Advice on buying a used car if the price seems low

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get out your dirty overalls,jack,and flashlight.
look it over real carefully inside and out.
one of my regulars bought a 05 bonneville cheap.looks new at first glance.clean under the hood,northstar has no leaks,perfect pearl white paint.
speedometer started sticking so he pulls the cluster for me to rebuild.
its covered in soot.
nasty under the dash.a rebuilt fire car!
its fine after the cluster rebuild.and cant blame that on the fire.but who knows whats next.
man that thing was nasty!went from a dark silver face to bright after i washed everything in the sink.i suspect the smell will return once whatever air freshener the seller doused it in wears off.
if the seller objects to you checking it out run!
 
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those kind of lots are the worst for bubble gum and baling wire jobs.
wont spend an extra dime if the car will sell and make it off the lot.a case of "AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE" if there ever was one.
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
All kinds of weird things can happen to nearly new cars that won't show up as an accident or as anything else on a history report. I'd definitely be suspicious.

Rental car companies self-insure their own vehicles, so plenty of things probably wouldn't show up on a history report. We had a Tahoe from a rental company in the shop at work that hadn't even had its first oil change before getting hit by lightning and suffering major damage throughout the electrical system. Might show up on a history report, might not, but the rental car company paid the bill. It was not done through an insurance company, and had it been a lower value vehicle it may have just gone straight to auction.

There are all kinds of little used car lots that buy all kinds of messed up newer cars at auction and do the bare minimum to get them driving/first glance presentable again. I get calls daily from used car lots wanting major mechanical parts for one or two year old cars. There is one used car lot around here that bought just the rod and main bearings for a 2016 Kia Sedona, nothing else. Their "shop" is nasty too. Anyone want a one year old van with a clean history report?
 
I went to the website using a radius from Columbus and that's one of the lowest mileage 2015 Forester for under $18k. There were others with 74k, 93k, 77k, 82k, 73k, 92k and 77k. I would pass on all of them, especially if it has an usual title.

If I'm buy a 2015 car, I want lower miles and a warranty.
 
Originally Posted By: kc8adu
get out your dirty overalls,jack,and flashlight.
look it over real carefully inside and out.
one of my regulars bought a 05 bonneville cheap.looks new at first glance.clean under the hood,northstar has no leaks,perfect pearl white paint.
speedometer started sticking so he pulls the cluster for me to rebuild.
its covered in soot.
nasty under the dash.a rebuilt fire car!
its fine after the cluster rebuild.and cant blame that on the fire.but who knows whats next.
man that thing was nasty!went from a dark silver face to bright after i washed everything in the sink.i suspect the smell will return once whatever air freshener the seller doused it in wears off.
if the seller objects to you checking it out run!


Ozone generator...rent one.
 
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