What to do when buying without inspecting in person?
03-12-10, 12:40 AM
#1
Driver
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: CA
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What to do when buying without inspecting in person?
Im finding some better deals out of state than here in CA. after seeing so many so called "clean, excellent condition" cars then after seeing, turns out bust, im very nervous about buying cars without seeing and shipping it.
Plan to take to lexus dealers close by and inspect but would that be enough?
has anyone have experience in this?
Plan to take to lexus dealers close by and inspect but would that be enough?
has anyone have experience in this?
03-12-10, 03:39 AM
#2
It depends on the dealer but they see all sorts of cars coming in from auction but a good dealer hopefully with a body shop should be able to give you a reliable report and also find a service history if there is one thru lexus. Then try to call the previous owner.
03-12-10, 05:54 AM
#3
Recovering Lexus Addict
I live in Michigan and recently bought my LS in Washington, sight unseen. I needed a car by mid-May and started searching seriously at the end of December. Here's what I did:
- Located car on Autotrader in late January.
- Checked carfax, autocheck, and Lexus service history.
- Posted a request here and in the Northwest forum asking for someone who knows LS430s in the Bellevue, WA area to look at the car, take a test drive, and take pics of anything wrong.
- Within hours, Airtime volunteered to do it. He works very close to the BMW dealer that was selling the car. Others were lined up behind him to volunteer.
- The next day, Airtime visited the dealership in the late morning, took 55 pics, and posted them on his photobucket account by that afternoon. He didn't have an opportunity to take a test drive.
- I sent Airtime a $50 gift certificate to Applebees for his trouble. (Hooters in his area closed.) He sent me a car-related gift in return (that I plan to install once I get the car back from the body shop).
- Once I got the thumbs up from Airtime, I put a credit card deposit on the car and had the dealer take it to Airtime's independent Lexus mechanic, also near the dealership. I told the dealer that if the car passed inspection, I would want a price on the car that included shipping. The dealer never processed the credit card deposit.
- The pics showed some body damage, so I emailed them to my local bodyshop for a rough estimate.
- I spoke with the mechanic a number of times and was assured that the car was A-OK and the body damage was superficial. The cost for this inspection was a bit over $100, which I paid by credit card.
- I used the body shop estimate to leverage some discount on the price of the car, that was already priced $5K under KBB retail. I knew that the price of the car, plus shipping, plus needed repairs, plus 2x the estimated body shop estimate was still a good deal. I "bought" the car. Price was asking price, less $500 discount, plus $900 shipping, plus $150 doc fee. Total was $26,550.
- Dealer fedexed purchase paperwork to a local notary service. I met the notary at a coffee shop, signed everything, and presented a certified check. Notary service fedexed the paperwork back to the dealer.
- Dealer shipped car and applied for an instant title. (The title took a couple weeks due to software problems at State of Washington.)
- Transport company and I talked to schedule delivery time. Truck driver and I talked a few times regarding exact time and directions.
- Truck delivered car at night, I inspected with a flashlight, signed, drove the car around the block, and parked it in my garage.
- Title arrived about a week later.
- I visited Secretary of State office (DMV), paid sales tax, applied for title, and got plates.
- Car went to Lexus dealer for 30K service, replacement of a steering wheel switch, and additional master fob.
- Car went to body shop to fix dents and scratches.
- Located car on Autotrader in late January.
- Checked carfax, autocheck, and Lexus service history.
- Posted a request here and in the Northwest forum asking for someone who knows LS430s in the Bellevue, WA area to look at the car, take a test drive, and take pics of anything wrong.
- Within hours, Airtime volunteered to do it. He works very close to the BMW dealer that was selling the car. Others were lined up behind him to volunteer.
- The next day, Airtime visited the dealership in the late morning, took 55 pics, and posted them on his photobucket account by that afternoon. He didn't have an opportunity to take a test drive.
- I sent Airtime a $50 gift certificate to Applebees for his trouble. (Hooters in his area closed.) He sent me a car-related gift in return (that I plan to install once I get the car back from the body shop).
- Once I got the thumbs up from Airtime, I put a credit card deposit on the car and had the dealer take it to Airtime's independent Lexus mechanic, also near the dealership. I told the dealer that if the car passed inspection, I would want a price on the car that included shipping. The dealer never processed the credit card deposit.
- The pics showed some body damage, so I emailed them to my local bodyshop for a rough estimate.
- I spoke with the mechanic a number of times and was assured that the car was A-OK and the body damage was superficial. The cost for this inspection was a bit over $100, which I paid by credit card.
- I used the body shop estimate to leverage some discount on the price of the car, that was already priced $5K under KBB retail. I knew that the price of the car, plus shipping, plus needed repairs, plus 2x the estimated body shop estimate was still a good deal. I "bought" the car. Price was asking price, less $500 discount, plus $900 shipping, plus $150 doc fee. Total was $26,550.
- Dealer fedexed purchase paperwork to a local notary service. I met the notary at a coffee shop, signed everything, and presented a certified check. Notary service fedexed the paperwork back to the dealer.
- Dealer shipped car and applied for an instant title. (The title took a couple weeks due to software problems at State of Washington.)
- Transport company and I talked to schedule delivery time. Truck driver and I talked a few times regarding exact time and directions.
- Truck delivered car at night, I inspected with a flashlight, signed, drove the car around the block, and parked it in my garage.
- Title arrived about a week later.
- I visited Secretary of State office (DMV), paid sales tax, applied for title, and got plates.
- Car went to Lexus dealer for 30K service, replacement of a steering wheel switch, and additional master fob.
- Car went to body shop to fix dents and scratches.
Last edited by caddyowner; 03-12-10 at 05:58 AM.
