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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:13:19 PM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I won't buy a used car without a mechanic inspection. Car Fax and Auto Check are not perfect. I've DQ'd three cars over the last two years (all with less than 50k miles on the odo) due to mechanic inspections that revealed major issues that both Car Fax and Auto Check did not catch, and a test drive (even with a semi-knowledgeable car guy like myself) would not have caught. Every decent car buying service/channel (e.g. The HomeWork Guy) will say "no" to purchasing a used car without an inspection. The fact that your potential buyer is willing to shell out their cash for an inspection shows that they are serious. However, 100 miles is too much (IMO). How about some options? 1. Say you'll accept an inspection from a local (within your preferred radius) Toyota dealer or AAA-approved independent mechanic. You don't need to have AAA membership to find an approved local mechanic, and I usually double check against Yelp and Google reviews to ensure the inspection shop is decent. I've used this route to inspect cars not in range from my two local mechanics and it works well. 2. Refer them to mobile inspection services. I have not used these myself, but for certain types of vehicles they can make sense. My dad is a PCA (Porsche Club of America) member, and there is one mobile inspection service that apparently it held in high regard for P-cars on their forums. I can't remember their name right now but I did ask them and they only do Porsche cars. You may refer them to Lemon Squad or a similar mobile inspection service that will come to you and save you the hassle. Hope things work out. I'm stunned at the number of dealers that will not permit a third party inspection for a used car (non-CPO) in my area. What were the major issues that your mechanic identified? |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:13:21 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Have the mechanic come to you. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:13:39 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I remember in the 80s my dad coming home with cars for the weekend that the dealership let him test drive, he of course had prior relationships with these dealers, I feel like even then this was a rare relic of the 1940s and 1950s, but I wouldn't do it now. Don't be a jerk about it but let them know if their mechanic would like to meet them close by (or another mobile mechanic) then cool. There are people who perform mobile inspections for this purpose all over the place, pretty normal, but taking off and putting 100 miles on a car before deciding is not something that's really done today. I'm not sure it's that rare, it's been awhile but around 2006-7 the dealer let me take a vehicle for a weekend test drive. No prior relationship or anything. Mobile inspections might be a thing, but if the buyer has a guy he trusts that's who they will want doing the inspection, no alternative will be better. Realistically 100 miles on a used car your selling is no big deal. It doesn't change the value or anything, so the only reason to balk at this person wanting to take the car 100+ miles round trip is what it costs you in time/inconvenience. They can pay the price for that if it's important to them, it's realistically a similar cost to paying for a mobile inspection vs. bringing the car to a local garage. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:14:21 PM EDT
[#4]
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:15:18 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Screw that shit. F**K NO. I once had a customer get firey pissed because I wouldn't let her test drive to Chicago for the weekend. She just wanted a free car for the weekend. Sounds similar. Is the car insured in case it gets stolen or wrecked? Considering they're your only potential buyer I'd ask for half up front and if they don't buy it you refund minus 60 cents per mile and any damages. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:15:19 PM EDT
[#6]
For a $7,000 Toyota? Hell no.
I could see this kind of stuff if you are selling a Porsche or something but an old Toyota? Had some yutz like this sniffing around when I sold my old Tacoma, had another try to berate me into selling it for 1/2 my asking price. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:17:34 PM EDT
[#7]
A local mechanic with cash deposit would be reasonable. But 100 miles added to the odometer is unacceptable. Time for the buyer to shit or get off the pot.
If they refuse then its the free market telling you that you are priced too high. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:18:16 PM EDT
[#8]
For a $7k vehicle, fuck no.
I guess I could see it if it was some $200k Ferrari or something collectible or rare, something along those lines |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:18:18 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: No. There will be other buyers, and if not, drop the price. This right here. In fact, raise the price on them. Call it the stupid tax. Some potential buyers are more trouble than they're worth.... |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:21:14 PM EDT
[#10]
Nope
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:21:18 PM EDT
[#11]
You're also assuming there really IS a mechanic 50 miles away. How do you know they really do have the money? Sounds like they may be looking to "buy" a car for their deposit offer.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:22:11 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: For a Toyota with less than 100k miles for $7k? What in the ever loving fuck. This. I’d politely tell them to move along. They are holding up the line. That car won’t need an inspection for another 100,000 miles. Selling a low mile Toyota for $7k is like selling a G19 with 100 rounds through it for $300. It sells itself. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:23:34 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I absolutely wouldn’t let them drive my car 100 miles. If I was certain they were serious and nobody else was interested, I’d drive it to their mechanic myself. The car doesn’t leave my sight until the title gets signed over. This, I could tell the story about selling a car to a former best friend here but I won't. 
