I'll find the right car eventually, Craigslist needs to change it name to: Craig's Salvaged List though.

1973 911 T MFI Coupe, Aubergine

Steve

It seems though that cars sold by "owners" are genuine used and not brought back from salvage. Makes sense, why would an owner go through the expense of restoring a salvage car. I would go with owners who have a good story to tell of why they are selling.

A guy in my neighborhood was tearing down the inside of a very new Jetta wagon in his garage. I stopped to chat and the sunroof leaked and flooded the inside. The dealer sold it for a song (maybe a salvage) and used the savings to restore the interior. Not a project I'd want to take on, but I guess people do it.

Steve, remember when I shopped the auctions for you and told you that most of the older Tacos there there were somewhere between mediocre and junk? You are looking at the trucks that I suggested you avoid with some tire shine, undercoating, and a big markup. You won't find the needle in a haystack at Joe's Corner Used Car Lot, because they are just buying cars at auction. You MIGHT get lucky and find a cream puff trade-in at a new dealership, but it will likely be marked up significantly. I'll echo the sentiment of others, you need to be shopping with private party sellers and will still need to sift through a LOT of junk to find a nice truck. Be it a Tacoma or Porsche, the average car owner does not take care of their vehicle.

Yeah Matt...these were both mediocre. Well the red one was worse. Seeing the auction prep line was interesting...now maybe their focus was on the low end stuff, but it was a machine prepping cars. I think that gave me a bad feeling before they pulled around the one I came to see. We all have different standards of what we want and will put up with on a punch list....I went against my instincts....I think that's what makes me mad at myself.

In both the ones I saw, I learned you cannot trust the photos. You have to see it for yourself.

I've bought a fair few cars in my time and what I've learned is that it's best to go with your gut feeling about the owner you're dealing with. That's assuming the car is right for you.
The car may seem near perfect but if the "owner" is an arse or plays dumb, I just walk.

Why deal with someone like that if you don't have to? There are plenty of used cars, bikes and trucks out there.
It is and always has been a buyers market.

Also, that's the one big advantage of buying privately rather than through a dealership.

FWIW... I dread selling any car. All sorts of idiots turn up and most just waste your time.

Here's a case in point. This is an 2005 Rover 75. It was described "in very good condition". The price was right for the year and Km's travelled but the paint was just ridiculous. It's like this all over the top surfaces of the car.
You could get most of this out with some hard work and time but why bother?
There is always another car to look at. Just be patient.

I asked the owner about it and he said "I don't know what happened" and just shrugged his shoulders with a dumb look on his face.
And he's in the building trade :rolleyes:

To me it looks like a car cover was dragged off it when it was dirty... SEVERAL TIMES!!!
What does that tell you about the owner?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1410354976.jpg

And some gashes in the rear bumper... This did it for me. See ya later.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1410355025.jpg

Wow, you have astronomically high standards if those two items put you off a 9 year old car. I'm not sure where the "hard work" comes in, Meguiars 105 & 205 with a DA and all those light scratches would be gone.

If that was it, I would say that Rover was in very, very, very good condition for a used car.

Our 2000 Durango's paint is in far better shape than that truck and it has 180k miles on it. Yes, we bought it used in 2002. No, I don't detail it every three months.

If a truck is $8,000 and needs $1,500 in reconditioning (detail, tires, repaint a scuffed bumper, etc) it's still a better buy than a $10,000 truck that looks pretty shiny with half-tread tires

You're buying a vehicle, not picking a wife

Some guys keep their cars far longer than they keep their wives. ;)

It took me 7 months, to finally find a excellent condition, one owner used '05 Tacoma double cab 4x4 with a camper shell.

I bought it from the original owner, with maintenance records since new, original window sticker too.

They are out there. My father in law happened upon a 1992 ExtraCab V6 4x4 with 60k just sitting on the side of the road with a sign in the window. Absolutely like new condition, zero rust, head gaskets and timing belt recently done. Everything done at the dealership with OEM parts, the original owner had even done things like the radiator because "it seemed like it should be done". I think he paid $6500 for it. Bastard.:cool:

It's my money so yes I have "astronomically high standards".

It seems like all used cars are overvalued in the last few years. I used to always advocate used cars but after shopping for a few recently Im not so sur it makes sence anymore.

Used toyota trucks I know have a huge resale. They are good trucks but I think its a bit over the top. A good buddy of mine just bought a single cab 4cyl manual 4x4 with 160k miles on it for like 6k. I thought it would be about half that.

My sister had a late 90s 4 runner. Somehow she killed the engine and it had to be replaced with a junkyard engine. It had about 100k miles on it. I told her to ask around 7k for it with out putting too much thought or research into it. Somebody came to pick it up the next morning after the ad.

Seems crazy to me. The worse thing to me is the slightly used car prices. I see dealerships asking more for 2 year old 30k mile cars than you could get a new one for.

What ever happend to it depreciates 6k right when you drive it off the lot? Cars are pretty reliable these days but a used car with 40k miles isnt worth 85% of new in my estimation. The math doesnt work out

In 2011 I bought a 2007 Toy. Rav4, V-6 two wheeler w/40k miles and a 10 yr. platinum Toy. warranty transferable for $50.
Original owner was an anally-retentive Veterinarian - had every single piece of paperwork in a file.
.
The engine bay when I bought it:
.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1410391611.jpg

That's the one to buy ^^^

That's the "one" I look for. I pass on anything not "cherished". Just be patient. Let the fools buy the rubbish.

Amen, brother!
I looked for 3 months...thought I wanted a BMW SUV until I researched.
Found this on CL.

I buy a lot of used cars and trucks. I prefer PP for cash because I like to talk to the guy that has been driving it but have bought a few cream puffs from dealers with good results. I focus on unmolested cars owned by adults. Minor flaws are bargaining chips and major flaws or mechanical issues are a walk away for me. I buy road worthy drivers not projects. If I find a real sweetie, it is always worth more than blue book to me.

If you want perfect and you want it now, buy new. If you have lots of time to wait for a sweetie, buy the right truck used.

Yes, this is very nuts.


I remember for a time people were saying there were no cars out there because cash for clunkers killed off the supply of great big $5000 gas guzzling junkers that people would buy and drive till they died and buy another one. Now there were twice as many people chasing the $5000 small cars.

I don't think it applies in this case, but I don't understand the pricing model any longer.


I love my 3 series sedan but got scared off the SUVs as I wanted.