Buying a car privately?

lemon3107

Hi found a 09 diesel qashqai for 12k whereas you can buy one at a dealer for 17-19k...the car is in great condition but has no service history but its only got 35000 miles. Am i crazy handing so much cash to a person for a car with no warranty?! Sorry but ive never bought privatly...

guttenberg

Read this: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056198864

Do your background checks first, and then get a mechanic to look it over, to see if it's genuine.

djimi

You know they say about things that seem too good to be true...

If similar cars are advertised for 17k-19k then you need to ask yourself why this one is priced so much cheaper than the rest (even taking into account dealer vs private sale difference in price). What kind of money are similar cars advertised at for private sales? Sounds to me like the seller wants rid quickly. You need to ask yourself why...

September1

It is possible that reason for sale is not connected with car itself, seller might be no longer able or in need to use car or he already has eye on next new car and dealer offered him 11k trad in value. If car has never been serviced in 35k it may be not in best technical shape, but you really need to go with mechanic and inspect car yourself. If you know condition of car well then you can negotiate reasonable price.

You can get a mechanic to check the car and it could crap out a week later,

Jake Rugby Walrus666

Check the chassis number against what's on the log book.

john kinsella

I recently found a car on Donedeal and was advertised for a great price too with no service history.

I paid the €35 on motorcheck.ie and found it was missing 100k miles from what was on the clock!

I would be very wary of no service history.

But having said that, not all people are out to scam and some just want to sell their cars quickly!

Do all your checks and you shoudl be fine

lemon3107

john kinsella wrote: »

I recently found a car on Donedeal and was advertised for a great price too with no service history.

I paid the €35 on motorcheck.ie and found it was missing 100k miles from what was on the clock!

I would be very wary of no service history.

But having said that, not all people are out to scam and some just want to sell their cars quickly!

Do all your checks and you shoudl be fine

Thanks guys so apart from cartell.ie what other check should i do?

lifer_sean

lemon3107 wrote: »

Hi found a 09 diesel qashqai for 12k whereas you can buy one at a dealer for 17-19k...the car is in great condition but has no service history but its only got 35000 miles. ...

A 09 Qashqai diesel with 35k miles isn't worth anything like 17-19k. Sold one lately with warranty, 32k miles, full history, Accenta spec (climate, cruise, etc) for a lot less than that.

12k is a bit low but not that low for a private sale.

Is the car Irish or UK import ? If it's a UK import (you said miles not kms) then I wouldn't touch if no service history. If it's Irish, then I'd have been surprised if it had a service history !

Supergurrier

lemon3107 wrote: »

Thanks guys so apart from cartell.ie what other check should i do?

Google the reg
Motorcheck alongside Cartell check (pulling from same database but one may be more up to date)
Get a good mechanic you trust to give it a once over and hook it up to some diagnostic equipment to check it's error logs.

lemon3107

lifer_sean wrote: »

A 09 Qashqai diesel with 35k miles isn't worth anything like 17-19k. Sold one lately with warranty, 32k miles, full history, Accenta spec (climate, cruise, etc) for a lot less than that.

12k is a bit low but not that low for a private sale.

Is the car Irish or UK import ? If it's a UK import (you said miles not kms) then I wouldn't touch if no service history. If it's Irish, then I'd have been surprised if it had a service history !

Its an irish car i think cos i viewed the car one of the evenings and is said 54000 km i think! It has the full spec just no service history and no second key..

Supergurrier

No second key would be a major no-no for me

bazz26

Ring the local Nissan dealers and/or the Nissan dealers in the county that it was registered to find out if they have any service history records on it.

lemon3107

bazz26 wrote: »

Ring the local Nissan dealers and/or the Nissan dealers in the county that it was registered to find out if they have any service history records on it.

Thing is i would bring it to a mechanic, well a garage to do a quick check befo that i used to work at thats very close to this guy but he said hes working mon-sat and can only meet me during the evenings or on sunday (if its not sold by then), i asked if he has a friend or someone else that could meet me with the car, he said no..sounds dodgy doesnt it

_Kaiser_

lemon3107 wrote: »

Thing is i would bring it to a mechanic, well a garage to do a quick check befo that i used to work at thats very close to this guy but he said hes working mon-sat and can only meet me during the evenings or on sunday (if its not sold by then), i asked if he has a friend or someone else that could meet me with the car, he said no..sounds dodgy doesnt it

Seems a bit odd. If he's looking to sell it and you're genuinely interested then I know if it was me, I'd just take a half day off or something to accommodate.