03-12-10, 09:59 AM
#5
Driver
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: California
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I bought a Lexus SC430 on Ebay - no inspection
Maybe I am more trusting than most people, but I bought a 2002 SC430 on Ebay, buy it now, best offer, after offering $2000. less from a wholesale dealer in PA. I live in California. The auction had car fax report and many pictures. I was required to pay in advance with cashier's check but the sales order said money refunded if vehicle not acceptable when I went to pick it up. Worked out fine, drove the car home.
03-12-10, 10:03 AM
#6
Moderator
03-12-10, 10:09 AM
#7
Recovering Lexus Addict
Trending Topics
03-12-10, 01:14 PM
#8
Moderator
I bought my car from a dealer 900 miles away from where I live. dealer was Lexus and it was CPO car so I had some assurance that I was not getting scammed on car condition - but I elected to buy a one way ticket and fly up and take personal delivery. Since it was a $34K purchase I thought $300 airplane tick was a good investment. The Lexus dealer (Woodfield Lexus) graciously agreed to hold the car for me for 7 days (so I could get a 7 day advance ticket) with a $5K credit card deposit. They said they would refund the deposit in full if car was not to my satisfaction. So when went to pick up the car the dealer had detailed the car inside and out to the point of perfection (including full clay bar and wax). The car looked absolutely brand new.
Then I drove it home, 900 miles back to DFW - drive cost including hotel and expense was approx $400 hundred more - so it worked out basically same as shipping cost. The drive between Chicago and DFW is unpleaseant at best even in a wonderful car so that part was not fun. Much rather be driving from Seattle to San Diego for example.
So you can certainly ship and it can work out very well. But unfortunately I am borderline OCD mental about my car being in mint condition so I could not deal with buying sight unseen and shipping.
I think either method can work OK as long as you trust the seller and you know exactly what you are getting. Even if you go pick up personally there is still risk and cost involved if the car is a dog - like how are you gonna get home? : )
Then I drove it home, 900 miles back to DFW - drive cost including hotel and expense was approx $400 hundred more - so it worked out basically same as shipping cost. The drive between Chicago and DFW is unpleaseant at best even in a wonderful car so that part was not fun. Much rather be driving from Seattle to San Diego for example.
So you can certainly ship and it can work out very well. But unfortunately I am borderline OCD mental about my car being in mint condition so I could not deal with buying sight unseen and shipping.
I think either method can work OK as long as you trust the seller and you know exactly what you are getting. Even if you go pick up personally there is still risk and cost involved if the car is a dog - like how are you gonna get home? : )
03-12-10, 01:25 PM
#9
you probably be ok if you are dealing with good dealership like Lexus/BMW. But if buying from used car lot, or just a person. I will be caution.
The other thing is how paper work will be handled.
The other thing is how paper work will be handled.
03-12-10, 03:11 PM
#10
Recovering Lexus Addict
^^
Car dealers are car dealers. The BMW dealer I dealt with assured me that there was no way my car needed my estimated $2-3K of body work. The three estimates I received after getting the car were all between $2100 and $3100.
Car dealers are car dealers. The BMW dealer I dealt with assured me that there was no way my car needed my estimated $2-3K of body work. The three estimates I received after getting the car were all between $2100 and $3100.
03-12-10, 03:16 PM
#11
Driver
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: CA
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
if i buy from private seller, how do i make sure i dont get screwed.
thing im worried about is what if they dont send the doc like title.
also what could go wrong in shipping and what i need to do.
as far as condition of car, i feel confident if lexus dealer inspects and says ok to me.
thing im worried about is what if they dont send the doc like title.
also what could go wrong in shipping and what i need to do.
as far as condition of car, i feel confident if lexus dealer inspects and says ok to me.
03-12-10, 03:44 PM
#12
Moderator
It terms of dealers its kind of the luck of the draw although I have to say my experience with most (but not all) Lexus dealers are that the sales staff is trained to act with a higher level of integrity than the average car dealer. I think this may be because the dealership lives in fear of customer complaints being made to the Lexus mother ship.
When I was doing the deal on my car over the telephone I asked to speak with sales manager and told him pointedly but politely that if I flew up to Chicago to buy a supposedly mint car and it was misrepresented in any way that I would go direct to Lexus corporate and absolutely throw the sales manager and the dealership under the bus. They really seem to be very sensitive in making sure they create a satisfied customer and that Lexus does not get any complaints. When I went up to inspect the car I could see the visible relief on the sales' guys face when I turned to him and said the car was virtually perfect. He really looked like he was sweating it. The car had been staged in an indoor bay and they literally had 3-4 spotlights on it, like it was on display at a car show.
When I was doing the deal on my car over the telephone I asked to speak with sales manager and told him pointedly but politely that if I flew up to Chicago to buy a supposedly mint car and it was misrepresented in any way that I would go direct to Lexus corporate and absolutely throw the sales manager and the dealership under the bus. They really seem to be very sensitive in making sure they create a satisfied customer and that Lexus does not get any complaints. When I went up to inspect the car I could see the visible relief on the sales' guys face when I turned to him and said the car was virtually perfect. He really looked like he was sweating it. The car had been staged in an indoor bay and they literally had 3-4 spotlights on it, like it was on display at a car show.
Last edited by Jabberwock; 03-12-10 at 03:55 PM.
03-12-10, 03:49 PM
#13
Recovering Lexus Addict
The best way to deal with a private seller is to buy a round trip ticket, recruit a friend to drive you, or hook a car trailer to your truck, go there, and do it all in person. Pay in cash, make sure any listed lien is paid and released, and bring back the car, title, keys, everything.
03-12-10, 09:45 PM
#15
Driver
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: CA
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