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:25:11 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: No. There will be other buyers, and if not, drop the price. Or raise it, the psychology of selling is often baffling and bizarre. I have sold 2 cars in the past because people felt they were too cheap at my original asking, when I went up on the price everyone thought I had had the car refurbished. Go figure. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:26:10 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Tell them to find a local mechanic to inspect it. That first post thing. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:28:01 PM EDT
[#16]
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:28:50 PM EDT
[#17]
When I sold my Ram Rebel, I had some moron literally tell me he "needs" to test it's offroad capability and wants to take it thru X offroad park. If it does well he will buy it.... I told him, sure after you give me cash or a cashiers check from your bank for 38k. The dude lost his mind and called me every name in the book claiming I wasted his time. He had his daddy call me to tell me off and to sell the truck to his kid or we might have problems. Nobody ever showed up lol.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:29:04 PM EDT
[#18]
Last car I sold privately, the first potential buyer wanted to do the same thing. I sold it to next guy in line. I don't have time for bullshit.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:30:02 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Tell them to find a local mechanic to inspect it. /thread |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:30:30 PM EDT
[#20]
They can use a local toyota dealer for a PPI
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:32:10 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: When I sold my Ram Rebel, I had some moron literally tell me he "needs" to test it's offroad capability and wants to take it thru X offroad park. If it does well he will buy it.... I told him, sure after you give me cash or a cashiers check from your bank for 38k. The dude lost his mind and called me every name in the book claiming I wasted his time. He had his daddy call me to tell me off and to sell the truck to his kid or we might have problems. Nobody ever showed up lol. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:32:26 PM EDT
[#22]
Since you said you haven't had any other interest in it, I would offer to drive the truck to the car to their mechanic for ______ (whatever your time is worth).
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:36:17 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote History" Do you have any time in this type? " " 9 o-clock " LOL love that movie.....................cook it. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:37:04 PM EDT
[#24]
The mileage is relative. Around here everything is 30-50 miles away.
Is an inspection reasonable. Yes. Does it matter where the mechanic is located? I guess that depends on how bad you want to sell it. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:38:41 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: What were the major issues that your mechanic identified? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I won't buy a used car without a mechanic inspection. Car Fax and Auto Check are not perfect. I've DQ'd three cars over the last two years (all with less than 50k miles on the odo) due to mechanic inspections that revealed major issues that both Car Fax and Auto Check did not catch, and a test drive (even with a semi-knowledgeable car guy like myself) would not have caught. Every decent car buying service/channel (e.g. The HomeWork Guy) will say "no" to purchasing a used car without an inspection. The fact that your potential buyer is willing to shell out their cash for an inspection shows that they are serious. However, 100 miles is too much (IMO). How about some options? 1. Say you'll accept an inspection from a local (within your preferred radius) Toyota dealer or AAA-approved independent mechanic. You don't need to have AAA membership to find an approved local mechanic, and I usually double check against Yelp and Google reviews to ensure the inspection shop is decent. I've used this route to inspect cars not in range from my two local mechanics and it works well. 2. Refer them to mobile inspection services. I have not used these myself, but for certain types of vehicles they can make sense. My dad is a PCA (Porsche Club of America) member, and there is one mobile inspection service that apparently it held in high regard for P-cars on their forums. I can't remember their name right now but I did ask them and they only do Porsche cars. You may refer them to Lemon Squad or a similar mobile inspection service that will come to you and save you the hassle. Hope things work out. I'm stunned at the number of dealers that will not permit a third party inspection for a used car (non-CPO) in my area. What were the major issues that your mechanic identified? You're gonna love these: 1. Water leak (most likely in moonroof). Visible water pooling inside the car (under the floormats). The car had been stored outside (small independent car lot) and it hadn't rained for over a week. The mechanic (in this case, a dealer)'s inspection regime usually included a "water test" but they didn't run the test for fear of making the issue worse. In this area, which was hit hard by flood cars being sold after Hurricane Sandy we are all a bit wary of this issue. I don't think this was a flood car. 2. Transmission abuse. Mechanic pulled a sample of the transmission fluid -- "burned" dark color fluid was a dead giveaway. 3. Undisclosed accident/body damage. Car Fax and Auto Check said no accidents. Mechanic pulled me aside and said "this car's been in a wreck". Misaligned body panels, overspray on interior jambs, etc. The money I spent on mechanic inspections was worth every penny (usually between $100-150)! All cars had less than 50k miles and were a decently reliable brand (Subaru). |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:40:42 PM EDT
[#26]
Stories like this are why I just sold my last car to CarMax. Sure I could have gotten like $2k more selling it myself, but CarMax was effortless.
