Buying a USED Civic - Don't want to be scammed! Help.
#1
03-09-2009, 06:24 PM
Buying a USED Civic - Don't want to be scammed! Help.
Okay guys, i agreed to buy the Honda Civic LX 97 for $2400.
However, it was through an auction site. I didn't pay him yet. I will be paying it when I pick it up with cash. How do I make sure this is a decent vehicle? I am picking it up at 6pm so going to mechanic is pretty much out of the question.
What should I do to make sure it's sound before I take the title and not get scammed?'
edit: just got the car fax. 2 owners. 1st owner drove it for 11 years = 88000 miles. 2nd owner drove it for 10 months = 30,000 miles.
10 months 30k miles? bad thing?
However, it was through an auction site. I didn't pay him yet. I will be paying it when I pick it up with cash. How do I make sure this is a decent vehicle? I am picking it up at 6pm so going to mechanic is pretty much out of the question.
What should I do to make sure it's sound before I take the title and not get scammed?'
edit: just got the car fax. 2 owners. 1st owner drove it for 11 years = 88000 miles. 2nd owner drove it for 10 months = 30,000 miles.
10 months 30k miles? bad thing?
Last edited by Loren646; 03-09-2009 at 06:55 PM.
#2
03-10-2009, 12:08 AM
That just means he drives a lot. Not uncommon in this day and age with all the commuting and whatnot. My dad had his old truck for 8 years and put over 300,000 miles on it.
Check all the fluid levels.
Ask him everything that has been changed. If he doesn't automatically mention the timing belt, ask him if it has been changed. If he doesn't know, then when you get the car that should be the first thing you do to it, as a precaution.
Listen for squeaks, rattles, or any other weird noises.
Inspect the condition of the drive belts (they should look good, with no cracking and should not be dried out).
Check tire tread wear.
Make sure the car goes straight. If it doesn't, look under the car and look for bent suspension components. If there aren't any bent, then it likely just needs an alignment.
Check all lights and power windows, power mirrors, power locks, and cruise control to make sure they work.
Look under the hood and under the car for leaks.
Look under the car for torn axle boots.
Don't make duplicate threads.
Check all the fluid levels.
Ask him everything that has been changed. If he doesn't automatically mention the timing belt, ask him if it has been changed. If he doesn't know, then when you get the car that should be the first thing you do to it, as a precaution.
Listen for squeaks, rattles, or any other weird noises.
Inspect the condition of the drive belts (they should look good, with no cracking and should not be dried out).
Check tire tread wear.
Make sure the car goes straight. If it doesn't, look under the car and look for bent suspension components. If there aren't any bent, then it likely just needs an alignment.
Check all lights and power windows, power mirrors, power locks, and cruise control to make sure they work.
Look under the hood and under the car for leaks.
Look under the car for torn axle boots.
Don't make duplicate threads.
#3
03-10-2009, 08:07 AM
Make sure all the doors open!!! May sound stupid but i've had a 97 AND a 99 that had rear door handles that didn't work.......
Oh and i'm probably the only one that this has happened to (cause i wasnt there when my car was bought) but when you look under the hood, make sure the brackets for the headlights aren't busted. All four brackets were busted on one headlight and two on the other, evidence that it was in a wreck....which they failed to mention.
Oh and i'm probably the only one that this has happened to (cause i wasnt there when my car was bought) but when you look under the hood, make sure the brackets for the headlights aren't busted. All four brackets were busted on one headlight and two on the other, evidence that it was in a wreck....which they failed to mention.
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