dealerships live on turnover and if something sits in inventory for a long time they can actually start getting hammered with finance charges of their own. The longer something has been on the lot, the more they want it to go away - especially if you're at or after that magic time of year called "model year change."

Yes, especially if it's a dealership that doesn't specialize in that marque. If you're trying to buy a Viper from a Dodge dealer they will probably be disinterested in letting you have the car examined elsewhere. If you're trying to buy a Viper from (say) a Jaguar dealer, on the other hand, they probably won't mind you having the car checked out by someone who specializes in the vehicle.

 

[Cobol74]

Get some prices from the internet, we have a number of brokers who will sell you a new car at a good price, if there is something a bit odd about it (Not a popular colour for instance) you may get a large discount.

http://www.ukcarbroker.co.uk/

Then when you go to the dealer you are informed.

If buying pre-owned (Second hand in British English) we have several sites like Craigs list but do the same. You should never ever pay more than a small premium over that figure obviously.

http://www.desperateseller.co.uk/

Never ever answer the question "How much have you got to spend?" because guess what? That is what you will spend more than likely.

For finance be careful with the calculations being used - sometimes the dealer deal is OK (Though not usually) a bank loan is usually better, in my case I have used a top up on my Mortgage but this may not be suitable for you. Suffice it to say asset backed loans are usually cheaper. And finally Cash is King!

Good hunting.

 

[GRtak]

Know what you want and what the value is. Don't be afraid to walk away.

 

[MWF]

Might help if we knew what you were planning to buy. Is this the Viper already or are you going to get something intermediate first? If it's the former then it is definitely worth paying out for an independent, professional inspection and worth considering even if not.

And if you have never done this before then take someone with you who knows what they are doing.

 

[Viper007Bond]

Yes, this is a for a 2006 Viper. Sorry, I should have clarified.

I'm flying my dad out with me.

 

[JCE]

Absolutely make sure you have the VIN number locations checked or check yourself all places on the car that has a VIN stamp! This is very important. I've known 2 Viper owners locally that have bought their car and only later to find out that they didn't get an all original car--as in parts original to that Viper. And because some of the locations are pretty much the frame you can imagine that they were wrecked if they are different. This brings me to point number two. Do not trust a Carfax or any VIN history. Trust the eyes and ears of someone who knows what to look for on that car. The only items that go on this report are items that are put there. If someone wrecks a car and has it fixed separately from the insurance it will not always go on the VIN report. If I drove the car on a country road and spun out doing some damage I might see if I could repair the vehicle without the Police and or insurance involved so I could keep my record clean or sell the car for more money as a non-wrecked vehicle. Hell, my SVT is a prime example. It was wrecked by the previous owner but the VIN report shows clean as a whistle. I just found this out a couple of months ago too BTW.

You will need this link.

 

[MWF]

Yes, this is a for a 2006 Viper. Sorry, I should have clarified.

I'm flying my dad out with me.

Well, at the risk of sounding morbid, it's been nice. Still think an interim Miata would be the way to go but I don't blame you for following your long held dream.

Seriously, good luck and I hope you find the right one. Just be careful and make sure Q isn't posting an address to send flowers any time soon.

 

[Redliner]

Well, at the risk of sounding morbid, it's been nice. Still think an interim Miata would be the way to go but I don't blame you for following your long held dream.

Seriously, good luck and I hope you find the right one. Just be careful and make sure Q isn't posting an address to send flowers any time soon.

Give the guy some credit, OK? Stop it.

 

[MWF]

I am but at the same time he is a novice driver and there is a good reason why a large proportion of the Vipers ever built are no longer on the road.

If I got a job as a zookeeper I wouldn't expect to be working in lion enclosure in my first 6 months.

 

[thevictor390]

Finding a car that has been sitting and not committing yourself is definitely important as others have said. But I've never bought anything like a Viper, such a specialist vehicle may be less negotiable. Or maybe, no one wants them and the dealers can't get rid of them.

