What turns you off purchasing a used car?

freshpopcorn · 01-02-2025 08:29PM #1

I'll might (hopefully not) be purchasing a used car this year.

What type of sellers do you recommend avoiding?

Would you judge a book by a cover when it comes to sellers?

PukkaStukka · 01-02-2025 09:12PM

If buying from a private buyer, I like to see a car clean and presentable. Selling a car that's filthy and needs to be cleaned is like turning up for a job interview dressed scruffily. An instant and major no-no for me

waxmelts2000 · 01-02-2025 09:13PM

I wouldn’t buy a smokers car

elperello · 01-02-2025 09:22PM

For me it's all about the car.

If it's sound I couldn't care less about the seller.

If you're not confident about checking the car take someone who is with you.

Iit checks out ok make the deal, pay the man and off you go.

You'll never see the seller again.

chiefwiggum · 01-02-2025 09:39PM

Sellers who couldn't be arsed to prepare for a buyers visit.

Twice last year I went to look at a classic cars. Twice the sellers failed to take it out of the garage,even clear stuff from around it. They didn't even charge the battery so they could be started. Then got upset when I politely declined to continue looking at it.

Both times they had a weeks notice. You see all the ads with "no time wasters please". In truth sellers can be as big a time waster!

Ken Tucky · 01-02-2025 09:43PM

Seeing a car with good specs, low milage and finding out its had a few previous owners is a red flag for me.

Folks moving trouble on..

L Grey · 01-02-2025 09:45PM

An Audi badge.

deandean · 01-02-2025 10:02PM

A seller who refers to the car as "she".

dmc17 · 01-02-2025 10:41PM

Seeing a car fitted with cheap ditchfinders makes we wonder what else they skimped on in the lines of servicing

protexblue · 02-02-2025 08:23AM

Just bought one privately. Asking lots of questions in the course of a couple of phone conversation (direct and background) and chatting generally reveals a lot.

Sure get it checked out by a mechanic but no mechanic is doing and exhaustive toe to tail check or reveal things that occur sporadically.

Getting a sense that the seller is honest, a good 'un .. save time.

I mean, how many times have you read thread here where the advice to someone faced with some major issue is 'sell it on' its a jungle out there and filtering out the snakes adds more than just a limited mechanics check

protexblue · 02-02-2025 09:10AM

Asking why there were 4 Irish owners on a UK import (when the norm was two) elicted the following tale.

"Well I was also selling my own car as well as my wifes and I sent the wrong reg document in. That got a new owner stamped on it. Then he realised the mistake and he registered it back to my wife. 2 extra owners so.."

"Hmm.." says I. "No problem, if I run Motorcheck I'll see there was two private owners in the course of a couple of weeks, won't I?"

"No, no, it was a year before he realised it was the wrong registration document"

++ sound of phone hanging up ++

See my point above about (friendly but penetrating interrogation before going beyond phone enquiry.

Del2005 · 02-02-2025 09:24AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123125234#Comment_123125234

Or else a lot of people bought cars they can't insure and/or afford to run it. A base spec Micra with lots of owners is a red flag, a sports or premium car in this country can be expensive to insure and maintain.

Buy a car on its condition. Every seller is out to rip you off so unless the car is extremely rare if anything fells off walk away, there's plenty of cars for sale so why buy if you have any issues.

Comhrá · 02-02-2025 10:01AM

Seeing a car in apparently good condition with no dings or scratches and then noticing the four alloys badly kerbed. An instant turn-off.

Tells me something about the owner's driving style.

Ken Tucky · 02-02-2025 11:06AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123126289#Comment_123126289

Who buys a car they can't insure or afford to drive?

Anyhow these and many more variables are considerations I'm not having when I see a car for sale with multiple owners.

Not worth my time trying to work out why. The car looks like trouble to me

It's my red flag 😉

Gumbo · 02-02-2025 12:40PM

bad presentation.
There’s caveats to that. If you’re viewing the car in a wet and window period, I don’t expect the car to be spotless.

