Buying a CPO Toyota - still get inspected?

[Parlay_Slow]

I"m looking at a Certified Pre-Owned 4runner from a local Toyota dealer. They do not allow perspective buyers to take the vehicle offsite to be looked at by an indpendent mechanic. In doing some googling, I can see that there are some mobile services.

Mostly, I want a good body guy to give me some assurance that the vehicle has not been in an accident. Any recommendations or advice?

 

[E150GT]

If they won’t let you get it inspected I wouldn’t buy it just on principle . Even the little Rinky dink dealers do that.

 

[parshisa]

Get a paint thikness gauge for 100$ or so. Measure all panels and readings should be more or less the same around the car. For toyota you may expect around 100-110microns (might be less if the car has been ever compounded/polished). If you see higher values - panel has been resprayed. You can go from there In case re-paint was never announced. Also, look for any damage onnthe nuts that hold the panels, doors, hood etc. if they were ever removed - you’ll notice chipped paint as well damage on it he edges. It’s not a rocket science and requires just some attention. Hope this helps

 

[addyguy]

The fact that they won't let you have it inspected by a 3rd party would raise major red flags for me - what are they hiding?

If its a certified Toyota and they believe in their cars, there should be zero issues!

 

[CKN]

I have learned from previous experience that certified is still "buyer beware". I bought a slightly use 2012 GMC Sierra SLT pickup about a year and a half ago that only had 24,000 miles on it and was "certified" by the same dealer who sold it new and serviced it.

The test drive was fine-but a day or two later it had severe rough idle. I took it back to the dealer and of course they said it was normal. After a trip to another dealer it tuned out the ECM software was out of date-and throttle body was beyond filthy. Obviously I paid for the repair. I went back to the selling dealer and after some "back and forth" they did the same amount of maintenance that the repair cost.

Yes-get a mobile mechanic to look at it. To assume it's fine "just because it's a Toyota" is ludicrous. All dealers have overnight test drive agreements and rental agreements. If they won't do either-I agree with the above poster-it's a red flag.

 

[GON]

Certified Pre-owned typically means one-owner, low mileage, clean carfax, and looks good.

Does not mean it was not in a accident (and if so was fixed properly), not abused, neglected, or anything else.

Your thought of having the car inspected sounds like a very good idea.

Just remember where the guy selling you the SUV (and his management) is likely going to after the dealership closes at night..... casino, strip clubs, drug dealers, etc. They are not a crowd to be fully trusted.... without verification...

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted By: GON
Just remember where the guy selling you the SUV (and his management) are likely going to after the dealership closes at night..... casino, strip clubs, drug dealers, etc. They are not a crowd to be trusted....
?

 

[GON]

Originally Posted By: maxdustington
Originally Posted By: GON
Just remember where the guy selling you the SUV (and his management) are likely going to after the dealership closes at night..... casino, strip clubs, drug dealers, etc. They are not a crowd to be trusted....
?


This little blurb is how I think of car salesmen and dealers as a whole. I am sure a few good apples out there, but not a crowd I would trust without verification.

The Oklahoma Used Motor Vehicle and Parts Commission Thursday agreed to give a convicted felon a second chance and voted to grant him a license to sell used cars.

(I removed the name), 48, was granted the license by unanimous vote of the commission after commissioners heard testimony from (name removed), his former and current employers.

(name removed) pleaded guilty and was convicted in 1986 of four federal felony charges related to a conspiracy to sell used autos with altered Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs).

 

[LotI]

CPO inspections are not for the buyer, they’re for the manufacturer...performed by the dealer.

They are not for the buyer.

 

[skyactiv]

Did you shop new? You can buy a new 2018 4Runner under 34K. Some of the late model vehicles I see are too close to the new price
and I would never buy such a vehicle used. Search on Autotrader. BTW, rumor has it that the SE USA has the worst deals on new Toyotas due to
bad distributor agreements going back decades when Toyota was entering the USA market.

 

[bugeye]

If you buy or want to buy a CPO car, review all the paperwork prior to signing anything. New car dealer in Elizabeth, NJ advertized a CPO, 6000 mile Hyundai. Purchased Sonata, got home and checked on Hyundai website for CPO requirements. Inspections never done, no CPO paperwork. Had to get Hyundai corporate involved. Three way conversation with corporate, Sales/general manager and myself did not go well for the dealer. We finally received CPO warranty. Buyer beware.

 

[supton]

I bought a CPO, didn't do anything other than my looking over. It worked out ok. But I think I agree with other comments here. I have to wonder, just how well some of these cars were taken care of. Best to have a good inspection no matter what.

For a while I had a hypothesis, that the reason why Toyota and others were getting onto the "free service for 2 years" bandwagon was to ensure a good pool of future CPO vehicles. You know, all service fully documented, no surprises when the vehicles were turned in, etc.

 

[dishdude]

CPO is an extended warranty only. When buying used, there is a good chance it was in at least a minor accident. If the damage isn't obvious, it was repaired correctly.

 

[CT8]

What does the dealer of a cpo car certify?

 

[glock19]

CPO doesn't mean anything to me anymore. I bought a 2006 4Runner right after I graduated from college. It was a CPO and the dealer even showed me the clean Carfax. A few years later when I traded it in, the dealer that was buying it pulled the Carfax and there was a rear-end collision from a year before I bought it.

Bottom line: Don't trust the dealer, they just want to sell you a car by any means possible. Get it checked out by your own mechanic, and run your own vehicle history report so that you know it hasn't been altered.

Also, if they won't let you take the car to a mechanic to get inspected, ask the mechanic if he'll come to the dealer to check the car out with you. He may want more money, but in my opinion it's worth it.

 

[Andrew1972]

YES!!!!!!

My sister in law was rear ended on the ice in her 2015 Toyota Highlander. It suffered a few thousand of rear body damage and undercarriage quite a bit as car went under it. It got fixed.

Shortly thereafter was interested in a Volvo XC90 slightly used at a Volvo/Toyota dealer. The Toyota/Volvo dealer gave her top dollar on her extremely clean no issues CARFAX car and put it up for sale as CPO.

Any inspector with 20/60 vision could see body work was done.

 

[andyd]

Both Camrys are CPO . Not a speck of trouble.

 

[Delta]

Originally Posted By: madRiver
Any inspector with 20/60 vision could see body work was done.


Don't be so sure. Our Camry was hit in the rear bad and the body shop I took it to made it look like nothing ever happened. There was a couple dust nibs I sanded out and you can't tell anything, and I grew up around bodywork all my life.

 

[wag123]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
The fact that they won't let you have it inspected by a 3rd party would raise major red flags for me - what are they hiding?

If its a certified Toyota and they believe in their cars, there should be zero issues!

+1

 

[dja4260]

My father bought a CPO Toyota Camry. It was previously a rental vehicle. A few weeks after purchase, he learned that someone had cracked the block and JB welded it. When the dealer became aware, they denied the warranty. After much back and forth, they bought the car back.

Have the car inspected.