My time is valuable to me and I’m not going to waste it dicking around with pain in the ass people. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:42:45 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Stories like this are why I just sold my last car to CarMax. Sure I could have gotten like $2k more selling it myself, but CarMax was effortless. My time is valuable to me and I'm not going to waste it dicking around with pain in the ass people. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:43:58 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryThis was my first thought. "You just have to leave a deposit." "Two Meeelion Dollars" |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:44:20 PM EDT
[#29]
My main issue with this, is that in my experience people like that are the most likely to get cold feet at the end and waste your time.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:44:55 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I sold cars in the 80's and a guy showed up and wanted to test drive a truck. 1.5 hours later he still had not come back so I went to lunch, and saw the asshole using the truck to move out from an apartment. MF'er! I went back, blocked his car with one of ours and charged him double what he could have rented it for before I moved ours. I bought rounds after work. One and a half hours is way too long for a test drive. I would have called the Police and reported it stolen at that point. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:48:44 PM EDT
[#31]
I honestly don't even see this being a question, but , no I would not.
You can bring your mechanic, you can buy the car, but no you can't take the car anywhere until you have paid me. And all of this for a $7k car? LOL, fuck noo |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:51:56 PM EDT
[#32]
OP. Do you have physical damage and liability coverage on the car that permits others to drive it?
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:54:08 PM EDT
[#33]
Lol
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:54:09 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: NOPE mechanic can come on their dime. This. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:54:10 PM EDT
[#35]
Deposit would need to be asking price.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 3:56:36 PM EDT
[#36]
Nope. Buyer checks it over or takes it with me to a nearby garage (their choice)...or I say "next" in the line of buyers.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:03:18 PM EDT
[#37]
Yeah lot of people here aren't business men.
Make it 7050 once inspected or 50 bucks to do so if they back out. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:05:02 PM EDT
[#38]
100 percent down payment, and they can take the car anywhere they like.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:05:23 PM EDT
[#39]
I have no problem having the vehicle examined by a mechanic of your choosing but you're not taking a vehicle I am trying to sell on a 100 mile drive to do it.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:05:33 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryI'm really happy that somebody posted this. For the OP, I'm fully on board with having a mechanic inspect a used car before I buy it. But it's not like a Toyota is some mystical vehicle that only has 3 qualified mechanics in the country. It's not a Bugatti. Every dealership service department and most independent shops will do a pre-purchase inspection of a vehicle for $100-200 and give you a nice printed report with everything they tested and found and possibly even the price to repair/replace the part. Tell them they can get it inspected at a local (within 10 miles) shop. If you're getting any funny vibes, go with them. I've sold cars and let people take the car to the shop. And I've sold cars where I didn't feel comfortable letting them take the car. Go with your gut. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:10:31 PM EDT
[#41]
Very possible to get into an accident on a 100 mile trip. Then what?
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:12:25 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: non refundable deposit of like 1k and you drive it there. This. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:13:26 PM EDT
[#43]
Its a fucking Toyota, tell him to take it to the dealer and get it inspected. There is no reason to drive it to a particular mechanic, unless its a super specialized car.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:13:43 PM EDT
[#44]
7K Deposit....
 Failed To Load Title |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:16:16 PM EDT
[#45]
Why is this even a question?
 The answer would be a hard no.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:16:51 PM EDT
[#46]
I understand you could use the money but...
The amout of time and trouble for this sale is probably going to be way more than it's worth to you. Example.... My mechanic looked at it and says it's nice but there are a few issues would you take $6000.00 Example... They wreck it playing around driving like they stole it because yeah they did and no skin in the game. Local inspection or move on. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:16:57 PM EDT
[#47]
I'd drive 10 miles each way max. They can have their mechanic come see the car or pay for some else to do an inspection on the car. There are people who do this for a living.
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:17:29 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I they paid gas, time, and mileage, i would drive it myself. 100 miles round trip is not that far really, and its understandable if someone wants to use a mechanic they trust. If they dont buy it, im reimbursed for my time and wear and tear on the vehicle. If they decide to buy it, i would take it off the top of the purchase price, and eat my time to get it sold. I would not let them drive it however. This. |
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:19:23 PM EDT
[#49]
Isn't having a mechanic "inspect" the vehicle kind of asinine? Other than things that should be obvious to anybody (sounds, smells, leaks) is there really anything a mechanic is going to do in 30 minutes that is going to give you an indication as to how well maintained the vehicle is?
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Posted: 1/24/2021 4:22:01 PM EDT
[#50]
Quoted: After having test driven it twice and used a lot of my time answering questions similar to "do the chickens have large talons?" They have money, but someone in the family told them they had to have their mechanic inspect it. I need the cash, and they're the only buyer that has actually shown up. On the other hand, I've got to cut my losses at some point. They did offer to leave a deposit and sign whatever agreement I wanted. It's a $7k Toyota, very clean, <100k miles, maintenance records, garage kept, etc. Wwyd? 
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