But the first whiff of cigarette smoke, no matter how faint, I walk away. No questions.

romperstomper · 02-02-2025 02:05PM

Mileage is a massive turn off. Logically I cannot move from 80k miles old car to 90k miles "new car". Even if the newer car is 10 years newer, I can't justify moving to a car with higher mileage which leaves me looking for low mileage cars which don't exist or are at a massive premium that I might as well buy new. Then you are at risk of "if your new car needs a part of will be off the road for 3 months as no one has parts". Absolute nightmare

02-02-2025 02:12PM

Any car with a spoiler

celtic_oz · 03-02-2025 10:38AM

Being told absolutely no damage ever and seeing evidence of repair work. Walk. away. immediately.

AyeGer · 03-02-2025 10:43AM

High mileage and seeing any signs of body damage. Patchy service history.

GPoint · 03-02-2025 10:54AM

Avoid smokers cars . Caught out once during Covid ! Bought a car at the dealer . Was viewing car on frosty winter day sat in it in a mask and did not spit a smell , there was also freshener hanging on a mirror. Comes first sunny days in spring and the roof lining started to emit horrible smoke smell into the cabin . Unable to get rid with multiple ozone treatments. Sold after a year.
Also check for service history and overall look of the car if the owner is neglecting it then he likely will not service it too.

billyhead · 03-02-2025 11:03AM

No service history is a red flag for me.

romperstomper · 03-02-2025 01:29PM

Check out the Ford focus econoom thread on this forum. It is terrifying to think you can buy a car with lowish mileage that is a timebomb and only those "in the know" will avoid but non car ppl will see clean car, service history and ok mileage and will walk into a nightmare. Why isn't there an "avoid" list online?

Sam Russell · 03-02-2025 02:11PM

I would always avoid cars with high mileage - like over 100k km- plus over 10k km per year. Also too many owners - like more owners than three years each.

Cheap tyres, or different makes on the same axle is another no-no..

Car must be very clean and un marked.

The seller must be nice to deal with and accommodating. If I take a dislike then I make an excuse and leave. Always take an 'expert' with you even if they know nothing about cars.

The only real mistake is paying over the odds for a dud.

PukkaStukka · 03-02-2025 02:18PM

"Low mileage, only 150,000 miles" 🙄

Montage of Feck · 03-02-2025 02:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123125415#Comment_123125415

Most people just buy tyres and wouldn't know or care about the difference between Michelin and some Chinese brand, I wouldn't worry unnecessarily if it was an otherwise tidy care.

blingrhino · 03-02-2025 03:02PM

Anything non standard spec.

Fancy number plates, lowered, non standard alloys, after market spoiler, DIY tint, painted calibers.

Larbre34 · 03-02-2025 03:03PM

+/- 10,000 kms a year is nothing. In a diesel its a figure that would actually concern me rather than comfort me, as it could indicate disproportionate short journeys with the car running cold and presenting potential bills with the particulate filtration elements.

The mileage of a car should fit the profile of its life and use. If it doesn't, either way, then its time to be concerned. And so you ask questions.

If mileage is high, but evidenced, then you pay an appropriate price, but don't rule it out of hand.

A car with a bit of normal wear and tear wouldn't bother me. Dings, bangs, bit of grime. What I want to see, is the priorities of the owner. I want to see the tyres, lubricants, wipers and batteries they have chosen. I want to see that he or she cares about OEM recommendations and durable items over budget quick fixes. I want all the receipts. I don't care if an alloy has been damaged and repaired, or a windscreen replaced, so long as a the evidence of a competent fix exists.

Only thing that puts me off a used car purchase, is mystery.

elperello · 03-02-2025 03:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123130157#Comment_123130157

It's not a list as such but if you Google the model you are interested in and add the word problems you'll get a lot of info.

barneygumble99 · 03-02-2025 10:47PM

I wouldn’t buy a car without running an extensive diagnostic check on it after a decent test drive.

CMOTDibbler · 04-02-2025 09:01AM

What's turning me off purchasing a used car? All the threads on here about failed DPF remaps, broken timing chains, crocked gear boxes and dodgy turbos.

brokenbad · 06-02-2025 11:33AM

First Impressions - regardless of the spec or mileage, if the car is dirty i will walk away. If the buyer cant be bothered to spend 20 euro to have it cleaned and hoovered, it says a lot about how they have cared for it up to that point.

What turns you off purchasing a used car?

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