 

[Spectre]

Vipers are brutal, unforgiving, stupendously fast cars that flat out kill unwary novice drivers. It's the automotive equivalent of a literbike. Most newbie drivers crash them badly in the first six months or so. Even professional drivers have problems avoiding a crash in one if they get behind the workload.

That's the reality of the car.

 

[tigger]

Know what you want and what the value is. Don't be afraid to walk away.

This. Nothing wrong with looking at a couple cars and then sleeping on it. Try not to go in with your mind already made up. There are plenty of Vipers out there still.

Vipers are brutal, unforgiving, stupendously fast cars that flat out kill unwary novice drivers. It's the automotive equivalent of a literbike. Most newbie drivers crash them badly in the first six months or so. Even professional drivers have problems avoiding a crash in one if they get behind the workload.

That's the reality of the car.

And this. It's a brutal goddamn car. I'm with MWF on this, but then again if I was in a position to buy a Viper (or any car remotely that fast) I'd have a hard time turning it down.

 

[Viper007Bond]

Well, at the risk of sounding morbid, it's been nice. Still think an interim Miata would be the way to go but I don't blame you for following your long held dream.

Seriously, good luck and I hope you find the right one. Just be careful and make sure Q isn't posting an address to send flowers any time soon.

Please stop derailing this thread. This is a thread about buying a used car from a used car dealership.

If you want to bitch and moan about me buying a Viper, then use the existing thread for that so I can continue to ignore you: http://forums.finalgear.com/questio...for-wanting-a-muscle-car-as-my-2nd-car-48077/

Hell, I never even said I was committed to buying one. I'm just putting feelers out.

 

[MWF]

Whoa there Leslie! Who took the jam out of your doughnut?

I'm not derailing anything, I've asked for clarification about your purchase, offered the best suggestions I can while unfamiliar with buying a used car in another country and given you a hearty slap on the back for chasing your dream.

And then when I reiterate genuine concern that you might end up climbing trees in an 8 litre, tail happy V10 supercar with a few months' experience under your belt you bite off my head?

 

[Viper007Bond]

And then when I reiterate genuine concern that you might end up climbing trees in an 8 litre, tail happy V10 supercar with a few months' experience under your belt you bite off my head?

Yes because I'm well aware of your opinion on the matter. There's already been a full 10 pages of debate about it. I appreciate your concern, but I'm asking for tips about buying a used car from a used car dealership. Please stay on-topic. Thanks.

 

[MWF]

Sure thing, but most threads bleed over topic wise and I know from personal experience that when the blood starts pumping when you see that shiny baby in the metal through your rose tinted shades that reason takes a Greyhound bus to Reno.

I'll say no more about it and wish you all the best for the right deal.

PS They look fucking awful in yellow.

 

[D-Fence]

I think the main problem with buying a Viper is the pretty bulletproof build of it.
Meaning: You won't see it has been hooned. From what I hear, the engine, gearbox etc. are truck-spec, so you won't notice something going wrong for a long time. With a "normal" car, there are signs that show hoonage (rough idle, oil pressing through seals, strange sounds when revving, if the dealer is stupid: worn brakes and tires), but I guess Vipers are a bit different in that matter. If you check for damage, remember the easy ones: Is there paint spray on some rubber parts? Do the body panels line up (as good as Americans can do it at least )? Does the engine bay look "parallel"? Any screwheads of vital parts like fenders, shock bars etc scratched? Does the car have the original wheels on it? If so, look for scratches. Walk away from ANY modifications. You won't regret that. In the interior, does the steering wheel have the correct angle? Does the car run straight if you release hands from steering wheel or does it pull to one side? Do the shifter and wheel and pedals look used according to mileage? If it is a low mileage car and the steerign wheel is all shiny something is off. The no-brainers should be clear: TEST EVERYTHING. From the stereo to the wipers.