Buying from a used car dealership

[Patrick]

Is anyone really good at buying used cars from a dealer? esp one that specializes in used cars?

is it just about being willing to stand up and walk away at any time?

i see the same car listed at three different price points on-line.
i've heard they will start to load in fees.

i'd probably be better off looking for a local, private sale, but i think i found something i want.

no, it is not an exotic! although i'm working on a private with some curb appeal.

 

[GSTim]

What is it?

 

[pooriggy]

Buy low, sell high.

 

[qclabrat]

Have you checked out their reviews on cargurus.com? Been looking for a used car for my kid and the usual compliant are the non disclosed fees at the end. I think for any transaction you need to ask up front on fees not included and incentives included in the advertised price

 

[w_b]

Know your top dolla and stick to it. Emotions have no place in a business deal. Plenty of cars down the street.

 

[Patrick]

What is it?

the private is a clk 430 - older. would be a project. has a non-certified mileage title!!!

Have you checked out their reviews on cargurus.com? Been looking for a used car for my kid and the usual compliant are the non disclosed fees at the end. I think for any transaction you need to ask up front on fees not included and incentives included in the advertised price

yeah - that is what i'm reading. i also don't mind financing through them, as long as there isn't any pre-payment penalty

Know your top dolla and stick to it. Emotions have no place in a business deal. Plenty of cars down the street.

true - time is money also.

--

do you ask them to write it up, then start negotiating? cause they are just going to claim they said, or didn't say something....
i don't have a trade in (well i do, but nobody would want it.)

 

[Dingo]

CLK any number insert here___...

You must be a glutton for punishment.

 

[Carson]

Only one way to find out... go try. Have some justification for your ceiling. It took me two months to get the Ford dealer to come down to my price on the Raptor. They disliked me very much but in the end I'm not looking for new friends.

Prepayment penalties are illegal in NJ. You can take a loan and pay it in full 30 days later after the first billing cycle. I'd still read the fine print doe.

 

[Patrick]

CLK any number insert here___...

You must be a glutton for punishment.

2.5 tons of sleek!

it looks like it wants to be a sports car, but it can't be.
what am i missing?
btw: looking for an upgrade from a '93 metro drop top.

 

[GSTim]

All I can say is that old Mercedes (like BMWs) do not make good "project" cars. Even the small fixes are big $$.

I was looking at some "great" deals on some older S4s and talked to a local import mechanic. He practically begged me to buy one, said he would vacation on my money for the next few years.

 

[Steve Vai]

 

[Dingo]

2.5 tons of sleek!

it looks like it wants to be a sports car, but it can't be.
what am i missing?
btw: looking for an upgrade from a '93 metro drop top.

Your not missing anything now... After you own one you will be missing a lot of $$$

Whats so bad about the 3 cyl Metro. You can overhaul the engine on a kitchen table. Don't even need a crane to pluck it out of the car.

 

[domo]

Best advice is research
If you can buy directly from the lot owner and not a salesperson, you can probably save a few hundo but otherwise I'll try to go there interested in a different car and openly ask for his opinion on "the car" you really want to get a different perspective or opinion

If it's been on the lot long the more they would want to sell at a discount. Don't ask me because I used to work at a Honda dealership as a service advisor.

Will really eventually come down to how much you really want it and how much you want to spend. Like everything else that requires legal tender. Good luck

 

[knobbyhead]

Clk 430, old merchandise is a bad idea. The maintenance will beak the bank. How about an old v8 Lexus? or a miata? Isn't the answer always a miata? Or a Pontiac gto- the new rendention?

If your a masochist, buy an old v-12 m-b, you can buy them cheap. Buy one for 8 grand, and drive it till it blows up or repairs get too costly

 

[Paul H]

Only advice I can give when dealing with used car sales.... show cash and be able to walk away if the deal is not right.
Showing cash tells them you are not a tire kicker and you are ready to make the deal that day.

 

[rick81721]

Eh if you really want a Mercedes buy new - you only live once and can't take it with you (and like us you only have one kid - want him to get everything?) Get the extended warranty!

 

[Patrick]

Only advice I can give when dealing with used car sales.... show cash and be able to walk away if the deal is not right.
Showing cash tells them you are not a tire kicker and you are ready to make the deal that day.

they want it financed, cause they make an extra kicker each month off the finance charge.

private sale, cash is king!

i'd def be ready to make the deal. i have a number in mind, so they can chew on it.

Eh if you really want a Mercedes buy new - you only live once and can't take it with you (and like us you only have one kid - want him to get everything?) Get the extended warranty!

no can do - although i drove by one of those 3 ton jags for sale in the great swamp.....looks like it may have gone under water during floyd

 

[Paul H]

they want it financed, cause they make an extra kicker each month off the finance charge.

private sale, cash is king!

i'd def be ready to make the deal. i have a number in mind, so they can chew on it.

Cash for full purchase or down payment
Whether cash or other form of payment, something to show the salesman that you are ready to make a deal that day and not just another tire kicker wasting his time.

 

[jShort]

I was looking at some "great" deals on some older S4s and talked to a local import mechanic

Those are one of the most notoriously unreliable cars ever made though.

I thought I remembered reading something about the timing chain tensioners sucking and because of that, the engines can blow up at any given moment.

 

[Magic]

Used car lots are the worst. A lot of those cars are salvage repairs. I would go for maybe a Corolla/Camry from one because they run forever and if it’s major you’d be able to tell, but I’d sure as hell stay away from used car lot sports cars and German cars. Or bring a friend that can really tell when a car has been repaired via frame pulling, etc.