As an aside, I don't how much a FSH really counts for in this country after a certain point. My 06 Passat has a full history from new and has been done on time at a dealer but I know I'd still get buttons for it because of the "high mileage" (230,000 km) even though it's running like clockwork, has a spotless interior and is generally treated like my baby

People would rather take their chances with a "low(er) mileage" version with a spotty/non-existent history instead - especially if it has "de cheap tax" (and the risks there now with people buying diesels for that reason and pottering around town in them thus doing unknown damage to the engine/DPF etc)

lemon3107

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Seems a bit odd. If he's looking to sell it and you're genuinely interested then I know if it was me, I'd just take a half day off or something to accommodate.

As an aside, I don't how much a FSH really counts for in this country after a certain point. My 06 Passat has a full history from new and has been done on time at a dealer but I know I'd still get buttons for it because of the "high mileage" (230,000 km) even though it's running like clockwork, has a spotless interior and is generally treated like my baby

People would rather take their chances with a "low(er) mileage" version with a spotty/non-existent history instead - especially if it has "de cheap tax" (and the risks there now with people buying diesels for that reason and pottering around town in them thus doing unknown damage to the engine/DPF etc)

Maybe he just has a job where ge cant take time off..i dont know. He said tomoroo nite another person is looking at it and will probably sell it. But who would hand out 12k in cash after seeing a car in the dark?
His reason for selling is that he bought it for cheaper from his friend that moved to australia and is now looking for a small profit. Would a cartell/motorcheck clear my mind?

MuppetCheck

It's a modern diesel, they don't like servicing being skimped on. As bazz26 said calling a dealer may show some servicing record - it surely has had one or two dealer ones you would hope. If that doesn't show anything up walk away. I don't care how cheap it is relative to others it could well wind up costing you more in the long run.

You're even thinking yourself it's not right so don't even bother.

bazz26

lemon3107 wrote: »

Maybe he just has a job where ge cant take time off..i dont know. He said tomoroo nite another person is looking at it and will probably sell it. But who would hand out 12k in cash after seeing a car in the dark?
His reason for selling is that he bought it for cheaper from his friend that moved to australia and is now looking for a small profit. Would a cartell/motorcheck clear my mind?

That is a standard seller's line to get you to make a quick decision in haste. Ignore it, if the car is sold then so be it, you will find another.

You should be doing a cartell/motorcheck report on any used car you are interested in, irrespective of the stories he is giving you. However cartell/motorcheck will only give you so much information and even that has been known to be lacking or inaccurate in the past but it's better than having nothing.

While a mechanic can check the car over for mechanical issues it is very hard for him/her to tell if the car has been clocked. This is where the service history comes in, you need to do as much digging as possible which as I already suggested ring the Nissan dealers in the county where the car was registered and local dealers also, it had to have been serviced at a main dealer at least once and they will have a record of it.

If you get no information then walk away. No service history, seller only bought it recently from someone gone to Australia and only allows you to bring a mechanic on a day most don't work sounds too dodgy to me. Did you meet him at his residence or in a car park, photos look like they were taken in car park? Is the log book in his name?

john kinsella

Put up a link to the car there and put us out of our misery

lemon3107

bazz26 wrote: »

That is a standard seller's line to get you to make a quick decision in haste. Ignore it, if the car is sold then so be it, you will find another.

You should be doing a cartell/motorcheck report on any used car you are interested in, irrespective of the stories he is giving you. However cartell/motorcheck will only give you so much information and even that has been known to be lacking or inaccurate in the past but it's better than having nothing.

While a mechanic can check the car over for mechanical issues it is very hard for him/her to tell if the car has been clocked. This is where the service history comes in, you need to do as much digging as possible which as I already suggested ring the Nissan dealers in the county where the car was registered and local dealers also, it had to have been serviced at a main dealer at least once and they will have a record of it.

If you get no information then walk away. No service history, seller only bought it recently from someone gone to Australia and only allows you to bring a mechanic on a day most don't work sounds too dodgy to me. Did you meet him at his residence or in a car park, photos look like they were taken in car park? Is the log book in his name?

