Advice on buying used car from dealer

jrar

Just looking for general input here

Have my eye on an early 2010 car at a dealers, so 2 years old, 1 year left on manufacturer's warranty etc. Price seems fair, mileage is in line with what you'd expect i.e. approx 32K after 2 years.

If I was buying this privately or if it were a little older and out of warranty, I'd have no hesitation in getting a mechanic to give it the once over, but do posters think it's worth doing for a relatively new car coming from a main dealer.....or am I being a bit naive ?

I know clocking is easier than ever now with digital speedos/odos but the general wear and tear signs are not there in this car (steering wheel wear, worn rubbers on pedals, etc.) so I'm inclined to feel the mileage is most likely genuine.

wexford12

Has it a service book with dates and stamps in it you could ring the last owner ask the dealer for their number or ask them to ring you
I would get a cartell.ie done on it well worth the money as you dont want a car with monies owed on it

Anan1

Why would you buy from a dealer if the car's under factory warranty? I'd buy privately, verify the service history, have the car assessed by a mechanic, and pocket the substantial saving.

Del2005

jrar wrote: »

Just looking for general input here

Have my eye on an early 2010 car at a dealers, so 2 years old, 1 year left on manufacturer's warranty etc. Price seems fair, mileage is in line with what you'd expect i.e. approx 32K after 2 years.

If I was buying this privately or if it were a little older and out of warranty, I'd have no hesitation in getting a mechanic to give it the once over, but do posters think it's worth doing for a relatively new car coming from a main dealer.....or am I being a bit naive ?

I know clocking is easier than ever now with digital speedos/odos but the general wear and tear signs are not there in this car (steering wheel wear, worn rubbers on pedals, etc.) so I'm inclined to feel the mileage is most likely genuine.

Get every 2nd hand car assessed by a mechanic. Just because a dealer is selling it doesn't mean it will be 100% and it's much easier to get things fixed before you hand over a large wedge of money than after.

Also if a person isn't willing to let the car be inspected before a sale, it would be a very good reason not to buy from them.

Compton

Someone missed Dodgy dealers on TV3 then! Yes, definitely having it checked still is a must, and I'd have to agree with private sales there are some bargains to be had.

randy hickey

OP, another way to approach this would be to tell the dealer you don't want him to stand over the car, and beat him down another grand or two. Being a dealer, he won't have been able to resist piling a nice hefty wadge onto the price to cover his "warranty".
This motor is already covered for another year by manufacturer's warranty, and I'd hazard a guess here that the dealer's "warranty" won't be any better/longer.


P.S. DEFINITELY get the car checked either by a competent mechanic that you know and trust, or, failing that, by one of the motoring organisations.

sean1141

also check if the manafactuer has a millage limit on their warranty

EPM

sean1141 wrote: »

also check if the manafactuer has a millage limit on their warranty

+1

I got away extremely lightly on a warranty that way. Almost 60k km in a year and no mileage limit. Everything was covered bar bulbs. This is very good advice OP if you find yourself doing high miles.

colm_mcm

randy hickey wrote: »

OP, another way to approach this would be to tell the dealer you don't want him to stand over the car, and beat him down another grand or two. Being a dealer, he won't have been able to resist piling a nice hefty wadge onto the price to cover his "warranty".
This motor is already covered for another year by manufacturer's warranty, and I'd hazard a guess here that the dealer's "warranty" won't be any bette.

if the car is under manufacturers warranty, how much 'wedge' do you reckon the dealer is adding for warranty. The dealer is trying to make a profit, and will be more than aware of what level of cover he'll have to give on any car.

Some of the rubbish spouted here...

randy hickey

colm_mcm wrote: »

if the car is under manufacturers warranty, how much 'wedge' do you reckon the dealer is adding for warranty. The dealer is trying to make a profit, and will be more than aware of what level of cover he'll have to give on any car.

Some of the rubbish spouted here...

Bit harsh there Colm.

rgiller

When I bought from a dealer, I asked him to bring the car over to my mechanic's shop so he could have a look at it. The dealer knows that if the mechanic gives the all-clear it's probably going to mean a sale so he should go for this. Mechanic charged €30 to check the car out. Nothing compared to the price of the car. No-brainer for me

antiskeptic

jrar wrote: »

I know clocking is easier than ever now with digital speedos/odos but the general wear and tear signs are not there in this car (steering wheel wear, worn rubbers on pedals, etc.) so I'm inclined to feel the mileage is most likely genuine.

A car with 32K used about town would show as much general wear and tear as a car with 70K used primarily on longer runs.


And with clocking prior to each of the limited services this motor has had eminently possible.

What could you do to check further?

jrar

antiskeptic wrote: »

A car with 32K used about town would show as much general wear and tear as a car with 70K used primarily on longer runs.


And with clocking prior to each of the limited services this motor has had eminently possible.

What could you do to check further?

Good point - so is that a rhetorical question or are you going to tell me ?:D

jrar

Anan1 wrote: »

Why would you buy from a dealer if the car's under factory warranty? I'd buy privately, verify the service history, have the car assessed by a mechanic, and pocket the substantial saving.

I'm not buying from a dealer in order to get the warranty - I'm buying from a dealer because there are few if any 2-year old examples of this car being sold privately whereas there are dozens available in dealers which have obviously been traded in, so choice and price competition is quite good.

The few that I have seen for sale privately are either high mileage, or priced per dealer prices so whilst I'm sure they might be more open to price negotiation, when I factor in the poor choice I've seen, and having to drag my mechanic halfway around the country to see any that might look like they fit the bill, then any possible savings quickly disappear.

I also have an old car to trade in and I'm getting a better price for it than I could ever hope to get selling privately - yes I know that the opening price of the car I'm hoping to buy takes all that into account but the dealer route still makes financial sense taking all of the above into account.

Kristopherus

Bottom line is the one that takes least out of your pocket.

breenooo1986

Anyone ever buy from Alan Kelly Cars on Goatstown Road. Dublin? I'm looking at buying there and wondering what they are like?

madarekrap

I was actually just about to ask the same thing!!

I noticed that they have a Ferrari up on carzone.... someday!!:D

Briancu2

I got a car from this man and all I can say is <snip>

whomitconcerns

so you are waiting on your warranty in the post? Or what is the money back for, your comments seem a bit harsh on him based on what you have said

breenooo1986

Hey thanks for the info. i went to see a car there a few months ago. the car seemed good but i didn't like him so i left it in the end.. he was a bit arrogant i thought.

ol84

Briancu2 wrote: »

I bought a bmw m5 !

Hi Brian

Did you get your warranty or money back?

Briancu2

<snip>