We met in a car park cos theres better light, the photos r taken outside a house. I didnt ask to see the log book. Said hes friend that sold it to him was a mechanic so did the service himself. But sure how many services would u need at 54000km - 2?so ringing main nissan dealears would b a waste of time

bazz26

lemon3107 wrote: »

We met in a car park cos theres better light, the photos r taken outside a house. I didnt ask to see the log book. Said hes friend that sold it to him was a mechanic so did the service himself. But sure how many services would u need at 54000km - 2?so ringing main nissan dealears would b a waste of time

The car is nearly 4 years old, it should have been serviced at least once a year in that time irrespective of mileage. And you have no evidence that verifies that milage is genuine other than the seller's word. The seller seems to have an appropriate answer to all your questions where there is no way to verify anything he is saying or any history on the car - original seller gone to Australia, no service history as serviced by the owner who was a mechanic, etc.

Maybe I'm wrong but to be honest it sounds to me like you have already made up your mind, if you are not willing to make a few calls in order to do a bit of background digging. Best of luck, your a braver man than me forking out €12k with no comeback based on such little information.

lemon3107

bazz26 wrote: »

The car is nearly 4 years old, it should have been serviced at least once a year in that time irrespective of mileage. And you have no evidence that verifies that milage is genuine other than the seller's word. The seller seems to have an appropriate answer to all your questions where there is no way to verify anything he is saying or any history on the car - original seller gone to Australia, no service history as serviced by the owner who was a mechanic, etc.

Maybe I'm wrong but to be honest it sounds to me like you have already made up your mind, if you are not willing to make a few calls in order to do a bit of background digging. Best of luck, your a braver man than me forking out €12k with no comeback based on such little information.

Thanks everyone ive made up my mind not to buy it! Im a girl btw

djimi

lemon3107 wrote: »

We met in a car park cos theres better light, the photos r taken outside a house. I didnt ask to see the log book. Said hes friend that sold it to him was a mechanic so did the service himself. But sure how many services would u need at 54000km - 2?so ringing main nissan dealears would b a waste of time

I would have said 3-4 services on that car. He may well be telling the truth, but to be honest I dont think Id want to spend €12k to find out...

lemon3107

Just a quick update, done full motorcheck online and theres no finance, 2 owners, even a record of the mileage seems right! Still having doubts though...

Our man in Havana

Why did you not look at the logbook?

lemon3107

Becos it come to my mind at the time to look at it i just went to view the car it wasnt a problem as its in the same dublin area

Nickindublin

Someone i know bought a Nissan lately in the dark. Seller could only meet in the evening. Wasnt 12k but they have since had to spend about 1300 euro on the car. Mainly putting a new gearbox in it. OP i would run a mile. If you have 12k to spend on a SUV go to a main dealer and you should get a good discount as a cash buyer.

rocky

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4162886

this one?

lifer_sean

Supergurrier wrote: »

No second key would be a major no-no for me

A new key for one of these is 180 euro approx. If you were getting more than 180 euro off the market value, you could get your own key and save money. Why would it be a no-no ?

Nickindublin wrote: »

Someone i know bought a Nissan lately in the dark. Seller could only meet in the evening. Wasnt 12k but they have since had to spend about 1300 euro on the car. Mainly putting a new gearbox in it.

You don't need daylight to tell if a car needs a gearbox or not !!!

lemon3107

Just an update, met ur man again to see car in daylight, and when he showed me the log book it was fake!! Ran a mile

shawnee

Yeah , thought there was something dodgy as those quashqas are selling really well , same old story "if it looks to good to be true, then it usually is" Better off going to a dealer , buy one with service history and a warranty . Go back a year or two if you need to but buy one that is serviced and warranted. I did.;) Would be slow to part with 12k to a private buyer unless I knew him and the car personally

shawnee

By the way your user name "lemon" is the nickname for a dodgy motor......:p

blindside88

lemon3107 wrote: »

Just an update, met ur man again to see car in daylight, and when he showed me the log book it was fake!! Ran a mile

Can you put up a link so no one else gets stung with it

lemon3107

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4162886

djimi

lifer_sean wrote: »

A new key for one of these is 180 euro approx. If you were getting more than 180 euro off the market value, you could get your own key and save money. Why would it be a no-no ?

Cant speak for anyone else but Id not be entirely comfortable buying a car knowing that someone else out there has a key for it...